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?

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

The Best Girl Names of 1950 and How They Rank Today

The baby girls who were born in 1950 are now grandmothers. They will turn 65 this year! It is safe to say, though, that a lot of their first names may not be getting passed down to their grand-daughters at the same rate that grandpa's name is probably being given to the boys.

While the boys have some solid classics on their side --even their more dated options like Jerry are well-used today-- the girl names have not survived the test of time as well. Take a look at how the top girl names of 1950 rank then and now and see if you don't agree:

Girls:             Linda Mary Patricia Barbara Susan Nancy Deborah Sandra Carol Kathleen Sharon Karen Donna Brenda Margaret Diane Pamela Janet Shirley Carolyn Judith Janice Cynthia Elizabeth Judy

1950:     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

2013:                        643 121 680 838 844 689 814 766 1617 664 882 416 1340 634 181 1841 1189 1253 1336 791 996 1270 499 10 1450

How many baby girls do you know with these names? Notice how 8 of the above names from 1950 have completely fallen off the Top 1000 chart in 2013! The names that still made the cut mostly rank in the lower half of the chart except for Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Karen and Cynthia. Compare that to the Top 25 boy names of 1950 and you'll see that all of the boy names still ranked above 600. Why is it so different for girls? Fashions seem to change faster for girls than they do for boys making many of these girl names feel somewhat "dated" as a result.

Let's take a look at the rest of the Top 1000 from 1950 and see which of those may be back on the rise today. I went through the list and picked out one name per 100 names that are either fashionable again today or that I think deserve to be used more. If you'd like to play along too, head over to the SSA's website and pick out your Top 10 names from the 1950 chart and post them in the comment section below!

#57 - Alice
This happens to be my grandmother's middle name so I tend to like it.  It seems as though I'm not alone in that since it is on its way up the charts! It ranked very well from 1880 through the 1960s but declined a bit in usage after that. In the past 5 years or so, Alice has become fashionable again. It ranked at #107 in 2013 and I think it'll break back into the Top 100 soon.

#178 -  Clara
This lovely vintage choice was once a Top 20 name in the 1880s and 1890s. By the 1950s it was heading down the charts. It wasn't until the 2000s that parents began to find this name stylish again. Clara ranked at #131 in 2013. I think it'll continue to gain popularity in the near future!

#219 - Hazel 
This spunky, vintage name seems to be a new favorite lately. It ranked in the Top 100 for years in the distant past, but most recently, it has spent time outside the Top 1000, only returning in 1998.  Now in 2013, it's inching its way toward the Top 100 again with a ranking of #157. It seems posed to continue climbing higher and higher!

#342 - Eloise
This is another name that is making quite the splash! In just 6 years, this name has gone from ranking beyond the Top 1000 to reaching #338 in 2013. That's impressive since it hadn't been in the Top 1000 at all since 1965. This is one to keep an eye on!

#458 - Sadie
If you're familiar with chart movements, you might have heard that Sadie made quite the impressive leap this year. It ranked down at #458 in 1950 and fell out of the Top 1000 for a while in the 60s and 70s. In the past couple decades, though, Sadie has become a favorite. It jumped from #119 in 2012 to #50 in 2013. I think it could be headed for the Top 10 soon!

#547 - Mabel
This is a name that I'm excited to see used. It was very popular from the 1880s through the 1930s but began declining in usage. By 1950, it was down to #547. It dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1965 and stayed out until 2013! It now ranks at #707 and I'd be thrilled to see it gain even more popularity! It's one of my new favorites.

#659 - Leila
My great grandmother's name has always had decent usage but it has gradually declined over the years until the 2000s started and parents started to fall in love with it again. A lovely, vintage name that is now fashionable again, Leila ranked at #215 in 2013. I'd like to see it continue to inch its way up the chart!

#752 - Delilah 
This biblical moniker belonged to a woman who could be described as "a dangerous temptress" who caused Samson's downfall. Despite this, Delilah's popularity as a name has boomed lately! Having never been popular before, it has been experiencing quite a bit of usage since the mid-2000s. It has climbed its way up to #135 in 2013 and will probably keep going! Would you use it?

