Names of Scottish Royalty Through History

The record of Kings and Queens of Scotland dates back to the year 843. Over the centuries,  there were many different houses that ruled including the House of Alpin, the House of Dunkeld, the Canmores, the Balliols, the Bruces, and the Stewart/Stuarts. There were also points in history that Scotland, Great Britain and Ireland all fell under the same rule rather than running their countries separately. This happened in the time of the Hanovers followed by the currently reigning Windsor house.

Let's take a look back in history at the names of the rulers of Scotland in specific. I chose Scotland and this time period because of the variety of interesting names of their rulers. Now, this isn't going to be a history lesson. I won't pretend to be well versed in European History. This is strictly about the interesting names.

House of Alpin:

843-858 Kenneth MacAlpin (Cináed)
858-862 Donald I
862-877 Constantine I
877-878 Aedh
878-889 Eochaid
889-900 Donald II
900-943 Constantine II
943-954 Malcolm I
954-962 Indulf
962-966 Dubh
966-971 Culen
971-995 Kenneth II
995-997 Constantine III
997-1005 Kenneth III
1005-1034 Malcolm II

House of Dunkeld:

1034-1040 Duncan I
1040-1057 Macbeth
1057-1058 Lulach (The Fool)

House of Canmore:

1058-1093 Malcolm III Canmore
1093-1094 Donald III (Donald Bane)
1094-1094 Duncan II
1094-1097 Donald III (Donald Bane)
1097-1107 Edgar
1107-1124 Alexander I
1124-1153 David I
1153-1165 Malcolm IV
1165-1214 William I
1214-1249 Alexander II
1249-1286 Alexander III
1286-1290 Margaret ('Maid of Norway')

House of Balliol:

1292-1296 John Balliol
1332-1346  Edward Balliol

House of Bruce:

1306-1329 Robert I (The Bruce)
1329-1371 David II

House of Stewart:

1371-1390 Robert II
1390-1406 Robert III
1406-1437 James I
1437-1460 James II
1460-1488 James III
1488-1513 James IV
1513-1542 James V
1542-1567 Mary, Queen of Scots

House of Stuart: 

1567-1625  James VI (James I of England 1603-1625)

After this, Scotland fell under England's rule. For more names of rulers after this time period, take a look at our post about the names of Male Rulers of England, and our list of Female Royalty Names too.

Here are the most usable names from above and a little more information about each of them:

Kings:

Kenneth - This king's name was Anglicized from the Gaelic Cináed meaning "born of fire". Kenneth also comes from the Gaelic name Coinneach, derived from caoin meaning "handsome".  In the US, Kenneth had the most births within the mid-1950s. It was a Top 100 name from 1898-2001. In 2015 it ranked at #199.

Donald - From the Gaelic name Domhnall, Donald means "ruler of the world". It comes from the old Celtic elements dumno meaning "world" and val meaning "rule". This name has been very popular in Scotland. In the US, it was most popular from the 1930s-1950s. In 2015, there were 690 boys given the name for a rank of #441.

Constantine - This name comes from the Latin name Constantinus, which comes from Constans meaning "constant, steadfast". Constantine has been around since the early 1900s in the US, but it has never been popular. There were 91 boys given the name in 2015.

Malcolm - Malcolm comes from the Scottish Máel Coluim meaning "disciple of Saint Columba". This king killed Macbeth who had usurped the throne and murdered his father. Shakespeare's characters in "Macbeth" (1606) are based on these kings. Malcolm has always ranked in the Top 1000, and its best year was 1992 at #206. In 2015, it was #420.

Duncan - This name is derived from the Gaelic name Donnchadh which means "brown warrior". There were two kings of Scotland with this name and one of them was also featured in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. Duncan has always ranked in the Top 1000 but it's never ranked all that popular. It ranked best in 1997 at #378. It was at #793 in 2015.

Edgar - Edgar comes from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth, fortune" and gar meaning "spear". Edgar ranked well back in 1918 but declined a bit after that until the mid-1980s. Currently, Edgar ranked at #317 in 2015.

Alexander - Alexander comes from the elements alexo meaning "to defend" and aner meaning "man". This is a common name that was used for Scottish kings as well as those from Poland, Yugoslavia, Russia and others. Alexander has always been used in the US, but it really peaked in 1993 with over 20k births. It's been a top 10 name since 2008, currently ranking at #8.

David - David comes from the Hebrew dwd which means "beloved". Beside the king of Israel, there were two Scottish kings named David along with many other important men through history. David has always been a Top 50 name. It even ranked at #1 in 1960. In 2015, it is down to #18.

William - William comes from wil meaning "will, desire" and helm meaning "helmet, protection", both Germanic elements composing the name Willahelm. William has been used well by the Normans, the English, the Scots and others. William was a Top 10 name from 1880 to 1975, including many years at #2. It dipped to the teens and twenties but it is currently ranked back up at #5.

John - John comes from the Hebrew Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". It is possibly the most popular name for boys in history, having been given to a fifth of all English boys in the Middle Ages. In the US, it has always been well used. It was #1 from 1880-1923 and remained in the Top 10 until 1986. In 2015, it is down to #26.

Edward - Edward comes from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth" and weard meaning "guard". Edward has been used throughout Europe in various spellings. It ranked in the Top 100 in the US from 1880-1997.  It's slowly inching downward now and it ranked at #158 in 2015.

Robert - Robert comes from the Germanic name Hrodebert which contains the elements hrod meaning "fame" and beraht meaning "bright".  Three kings of Scotland had this name, including the pictured Robert the Bruce. In the US, Robert was the #1 name from 1924 to 1939. It was in the Top 10 all those years until 1989. It remains in the Top 100, ranking at #63 in 2015 which is the lowest it has ever ranked.

James - James comes from the Latin Iacomus which comes from the Greek Iakobos, which comes from the Hebrew Ya'aqov. It is said to mean "supplanter". King James ruled Scotland before becoming James I of England in the House of Stuart. As a name, James ranked in the Top 5 for 100 years (1880-1980), it dipped to the teens, but James was back up to #7 in 2015.

Queens:

Margaret - Margaret comes from the Latin margarita, derived from the Greek margarites meaning "pearl". There were Queen Margarets in Scotland and Denmark, and a princess in Hungary. Margaret has always ranked well in the US. It's biggest year was 1921, but it was in the Top 10 until 1939. It left the Top 100 in the 1970s and 1980s, falling to 2015's rank of #154.

