A History of "Sound" in the Naming Process

The very first thing that all name-searching parents do when they find a name is say it. Whether it is in their mind or out loud, pronouncing the name always comes first. How does the name sound when you say it? Do you like the sound of the name? Does it easily roll off the tongue or are there pronunciation issues that could cause the child problems in life? 

Many of these questions are answered subconsciously as we say and hear the name. And of course, this is going to vary greatly per person. What sounds like a lovely name to one person may not be attractive at all to another. But the question is, are there specific sounds in a name that are more mass-appealing than others? Do we, as a country, tend to gravitate toward certain sounds within a name? 

Take for instance the top 5 girl names of 2016. They all end in the letter A: Emma, Olivia, Ava, Sophia, and Isabella.  These are all very vowel-heavy names that easily roll off the tongue. Today’s parents are flocking to these feminine, vintage-sounding names for girls even though none of them, besides Emma, has ever had major popularity in the past. If you look at the popularity of these five names, you will see that they have all been in regular usage since the US began to keep records in the 1880s, but none of them have ever had this much success until now. So in a way, they are more modern than vintage. 

How do their sounds compare to their contemporaries of the past? 

The types of names that were most popular around the 1920s have a very different sound to them than the modern names we see today.  The top 5 girl names of 1920 were Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret and Ruth. None of these end with the feminine letter A like today's popular names do. Comparatively when you pronounce them out loud, they feel "heavier" than the names of 2016.  

Let’s look beyond the top five. In 2016, twenty-one out of the top fifty girl names end with the A-sound, whereas in 1920, only nine out of fifty do. Those nine names are Virginia, Anna, Martha, Edna, Thelma, Clara, Emma, Barbara and Sarah.  Out of these, Anna (#51 in 2016) and Sarah (#57 in 2016) are very classic and timeless names. Emma has been one of the most popular names of the past couple decades, ranking at #1 in 2008 and again from 2014-2016. Clara (#99 in 2016) falls in line with the vintage names that work well today and are currently gaining popularity.  The other names, Virginia, Martha, Edna, Thelma and Barbara are still being used but they don’t have the same fresh and modern vibe that parents seek today. Why is that?

It is probably because they contain "heavier" and "more out-dated" consonants such as D, N, B, G and -Th, plus other factors like over-use within a particular generation which newer generations avoid. But, if you take a look at the consonants of the most popular names in 2016, you will see that they mostly include L, M, R, S and V. In fact, the letter L seems to be the most popular consonant. It appears in thirty of the top fifty names in 2016, but only seventeen of them in 1920. But on that note, the names Martha and Thelma should technically fit in with the modern names since they end with an A and contain some of the more popular consonants, right?

Unfortunately, no. The Th- sound is not currently deemed stylish. Thelma only had 32 births in 2016, and Martha had 389 for a ranking of #727. There are only two names in the girl’s top 50 of 2016 that contain a Th and neither of them starts with it: Elizabeth and Samantha. While there are indeed many names that contain the Th sound within the name for both boys and girls, there are only two female names in the Top 1000 that start with it: Thea, which is rising quickly (#290), and Thalia which ranks down at #809. On the boy’s side, there are only Thomas, Theodore, Thiago, Theo, Thaddeus and Thatcher.

In 1920, there was Thelma, Theresa, Theda, Theodora, Therese, Theo, Thomas, Theola, and Thora for the girls; Thomas, Theodore, Thurman, Thaddeus, Theron, Theo, Theadore, Thornton, and Thurston for the boys within the Top 1000 names.  This indicates that names that begin with Th- are a thing of the past. These names went out of style because the Th- sound became unfashionable over time, except for the timeless survivors such as Thomas and Theodore that are still in use today.

Some may argue that it has more to do with the style of these names since others with a similar “old” feel like Mildred and Doris, Bernard and Donald all went down with them. Style plays into it, definitely, but I think it has to do more with the individual sounds that make these names feel “old” to begin with. For instance, the letter D was rather popular in the past. Names of 1920 included Dorothy, Mildred, Doris, Gladys, Edna, Edith, and Gertrude within the top 50.  Today, Dorothy is at #652, and Edith at #488 but none of the others rank in the Top 1000.  In 2016, the only female names that have the letter D in the Top 50 are Madison, Addison and Audrey.

For the boys, the D’s tended to be on the end of popular names in 1920 such as Edward, Richard, Harold, Raymond, Donald, Howard, David, Fred, Leonard, Alfred and Bernard within the Top 50. Out of these, only Fred and Bernard have fallen out of regular usage while the rest are within the Top 1000 today. This goes to show that the sounds that work for boys might not always work for girls and vice versa. For example, naming your son David today is a great idea but naming his twin sister Doris might not be. 

Many of the sounds that seem "out-dated" today have a great chance at once again sounding fresh in the coming decades. This doesn't apply for all names across the board, but once some of these names have had enough time to cycle back around, they will regain usage again. This is often referred to as the 100-Year-Rule or the Great-Grandparents Rule which states that the new young generation of parents will find that names from roughly 3 generations back are appealing, whereas names from their parents' and grandparents' era are still too associated with that time and not quite fashionable yet.

There are exceptions, of course, and plenty of classic names that stand the test of time by appearing strongly throughout all generations. What do you think? What other observations have you made about the history of sound in the naming process? How much is dictated by these sounds and how much is due to trends and preference? Share your thoughts below!

Hidden Gems or Never-Agains?: Unusual Girl Names from the 1910s

We previously explored some of the most unusual boy names from the 1910s. Now it is time to take a look at some interesting names given to females from 1910-1919.