#823 - Adeline 
I can't help but love this name lately. Many parents seem to agree but they're using variants like Adelyn a little bit more. This sweet name did well around 1918 but quickly declined in usage. In 1950 it ranked down at #823. In the late 1990s, parents rediscovered it and it has climbed straight up the charts again. It has reached #232 in 2013 and will probably continue upward!

#910 - Margot
This is a name to watch! It has been around in the US since 1894 and it has never been popular but I think that could change soon. It might just be the latest undiscovered gem that everyone discovers at once. It hadn't been in the Top 1000 since 1966, but as of 2013, it has popped on the chart at #944. I imagine it will be making waves toward the top soon!

All of these names that I've highlighted here have the same vintage-but-fresh vibe going on. They're all old-fashioned names that have circled back around to being fashionable again! They belong to a similar "style" of names. Which of these names do you expect to be the next big thing first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

The Best Boy Names from 1950 vs 2013

Let's take a look at the past! The year 1950 was smack dab in the middle of the century. Babies born that year will celebrate their 65th birthday this year. Many of them are grandparents now and may even be lending their own names to their grandchildren.

The most popular boy names in 1950 were James, Robert, John, Michael and David. How did these names rank 63 years later in 2013? Well, most of them are classics that don't fade very far down the charts. In fact, James, Michael and David are still in the Top 20 today. Here's how the 1950's Top 25 names rank in 2013:

Boys:          James Robert John Michael David William Richard Thomas Charles Gary Larry Ronald Joseph Donald Kenneth Steven Dennis Paul Stephen George Daniel Edward Mark Jerry Gregory

1950:     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

2013:               13 62 27 7 18 5 140 61 57 578 477 403 20 415 187 136 455 198 252 157 10 145 184 450 299

As you can see, all of the boy names that were in the Top 25 in 1950 are still within the Top 600 in 2013!  I found it interesting that even though some of these seem very dated, they're still hanging around and being used. Specifically, I was a little surprised to see Gary, Larry, Ronald, Donald, Dennis and Jerry still ranking as high as they do. Do you know any babies with these names? I'd wager that many of them are named after a relative but perhaps not all of them!

Next, I went through the Top 1000 names of 1950 and chose a single favorite per 100 names. These are names that are either fashionable and climbing the charts today, or names that I'd like to see get more usage! If you'd like to play along, browse the chart at the SSA website and in the comment section below, post your favorite names, one per every 100 names!

#99 - Theodore
The nickname Theo seems to be a big draw lately. This name ranked #99 in 1950 but has declined in usage since then. In the past decade, though, it has started regaining some popularity, ranking at #170 in 2013. This is one of my favorite classic names but I tend to love it more in the middle name spot!

#165 - Wesley
My grandfather's middle name is Wesley so I always thought of it as an old man name. Now that I'm older, I see the charm it has. I'd like to see this one used a bit more today. It ranked at #165 in 1950 and is actually doing even better than that today, ranking at #139 in 2013.

#287 - Edmund
I haven't been able to pinpoint why I love this handsome, classic name so much, but modern parents don't seem to feel the same. While it ranked at #287 in 1950, it isn't even on the charts today! It ranked #1192 in 2013. I find it much more handsome than Edward. Edmund would be my Eddy of choice. I'd like to see it get more love!

#371 - Woodrow
You may think me a bit nutty for this one, but there's something appealing about Woodrow. Perhaps it's just Toy Story and Cheers nostalgia because of the nickname Woody. This name spiked majorly around 1918 because of President Wilson, but it's been off the charts since then. In 2013, it ranked way down at #3314. I doubt it'll ever come back, but I like it anyway.

#468 - August
It is no secret that this name is zooming up the charts today. Overnight, everyone and their grandmother seemed to suddenly love the name August. It was big in 1915 but fell mostly out of sight since then. It ranked at #468 in 1950 but fell even lower than that afterward. It wasn't until recently that it's climbed again. Now in 2013 it is up to #319 and I imagine it'll keep on going!

#588 - Bennett
Parents seem to love surname names these days. A new trend of names ending with -et is growing for both genders, too. Bennett ranked down at #588 in 1950 but it has been in an upward trajectory since the 70s. It is up to #194 in 2013 and will probably continue gaining popularity.