Mary - Mary ultimately comes from the Hebrew Miryam. It's meaning isn't certain but theories include  "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". It's also possible that Mary comes from the Egyptian name mry meaning "beloved". There have been two Queen Marys of England and one of Scotland. In the US, Mary has been extremely popular, it was #1 or #2 from 1880-1965. Mary left the Top 100 in 2009, but still ranks at #124 in 2015.

Which of these royal names do you love the most?

Source

Percy

Today's featured boy name is pulled from the list of names ending with the letters -cy.

Percy is is male given name that comes from an English surname. There is a commune in Normandy in Northwestern France called Percy-en-Auge from which the surname was derived. The House of Percy (or Perci in Old French) was one of the most powerful noble families in northern England.

There are still members of the Percy family to this day who are Dukes of Northumberland. Their surname comes from the manor of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy which was their home during the Norman Conquest. The name Percy started out being used as a given name in their honor.

The Greek Perseus is similar in sound and could be assigned the nickname Percy. It means "to destroy" in Greek and was the name of a mythological hero who killed Medusa and founded the ancient city of Mycenae.

Percy can also be considered a short form of the name Percival. The name Perceval, with this spelling, was created by a French poet named Chrétien de Troyes in the 12th century. He wrote a poem called "Perceval, the Story of the Grail" in which Perceval was one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table.  It is likely that the name Perceval was based on the name of a Welsh hero, Peredur, which means "hard spears" in Welsh. Perceval may have also been influenced by the Old French words percer val meaning "to pierce the valley".

So what does Percy actually mean? Take your pick!  How about its usage?

Percy has been in use on record in the US since 1880. It was used the most in 1920 with 601 births. It fell off the Top 1000 chart as of 1989 and is now a rare name. It only had 58 male births in the year 2015 for a rank of #2275. Despite being a possible short form of Percival, the name Percy on its own has ranked way better over the years. Percival has never scored more than 25 births in a single year.

What do you think of the name Percy? Would you consider it? If so, here are a few middle and sibling name ideas to help you out:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alina, Cordelia, Georgia, Helena, Leonora, Matilda, Rose
Brothers: August, Clyde, Jasper, Lucien, Maurice, Simon, Willis

Middle Name Ideas:
Percy Ambrose
Percy Edmond
Percy James
Percy Randall
Percy Sebastian

As a Middle Name:
Charles Percy
Everett Percy
Finnegan Percy
Jonathan Percy
Nolan Percy

What would you pair with the name Percy? Or do you prefer Percival or Perseus?

English Royalty Names for Females

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge's first birthday is today, May 2, 2016. To celebrate, let's take a look at the names of female rulers of England and other Royal Princesses.

While there have been many rulers of England in history, the vast majority of them have been male. However, some of the most influential rulers were the Queens, especially Queen Victoria and our current, long-reigning Queen Elizabeth II.

Last week we took a look at the names of male rulers and their meanings and popularity over time. Now it is time to look at the women.

Names of Queens of England:

Mary:

Mary comes from the Greek Mariam and Maria which were derived from the Hebrew Miryam. It's no secret that Mary (and Maria and Marie, etc) is by far the #1 name for women around the world. It ranked at either #1 or #2 in the US from 1880-1965. It wasn't until 2009 that it dropped out of the Top 100. As of 2014, Mary ranked at #120. It has been so well used that its starting to be a bit less favorable but it will most likely always be in decent use.

1553-1558 Mary I House of Tudor
1689-1694 William III of Orange and Mary II (jointly) House of Orange

Elizabeth:

Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva meaning "God is an oath" or "pledged to God". This name has been used well by Christians in Europe and in medieval England, especially after the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.  Elizabeth ranked in the Top 10 from 1880-1923, and again from the 1980s to now. The name has always been within the Top 30 though. It is also extremely popular as a middle name. In 2014, it ranked at #14.

1558-1603 Elizabeth I
1952- Elizabeth II (Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations)

Anne:

Anne is the French form of Anna which, along with Hannah, comes from the Hebrew name Channah meaning "grace".  Anne and Ann were introduced to England in the 13th century and was commonly used since then. Anne has always ranked within the Top 700, typically within the Top 200. As of 2014, it ranked at #553.

1702-1714 Anne House of Stuart

Victoria:

Victoria means "victory" in Latin, in line with the Roman goddess of victory. It is the feminine form of the male Victorius. Believe it or not, Victoria was a rare name until Queen Victoria came around in the 19th century. Victoria has always ranked within the Top 300. It ranked the best within the 1990s. As of 2014, it was #19.

1837-1901 Victoria (Empress of India 1876-1901) House of Hanover

Short-reigning female rulers who were snubbed of their right to rule:

Matilda:

Matilda comes from the Germanic name Mahthildis meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hild "battle". This was the name of a woman who was very nearly a ruler of England. It has also been the name of some wives of kings. The name was popular in England after being introduced by the Normans. Matilda ranked well in the US around 1915. It ranked within the Top 1000 from 1880 to the early 1960s, fell off the chart, and is now back on it as of 2008. The name is slowly climbing the charts, ranking at #583 in 2014.

Empress Matilda (7 April 1141 – 1 November 1141 - daughter of Henry I)

Jane:

Jane is the female form of John which comes from Jehanne, Iohannes and ultimately the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious".  Jane ranked in the Top 100 from 1911 to 1965. It has now dropped down to #322 in 2014.

Lady Jane (10 July 1553 – 19 July 155)

Other Royal Names for Females: 

The following list is compiled from the firsts and middle names of Royal Princesses by blood, as well as some of the names of the wives of kings.  I recommend that you take a look at this page that lists out the first/middle name combinations. These are so beautiful and worth a browse.

Adelaide
Adeliza
Adolphine
Agnes
Alberta
Alexandra
Alexandrina
Alice
Amelia
Anne
Augusta
Beatrice
Berengaria
Bertha
Blanche
Caroline
Catherine
Charlotte
Christabel
Dagmar
Dorothea
Edith
Edwina
Eleanor
Elisabeth
Elizabeth
Emma
Ernestine
Feodore
Frederica
Georgiana
Georgina
Helen
Helena
Henrietta
Isabel
Isabella
Josephine
Leopoldine
Louise
Margaret
Maria
Marie
Mary
Matilda
Maud
Melita
Norah
Olga
Patricia
Pauline
Philippa
Rose
Sophia
Theresa
Vera
Victoria
Wilhemina

There are probably some names that were missed or deemed a bit too unusual to include. Of the names above that made the list, which do you like most?  What would you name a future sister to George and Charlotte of Cambridge?