Now, there were so very many names to browse through and I'm sure there are dozens more that could be added to this list, but these are some of the top choices I could find. 

All of these had either 5, 6 or 7 births for the year within the decade of the 1910s. The names came straight from the US Social Security Administration's data.

Let's get started! While some aren't quite as unusual as others, browse slowly and try to imagine what it would be like to live with one of these names:

Albirdia Allien Almeter Alphild Amparo Appie Areather Arloene Bannie Beedie Bernetha Binnie Birchie Bird Birdella Blandina Bleeker Blossie Bonzie Boots Borgny Brooxie Brownie Bular California Casilda Cellie Clatie Clesta Clevie Cliffie Clister Clova Cozy Creasie Cumi Darthula

Delight Delitha Dester Dicksie Dimples Domitila Dotsie Dymple Earnie Edmae Eduvigen Equilla Ercie Esteller Eulogia Euple Exilda Ezola Fairie Ferol Fleeta Folia Freedom Fritzi Gurtha Gypsy Happy Hellon Henretter Icel Inus Iota Kansas Lapriel Lauretha Leafie Leather

Leler Lockie Loice Lubie Maclovia Majel Mayo Mertice Methyl Mimmie Missouria Modest Narcissus Neppie Nervie Nieves Ninfa Nobia Novice Novis Occie Ogie Okie Ozite Pairlee Panagiota Panzie Parthena Peaches Peachie Pebble Pecolia Persis Piedad Pinkey Pleasant Plina

Porfiria Pricie Providence Quessie Reathel Rebel Refugio Rettie Rilda Senora Shadie Siller Simmie Sirkka Sissie Snoda Spicie Statia Stellar Sueno Sunbeam Swannie Sweetie Tassie Tatsue Tenner Theckla Thekla Theopal Thetis Thurza Thusnelda Tishie Toini Toots Topsy Toy

Trannie Treasie Trieste Trilby Tinnie Vandora Vangie Vanilla Velvie Verbal Vermell Verneal Verniece Verva Vicy Viletta Virgin Walburga Wanna Wavie Wealthy Weeda Welcome Westonia Willola Wilsie Wincie Wreatha Yaeko Yoshi Zannie Zeffie Zetha Zolar Zorka Zuella Zylphia

What do you think of this list? Pick a few names that catch your eye and share your choices in the comments below! Do you know anyone with an unusual name?

Have You Heard of These Unusual Boy Names from the 1910s?

Today we are zooming in on the decade of the 1910s to discover some of the most unusual names given to boys at the time.

I analyzed the data from the Social Security Administration and looked at the names at the very bottom for each year from 1910-1919. I pulled interesting names that only had 5-7 births per year, and I did so for each of those years.

Take a look at this list and try to remember that these were once names given to baby boys. Some of the boy names that I found within the far-reaches of the data were straight up words.

Here are some of the most interesting ones:

Admiral Battle Bland Boss Boots Carless Castle Champion Chief Choice Colon Coma Commodore Concetto Converse Doctor Doll Dunk English Fess Flake Fleet Fort Friend Gentle

Glee Happy Hooker Jolly Math Method Normal Orange Other Perfecto Precious President Press Seaborn Shade Smiley Speed Square Swift Tiny Tip Watt Welcome White Worthy

Here are even more unusual names that I handpicked from several hundred options. It was hard to narrow it down and know which to include and which to ignore, but these ones made the cut:

Albino Alcide Anibal Argyle Ausby Australia Barksdale Bilbo Bolish Boysie Brack Brainard Broadus Broughton Broward Brownie Brownlow Bubber Bunion Burdette Capus Cataldo Cledith Cleother Clim Cloid Cooley Curlee Deloss Delphis Dolphus Drexel Elree Emo Erdman Erling Ettore Eulis Fermin Flavil Flory	Flournoy Garwood Gildo Glade Goldman Irby Haakon Hargis Harless Harm Hartsell Hazen Helge Helmuth Hezzie Hipolito Hjalmer Holsey Hyrum Iwao Kee Kermith Knowlton Landrum Lankford Legrand Ludie Man Mancil Mayo Miner Mont Moultrie Nesbit Oather Offie Ottaway Oval Ovid Ozro Quitman	Pervie Pincus Pinkney Pledger Plez Pliny Plummer Printes Procopio Proctor Prosper Purvis  Rice Rolla Sambo Sarkis Sears Selso Sewell Sneed Squire Starling Stelmo Stonewall Stoy Swain Telesphore Temple Thelmon Thurl Trygve Tyrus Vasco Vernice Vestal Volney Waclaw Welch Wick Wingate Zoltan

Would you ever consider any of the names listed above? Have you met someone with one of these names, or something equally unusual?

Shall We Bring Back These Girl Names from the 1900s?

Welcome back to our "by decade" series that takes a hard look at the Top 200 combined names of a decade and compares it today's statistics. The Social Security Administration has an aspect of their site that combines the popularity of names between 1900-1909 and compiles it to make a Top 200 list. That's where I pulled this data. The rankings next to each name below is where that name ranked in the 1900s.

I pulled out some of the best names from then that do not currently rank within 2015's Top 1000 list. In fact, each of these names are far, far below the Top 1000 chart. They were once decently used but their time has since passed. Could they ever receive a second chance? Would you ever consider any of the following names for a modern daughter?

1. Ethel (#12 overall from 1900-1909)
Did you know that Ethel is a sister name of Adele, Alina and Adelina? They all come from the Old English element æðel meaning "noble".  Ethel was revived in the 19th century and has been used in the US since records began in 1880. In fact, it ranked very well way back then, hitting a high point in 1918 with over 8,000 births for the year. It left the Top 100 in 1939 and the Top 1000 by 1976. In 2015, there were only 12 Ethels born. Could this name ever again achieve the greatness it once knew?