#627 - Fletcher
This is another surnamey, occupational name that is rising quickly today. Fletcher seems to be a new favorite lately. It ranked at #627 in 1950 but it nosedived off the charts thereafter. Only recently have people rediscovered it. It's now up to #790 in 2013 and has the potential to be the next big thing soon.

#702 - Benedict
This is a love of mine. It seems to be a bit polarizing though. Some think it isn't usable today and some really like it. It ranked pretty low in 1950 and has only gone lower. It hasn't ranked in the Top 1000 since 1968! I think it deserves a little better than a ranking of #1482 in 2013 but maybe that's just me.

#847 - Leonardo
Like Theo, Leo is becoming a go-to nickname. Leonardo ranked down at #847 in 1950 but it has actually been climbing the charts since then. DiCaprio gave it a boost after 1997 and today it ranks at #131 in 2013. I don't see it leaping up the chart but it'll definitely keep inching its way toward the top.

#967 - Jarvis
Jarvis is a cool choice. It feels old but new at the same time. And that stylish V doesn't hurt! A cool namesake is that of Iron Man's advanced computerized helper J.A.R.V.I.S which stands for "Just A Rather Very Intelligent System".  The name Jarvis ranked way down at #967 in 1950, spiked in 1989 and has declined in usage again today. It is down at #1238 in 2013 but I think it deserves more love. 

What do you think of my Top 10 picks from 1950? What would you have chosen? Share your thoughts in the comment section below! Thanks for reading! 

World-Wide Wednesday: Dutch Baby Names

Featured Dutch Names:
Diederick & Madelief

This month for our World-Wide Wednesday segment, we will be examining Dutch baby names. These are classified as names that are mostly found in the Netherlands as well as the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium known as Flanders.

Like many other countries, parents in  present-day Netherlands are attracted to internationally loved names like Emma and Luca: names that are a bit more anglicized and less traditionally Dutch.

While some things tend to change over time, there are still plenty of traditional names being given to Dutch babies. This article will focus on the interesting traditional choices available and how they were used in the past. However, many of these names are difficult for non-Dutch speakers to pronounce.

First, let's start with naming traditions. Like many other countries in the past, Dutch families tended to use and reuse the same few names over many generations. Patronymic names were big. According to DutchGenealogy.nl, the following naming conventions were most typically followed:

• In the case where one of the parents was a widower or widow, the first child of the gender of the deceased spouse was named after that spouse.
• The two eldest boys were named after the grandfathers and the two eldest girls were named after the grandmothers. In some regions only deceased grandparents were named. In most regions, the paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother were named first.
• If the first three children are all boys, sometimes a male version of the grandmother’s name is given to the third boy. If enough children are born, grandmother may have a girl named after her as well. The same is true vice versa, if the first three children are all girls.
• Children that had died were named. So if one son called Jan Hendrik died, the next one born would be called Jan Hendrik as well. Usually, if you see two children with the same name, the oldest one died before the youngest one was born. Be careful however, because if the two grandparents had the same first name, sometimes two children who were named after them ended up with the same first and last name!
• If all the grandparents, previous spouses and deceased children were named, siblings of the parents were named after, especially the ones who had died already.

Knowing this information can also prove useful when tracking down ancestry lines. For our purposes today, it is mostly meant to be interesting. I enjoy learning traditions of the past since many of them are no longer popularly practiced.

Even today, birthing traditions of old are still in place. Dutch parents tend to wait to find out the baby's gender until it is born. If they happen to discover it in advance, they won't reveal it. These days, more and more mothers are choosing to give birth in a hospital but the majority still follow tradition by having a natural home birth.

Since the 17th century, it is customary for people to celebrate with a special liquor called "Hansje in the cellar". When a baby is born, the new mother is treated to plenty of food and gifts from visitors. In return, the new parents  provide a kind of biscuits to their visitors. These snacks typically had a layer of butter and sugar sprinkles called muisjes. These sprinkles only come in pink, white and blue and are used to indicate the baby's gender.  The muisjes are aniseed sprinkles that are said to represent fertility and scare away evil spirits. It is also good for the mother's milk supply.