English Royalty Names for Males

How long have there been rulers in England? At least on record, we can trace their names pretty far back. For a while, the kingdoms were separate and set up differently than today. Currently, Queen Elizabeth II reigns over Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Scotland, Ireland and Wales have all had their own rulers over time before becoming united as they are now.

For this article, we will look strictly at the rulers of England. There will be posts in the future looking strictly at the names of the rulers of Wales and Scotland, but for now, let's focus on England.

There have been many ruling Houses overtime and those rulers have had some interesting names. I didn't include some of the really early rulers since their names are unlikely to be used today and there are so many of them. We'll look at some of the more traditional names that are still in use such as William, Henry and John.

I won't pretend to be a historian. This won't be a history lesson. We are simply taking a look at some of the names that have been in use in England in the past until now. I won't be including the names of every single ruler since that'd be a very long list, and borders and dates get a little complicated. This article will focus on the male rulers and our next article will feature female rulers.

The Æthels:

Æthelwulf (839-856)  "noble wolf"

Æthelbald (856-860) "noble and bold"

Æthelbert (860-866) "noble and bright"

Æthelred I (866-871) "noble counsel"

Athelstan (925-940)  "noble stone"

Ethelred II the Unready (978-1016) "noble counsel"

The Eds:

Edward: 

The name Edward comes from Old English elements meaning "rich guard". This is one of a few Old English names that survived time and was not replaced by the names brought to England by the Normans. In the US, Edward ranked best between the 1920s and the 1960s. In 2014, it was #160.

899-925 Edward the Elder
975-978 Edward the Martyr
1042-1066 Edward the Confessor
1272-1307 Edward I
1307-1327 Edward II
1327-1377 Edward III
1461-1483 Edward IV
1483 Edward V
1547-1553 Edward VI
1901-1910 Edward VII

Edmund:

Edmund comes from Old English elements meaning "wealth" and "protection". Like Edward, this name remained in use after the Norman conquest but unlike Edward, it became less common over time. It was used in the US around 1920, a bit through the 1940s and 1950s but it declined after that. It has not ranked in the Top 1000 since 1997. There were only 172 boys named Edmund in 2014.

940-946 Edmund
1016 Edmund Ironside

Edred:

Edred means "rich counsel". It comes from Eadræd from the Old English elements ead meaning "rich, blessed" and ræd meaning "counsel".  It has never been in use in the US.

946-955 Edred

Edwy

Edwy comes from Eadwig which is derived from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth, fortune" and wig meaning "war".  It has not been used in the US.

955-959 Edwy

Edgar 

Edgar is derived from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth, fortune" and gar meaning "spear". It ranked well around 1918, declined, then regained popularity recently through the 1990s-2000s. It's back on the decline now but still ranks at #300 in 2014.

959-975 Edgar

The Traditionals:

Alfred: 

Alfred means "elf counsel". It is derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, which is composed of the elements ælf meaning "elf" and ræd meaning "counsel". Alfred has always ranked in the Top 1000 but it's ranking down toward the bottom of it these days. It peaked in 1928 with 6,246 births. In 2014 it ranked at #799 in the US.

871-899 Alfred the Great

Harold:

From the Old English name Hereweald which is derived from the elements here meaning "army" and weald meaning "power, leader, ruler". It is also similar to the Old Norse name Haraldr which was popular with the Scandinavians living in England. Harold lost popularity after the Norman conquest until it was revived again in the 19th century.  It has really only done well in the US around 1920. It declined in usage after the 1940s but it still ranks within the Top 1000 even now. In 2014, it was at #828.

1035-1040 Harold I Harefoot
1066 Harold II

William:

William comes from the Germanic name Willahelm which was composed of the elements wil meaning "will, desire" and helm meaning "helmet, protection". This name was common with the Normans and very popular in England. William has almost always been a Top 10 name, never ranking lower than #20. It has ranked at #5 from 2012-2014 in the US.

1066-1087 William I
1087-1100 William II
1689-1694 William III of Orange and Mary II (jointly)
1694-1702 William III (alone)
1830-1837 William IV (King of Hanover)

Henry:

The name Henry means "home ruler". It comes from the Germanic name Heimirich which is composed of the elements heim "home" and ric "power, ruler". It was a popular royalty name in Germany, as Heinrich, for many years. France used Henri. The Normans took this name to England and it became common there as Henry. Henry ranked well around 1918 and in the 1940s. It has always ranked within the Top 200 names in the US, most recently gaining popularity again for a rank of #33 in 2014.

1100-1135 Henry I
1154-1189 Henry II
1216-1272 Henry III
1399-1413 Henry IV
1413-1422 Henry V
1422-1461 Henry VI
1485-1509 Henry VII
1509-1547 Henry VIII

Stephen:

Stephen comes from the Greek name Στεφανος Stephanos meaning "crown". Respecting the Greek pronunciation, it's said the same as its anglicized form Steven. This is another name made popular in England by the Normans. It was also commonly used by Christians in honor of St. Stephen. Stephen was most popular in 1952, the late 1960s and the mid 1980s. In 2014, its down in popularity, but it still ranks at #258 in the US.

1135-1154 Stephen

Eustace: 

Eustace is the English form of Eustachius which comes from the Greek Eustachys meaning "fruitful", or possibly it comes from Eustathius and Eustathios meaning "well-built, stable". Eustace was mostly used between the 1910s and 1960s but it was never popular. These days it is nearly extinct, but there were 7 births in 2014 and 5 in 2011. Before that, there weren't any since 5 in 1997. Rare indeed.

1152-1153 Count Eustace IV of Boulogne (appointed co-king of England by his father King Stephen)

Richard: 

The name Richard was introduced to England by the Normans. It means "brave power", derived from the Germanic elements ric meaning "power, rule" and hard meaning "brave, hardy".  In the US, Richard was a Top 10 name from 1920 to 1970. It's currently at a low point of #141 in 2014, but that still accounts for 2,857 births for the year.