2. Gladys (#14)
This name has one of two possible origins. It either came from the old Welsh name Gwladus, which may have been derived from gwlad meaning "country". But Gladys has also been used as the Welsh form of the name Claudia, which comes from the Latin claudus meaning "lame, crippled". Not the greatest meaning, but Gladys has been popular in Wales in the past. Here in the US, it ranked very well around 1915-1925. It hit a high of 8,819 births in 1920 alone. It started its decline through the 1940s-1960s, finally leaving the Top 1000 by 1998. Only 83 girls were named Gladys in 2015. Could this name be fashionable again or is it still very much a grandma name?

3. Myrtle (#35)
Myrtle comes from the Greek μυρτος (myrtos) and is the name of an evergreen shrub. Nature and plant names are in style these days, but Myrtle has not been used much at all lately. It ranked consistently from 1880-1997 with a high point in 1918. Other than 6 births in 2005 and 9 in 2014, there were zero births on record after 1997. This name is currently not used, which is a shame. Myrtle would be very lovely on a modern girl. Will it ever come back?

4. Thelma (#41)
Thelma's meaning is not known but some have claimed that it is derived from the Greek θελημα (thelema) meaning "will", but it is not all that likely.  Thelma became popular at the end of the 19th century after British author Marie Corelli used it as the name of the heroine in her 1887 novel "Thelma". It peaked between 1915-1925 in the US but it started declining gradually after that. It left the Top 1000 in 1983 and now only has 27 births as of 2015. Has Thelma had its time? Could this name rise again?

5. Dora (#85) Dora is a short form of the names Dorothy, Isidora, or Theodora. This is a case of "pick your own meaning". Both Dorothy and Theodora mean "gift of god", while Isidora means "gift of Isis", the Egyptian goddess. Dora ranked in the Top 100 from 1880-1909, but it received the most births per year in 1921 with 2,026. It declined in usage and dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1993.

6. Inez (#104)  Inez is a form of the Spanish Inés which comes from Agnes. Agnes is Latinized from the Greek names Hagne and hagnos meaning "chaste". Later the name was associated with the Latin agnus meaning "lamb". In use in the US since 1880 on record, Inez had the most births in a year in 1920 with 2,107 girls given the name.  It declined after that and left the Top 1000 altogether by the mid-1970s. Could Inez or Agnes reclaim a place on the charts in the near future?

7. Jean (#109) Jean is the Medieval English variant of Jehanne, from which Jane also derives. Ultimately, it is a feminine form of John which comes from the Greek Ioannes and the Greek Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". Jane was common in England and Scotland in the Middle Ages before becoming rare up until the 19th century. Jean was in the Top 100 from 1907-1963. It saw the most births in 1927. It declined after that, leaving the Top 1000 in 1995. It may be used more often as a middle name these days.

8. Alberta (#116) Alberta is the feminine form of Albert which is derived from the Germanic name Adalbert from the elements adal meaning "noble" and beraht meaning "bright". Alberta was the name of one of Queen Victoria's daughters and it was for her that the Canadian province was named. While this name has always been used, it's become very rare. It fared the best in 1919 with 2,017 births for the year, but Alberta left the Top 1000 by 1971, dwindling down to a mere 9 births in 2015.

9. Goldie (#125) Goldie may simply come from a nickname for someone with golden hair but it is also a variant of the name Golda which means "gold" in Yiddish.  Goldie has been around since records started in 1880 in the US, briefly doing its best from 1915-1918. She was quick to decline in popularity, leaving the Top 1000 by 1959. There has been a slight uptick in girls named Goldie in the past couple years; there were 79 born in 2015. Will Goldie resurface?

10. Alta (#170) It is possible that the name Alta is derived from either the Latin altus or the Italian and Spanish word alto, all of which mean "high". Alto is a musical term that refers to the second highest part of a vocal range. Alta has been in use since 1880 in the US and hit a peak in 1918 with 820 births for the year. It dropped off the charts by 1957 and hasn't seen any increases since then. Should Alta get more love?

Would you ever consider any of these now-rare names? They all ranked well back in the 1900s but they are overlooked today. Which name deserves to come back the most?

Let's Bring Back These Boy Names from the 1900s!

This is the third article in this series that takes a look at faded names, one decade at a time. Today, we'll look at the names that ranked within a combined Top 200 from 1900-1909. This information is according to the Social Security Administration. The list that I used can be found here.

First, I tossed out all of the names from that list that currently rank in 2015's Top 1000. While those are all great names too, we want to find the more obscure ones. The names on the list below are not often heard on modern boys, but that could change if any of these catch on again with parents.

But it isn't always that easy. If a name is not fashionable or trendy enough, (or a family name), it may not stand much of a chance until those definitions of style change. Old names come back around all the time, so these could be favored again in the future, if not now. What do you think of them?

1. Elmer (#41 overall from 1900-1909):
Elmer isn't actually as fuddy as you'd think. It comes from the cool Old English name Æðelmær whose elements mean "noble" and "famous" from the German Adelmar with the same great meaning. Just Elmer, though, isn't quite as popular as it was back in 1918. In fact, once the 1940s ended, the name started going downhill. It hung around until dropping off the Top 1000 chart in 2008. Now in 2015, there were 148 boys with the name for a rank of #1223.

2. Clifford (#63):
This name is as straightforward as they come. Clifford refers to a "ford by a cliff". It is that place name that later became a surname, then a given name; all in Old English. It has always been on record in the US since 1880 and was used most between 1915 and 1964. It started declining in the 1990s and dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2006. It ranks down at #1241 in 2015 with only 145 births for the year. Could it rise again or is it too "big red dog" for modern boys?