This snack is known as "Beschuit met meisjes". Muisjes literally means "little mice" and draws its name from the fact that the aniseeds sometimes look like they have little tails when dipped into sugar. This snack is still used to celebrate the arrival of a new baby today.

Now, let's get to the actual names! Wikipedia lists a whole lot of information about Dutch names. For the sake of time and space, I'll touch on the highlights you need to know:

Dutch children are sometimes given several names but not always. Half of them only receive one name, about 30% get two names, 17% have three names and only 2.5% of children receive four names. Rarely are there more given. The first name is usually the one used in daily life and will sometimes be shortened to a diminutive form as a nickname. The naming rules for the Dutch are loose. Nearly any name is allowed as long as it isn't too similar to an existing surname, or inappropriate.

Over time, Dutch names have evolved. There are four major periods of time that saw differing naming traditions:

1. Germanic names were highly used. (Migration Period and before until the High Middle Ages)
2. Medieval names derived from Christian saints replaced Germanic ones. (High middle ages until the Early Modern era)
3. Patronymic names were most common. Children were named after relatives. (Early Modern era–1945)
4. Less emphasis on religious names and family names. Foreign names were adopted.  (1945–Present)

In the first period of naming history, the Germanic names lasted the longest. Most Germanic names are composed of two elements. The second usually indicated the gender. These elements could be drawn from two names and combined to create a new one with an appealing meaning that also honored two people. For example, a father named Hildebrant and a mother named Gertrud might name their child Gerbrant or Hiltrud.

The second period of time began around the 12th century. Christian names were huge.  Some Germanic elements still remained if they happened to also be the name of a saint. However, it was not the church that initiated this naming transition. There were no regulations in place regarding names. Religion and various current events had a big influence on naming tradition. Christian names became fashionable as larger cities began to flourish. Citizens with wealth and influence became trend-setters. It was then that the more typical Dutch names emerged such as "Kees" (Cornelis), "Jan" (Johannes) and "Piet" (Petrus).

The third period of naming history was one of stability. Some parents just picked names that they liked because they could, or they'd choose something relevant to the family's occupation. For instance, a butcher who planned on training his son to also become a butcher would probably name him Sint Joris which is the Dutch version of Saint George, the patron saint of the butchers. At the time, there was even a strong superstition that a name had a bit of a reincarnation effect  which led to many naming children after a deceased relative.

The practice of passing down familial names gained momentum. They were generally given in this pattern:

• First-born son is named after paternal grandfather
• First-born daughter is named after maternal grandmother
• Second son is named after maternal grandfather
• Second daughter is named after paternal grandmother
• Subsequent children were often named after uncles and aunts

Once the first four were named, the pattern relaxed a bit and parents were afforded more liberties to choose any name they liked for the following children. Names were reused if one of the children were to die.

The fourth and last period of time extends to today. Once World War II ended, people found themselves a bit less tied to keeping to traditions. They grew less religious and stopped using Christian names as often. Many names became a bit more anglicized and children weren't named after relatives as much. Today, children might have a traditional official name for a middle name and a more modern choice for their first name. Boys tend to have traditional Dutch names more often than girls and are still given family names. Girls simply receive names based on the parents' taste and love for it.

If you'd like to learn more about how surnames are given, click here. I'm going to skip over that information to keep this article from growing too long.

There are many traditional names out there. I went through Behind the Name's collection of Dutch names and chose some that I liked most to share with you. If you'd like to view more, I suggest visiting their website for the extensive list. I'm going to focus on the names that are Dutch versions of names from other origins, and names that are only Dutch:

Boys:

Aart                   Adriaan Aldert Ambroos Andries Antoon Arie Arnoud Bartel Bastiaan Bonifaas Boudewijn Brecht Broos Cas Cees Christiaan Cobus Constantijn Cornelis Daan Damiaan Diede Diederick Elbert Elian Ewoud Faas Femme Filippus

Floris               Fons Frits Gerben Gerolt Gijsbert Gillis Godfried Gustaaf Hein Henny Hubrecht Huub Ignaas Izaak Jaap Jef Jeroen Joep Joord Joost Joris Jozua Jurgen Kees Kerneels Kobus Koert Laurens Lieven