1189-1199 Richard I
1377-1399 Richard II
1483-1485 Richard III
1658-1659 Richard Cromwell (Not a King, but the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland)

John:  

John comes from the Latin Iohannes which comes from the Greek Ioannes, which is derived from the Hebrew Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". This is possibly the most popular boy name of all time. It first flourished in early Europe, eventually being given to 1 in 5 boys by the Middle Ages. In the US, it ranked at #1 from 1880-1923 and remained in the Top 10 until 1985.By 2014, it slipped to #26.

1199-1216:  John

Louis 

Louis is the French form of Ludovicus which is the Latinized form of Ludwig. Ludwig is derived from the Germanic name Chlodovech which comes from the elements hlud meaning "famous" and wig meaning "war". This name was used for 18 kings of France, but only an unofficial temporary ruler of England. It was usually spelled as Lewis in England, but not for royalty. Louis was most popular in the US around 1918. As of 2014, it ranks #289.

1216-1217 Louis VIII of France (unofficially ruled England)

James:

James has taken over as the new overall most-popular boy name of the last 100 years since John's popularity has fallen.  James comes from the Late Latin name Iacomus which comes from the Greek Iakobos and the Hebrew Ya'aqov. James was a Top 10 name from 1880-1992, including a number of years at #1. In 2014, it returned to #9.

1603-1625 James I (King of Scotland as James VI 1567-1625)
1685-1688 James II

Charles:

Charles comes from the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a Germanic word meaning "man". Charlemagne (742-814) made this name very popular in Europe, but it wasn't common in Britain until the 17th century. In the US, it was a Top 10 name from 1880-1954. It's still in the Top 100 but as of 2014, it ranks at #51.

1625-1649 Charles I
1660-1685 Charles II

Oliver:

Oliver comes from the Norman French name Olivier which is a form of the Germanic name Alfher. That comes from the Old Norse Áleifr or Olaf meaning "ancestor's desendant". However, the spelling and meaning of Oliver was later altered by the Latin oliva which means "olive tree". While the name has always been in the US Top 1000, it's really climbed the charts in the past decade. In 2014, it was #32.

1653-1658 Oliver Cromwell (Not a King, but the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland)

George:

George comes from the Greek name Georgios which comes from the Greek word georgos meaning "farmer, earthworker". That name itself was derived from the elements ge meaning "earth" and ergon meaning "work".  In the US, George was most popular around 1920 and 1947. It declined since then but still ranked at #134 in 2014.

1714-1727 George I
1727-1760 George II
1760-1820 George III (Elector, 1760-1815, and King,1815-20, of Hanover)
1820-1830 George IV
1910-1936 George V
1936-1952 George VI

This is a somewhat limited list of rulers, but these are some excellent names. While you probably won't meet anyone named Æthelbald, you surely know someone with one of the more traditional names.

George was used recently for the son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  If Will and Kate were to have another son, what do you think they would name him? Using the names above, what would you name a royal prince? 

Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana: Behind Her Name

Congratulations are in order!! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed a daughter into the world on May 2, 2015 at 8:34 am in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London.  The delivery was quick and easy for Catherine! They left the hospital roughly 10 hours after Princess Charlotte was born and took her home. 

We were left waiting for an additional day to find out what name they chose. Speculation was everywhere! There were even bets being placed on the name. So many people were betting on Alice at first and suddenly the opinion changed to Charlotte which might indicate that someone somewhere knew beforehand. Either way, there was probably plenty of money lost and won.

Finally, the official announcement came from Kensington Palace:

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.  

The baby will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge."

Let's take a look at her name:

Charlotte:

The infant Charlotte, Princess Royal, in 1767
with her mother, Queen Charlotte. Source

Queen Charlotte was the wife of King George III. She was a botanist who founded the Kew Gardens. Their first daughter was also named Charlotte. She later married Frederick of Württemberg and was known as the Queen of Württemberg.

King George IV also used the name for his only child, the Princess Charlotte of Wales who had been an heir to the throne but died in childbirth in 1817 at the age of 21 which greatly distressed the nation.

Duchess Catherine also has the name on her side of the family. She had a great-great-great grandmother named Charlotte Ablett who was born in 1825.  Charlotte is also the middle name of Catherine's sister, Pippa Middleton.

Reaching further, the name Charlotte is related to the name Charles which of course honors William's father, the Prince of Wales. It is also related to Catherine's mother's name, Carole.

In the US, Charlotte is rather popular. It ranked #11 in 2013. It only ranked at #21 in England/Wales but it is now expected to have a boost of popularity because of the new princess.

Elizabeth:

Elizabeth, of course, is the name of our current Queen. It was also the name of her mother who became the Queen Mother.  There was also Elizabeth I who reigned way back in 1558.  Elizabeth is Catherine's middle name too!

This is one of the most classic names ever for girls. It was nearly everyone's guess for one of the middle names. In the US, Elizabeth has never ranked outside of the Top 30 names. It was #10 in 2013!  In England/Wales, Elizabeth ranked at #39 in 2013.

Diana:

This name was the one that everyone wanted the Duke and Duchess to use, but nobody was sure if they actually would or not. As you know, Diana was the name of Prince William's later mother Princess Diana who died tragically in 1997. She was loved all around the world.

This name is the one that holds the most sentiment out of the three. It is a beautiful choice that honors someone very important to William and the country.  As a name in the US, Diana ranked at #270.

-
What do you think of the names that they chose for the new Princess? Did you guess correctly? Were you hoping for something different? Share your thoughts below!

You can also flashback to 2013 and learn more about Charlotte's big brother's name: Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

Conrad

Today's featured name comes from this week's list of The Very Best C Names for Boys and Girls! While there are plenty of great C names, Conrad is the one that caught my eye.

Conrad comes from the Germanic elements kuoni and rad that, when combined, mean "brave counsel".  This moniker comes across as strong and interesting. It is well-known enough to work for a modern boy but it is also rather uncommon which would make it refreshing to hear. As far as Con- names go, it falls into a sweet spot: it is bolder than Connor but not as bold as Constantine.

In history, Conrad is both saintly and regal having been used by a 10th-century saint from Germany as well as several medieval German kings and dukes. England had a bit of love for the name during the Middle Ages but it wasn't common until the 19th century after being reintroduced there by the Germans.