3. Milton (#89): This is another straightforward surname derived from a place name. Milton means "mill town" in Old English. It has been used in the US since records began in 1880. Right around 1912, this name gained popularity until it peaked in 1920 with 2,592 births for the year. It remained well-used through the 1960s but gradually declined until it left the Top 1000 in 2009. Now it ranks at #1205 in 2015, which accounts for 152 births. Does Milton feel a bit too dated to be fashionable right now? If so, do you see it coming back in the future?

4. Willard (#119): Willard is an English surname that comes from the Germanic name Willihard and the Old English Wilheard.  Willihard is taken from the elements wil meaning "will, desire" and hard meaning "brave, hardy". In the US, the name has been around since 1880 on record. It had a particularly impressive peak of popularity in 1915 when it rapidly climbed to #58 with 2,889. It continued to rank well through the 1950s, but slowly lost popularity. It left the Top 1000 in 1990 and has only continued to fall since then. Only 44 boys were named Willard in 2015. With William ranking so high, why doesn't Willard get more love?

5. Roosevelt (#121): Roosevelt comes from a Dutch surname that means "rose field". This was the surname of two American presidents. As depicted in our photograph above, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945). It may be a Dutch name, but it feels strongly American. The name was at its peak in 1933 and remained in the Top 1000 until 1994. Only 50 boys received the name Roosevelt in 2015.

6. Rufus (#140): This Latin name means "red-haired" and belonged to several saints. It was occasionally used as a nickname on redheads, including a king of England named William II. It has always ranked in the US since 1880, doing fairly well, especially through the 1920s. It remained in the Top 1000 until 1989. Only 43 boys were named Rufus in 2015. Could it work on a modern boy?

7. Arnold (#141): Arnold is a German name derived from arn meaning "eagle" and wald meaning "power".  It replaced the Old English name Earnweald after being introduced to England by the Normans. It lost usage after the Middle Ages until the 19th century. It has been used in the US since 1880 on record, even landing in the Top 100 between 1912 and 1931. By 2005, it left the Top 1000, and had only 95 births in 2015. Could it be more common in the future?

8. Orville (#149): It's possible that this name was meant to mean "golden city". It appears to have been invented by an 18th century writer named Fanny Burney. It was made familiar by airplane-inventor Orville Wright. The name has been around since 1880 when records started. It saw its highest level of popularity from 1914 through the 1920s. It left the Top 1000 in the mid 1970s. Now it is down to 12 births a year in 2015. Will it ever be common?

9. Alton (#177): This Old English name comes from a surname that was based on a place name meaning "town at the source of a river". Alton has ranked rather well since 1880, with its best year being 1928. It very gradually lost steam and dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1999. Could it be in line with modern trends again in the near future?

10. Roscoe (#199): Roscoe comes from an English surname that derived from an Old Norse place name meaning "doe wood". Roscoe was most popular in 1920, but it ranked within the Top 1000 from 1880 to 1975. After that, it declined in usage and currently earned 71 births for the year 2015. Is Roscoe potentially stylish enough to come back in the future?

Now that you've browsed through the ten names here, which do you like the most? Which do you think stands the best chance of revival? Which will never see the Top 1000 any time soon?

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Could These 1890s Names Ever Be Revived Again For Modern Girls?

We previously took a look at female names that were well-used throughout the 1880s. Today, we'll move forward through time to the next decade and examine 10 names that were hot for girls in the 1890s.

More specifically, we want to find names that ranked within the Top 200 back then, but also do not rank within the Top 1000 of 2014. So these names ranked then and do not rank now. What we want to consider is which of these may or may not have the chance to make a comeback for modern girls.

Reviving these names would indicate that they would now receive enough usage to begin climbing back up the charts and potentially ranking within today's Top 1000 again. Many vintage names have already been revived lately, could any of the following do the same?:

1. Minnie (#13 in the 1890s) 

Minnie is one of many nickname names that were fashionable around the turn of the century. Typically it is short for Wilhelmina, which comes from the German Willahelm meaning "will, desire" and "helmet, protection.  It could also be short for Minerva which is listed as Minnie Mouse's full name. Minerva is from the Latin mens meaning "intellect" and she is the Roman goddess of wisdom and war. As a name Minnie was popular from the 1880s-1900s, dipped a bit, then peaked between 1915-1920. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 1972. only 48 girls were named Minnie in 2014.

2. Edna (#17 in the 1890s)

 Edna is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Eithne which means "kernel". It could also be considered a biblical name meaning "pleasure" in Hebrew. This name was most popular from 1915-1925. By the 1990s it was no long ranking in the Top 1000 and now only 88 girls were named Edna in 2014. Could this name ever come back into style?

3. Beulah (#78)  

This unusual name is actually biblical. It means "married" in Hebrew and was used in the Old Testament to refer to the land of Israel.  As a name, it's been used in England since before the Protestant Reformation. Here in the states, it's only really been used before and around 1920. It hasn't ranked in the Top 1000 since 1959. Usage has been in or around single digits per year including only 11 female births in 2014. Is there any hope left for a Beulah revival?

4. Della (#82) 

Della is a diminutive of either Adela or Adelaide. Both of those names are said to mean "noble". This is another nickname type of name that were common during this time period. This name was most popular between the 1880s and the early 1960s. It fell out of the Top 1000 as of 1978. Since the 2010s, this name has started to tick upward again, nearing 200 births in a year in 2014. Could you see Della being used again today?