Lodewijk         Lowie Ludo Luuk Maarten Maas Maikel Mannes Marijn Marnix Matthijs Maurits Meint Mozes Nicolaas Niek Niels Pauwel Pier Pieter Pim Quirijn Radboud Raf Reinier Reinout Rembrandt Rens Rien Robbe

Robrecht Roel Rogier Rutger Sebastiaan Servaas Sieuwerd Sjaak Sjors Staas Stef Stijn Teunis Theodoor Theun Thijs Tiede Tijn Tjaard Toon Tygo Wiebe Wilbert Wilhelmus Willem Wim Wouter Yorick Yvo Zef

Girls:

Aldegonda       Aleida Angelien Angelique Anneke Annelien Anouk Brechtje Carolien Cato Coba Cokkie Diantha Drika Elian Elsje Emmy Esmee Evelien Feline Femke Fenna Floor Floortje Geertje

Geertruida       Gerarda Gerdina Gertruida Godelieve Greetje Griet Gusta Hadewych Hannie Heintje Heleen Helma Hendrina Hennie Hilde Ima Jacintha Jacoba Jacomina Jenneke Jantje Jasmijn Jeltsje Jennigje

Jetta               Johanneke Jozefien Katelijne Katrien Klasina Leonie Lieke Lien Liesbeth Lieve Lisanne Liselot Loes Lysanne Maaike Madelief Margriet Marieke Marijke Marijse Marjan Marjolein Marloes Mechteld

Meintje Mieke Miep Myrthe Nicolet Noortje Paulien Pietronella Ria Roosje Sabien Saskia Stefana Sterre Stien Teuna Thera Thirza Tineke Trijntje Truus Veerke Willemijn Willemina Xandra

Can you tell what other names these are related to? Which do you like best? Let's take a look at the more modern-day top choices:

Girls                  1. Tess 2. Sophie 3. Julie 4. Emma 5. Lisa 6. Fenna 7. Mila 8. Sara 9. Lotte 10. Zoë 11. Eva 12. Anna 13. Fleur 14. Isa 15. Lynn 16. Evi 17. Lieke 18. Saar 19. Noa 20. Sanne

Boys 1. Sem 2. Levi 3. Bram 4. Daan 5. Finn 6. Milan 7. Lucas 8. Luuk 9. Jesse 10. Jayden 11. Tim 12. Thomas 13. Thijs 14. Noah 15. Julian 16. Ruben 17. Liam 18. Lars 19. Stijn 20. Sam

Which of 2013's Top 20 names in the Netherlands are your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

[Note: I am not Dutch nor have I ever been to the Netherlands. If any of this information seems incorrect, please let me know so it can be fixed. If you have further insight, do share!]

Source | Source | Source | Source | Source | Source | Source

Top Vintage Names for Girls from 1920

Just like last week's post about boy names from 1920, here are some wonderful vintage classics for girls as well as some names that are no longer very fashionable. It is interesting to see how many names remain popular over time and how many have returned to the limelight after a vacation from the Top 1000. Which of these do you like most?

Enduring Classics

Names that are in the Top 100 for both 1920 and 2013 and have always been within the Top 1000:

Elizabeth
#8 in 1920
#10 in 2013

Anna
#10 in 1920
#35 in 2013

Evelyn
#12 in 1920
#20 in 2013

Lillian
#18 in 1920
#26 in 2013

Ruby
#26 in 1920
#93 in 2013

Grace
#37 in 1920
#22 in 2013

Katherine
#45 in 1920
#77 in 2013

Emma
#46 in 1920
#2 in 2013

Sarah
#50 in 1920
#48 in 2013

Julia
#55 in 1920
#75 in 2013

Eva
#58 in 1920
#88 in 2013

Charlotte
#79 in 1920
#11 in 2013

Lucy
#94 in 1920
#66 in 2013

Returning Vintage Faves

Names that were within the Top 200 in 1920 but fell out of the Top 1000 over the years only to return to 2013's Top 100 again!