In the US, Conrad has been used consistently every year since at least 1880. It has never been popular though. Its highest peak occurred in 1931 when 585 babies were named Conrad. These days, there were 343 boys born in 2013 with the name for a ranking of #691.

This rad name doesn't have very many nickname options but you could call your Conrad by Con, Connie, or Rad.  If you're interested in this strong and handsome name, perhaps you'll find the following suggestions of sibling names and middle names helpful:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Adelaide, Clara, Elsa, Louise, Matilda, Rosalind, Viola

Brothers: Casper, Frederick, George, Henry, Leopold, Robert, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:

Conrad Alexander

Conrad Gregor

Conrad James

Conrad Miles

Conrad Oliver

Conrad Simon

As a Middle Name: 

Andrew Conrad

Geoffrey Conrad

Leo Conrad

Ryan Conrad

Stephen Conrad

William Conrad

Can you think of any other names that might pair well with Conrad either as a sibling name or a middle name? What do you think of this name? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Magnus

Welcome to Scandinavian Week! You may have seen the polls that I made on the sidebar of the blog and maybe you even voted for your favorite Scandinavian names for each gender. After a tie-breaker, the winning male name was Magnus.

Magnus is a Late Latin name meaning "Great" but it is heavily used by Scandinavians, particularly those from Sweden, Norway and Denmark.  It became popular in those countries because of the 11th century King Magnus I of Norway.

It was said that King Magnus I may have been named after another ruler, Charlemagne, who was also known as Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great.  Others who bore the name Magnus include a 7th century saint, 6 more kings of Norway, and 3 kings of Sweden.

In the middle ages, the name Magnus gained usage in Scotland and Ireland. Manus is an Irish variant of the name. There's also the Finnish variants Manu, Mauno and Maunu, and the Danish Mogens.

Interestingly, from Magnus sprang forth the Medieval English name Mack which then led to the name Maxwell, which is a Scottish place name then surname.

In the US, Magnus was used sporadically from 1890 until 1981 when it gained yearly regularity. However, it has always been rare. 2013 is the first year that the name has ever been in the Top 1000. With 206 births, Magnus ranked at #958.

In Iceland, Magnús (pronounced MAHG-noose) ranked at #7 for the year 2007. In recent years, Magnus has also ranked at #4 in Norway, #8 in Denmark, #180 in Scotland and #300 in British Columbia, Canada.

What do you think of the great Magnus as a baby name? It is a strong, bold choice that will stand out! Do you think it is too bold or would you use it? What's a good middle name?  Here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas;

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Astrid, Caroline, Elowen, Fiona, Freya, Ingrid, Liv, Maren, Onnika, Sorena, Thora
Brothers: Caspar, Erik, Felix, Henrik, Hugo, Lucius, Odin, Rex, Sebastian, Soren, Viggo

Middle Name Ideas:
Magnus Christopher
Magnus Gunnar
Magnus James
Magnus Thurston
Magnus Yorrick

As a Middle Name:
Axel Magnus
Dane Magnus
Henry Magnus
Levi Magnus
Samuel Magnus

Share your thoughts on the name in the comments below!

Lorenzo

Welcome to Italian week! On Wednesday, we'll look at Italian baby naming traditions, and Friday will bring a lovely girls name. Today, we're looking at the Italian boy name Lorenzo.

Lorenzo is actually both the Italian and Spanish form of the Latin Laurentius or Laurence. This name means "from Laurentum" which is a city in ancient Italy probably derived the Latin word laurus meaning "laurel".  

In history, Lorenzo de Medici was the ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was known as the Magnificent and was a patron of the arts. He actually employed great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and others. Click here to view other namesakes in history.

Lorenzo currently ranks #4 in Italy and short-form Enzo ranks at #4 in France.  Renzo is another nickname option or even Leo.

This name has always done fairly well in the US too! It is one of those exotic but not too exotic choices that parents love. Since 1880, Lorenzo has consistently ranked in the 200-400 range. As of 2013, it ranked at #237 representing 1,498 total male births.

What do you think of Lorenzo? Which nicknames would you use? What middle name might you pair with it? What would his siblings be named?  Here are a few ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Cristina, Emilia, Isabella, Juliana, Marina, Sophia, Viviana
Brothers: Antonio, Dominic, Francisco, Julian, Luca, Reuben, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Lorenzo Daniel
Lorenzo Elliott
Lorenzo Marcus
Lorenzo Raphael

As a Middle Name:
Felix Lorenzo
Nathan Lorenzo
Peter Lorenzo
Victor Lorenzo

Rhys

In this month's World-Wide Wednesday, we'll be visiting Wales and examining their baby naming traditions! To kick things off, let's take a look at a Welsh boy name: Rhys.

Rhys is pronounced like Reese and is the name that Reese and Reece spring from. Many girls are given these variations but it is originally a masculine name. In fact, there have been several Welsh rulers named Rhys.

In Welsh, the name is said to mean "enthusiasm" or "ardor" which is a great, positive meaning to have in a name! In Wales, the name has quite a bit of history as well as modern usage. It ranks in the Top 100 in England/Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland making it a popular choice for boys!

However, in the US, Rhys isn't quite as popular. It has definitely been gaining some attention though. Rhys was first used in 1929, then 1941. It wasn't until 1946 that it gained some more regular usage. Very slowly it began to gain favor with parents. In 2004, Rhys made its debut appearance on the US Top 1000 chart at #940. Now it has inched its way upward to #489 in 2013 which accounts for 555 male births.  There were also 26 female births for a ranking of #5245.

This new popularity that Rhys has been experiencing could have been partially influenced by three actors, one named Jonathan Rhys Meyers, another named John Rhys-Davies, as well as a Welsh-born actor named Rhys Ifans. The name has also been used on a celebrity baby in 2009: Rhys Edward, son of Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

I think Rhys is a name that will continue to gain popularity with this spelling for boys. The Reese spelling is massively more popular for girls, ranking at #156 and only ranking at #602 for boys. I think the genders can share this same sound but use their own spellings. That would make it kind of unisex and kind of not and I think that's cool!