5. Theresa (#104) 

Theresa is possibly derived from the Greek theros meaning "summer" or the Greek therizo meaning "to harvest" or it could come from the name of the Greek island of Therasia. Clearly, the meaning is uncertain. This is the English, German and Scandinavian form whereas Teresa is the Spanish and Portuguese form. While Theresa ranked in the 1890s, it did better in the late 1920s and it peaked in 1961. Since it's been popular recently, it is unlikely to be revived for modern girls for another 40 years or so. But it also feels like it should be a classic name that is always used. It fell off the Top 1000 in 2011. Only 223 girls received the name in 2014.

6. Bernice (#114) 

Bernice is actually a biblical name, although it is only mentioned briefly as belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. It comes from the name Berenice which is the Latinized from the Macedonian Berenike which comes from the Greek Pherenike which means "bringing victory". It was commonly used by the Ptolemy family of Egypt. Berenice is related to the name Veronica as well. Bernice was used in the 1890s but it had its only popularity peak around 1921. It left the Top 1000 in the early 1980s, and only received 65 births in 2014. This name is a prime candidate for revival but will it?

7. Loretta (#128)  

Loretta either comes from Lora, Lauretta, or Loreto. If it is a form of the first two names, they both come from Laura which comes from the Late Latin name Laurus meaning "laurel". Loreto comes from the name of a town in Italy originally called Lauretana. So the exact origin and meaning isn't clear. It started rising in popularity in the 1890s, did well through the 1920s, peaked in 1938 and again in 1955. After that, it went down. By 1991 it was out of the Top 1000. Only 177 girls were named Loretta in 2014.

8. Lulu (#157)  

Lulu is nicknamey. It could be short for nearly any name starting with Lu-. If its short for Louise/Louisa, that comes from Ludovicus which is the Latinized form of Ludwig which comes from the German Chlodovech. It's composed of hlud meaning "famous" and wig meaning "war, battle."  Or much more simply, Lulu is also an Arabic name meaning "pearl". Finally we have a name that was most popular before the 1900s. It peaked in 1886 with 376 female births, declined a bit, then went back up to 198 births in 1916. Since then Lulu has only becoming increasingly rarer until lately. Around the mid 2000s, usage slightly increased again, but the most births per year was only 58 in 2013, and 51 as of 2014. People may love it as a nickname for a more formal first name, but even Louise doesn't rank in the Top 1000 and Louisa barely made the list recently at #973. Are there not many Lu- fans? Could any of these gain more usage in the coming years?

9. Marian (#179) 

While Marian is sometimes considered a combination of Mary and Ann, and it may well be, it is also a variant of Marion which comes from Marie, Maria, Mary. Ultimately, it comes from the Greek Μαρια from the Hebrew Miryam meaning either "sea of bitterness" or "rebelliousness" or "wished for child". This spelling of Marian seems to be considered the feminine spelling while Marion has always had decent usage for boys and girls alike. For girls, Marian and Marion have had very comparable usage but Marion was slightly more popular. However, Marian had two good peaks, one in the early 1920s and one solo run in 1954. After that, she's declined, leaving the Top 1000 in 1992 and only receiving 189 female births in 2014.

10. Selma (#187) 

Selma's true meaning and origin remains mostly unknown. However, it is possibly a short form of the name Anselma which is the feminine of Anselm. Anselm is a German name derived from the elements ans meaning "god" and helm meaning "helmet, protection". Selma ranked well through the 1890s but did even better through the teens up until the 1930s. By 1957, Selma fell off the Top 1000 chart. It has remained rare since then with only 108 female births in 2014. Could Selma gain more popularity in the coming years? We're approaching her 100-year mark since she was most popular in 1918 with 798 births. Time for a comeback?

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Which of these 10 names do you think stands the best chance of revival?

Here's more of the Top 200 names from 1890 that do not rank within 2014's Top 1000:

Ethel Bertha Bessie Gertrude Myrtle Nellie Louise Agnes Carrie Mildred Gladys Jennie Maude Blanche Lula Mamie Fannie Dora Marion Willie Effie Pauline Nettie Susie Marguerite Sallie

Lizzie Lottie Flora Hilda Etta Addie Ollie Harriet Iva Henrietta Lela Ora Inez Nannie Goldie Maud Eula Eunice Lois Betty Mable Essie Verna Olga Flossie Alta

Frieda Ola Augusta Lucile Irma Ina Jean Thelma Doris Alberta Winifred Freda Janie Luella Nell Winnie Velma Mayme Tillie Rena Fern Elva Erma Norma Delia Virgie

What do you think of these names? Would you use any of these? If so, which ones? Which are realistically the best options for a modern girl?

Could These Boy Names From The 1890s Ever Come Back Into Style?

While looking at the Top 200 Names of the 1890s via the Social Security Administration's data, it is obvious that the most popular names of the decade include John, William, James, George, and Charles.  Even today, James and William still dominate the charts.

In fact, many of today's hottest boy names have actually been popular for decades, starting way back in the 1880s when records were first kept. Today, we're investigating the Top 200 names of the 1890s and you may notice that the same few traditional choices have stuck around from then until now.  But what about some of the more "old fashioned" names that are no longer in style today? Could they potentially be revived again in the future?


I combed through that list from the 1890's collective data for the whole decade and tossed out all of the names that still rank within 2014's Top 1000. Then I picked my 10 favorite names that I think should regain some popularity in the future. Which of the following ten names do you think really could come back for a modern boy?

