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?

Dorothy

Taken from our article about names ending with the letters "-hy", we found the name Dorothy.

Dorothy is a form of Dorothea which comes from the Late Greek name Δωροθεος (Dorotheos) meaning "gift of God".  Dorotheos is pulled from the Greek words δωρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεος (theos) meaning "god".

Interestingly, the names Theodora and Theodore (and their variants) also come from theos and doron, but their direct Greek origin name (Theodoros) is a little different: Θεοδωρος. However, all of these names do share a meaning.

Perhaps the most well-known Dorothy comes from literature and film. In 1900, an author by the name of L. Frank Baum published a little fantasy novel called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" featuring a young girl named Dorothy as the main character. Portrayed by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film, Dorothy has become a classic and iconic character in pop culture.

You don't meet all that many "young Dorothys" these days. However, that could be changing in the next decade or two since this name is starting to trend upward. That would make this name a vintage choice that would fit in with the 100 year rule.

Dorothy was huge in the 1920s. She climbed the charts quickly back then, joining the Top 100 in 1890, the Top 10 in 1904 and ranking at #2 from 1920-1927. Just as quickly, though, she left the Top 10 by 1940 and the Top 100 by 1962. She didn't rank within the Top 1000 for most of the 2000s, but the tide is turning in her favor now. She's back on the charts at #714 as of 2015 with 395 births.

Since it has almost been 100 years since her first heyday, do you think Dorothy will regain popularity as a "fresh-sounding" name again through the 2020s-2030s?

Use it now and you'll be ahead of the trend! If this is a name you're considering for a daughter, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Beverly, Ellen, Marjorie, Nancy, Ruth, Sylvia, Violet
Brothers: Arnold, Franklin, Henry, Howard, Leonard, Russell, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Dorothy Arlene
Dorothy Christine
Dorothy Hazel
Dorothy Mavis
Dorothy Valentina

As a Middle Name:
Amelia Dorothy
Faye Dorothy
Miriam Dorothy
Susannah Dorothy
Tessa Dorothy

I kept the styles similar to Dorothy, but there are plenty of more modern names that could also work. What would you pair with Dorothy?  Do you know anyone with this name? If so, how old are they?

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 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?

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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

Flora

The beautiful, feminine name Flora is brought to you today in light of our previous post that featured The Very Best F Names for Boys and Girls.

As a name, Flora has been in use since the Renaissance era in France. Diminutives of the name include Flo, Floretta, Florrie and Floella. In Dutch, Flora is known as Floor or Floortje. The French call her Flore and Florette, Hungarians say Flóra while the Welsh use Fflur.

Flora could be used as a nickname for Florence but the two aren't actually related since they come from different roots. Another similar name is Fleur which is French for Flower; there's also Fleurette, a diminutive of Fleur.

Flora

It's no surprise that this lovely name comes from the Latin word flos meaning "flower".  Flora was the goddess of flowers and the season of spring according to Roman mythology. She was the wife of Favonius, who was the west wind and bringer of light spring and early summer breezes. This couple's Greek equivalent is Chloris and Zephyrus or Zephyr.

The goddess Flora had her own festival called Floralia that would take place from April 28th to May 3rd in celebration of the renewal of life during springtime. Flora achieved more prominence during the Renaissance era than she ever did in ancient Rome.

Flora has ranked recently at #404 in England/Wales, #178 in France and #29 in Hungary. In the US, Flora has been in constant use since 1880. She enjoyed a popularity peak from roughly 1913-1931 before usage declined. This name fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1972 and remains there today. It ranked down at #1513 in the year 2013 when 144 baby girls were given the name. The good news, though, is that this name fits the 100 Year Rule.

According to that rule, old-fashioned names become fresh again and experience a revival of usage roughly 90-110 years after their initial peak of popularity. In this case, Flora did its best in 1920 with 1,566 births. In the next 5 years leading up to 2020, Flora may just receive a small boost in usage. However, it could take another ten years or so to see a definite rise since this is just an approximate and theorized timeline. There is always a chance that it may not occur at all. Either way, Flora has the potential to rejoin the Top 1000 names chart.