Violet
#77 in 1920
#69 in 2013

Stella
#82 in 1920
#70 in 2013

Ella
#88 in 1920
#15 in 2013

Sophie
#129 in 1920
#76 in 2013

Sadie
#174 in 1920
#50 in 2013

Faded Memories

Names that were in the Top 100 in 1920 but have fallen from the Top 1000 in 2013:

Mildred
Betty
Doris
Florence
Louise
Gladys
Edna
Ethel
Thelma
Jean
Pauline
Lois
Bernice
Gertrude
Marion
Rita
Agnes
Shirley
Bertha
Viola
Geraldine
Juanita
Ida
Myrtle
Norma
Lorraine
Bessie
Phyllis
Marian
Willie
Nellie
Wilma
Maxine
Minnie
Marguerite
Mattie
Jennie

So many of these scream "old fashioned!" to me. My great grandmother's name was Thelma. Most of these fit right in the "still too musty" category, but do you think any will make a comeback? I think Louise has the best chance of any of them; Viola could potentially ride Violet's coattails back up the charts too. What do you think?

Boy Names from 1920 vs 2013

The year 1920 was big and booming for many baby names. I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few different categories of names from 1920 and see how they compare to the recent 2013 list.

Enduring Classics

Names in the Top 100 both in 1920 and 2013:

John
#1 in 1920
#27 in 2013

William
#2 in 1920
#5 in 2013

Robert 
#3 in 1920
#62 in 2013

James
#4 in 1920
#13 in 2013

Charles
#5 in 1920
#57 in 2013

Joseph
#7 in 1920
#20 in 2013

Thomas
#11 in 1920
#61 in 2013

Henry
#17 in 1920
#37 in 2013

Jack
#20 in 1920
#40 in 2013

David
#25 in 1920
#18 in 2013

Anthony
#43 in 1920
#19 in 2013

Samuel 
#44 in 1920
#25 in 2013

Andrew
#49 in 1920
#22 in 2013

Michael
#50 in 1920
#7 in 2013

Daniel
#52 in 1920
#10 in 2013

Benjamin
#83 in 1920
#14 in 2013

These names just keep hanging in there as the years pass by. Other names have not been so lucky.

Faded Memories

Names in the Top 100 in 1920 that are no longer in the Top 1000 in 2013:

Ralph
Howard
Clarence
Earl
Fred
Herbert
Elmer
Bernard
Norman
Chester
Lloyd
Clifford
Floyd
Vernon
Herman
Lester
Milton
Cecil
Glenn
Gordon
Willard
Arnold
Claude
Wallace
Wilbur
Johnnie
Homer

Imagine how many more names have fallen off the Top 1000 chart since then too, but I can't list all of them. Do you think any of these will ever make a comeback?

Team Switchers

Names that were used more for boys in 1920 but are now used more for girls in 2013:

Sidney

Leslie

Aubrey

Lynn

Clair

Emory

Emery

Alva

Emerson

Sydney

McKinley

Shelby

Raleigh

Kelly

Avery

Arden

Lacy

Meredith

Dana

Blair

Ivory

Lauren

Elza

Stacy

Tracy

Whitney

Lindsay

Allison

Lindsey

Lesley

Bailey

Courtney

Note: Some of these were rather unisex in 1920 and/or are still rather unisex today, but I based it on the number of births in 1920 and 2013 to compile the list: i.e. more boy births in 1920 and more girl births in 2013. The middle-ground was all over the place.

What do you think of these lists? Will any of the Team Switchers ever switch back to the opposite gender? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Trendy Girl Names from 1900 + Unusual Choices

In 1900, there was a big trend occurring among baby girl names. Parents loved the cutesy style of names that ended in -ie. These were not nicknames, they were given names. As you can see by the list below, there was a plethora of options just within the US Top 1000 names.  We're seeing a few of these threaten to come back into style today while others, like Sophie, Ellie and Sadie, are already hot! Drew Barrymore just used the name Frankie for her daughter last month!

Did your [great] great-grandmother have a name like this? If so, do share it with us in the comment section below! Which of these -ie names are your favorite? Would you ever use it?