1. Floyd / Lloyd (#53/#77 in the 1890s)  

There's Lloyd, and then there's its variant Floyd. Did you realize these were actually related? Lloyd comes from a surname that was derived from the Welsh llwyd which means "grey". Floyd is an English form of that. Both of these names are on this list today and impressively follow a nearly identical popularity pattern over time. Lloyd peaked in 1918 while Floyd followed in 1926. They both ranked well together from roughly 1912 to the late 1960s. Floyd fell out of the Top 1000 in 1999 and Lloyd followed suit in 2003. Neither name is common now; Floyd had 86 births in 2014 while Lloyd had 119. Which do you like better? Should either be revived for a modern boy? If so, when?

2. Bernard (#82 in the 1890s) 

This name has a strong, cool meaning. From the Germanic elements bern meaning "bear" and hard meaning "brave or hardy", little Bernards today would be brave little bears. This name was introduced in England by the Normans and was used as a replacement name for the Old English cognate beornheard.  There were several saints named Bernard. Barney and Bernie are both potential nicknames, and there are also female forms such as Bernadette and Bernadine. This name peaked in popularity in the 1920s, and actually ranked within the Top 1000 until 2008. As of 2014, there were only 157 boys given the name. Could it go up now with Senator Sanders being in the spotlight?

3. Archie (#89) 

Archie is a diminutive of the German name Archibald which comes from the elements ercan meaning "genuine" and bald meaning "bold". Archibald was introduced by the Normans to England and became common in Scotland during the Middle Ages. In the 1890s, Archibald wasn't within the top 200. Archie was, though. On it's own, it ranked as the 89th most used name of the 1890s. While both names have always been around in the US, Archie was more popular. It peaked in 1918 with 1,111 births for the year. Today Archie and Archibald both rank below the Top 1000, Archie having only 109 births in 2014, and Archibald with 46. If you would like to use Archie as a nickname for a longer name but you dislike Archibald, there is also Archer. Archer has been much more rare over the years but joined the Top 1000 in 2009 and skyrocketed up to #303 by 2014.

4. Norman (#97) 

We've mentioned that the Normans often introduced many names to England. Who were they? Norman comes from an old German name meaning "northman" which referred to Vikings that settled on the coast of France in an area now known as Normandy. Before the Norman conquest, the names Norman and Normant were used in England, sometimes as a nickname referring to Scandinavian settlers. It lost its common-usage in the 14th century but came back in the 19th. As a name, Norman peaked in popularity in 1928 with 5,589 births. It dropped out of the Top 1000 in the US in 2005. As of 2014, there were only 170 births.

5. Cecil (#100)

 Along with feminine form Cecilia, Cecil comes from the Roman name Caecilius which is derived from the Latin caecus meaning "blind". So, right off the bat, the meaning isn't that great for these names, but that hasn't stopped parents in the past. Cecil was used during the Middle Ages in England and became common in the 19th century thanks to the prominent noble Cecil family of the 16th century whose surname was actually taken from the Welsh name seisyll. If you want a different meaning than "blind", perhaps go with this one which was derived from Sextilius and Sextus which simply means "sixth". Cecil peaked in the US in 1920. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 1998.  As of 2014, only 97 boys were given the name.

6. Glenn (#113)  

Glenn comes from a Scottish surname based on the Gaelic gleann meaning "valley". Glenn, and it's shorter form Glen, follow the same popularity pattern with Glenn being more common. They both rose around the late 1910s before peaking through the 1950s and 1960s. Glenn peaked at #55 in 1962. Glen dropped out of the Top 1000 by 2004 and Glenn followed in 2009. As of 2014, there were only 158 boys named Glenn, and 104 named Glen.Which spelling do you prefer? Do you think either could be revived?

7. Willis (#123)  

Just as you might suspect, Willis does come from William. It is an English surname that became a given name for boys. Like William, it is composed of the German elements wil meaning "will, desire" and helm meaning "helmet, protection". Willis was most popular between 1918 and 1930. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1994 and remains unranked in 2014 with only 78 male births. There are many other boy names that end with -s that are climbing the charts these days. With William's continued popularity and parents' love of surname names, could Willis come back?

8. Vernon (#134) 

Vernon comes from a Norman surname which was derived from a French place name. Both of those came from the Gaulish word vern which means "alder". An Alder is a tree in the birch family. Could Vernon pass for a nature name? Popularity-wise, Vernon peaked in 1920, plateaued through 40s and 50s, then declined after that. It left the Top 1000 in 2003 and was only given to 119 boys in 2014. Would you consider this name?

9. Elbert (#166) 

Elbert is the Dutch variant of the German name Adelbert or Adalbert, all of which are related to Albert. The element adal means "noble" and beraht means "bright". A famous Elbert, pictured above, is Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915), an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. There may only be a one letter difference between Albert and Elbert, but Albert has had much more usage. It peaked around 1920 and continues to do well. Nearly a hundred years later, Albert still ranks at #436.  Elbert, though, hasn't been as popular. It never really had a high peak and dropped off the Top 1000 chart in 1983. Now it has fallen to a mere 14 male births in 2014. Why does Albert fare so much better? Which do you prefer?

10. Ross (#183)  

Ross is a region in Northern Scotland. Its name comes from the Gaelic word ros which refers to a "promontory" which is a headland, a point of high land that juts out into a large body of water. Ross could qualify as a nature name. This name has had many boosts in popularity. The first was between 1884 and 1890. The second came through the 1920s, then again in the 50s-60s. Its highest peak was in 1985. Ross declined in usage after that, dropping out of the Top 1000 in 2013. Only 184 boys were named Ross in 2014.

Which of these 10 names do you think stands the best chance of revival?