What do you think of the name Flora?

If you're interested in this lovely, under-the-radar, vintage name, perhaps these sibling and middle name ideas would also be helpful:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ada, Caroline, Hazel, Leona, Olive, Sylvie, Viola
Brothers: August, Calvin, Ferdinand, Hugh, Julius, Milo, Rupert

Middle Name Ideas:
Flora Cecily
Flora Mae
Flora Lucille
Flora Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Elizabeth Flora
June Flora
Penelope Flora
Serenity Flora

Know anyone with this name? Share your thoughts on the name Flora in the comments below!

Source | Source
Photo: Primavera- Flora, the goddess of flowers and the season of spring.
Artist: Sandro Botticelli. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence - circa 1482

10 Ways To Honor Someone Whose Name You Don't Like

You and your partner just found out that you're expecting a baby girl and you couldn't be happier. Immediately, baby names pop into your mind and you're determined to find one that will honor your beloved grandmother. The only problem is that you totally and completely hate her name. Oops!

It's difficult when you love someone so much that you want to honor them but, in your mind, their name leaves little to be desired. You simply cannot picture yourself yelling at little Thelma across the playground and you couldn't handle saying Dolores a hundred times a day. These names work beautifully on your grandmother but they are not right for your modern daughter. What can you do?

Here are ten exciting ways to reinvent, revamp and retrofit your loved one's name in order to fall in love with your choice while still honoring them. These will be in the order of most relevance to the person's actual name. The lower you go on the list, the less obvious the honor is.

1. The World Traveler
Perhaps you don't hate the name Elizabeth, but your sister and two cousins have already honored grandma Betsy by using Elizabeth and you'd like to find a name that will honor her in a different way. Take a step back and look at the international variations and diminutives of Elizabeth and you'll find that you could use nicknames such as Eliza, Elise or Beth as a given name, or you could go one step further and use the French Isabelle or the Spanish Liliana which come from Elizabeth. There's also Elsa and Lisette and Elspeth that catch your eye.  Don't be afraid to explore alternative origins of the same name.

2. The Cross-Gender Honor
If you love uncle Cecil but dislike his name, you could still honor him by naming a girl Cecily.  If grandpa Willard's name just won't do, you could go with Willa or Willow for a girl instead.  Or the other way around, name a son after great-aunt Phyllis by calling him Phillip. It's okay to name a girl after your grandpa or name a boy after your aunt. There are plenty of names that can be feminized or masculinized to honor someone even if you're having a baby of the opposite gender.

3. The Nickname Bond
Is your relative better known by a nickname rather than their proper given name? You could use that to your advantage by using that same nickname but applying a different given name to it for your child. For instance, you'd like to honor your father who goes by Harry. His real name is Harold which you don't like. Name your son Henry and let him go by Harry just like grandpa.  Or name your little girl Annabelle after grandma "Annie" whose real name is MaryAnn.

4. The Hidden Treasure
You've only ever known your great-grandmother as Dotty and later learned that it is short for Dorothy. You'd love to honor her but you just don't like either name. Finally, you think to ask if she ever had a middle name. To your surprise, her middle name was Grace. You and your partner are thrilled to discover this and immediately name your daughter Grace after your beloved great-grandmother. You never know when an excellent name could be tucked away in the middle name spot. Explore all of your options!

5. The Familial Mention
You could potentially honor an entire lineage of people simply by giving your child your maiden name or another surname in the family tree. There are many surnames being used as first names today from Parker to McKinley to Harrison to Stone. Explore your options and perhaps you'll find that you can honor your whole family this way!

6. The Monogram Replica
Another way to honor someone without actually using their exact name is to use their initials. Take their first and middle initials and come up with a different name that you love for your child. This is a subtle but sweet way to give your child his own identity while still allowing him to feel a connection to that beloved relative forever.