Abbie                   Addie Aggie Allie Amie Ammie Angie Annie Arie Arlie Arrie Artie Audie Bennie Berdie Bertie Bessie Bettie Billie Birdie Bobbie Bonnie Callie Carrie Cassie Charlie Christie Classie Clemmie Cordie Corrie Dessie Dicie Dixie Dollie Donnie Dottie Dovie Dulcie Eddie Effie Ellie Elsie Elvie Emmie Erie Essie Ettie Eugenie Evie Exie Fannie Florrie Flossie Frankie Freddie Georgie Gertie

Goldie                   Gracie Gussie Hallie Hassie Hattie Hessie Hettie Icie Jamie Janie Jannie Jennie Jessie Jettie Jimmie Johnie Johnnie Jonnie Josie Jossie Julie Kattie Kittie Kizzie Lannie Lennie Leslie Lessie Lettie Lexie Libbie Lillie Linnie Lizzie Lockie Lonie Lonnie Lossie Lottie Louie Lovie Lucie Ludie Lutie Macie Madie Maggie Mallie Mamie Mammie Margie Mattie Maudie Maxie Maymie Mazie Mellie

Mettie Millie Minnie Mittie Mollie Monnie Mossie Myrtie Nannie Nellie Nettie Nonie Ocie Odie Ollie Onie Osie Ossie Ottie Pattie Pearlie Pinkie Pollie Queenie Ressie Robbie Rosalie Rosie Rossie Roxie Rubie Ruthie Sadie Sallie Sammie Sophie Sudie Susie Tempie Tennie Tessie Tillie Tommie Tressie Trudie Valerie Vallie Vassie Vergie Verlie Versie Vertie Vinnie Virgie Willie Winnie Zadie Zettie

I'd also like to point out some unusual girl names from 1900 that you may find interesting, including some names that are typically viewed as masculine-only. Do you think any of these will ever be in style on a modern girl?:

Aleen                   Almeta Alpha Arthur Atha Beaulah Besse Beula Bina Birtha Bula Charles Clella Clifford Clora Clyde Dale Dellar Dorcas Dortha Easter Ebba Electa Ellar Elmer Ena Ether Fairy Fleta Florida Floy Frank Freeda Frona Hazle Hedwig Hertha Hildegard Hildur Hulda

Huldah Icy Isa James Joe John Lady Lavada Leatha Lelar Leo Letha Lue Malvina Marvel Melba Meta Missouri Mozelle Myrtice Myrtis Nena Neoma Nevada Oda Olevia Otelia Ouida Ova Ozella Paralee Reatha Retha Rilla Twila Velva Vernon William Yetta Zada

Unusual Boy Names from 1900 You Don't See Today

We see plenty of interesting and odd baby names being used today but it is not a new concept. People have always had strange names. I thought it would be fun to take a look in the past and see what kind of names were being given to the peers of our [great] great-grandparents.

Way back in 1900, I found some interesting choices for baby boys. These were all listed on the US Top 1000 chart for boys 114 years ago. Do you think any are actually usable or are they too out there?

Admiral                             Alford Brown Buddie Burl Cleve Cloyd Collis Colonel Connie Curley Doctor Dorsey Earlie Early Effie Elige Ellsworth Elmore Elzie Ewell Fate Foy French Furman Gaylord Goebel Green Gust

Hamp Henery Hobart Hosie Hyman Junious Lemon Less Lige Luster Mearl Moody Norval Otha Pink Pinkney Pleas Pleasant Rolla Rosevelt Rossie Sim Son Spurgeon Tallie Vester Wash Wayman Zollie

Sometimes names that we consider "female-only" were used on males in 1900. I tried not to include those that were "male first" and have since been taken over by females. I'm not sure if these were just errors in documentation or if they were legitimately given to boys but you will find these listed on the SSA Top US Baby Names chart for boys in 1900:

Alice                                 Anna Annie Beatrice Bertha Bessie Bonnie Callie Clair Clara Cora Dorothy Edith Edna Elizabeth Elsie Emma Ethel Eva Frances

Gertrude Hallie Hazel Helen Holly Ida Lacy Lillie Lois Louise Mae Margaret Marie Martha Minnie Nora Patsy Pearl Rose Ruth

What do you think of the list? Do you know of any odd names being given to boys today?