Here's more of the Top 200 names from 1890 that do not rank within 2014's Top 1000:

Fred Clarence Earl Ralph Herbert Elmer Herman Claude Tom Chester Jim Clifford Lester Luther Homer Leroy

Guy Lloyd Ed Leslie Dewey Ira Horace Charley Milton Bert Percy Sidney Marion Grover Emil Earnest

Otis Virgil Rufus Dave Dan Willard Lonnie Morris Wallace Jonnie Wilbur Hubert Jess Rudolph Perry Sylvester

Glen Adolph Ollie Irving Bennie Gus Orville Edmund Arnold Cornelius Roscoe Claud Clifton Bill Irvin Sherman

Which of these names would you have featured on your own Top 10 list? Should any of these be revived in the near future or should these stay uncommon?

Photo By User Tagishsimon on en.wikipedia - Project Gutenberg eText 12933 - http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/2/9/3/12933/12933-h/12933-h.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=334215

Popular 1880s Girl Names That Should Be Used Again Today

When you take a moment and travel back in time within the realm of baby names and compare your findings to today's data, you'll see that boy names don't change nearly as much as girl names do.

Males have certain evergreen names that seem to always be in use. Many of them happen to be biblical which is the most obvious reason for their consistency but it is a different story for females.

The most evergreen name for girls is Elizabeth. Biblical, classic, versatile. Sure there are a few others. Mary had a record breaking reign unlike any other name, but for the most part, girl names swing in and out of fashion frequently. Some names that were popular even ten years ago are already losing steam.

Is it any different for names of the 1880s? Are they still out or are many of them back in now? A bit of both. While many of the more fashionable grandma names are increasingly being labeled as vintage and are rapidly climbing the charts, many of their stuffy counterparts are still hibernating. Will they arise again in future generations or remain dusty? Let's ponder that.

While looking at the Top 200 Names of the 1880s via the Social Security Administration's data, I handpicked 10 names that do not currently rank within the Top 1000 but deserve greater usage.

Comparing the 1880s full-decade data vs today's hot names, there is quite a long list of names that are still not being viewed as fashionable. The question is, could they be revived in a decade or two? After all, that 100-year rule is proving to be tried and true for many names.

Keep in mind, we will need to skip over the evergreen names that are still ranking well in 2014. We aren't interested in those right now. We want to find the names that have fallen from favor, names like Bessie or Myrtle that were once well-used and evaluate their chances of modern use.

Sticking to the collective data from the entire decade, we will take a closer look at 10 of those names within the 1880's Top 200.

1. Florence #12 - Florence was the 12th most popular name for the combined decade of the 1880s. After that, it skyrocketed up the charts even more, landing at #14 in the year 1918 with over 11k births. That was her peak though. Florence fell as fast as she rose. In 2014, there were only 182 births (and that was up from her lowest point of 54 births in 2009). Florence is starting to lose her fustiness, though, could she climb back up the charts?

2. Maude #25 -  Maude was most popular in 1888 with 1,396 births on record. She lost some popularity after that until there was another slight boost in 1915. Beyond that, Maude became rare. In 2014, only 15 girls received the name. Maud is even rarer. Should Maude remain down or does she deserve more usage?

3. Louise #38 - There's no direct proof, but Louise seems to be used more as a middle name these days. Louise was most popular in 1918 and declined in usage after that. Only 199 girls received the name in 2014. It's almost surprising that Louise hasn't ranked within the Top 1000 since 1991. However, for the first time since 1969, sister-name Louisa did rank. Could Louise be right behind her?

4. Agnes #51 - The woman in our photo above wore this name. Agnes Moorehead was an actress known for her role as Endora on the television series Bewitched. As for her name, Agnes is another one of those old-fashioned names that peaked around 1918 and then declined again. It has been outside the Top 1000 since 1973 but it is recently starting to tick upward a bit. In 2014, there were 187 girls named Agnes.

5. Harriet #90 - Like many of the other top names from the 1880s, Harriet was even bigger around 1920 and then fell off the charts. Also like those other names we've mentioned, Harriet is slightly ticking upward. After a few decades flying under the radar, Harriet is up to 127 births in 2014. It currently ranks well in England/Wales. Will it ever rejoin the Top 1000 in the US?

6. Mildred #102 - At the end of the 1880s, Mildred started gaining more usage and then exploded in popularity just before and just after 1920, ranking as high as #6 with over 18k births. But just as quickly as she climbed the charts, she descended right back down. So far, Mildred hasn't shown any signs of revival, holding a steady 70-90 births per year since 1993 (with 82 in 2014.) Could Mildred make a comeback in light of names like Millie climbing the charts?

7. Pauline #109 - Pauline peaked in 1918 with over 7k births for the year. After that, it gradually lost its popularity, falling out of the Top 1000 in 1998. As of 2014, there were only 66 girls named Pauline. Since actor Vin Diesel recently used it as an honor name and put a spotlight on it in Hollywood, could Pauline gain a little boost of popularity or is it not quite enough to revive it?

8. Augusta #117 - Augusta ranked well in 1890 and even better in 1915 but this name lost its favor soon after that, falling out of the Top 1000 by 1945. Only 49 girls were named Augusta in 2014. This name really deserves more usage for girls, especially since August, Augustus and Augustine are ranking so well for boys. Could Augusta come back?

9. Luella #155 -  Luella's popularity peak was in the year 1918 with 949 births. It ranked in the 100-300 range for many years but began declining in the 1940s, dropping out of the Top 1000 in 1956. It fell as low as a mere 6 births per year in the early 90s, but currently, Luella is slightly ticking upward with 145 births in 2014. With similar L-l names ranking well like Lila and Lola, could Luella make a come back?