7. The Branch-out Method
If you're honoring someone on your family tree, explore their name's family tree too. That's right, find a different but related name. For example, did you know that you could honor grandma Heidi by using Alice, Alison, Alyssa, Alicia, Ada, Adelaide or Della? Most people won't see the connection, but all of these names come from the Ancient Germanic root name "Adalheidis".

8. The Beloved's Beloved
There is a way to honor a loved one without actually using their name. Maybe your mother's favorite flower is a lily. She even had lilies in her wedding bouquet. This would allow you to name your daughter Lily or even Lillian and still honor your mother because of the sentimental connection. You could even use the name that your mother would have used had she had another child. Or you could name your child after the city that your grandparents came from, or after your uncle's favorite song or sports team or fictional character. As long as it means something to you and your honoree, the sky's the limit!

9. The Meaningful Connection
Another subtle way to honor someone is to give your child a name that has the same meaning as their name. You'd like to honor your mother-in-law Glenda but you can't find a way to do so and you dislike her name. You see that Glenda means "pure" so you search by meaning and find that the lovely Katherine also means "pure." It doesn't seem connected at all but since they have the same meaning, it works as an honor name in that regard. There's plenty of names that mean something in another language, too, that could be played with. You just have to dig deeper but this method would probably be a last resort if you cannot find a better way to honor someone.

10. The Tuck Away
After exploring all of the above methods to honor someone even though you hate their name, you come to the conclusion that there is no good way to alter it. You'd rather use their exact name than creatively change it with a work-around, but you still don't like it enough for a first name. The answer is simple: put their name in your child's middle name spot. Choose a first name that you love that the child will answer to, but let their middle name serve as an honor for your family member or friend.

What do you think about these methods? Which have you used when you named your child after a loved one?

photo credit: Kels Photo Images via photopin cc

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!

Pearl

The last post in our Summer Names segment is this lovely girl name. Pearl is considered a rather old-fashioned name but it is coming back into style today!

I chose this name because it is the birthstone for June, a summer month. Historically, pearls were a favorite gem during the Roman Empire. Tudor England was even nicknamed "the pearl age" during the 1500s. They were probably so popular because they are said to give wisdom and bring wealth, protection and luck. They symbolize purity, generosity, integrity and loyalty as well. That's quite a lot for a baby girl to live up to if she's named Pearl!

Pearls are also unique in that they're the only gems that come from living sea creatures. This means that they have a natural beauty that is not made or altered by man or machine. However, cultured pearls dominate the market in place of natural pearls and have since the 1920s.

As a baby name, the English word pearl refers to the concretions formed in mollusk shells, like I mentioned, but it ultimately comes from the Late Latin word perla. It has been used as a name since the 19th century because of its lasting popularity as a gemstone. Today, many celebrities have already used Pearl for their daughters' firsts and middle names.

At first thought, Pearl may seem like the name of someone's great-grandmother and you wouldn't be incorrect in that association. Pearl was very popular from 1880 to around 1940. Pearl peaked in popularity in 1918 with 4,521 births and a ranking of #56.

Slowly, Pearl lost her fashionability. She dropped out of the Top 1000 in 1977-1978, from 1987-2006, and 2008. However, she's climbing back up the charts now and is ranking higher than she has in years! In 2013, 416 baby girls were named Pearl for a ranking of #677. She has a long way to go to hit the kind of numbers she saw in 1918 but it could happen again, especially since she fits the 100 year rule.

What do you think of the sweet, vintage Pearl? Do you think she'll make a bit of a comeback in the next 5-10 years? Also, what names would you pair with it? Here are some ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alice, Clementine, Daisy, Hazel, Iris, June, Lucy, Opal, Ruby, Sadie, Violet
Brothers: Conrad, Emmett, Graham, Henry, Jude, Oliver, Roman, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Pearl Adelaide
Pearl Eleanora
Pearl Josephine
Pearl Serenity

As a Middle Name:
Beatrice Pearl
Clara Pearl
Juliana Pearl
Rosalind Pearl

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?

June

The lovely name June has been used for girls as a given name since the 19th century!  Boys occasionally wear it too but not to the same extent as girls.  As a month name, June originally comes from the name of the Roman goddess Juno.

Juno's true meaning is unknown but it is said to possibly be related to a root name meaning "youth". Juno was the wife of Jupiter in Roman mythology and considered the queen of the heavens. She protected marriage, women and childbirth. That is one of the reasons that many weddings traditionally took place in the month of June.

This sweet name hasn't been very popular lately.  In fact, there was a twenty year dry-spell that ended in 2007 where June was not ranked within the Top 1000 names at all. Until recently, She's generally been considered an old-fashioned, grandma name because of her super-popularity that peaked in 1925. But as the 100 year rule goes, she's due to become a hot name once again and we're already seeing signs of her revival!

Back in the day, June rose to fame very quickly! She was always used in some capacity but right around 1914, her popularity skyrocketed. 6,649 baby girls were named June in 1925 (#39), setting a record that hasn't been matched since. After that year, the name began a steady decline in usage. Right around the 1970s, June had fallen to the middle of the pack and began receiving less than 1000 births a year.

In 2008, June jumped back in the game, ranking in at #869 with 320 baby girl births. Since then, June has continued to climb the charts, ranking in at #435 in 2012 with 710 births. Very soon we will find out where she stood in 2013 but I have a feeling she climbed a little bit higher once again.  Click here to view the dramatic popularity charts!

What do you think of June? Is it your favorite month name or do you prefer another? What would you pair with it? Here are some ideas I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alice, Celia, Elsa, Grace, Hazel, Ivy, Pearl, Rose, Tessa
Brothers: Arthur, Clark, Frederick, Henry, Isaac, Leo, Philip, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
June Caroline
June Francesca
June Leonora
June Millicent
June Penelope
June Rosalind
June Theodora

As a Middle Name:
Adeline June
Charlotte June
Evelyn June
Lavinia June
Matilda June
Priscilla June
Vivian June

Most of these names have a similar vintage quality to them. I couldn't resist. :)

Predicting Trends: The 100 Year Rule

They say that it takes 100 years for names to come back into fashion. They aren't wrong.

When you think about all of the names that are currently at the top of the charts (or rising quickly) how many of them were previously considered "Grandma" names?

Perhaps these names are now being used to honor those grandparents. Or maybe those names now belong to the great-grandparents of current baby-namers and aren't well-known or thought of as old. Just like fashion trends, names have a way of coming back around and seeming fresh again. The 100 year rule is real!

To prove that, here are some names that saw popularity spikes in the 1915-1925 range. These same names have begun gaining popularity since 2010 (and sometimes earlier because of those parents ahead of the trend.)

We can only assume that these names will continue to climb our modern day charts and hit their peaks around the 100-years-later mark and then decline again.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 that are also spiking in popularity today:
Adeline (1918) #239
Clara (1918)  #136
Eleanor (1920)  #135
Genevieve (1918) #228
Hazel (1918)  #175
Josephine (1918) #160
Lillian (1920) #25
Lola (1919) #231
Ruby (1920) #106
Sophie (1917) #52
Violet (1920) #89
Vivian (1920)  #141

Keep in mind that these names have not had any popularity spikes between then and now.

Here are some names that also had their spike around 1920 but haven't yet spiked today. These names are slowly inching upward per the 100 year rule. If you use one of these now, you'll be ahead of any possible spikes in the near future and I think they're coming.

Name: (Year with most births) #ranking in 2012

Names that spiked around 1920 and are climbing the charts today:
Adele (1918)  #536
Beatrice (1921)  #691
Edith (1918)  #762
Elsie (1918) #397
Estelle (1915)  #950
June (1925) #435
Leona  (1918)  #914
Lucille (1919)  #394
Mabel (1915) #1051
Mae (1918)  #750
Viola (1918)  #1408

What do you think of these two lists? Would you use any of these names and be part of the trend? Or does this information make you immediately avoid these names so that your daughter doesn't have a popular name in the coming years?  Let me know!