What do you think of Rhys? Or do you prefer Reese/Reece?  Here are some ideas that I came up with for potential siblings for Rhys as well as some middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avalon, Brynn, Eleri, Gwyneth, Megan, Seren, Tegan
Brothers: Dylan, Evan, Gareth, Keane, Morgan, Owen, Trevor

Middle Name Ideas:
Rhys Broderick
Rhys Donovan
Rhys Finlay
Rhys Kennedy

As a Middle Name:
Caden Rhys
Finnegan Rhys
Griffith Rhys
Sullivan Rhys

What might you pair with Rhys?

Alaric

The awesome baby name lovers on Instagram and Tumblr have spoken! When polled about which German name I should feature for my World-Wide Wednesday segment, Alaric was the clear winner for the boys! The girl name is coming on Friday!

Alaric is an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Ruler of All" or "All-Powerful Ruler".  It comes from the Gothic name Alareiks and is derived from the Germanic elements ala "all" and ric "ruler, power".

In history, Alaric was the name of the king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century. Because of this king, the name has a very ancient and regal feel to it, but it still has the potential to be a cool, quirky and modern choice for a baby boy today.

This name is still flying under the radar in terms of popularity. I've seen it discussed many times on forums but as far as actual usage goes, it is rare!

It first appeared in the US in 1949 and it took another ten years to catch on regularly. Alaric is just now coming into its prime! It hasn't had much love until recently with 88 births in 2012 and a record-high 116 births in 2013 for a ranking of #1414. I think Alaric could potentially break into the Top 1000 in the next decade. It seems to be a growing favorite!

Alaric is a bold and strong name on its own, but it also has the nickname possibilities of Al, Ric, Ricky, Lars, Alec, Alar and Aric. It is typically pronounced AL-er-ic, just like it looks, but this name is used on the TV show The Vampire Diaries and is pronounced as uh-LAR-ik.  I definitely prefer the typical pronunciation.

What do you think of this name? What sort of middle names and sibling names would you pair with it? Here are some ideas that I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adelaide, Elsie, Ingrid,  Lorelei, Mathilda, Wilhelmina
Brothers: Caspar, Edsel, Jaegar, Kiefer, Otto, Warren

Middle Name Ideas:
Alaric Charles
Alaric Ferdinand
Alaric Johan
Alaric Leonardo
Alaric Theodore

As a Middle Name:
Diesel Alaric
Henry Alaric
Joseph Alaric
Lucas Alaric
Matthew Alaric

I tried not to only pair other German names with it, but it was a bit tricky to get decent flow. What do you think? Which names would you use?

Constantin

Welcome to the week of Romanian-inspired names. On Wednesday you'll see the traditions and customs surrounding birth and baby naming in Romania. On Friday you'll get a featured Romanian girl name, and today you get a boy name!

The male name Constantin ranked in as the #14 name of 2009 in Romania according to this website. I couldn't find much more information beyond that.

Constantin is the Romanian (and French) form of the name Constantinus. Other Romanian variations of this are Cosatche, Costel, Costică, Costin, and Dinu. Of course, the name The English Constantine is probably most used and most familiar outside of Romania. All of these names are derived from the Latin Constantinus which comes from Constans meaning "constant, steadfast".

The first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity was named Constantine the Great (272-337). He's famous for establishing Constantinople which is now known as Istanbul.  Be sure to view the family tree of all these names related to Constans. There are numerous variations in multiple languages.

Both Constantin and Constantine have previously been viewed as too big of a name for a modern boy, but along with the rise of other big Latin names, they are now a bit more acceptable for usage! However, obvious nicknames are still a bit unappealing to today's parents, and that is probably the only reason these names haven't caught on well in the US. Nicknames Con, Connie, Stan or Tino just don't fly too well. But using the whole name is definitely a handsome choice. It seems long, but it is only three syllables. How many other three syllable names do you like in whole? Probably a few!

Constantin is rather rare in the US. It was given to 5 boys in both 1913 and 1917, but was not seen in the records again until 5 more were born in 1963. After that, a handful were named from 1987-1990, and 1999-2001. It has been use regularly since 2005, but the most births in a single year has never topped 15 in 2006. Click here to view popularity stats for Constantin.

Constantine is a bit more popular. That letter E really helps to round out the name. It first appeared in 1885-86 and 1897 before gaining regular usage in 1906. It did well through the 1920s but has remained unpopular. The year with the most baby boy Constantines was 2007 with 107 births for a ranking of #1485. There were 106 born in 2012. (#1503)

What do you think of these names? Do you prefer Constantin, Constantine or one of the other variations?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amabel, Cordelia, Ginevra, Imogen, Josephina, Leonora, Sunniva
Brothers: Augustus, Cosmo, Ferdinand, Heathcliff, Sebastian, Thaddeus, Vladimir

Middle Name Ideas:
Constantin August
Constantin Emil
Constantin Lucius
Constantin Max
Constantin Sorin

As a Middle Name:
Axel Constantin
Benedict Constantin
Dominic Constantin
James Constantin
Oliver Constantin

Replace Constantin with Constantine for even better flow and pronunciation in the above suggestions.

Name of the Week: Esther

The Name of the Week is the biblical girl's name Esther.  Esther is considered a Persian name that means "star" and is related to names like Estee and Hester. However, as an alternative, the origin could possibly come from the goddess name Ishtar.

In the Old Testament, Queen Esther was the focus of the Book of Esther. She was the Jewish wife of the King of Persia who is known for saving the Jews from being killed.  Esther's original Hebrew name was Haddassah.

In American history, President Grover Cleveland named his daughter Esther in 1893 which gave the name a popularity boost. Esther jumped from 824 births in 1892 to 1,382 births in 1893. It continued to gain popularity over the next couple decades, peaking at 6,575 births in 1918 (#38). The name declined in usage after that, but has never dipped lower than #348.

Source

Esther has had a slight boost in usage since 2000. In 2012, there were 1,313 baby girls given the name, ranking it at #242.

This is a lovely name with a vintage feel to it since it had such popularity in the 1920s. It could very well join the other names that fit the "100 year rule" and see a boost in usage in the coming years. It fits right in with Edith.

I would pair something equally feminine and lovely with it.  What would you pair with it? What do you think of the name overall? Let me know in the comments below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adeline, Clara, Edith, Hazel, Lola, Mabel, Miriam, Ruth, Sarah, Tabitha, Violet
Brothers: Arthur, Bennett, Charles, George, Henry, Ian, James, Josiah, Miles, Silas, Zachariah

Middle Name Ideas;
Esther Catherine
Esther Magnolia
Esther Pearl
Esther Victoria
Esther Josephine

As a Middle Name:
Leona Esther
Vivian Esther
Genevieve Esther
Lillian Esther
June Esther

Girl Name of the Week: Adelaide

The Girl Name of the Week is Adelaide. I chose this name off of my latest blog post "Old-Fashioned, Vintage Girl Names."

The name Adelaide has been around since the SSA began recording names in 1880. It comes from the German "Adalheidis" which is composed of the elements "adal" meaning "Noble" and "heid" meaning "kind, sort, type."  Some variations that stem from the same root word as Adelaide are Alicia, Alice, Heidi, Alix, Alise and Allison. Diminutives include Ada, Addie, Addy, and Della.

The name Adelaide was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. She was known as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."

In the 19th century, the name became common in Britain due to the popularity of the German-born wife of Britain's King William IV, "Good Queen Adelaide." The city of Adelaide, Australia was named in 1836 after her.  So this name not only means "noble" but it has two historical figures who were widely regarded as "good."

Let's look at the numbers! Before the name's modern spike in popularity, the year with the most number of births was 1917 with 537 births which ranked the name at #268 on the Top 1000 chart of its time.  Adelaide has only had two popularity spikes, the first starting around 1912 and lasting until it declined in the mid 1920s.

From the 1950's to the 1990's, Adelaide was rarely used. It ranged from 9-70 births a year, but spent a lot of time in the 20-30 range.   However, starting just before the year 2000, Adelaide gained more usage. In 2005, it landed in the top 1000 (#901) for the first time since 1948.  The n ame has been climbing in popularity over the past few years, reaching a high of #258 in 2016! That amounts to 1,227 births for the year!

I suspect that Adelaide name will continue gaining popularity. The nickname Addy has been extremely popular for other names like Addison. Adelaide is a great alternative if you wish to use that nickname.

What do you think of Adelaide? Or perhaps one of the other variants that I listed that come from the same German root?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Caroline, Daphne, Evangeline, Lydia, Sophia, Victoria
Brothers: Andrew, Benjamin, Daniel, Jasper, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Adelaide Grace
Adelaide Sylvia
Adelaide Delphina
Adelaide Louise
Adelaide Eve

As a Middle Name:
Lily Adelaide
Matilda Adelaide
Katrina Adelaide
Elsie Adelaide
Zelda Adelaide

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

First published: 6/28/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/13/17

Boy Name of the Week: Edmund

The Boy Name of the Week is Edmund! It was recently featured on my list of old-fashioned, vintage boy names. Edmund is a cool and classic choice that would be handsome on a little guy today.

It is a sophisticated English name meaning "fortunate protector." I like the spelling Edmund more, but there is also the French form Edmond. I do like the Irish variation Eamon as well.

Not very many names have a popular, historical quote written about them, but Edmund does. In Jane Austen's book "Mansfield Park," the character Fanny says "There is nobleness in the name of Edmund. It is a name of heroism and renown; of kings, princes, and knights; and seems to breathe the spirit of chivalry and warm affections."  And the poet John Keats once said, "Had my name been Edmund, I would have been more fortunate." I would say that is a mighty fine testament to the name!

If you're considering naming your little prince Edmund, you may want to know more about its statistics! As far as ranking goes, this name was ranked the highest in 1914 at #130 on the US Top 1000 chart. In that year, 792 babies were born with the name. However, there are several years that have more births but a lower ranking.

I like to gage popularity more by the number of births than the rank. From 1916 to 1926, Edmund was at its  peak! It averaged just over 1000 births each year.

Source

Since then, Edmund was steadily used for 500-600 babies per year until usage declined in the late 1960s. Since the 70s, there has been a steady average of 120-250 births per year or so. Aside from decent numbers in the 1920s, this name has never been all that popular. In 2012, there were only 133 Edmunds born, ranking the name at #1295.  It hasn't been in the Top 1000 since it ranked #924 in 1997.

Do you think this is a name that deserves to be revived or is it just too old-fashioned? With the recent popularity of similar-name Edward, I would like to see more little Eddies on the playground.  What do you think?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Celia, Lucy, Margaret, Sophia, Violet
Brothers: Bennett, David, Joseph, Maximilian, Nicholas, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas:
Edmund Wilder
Edmund Clark
Edmund Ray
Edmund Vincent
Edmund Quinn

As a Middle Name:
Ryan Edmund
Tyler Edmund
Cole Edmund
Daniel Edmund
Blake Edmund

Name of the Day: Frederick

Today's blog post analyzed the name Elizabeth, so I thought I would go a bit more "classic" than usual with the "Name of the Day.'  I chose the handsome Frederick.

German meaning "peaceful ruler," Frederick is one of those old-fashioned, classic names that nearly disappeared for a while; (how many Freds do you know?)  Today, some parents are liking its solid history and classic charm and are reviving it!

Of course it hasn't really disappeared. Frederick has comfortably been hanging out in the 300-500 range of the US Top 1000 chart for the past couple decades! It was last in the top 100 in 1957.

Its largest popularity spikes occurred around 1914 and again around 1946. It was most popular in 1951 with a total of 4,982 baby boys born with the name Frederick.  It was even rarely but consistently used for girls between 1908 and 1993! Since the male popularity spikes, the name has fallen back down to respectable levels. In 2012, there were 482 babies born, which ranked Frederick at #536 on the US Top 1000 chart for boys. 

What sort of history does this name have? A very extensive one! I can't list everyone named Frederick. There are many ancient emperors and kings who held the name. Click here to view a wikipedia list of all the famous Fredericks.

The most notable Fredericks are Frederick the Great who was the King of Prussia (1712-1786), Frederick Douglass who was an escaped slave turned abolitionist (1818-1891),  and of course actor/singer Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz 1899-1987).

I had this article prepped up and then a while later I came across this article from Nameberry that was interesting. It interviews a man named Frederick and he gives his thoughts on his name and his nickname Fred. 

What do you think of the name Frederick. Would you call him Freddie/Freddy or Fred?  Would you go with another nickname like Red, Fritz, or Rick? Or perhaps Derick/Erick which are derived from the spelling? Maybe good ol' Frederick is perfect is its entirety!   Let me know your thoughts below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alexandra, Elizabeth, Helena, Matilda, Victoria
Brothers: Alexander, Finnegan, Matthew, Nicholas, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Frederick James
Frederick Arthur
Frederick George
Frederick Mason
Frederick Dean

As a Middle Name:
Owen Frederick
Evan Frederick
Jacob Frederick
Aaron Frederick
Oliver Frederick

Name of the Day: Alexandrina

Today's featured name is 11-letters and 5-syllables long. Perhaps that explains why it is rarely used in the US.  Did you know that Alexandrina was the real first name of Queen Victoria who went by her middle name?

While many parents would opt for Alexa or Alexandra, there is something special about Alexandrina. It has a more exotic flair than her sister-names, and would be a beautiful middle name to pair with a short first name. Ivy Alexandrina or Claire Alexandrina are lovely. As a first name, Alexandrina Eve.

As a plus, it is truly a rare name today, but it is so familiar to the ears because of all the other Alex names.

It was first used in 1914, 1915, 1920 and 1921 by a total of 23 girls.  After that, there were 5 born in 1935, 6 in 1961, and then it started getting more regular usage in 1975. However, it only sees an average of 5 births per year. Most recently, there were 9 girls named Alexandrina in 2013, which means this name ranks at #10,965.

That is far from being the #1 name in the country, but many could be drawn to it because of that. According to records, only 246 girls have ever been named Alexandrina. Talk about rare! In fact, the name wasn't used by at least 5 girls for the year from 2014-2016, meaning that it did not rank during that time. Do you know anyone with this name?

Alexandrina is a distinctive choice! It is the Greek variation of Alexandra and also means "Defending Men."  Because of its royal namesake, some people have been speculating it as an option if Prince William and Kate Middleton have a girl. It is also a great alternative to the more common royal names that get used today.

What do you think of this long, beautiful name? Are 5 syllables just too much or would you consider it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Emmeline, Francesca, Georgiana, Louisa, Victoria
Brothers: Christopher, Frederick, Leopold, Theodore, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Alexandrina Eve
Alexandrina Ivy
Alexandrina Blythe
Alexandrina Maeve

As a Middle Name:
Isla Alexandrina
Jade Alexandrina
Lily Alexandrina
Zara Alexandrina

Share your thoughts on this name in the comment section below!

First published: 6/15/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/13/17

Name of the Day: Basil

Today's Name of the Day might raise your eyebrows at first. The Greek boy name Basil means "Regal" or "King" and is a quirky choice!

The most famous bearer of this name is Basil Rathbone who portrayed the very British Sherlock Holmes in 1939. And of course, many of you probably already thought of the basil herb. It is usually pronounced Baz-uhl rather than Bays-uhl like the herb.

Let's try to see it from a different perspective than the above:

From the Greek name Βασιλειος (Basileios) which was derived from βασιλευς (basileus) meaning "king".  There were many Byzantine Empire rulers named Basil, as well as some Eastern Orthodox saints. Saint Basil the Great was a 4th century bishop who helped to found the early Christian church. Basil is rich in history.

Despite its past-bearers, this name is definitely unique today. It has been used very steadily since 1880. It was most popular from 1912-1969. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1970 and hasn't ranked since! However, in 2012, it ranked at #2709 with 44 boys named Basil, and 20 girls! (Although there have only been a total of 69 girls EVER named Basil. It saw usage starting in 2006, with the exception of 12 named in the early 1900s.)

Today, Basil has been classified as a very fun name because of the manic Basil Fawlty from the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers." There is also a Disney movie called "Basil of Baker Street" which stars "the Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World."

If you still aren't sold, that's fine. I think this is an interesting name. It is on my guilty pleasures list so I can't blame any of you for not immediately using it for a son. However, there are other variations of the name that are interesting like the Russian Vassily or Vaska, the Ancient Greek Basilius, the French Basile, the Italian Basillo or the Polish Bazyli.

What do you think of Basil? Do you get the same unique and quirky, yet old-fashioned vibe that I get? Do you think it will ever be popular again, or is it too fusty?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Beatrix, Celeste, Daphne, Eleanor, Lilac, Octavia, Sabina
Brothers: Dexter, Edward, Gideon, Luca, Otto, Rafferty, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Basil Sebastian
Basil Edmund
Basil Augustus
Basil Hayes
Basil Owen

As a Middle Name:
Phillip Basil
William Basil
Leonard Basil
Ethan Basil
Samuel Basil

Name of the Day: Augustus

Today's Name of the Day is the Latin boy's name Augustus. For years, this name was considered somewhat fusty, or even pretentious. Today, parents are seeing it differently.

Like my own son's name, Maximus, Augustus was originally a title meaning "Great," "Magnificent" or "Venerable." It was given to the first Roman Emperor, Octavius, who was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. He kept Augustus as his name.  The month of August was also named in honor of him.

The number of babies given this name has gone down, up, down and way back up again over the years, starting in 1880 until now.

As far as chart ranking goes, it hit as high as #175 in 1880 (a total of 74 babies).  In 2012, it ranked at #697 with a total of 337 little boys named Augustus.  It remained steadily in the Top 1000 from 1880-1968 when it fell off the chart. It jumped back on in 1991 at #874.

(Remember that the charts vary because of the population differences and the vast number of different names being considered today. The "number of babies given this name" charts give a better understanding of its usage. See below.)

Source

What do you think of the name Augustus? I would love to use it myself but my husband is not a fan of "Gus" or that strong G sound. Also, we wouldn't want to have a Maximus and an Augustus, it's too much "-us" and we'd be trapped in a naming theme (Octavius, Tiberius, Septimus, where does it end?!)

I think this name is very handsome and I would recommend it to parents who want something masculine and strong for their little guy. In fact, most of these Latin "-us" type names are starting to catch on a bit with modern parents.

Would you ever consider this name? First name or middle name spot? Let me know your thoughts below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Eleanor, Isadora, Octavia, Penelope
Brothers: Alexander, Benedict, Maximilian, Sebastian, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Augustus Leopold
Augustus Clark
Augustus Hadrian
Augustus Miles
Augustus Quentin

As a Middle Name:
Sayer Augustus
Bennett Augustus
Cato Augustus
Leo Augustus