10. Winifred #161 - Winifred has been in use for girls since the 1880s but it was also occasionally given to boys from the early 1900s through the 1970s. For girls, Winifred's biggest year was 1918  when 1,593 girls were named. It hit a low point of 12 births in 1994 but it is currently back up to 99 births for 2014. What do you think of Winifred? Does the 'fred' part throw off its appeal? Could it ever be revived for a modern girl or is better for a boy?

Which of these 10 names do you think stands the best chance of revival?

Here's more of the Top 200 names from 1880 that do not rank within 2014's Top 1000:

Minnie Ida Bertha Bessie Ethel Nellie Carrie Gertrude Edna Jennie Myrtle Lula Fannie Dora Blanche Mamie Effie Nettie Della Sallie Susie Maud Flora Etta Viola Lottie Addie

Willie Lulu Nannie Beulah Ollie Belle Theresa Henrietta Ora Marion Iva Lela Mayme Inez Essie Delia Mable Alta Betty Janie Ola Gladys Ina Eula Lou Nell Goldie

Bettie Hilda Marguerite Tillie Birdie Rena Eunice Bertie Olga Bess Mathilda Dollie Verna Bernice Loretta Rhoda Cornelia Sally Jean Alberta Winnie Lelia Lois Harriett Roxie Abbie Flossie Sue

What do you think of these names? Would you use any of these? If so, which ones? Which are realistically the best options for a modern girl?

Popular 1880s Boy Names That Should Be Used Again Today

Many of today's most-popular boy names have actually been rather popular for decades. The same few traditional choices have stuck around and lasted the test of time moreso than many of the popular female names have.

While looking at the Top 200 Names of the 1880s via the Social Security Administration's data, it is no surprise that the hottest names of the decade include John, William, James, George, and Charles. While John, George and Charles have declined in usage, James and William still dominate the modern charts.

How many interesting names from the 1880s could be revived and given to modern boys? In order to find these names, we will need to skip over the evergreen names that are still ranking well in 2014. We aren't interested in those right now. We want to find the names that have fallen from favor, names like Clarence or Earnest that were once well-used.

Sticking to the collective data from the entire decade, we will take a closer look at 10 of those names within the 1880's Top 200.

1. Ralph #42 -  This name ranked #42 for the combined decade of the 1880s. After that, it peaked twice around 1920 and 1947. Ralph has steadily been declining in usage, exiting the Top 1000 in 2012. In 2014, there were only 193 boys named Ralph. It may be down and out right now but that doesn't mean it's gone for good. Could Ralph be revived in the next thirty years?

2. Claude #52 - This name has the same popularity pattern as Ralph. It peaked around 1920 and again around 1947 only to fade way down to only 42 male births in 2014. Claude could be favored as a future vintage revival but at the moment, neither Claude nor Claud are being used much.

3. Chester #65 - This was the first name of the 21st US President, Chester A. Arthur who was in office during this time period from 1881 to 1885. This name was well used for many years, peaking in 1920 and 1946 before tapering off. There were only 83 boys named Chester in 2014. It is hard to tell if this name could be fashionable again in the coming years but it certainly deserves more usage.

4. Luther #68 - This is a big name with a few notable bearers that was most popular in 1922 with 1,477 births. After that, it declined in usage all the way down to just 96 births in 2014. This name is a good candidate for being revived again along with other vintage boy names.

5. Leroy #96 - The name Leroy flourished from the early 1900s through the 1960s in the US but started declining in popularity after that. It straddles the line between being a part of the Top 1000 names and not. As of 2014, with only 183 male births, it was not. However, it does have the potential to climb the charts again.

6. Perry -#112 - Perry peaked big time in 1958 at #132 for the year. It remained in the Top 1000 from 1880 until it dropped out in 2007. There were 149 births in 2015. Is this name a bit dated or could it suit modern boys again soon?

7. Otis #135 - With some recent usage in Hollywood, Otis is starting to gain popularity again today but it is still a few spots shy of the Top 1000. With 202 births in 2014, this name seems to have a good chance of climbing the charts in the coming years.

8. Morris #154 - Like many other names on this list, Morris was hottest in the 1920s and 1940s before it lost its popularity. In 2014, there were 110 boys given this name but it hasn't ranked in the Top 1000 since 1994. In line with all the other surname names for boys, Morris deserves more usage today.

9. Edmund #185 - Edmund always ranked well since the 1880s but dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1998. While its popularity has declined since its peak in the 1920s, it is beginning to inch slowly upward again with 172 births in 2014. This is a name that seems like it should be more popular than it actually is.

10. Irving #196 - Irving had a major popularity peak from 1914-1927 but rapidly descended the charts again as quickly as it first ascended. It had another small boost in usage in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As of 2014, Irving was only giving to 113 boys. As one of the more attractive I-Names for boys, Irving deserves to shake its old-fashioned image and be cool again, especially with that fashionable letter V in the middle.

Which of these 10 names do you think stands the best chance of revival?

Here's more of the Top 200 names from 1880 that do not rank within 2014's Top 1000:

Clarence Earl Elmer Herbert Herman Grover Bert Guy Floyd Homer Horace Marion Bernard Clifford Milton

Lester Leslie Rufus Lloyd Norman Percy Earnest Gus Wallace Roscoe Willard Wilbur Cornelius Cecil

Elbert Claud Lonnie Virgil Hiram Sylvester Irvin Glenn Ollie Cleveland Alva Rudolph Vernon Hubert

Do any of these names strike your fancy or do they deserve to remain unused? Which could you most realistically see on a modern boy?

Photo Credit: By Charles Milton Bell 1849–1893 [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons