Aria, Gale & Zephyr: These Windy, Airy Names Will Blow You Away!

At this point, The Art of Naming has covered Water Names, Rocky Names and Fire Names. Let's take a look at some names that are inspired by wind and air.

Airy names can be quite refreshing like a gentle breeze, or much more powerful and interesting like the strong winds of a tornado or hurricane. Most of the names on this list are uncommonly used for modern children today, except for Aria which is climbing the charts for girls.

Take a moment to browse through these names. Which are your favorites? Can you think of any others that could be added?

Anil

The name Anil is a masculine Sanskrit name meaning "air, wind". It has ranked in the US since 1959 but never received more than 45 births in a single year which happened in 1989. As of 2014, there were only 5 boys named Anil. Perhaps this decline in usage indicates that it is not currently fashionable within its culture. What do you think of it?

Aria

In Italian, this name literally means "air". Most will also know, though, that it refers to a song or a melody, both of which are sometimes listed as the name's meaning. An aria is an elaborate vocal solo in an opera.

As a name, it has been in use since 1900 in the US but it was not at all common until recently. It joined the Top 1000 chart in the year 2000 and then made it into the Top 100 by 2012. Most recently, Aria has ranked as the 31st most popular name with nearly 6k births in 2014.

Aura

Aura is an English word most typically defined as "the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place," according to Google. But as a name, it is said to be derived from Greek via Latin with the meaning of "breeze", according to Behind the Name.

This is a rare name and has not ranked within the Top 1000 in this modern age of naming, but it has been used on record since way back in 1881 in the US. It technically ranked a few times in those early years but it hit #641 with only 16 births in 1888 which is very unlike today's popularity stats. Today, 85 births in the year 2014 gives Aura the popularity ranking of #2201.

Awen

This is a beautiful Welsh, Cornish and Breton word that means "(poetic) inspiration". You may be wondering where the "air" theme comes into play. Awen is a very flowy name. Awen is said to be a flowing spirit, and that spirit is the essence of life. The airy part, though, comes from the word itself. Its Indo-European root "-uel" means "to blow" and has the same root as the Welsh word awel which means "breeze".

This breezy, whimsical name is truly unique in the US since this name has never been given to at least 5 girls in a single year. It is, however, sometimes ascribed to poets and musicians.

Gale

A gale is defined as "a very strong wind". As a name, Gale can either be derived from the Middle English gaile which means "jovial" which is considered a masculine name. It could be a variant short form of Abigail, which would be feminine. The same applies to the spelling Gayle, but this name could be used for either gender.

Gale peaked in popularity for females in 1957 at #245 with a total of 1,208 births for the year. After that, the name declined and is not in constant use today. It nearly died out altogether in the 1990s and 2000s, but there were a few births such as 6 in 2011 and 6 in 2013.

For males, it peaked in 1947 with 377 births and a rank of #352. Currently, it's also fading away but there were 9 births in 2014. It goes without saying that this name isn't currently fashionable for either gender. Do you think it could come back in style?

Keanu

We have all heard this Hawaiian name on its most famous bearer, actor Keanu Reeves. Since this is an unusual name, he will probably continue to be the biggest associaton with the name for some time. This name can actually be given to either males or females. It means "the cool breeze" from the Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu meaning "coolness".

Mr. Reeves may be the reason this name gained usage in the US. It wasn't given to children at all until 1990 for boys and 1991 for girls, right around the time the actor began becoming more well-known in Hollywood.  Usage ceased for girls in 2006, but it is still being used for a good amount of boys each year.

In 1990, there were 8 male births, by 1992, there were 105, and the name joined the Top 1000 chart by 1994 with a rank of #755. Today, in 2014, there were 141 boys named Keanu for a rank of #1259.

Nasim

Nasim is a unisex Arabic name that means "breeze". It does have some spelling variations such as Naseem and Nassim in Arabic, Naseem in Urdu, and Nesim in Turkish. Pakistanis use this name.

Here in the US, both Nasim and Naseem were originally given more often to girls from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, but usage has nearly stopped. For boys, Nasim and Naseem gained usage in the 1990s and managed to keep it consistently since then. There were 5 boys named Nasim (and 5 girls too) in 2014. There were 22 boys named Naseem (but zero girls) in the same year.  Which of these two spellings do you like more?

Shu

Shu might not be a name that is on the radar for American parents, but it is interesting to note. Shu is the name of an Egyptian god. He is known as a personification of air, or the "God of the wind and air." He is also associated with sun and light.  Shu means "emptiness" and "he who rises up" in Egyptian. 

Interestingly, the name Shu does have a sprinkling of usage over the years for both genders.   On record, there's been a total of 12 females named Shu (births in 1978, 1983 and 2007). For boys, there has never been more than 8 births in a single year, starting on record in 1992 for a total of 52 recorded male births. There could be even more people named Shu out there but we will never know about them since the SSA doesn't record fewer than 5 births. If there were only 3, they wouldn't be on the list.  What do you think of Shu?

Sky / Skye

If you're looking for a ton of wide open air, where else would you look but up? The Earth's sky looks blue during the day because air scatters blue sunlight more than it scatters red.  While Skye and Sky aren't directly associated with wind, the sky is massive and full of air. 

Originally in the US, Sky was given to males and Skye was given to females starting in the mid-1950s. Since 1970, both names now have moderate usage for both genders. As of 2014, Sky is ranked at #740 for girls and #1402 for boys.  Skye is the most popular spelling overall with a ranking of #368 for girls. For boys, Skye is down at #2258. These stats suggest that while it is a unisex name, it is more commonly given to females. Which spelling do you prefer and for which gender?

Storm / Stormy

A storm is defined as "a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow." We're all familiar with storms. We've surely all been caught in one before. Wind storms can vary depending on the wind speeds, but the faster they are, the more destructive. They could escalate into dust storms, blizzards, tornadoes or hurricanes.

The names Storm and Stormy have been used for both genders since the mid-1940s. The one with the most use is Stormy for a girl. As of 2014, Stormy was given to 104 girls and only 6 boys.  Storm was given to 58 girls and 61 boys. Stormie is also given to girls; there were 69 born in 2014.  Which spelling do you prefer? Which gender?

Windy

Windy has been used as a name in the US since 1948 for females. It even ranked in the Top 1000 from 1967 to 1980. Alternate spelling Wendy was much more popular during the same time period, ranking as high as #28 in 1970.

However, Windy is more of a nature name inspired by actual wind which is defined as "bulk movement of air".  Wendy is typically a shortened form of the Welsh name Gwendolen and other similar names.  So Windy and Wendy aren't actually related.  Which do you like more?

Zephyr

Zephyros was the Greek god of the west wind, so the name Zephyr also means "the west wind". This name is typically masculine since it is the name of a male god, but in the US, it was originally given to females way back starting in 1905 to 1937. Nobody received this name on record after that until it popped up for boys in 1975, and again for girls in 1981.  These days, there were 99 boys and 21 girls named Zephyr in 2014.

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According to Wiki, "the practice of using names to identify tropical cyclones goes back many years, with systems named after places or things they hit before the formal start of naming. The system currently used provides positive identification of severe weather systems in a brief form, that is readily understood and recognized by the public."  The first person to begin naming storms was a meteorologist named Clement Wragge. He named systems between 1887 and 1907, but after that, the practice fell into disuse until World War II.

Today, tropical cyclones are named by one of eleven meteorological services. It is said that using names for storms helps eliminate confusion, especially if there are multiple storms in an area at at time. Significant storms will have their names retired and replaced by another. The lists start alphabetically and continue down the list depending on how many storms there are in a year. Here just two of the lists for 2016:


List of Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone names for 2016:

Agatha Blas Celia Darby Estelle Frank Georgette     Howard

Ivette Javier Kay Lester Madeline Newton Orlene Paine

Roslyn Seymour Tina Virgil Winifred Xavier Yolanda Zeke

List of Atlantic tropical cyclone names 2016:

Alex Bonnie Colin Danielle Earl Fiona Gaston

Hermione Ian Julia Karl Lisa Matthew Nicole

Otto Paula Richard Shary Tobias Virginie Walter

There are many more lists like these that you can browse through if you'd like! What do you think of all the above names? Are there any more air or wind related names that could be added?

Aidan, Ignatius & Seraphina: Hot Names Inspired By Fire!

Today we will be exploring one of the most powerful things in nature: fire. Whether it is controlled in a fireplace or a bonfire, or raging out of control in destructive ways, it is hard to deny that fire is exciting.

However, staring into the mesmerizing, continuous flicker of flames from a safe distance on a cool night might be one of the best ways to experience this phenomenon, especially if you have some marshmallows.

Name-wise, though, there is a handful of excellent names that relate to fire. Let's explore them:

Aidan/Aiden

You may be wondering which names are the fieriest.  Perhaps the most popular name with a fiery meaning is Aidan. The name Aidan comes from a sizable family tree of related names. The original Ancient Irish name was Áed meaning "fire". From that name came names like Áedán, Aodh, Aodhán and today's variations of Aidan such as Aiden, Aydan, Ayden and so on.

The name Aodh, pronounced EE or AY, was very popular in early Ireland. It was used by many different figures in Irish mythology as well as several kings. Interestingly, Aodh was traditionally anglicized as the name Hugh rather than any of the Aidans.

Aidan's distant cousin is the name Keegan by way of the diminutive name Aodhagán turning into the surname Mac Aodhagáin. There's also the Scottish Iagan and Edan. More or less, all of these names mean "fire" or descendant of the fiery one, at least.

Like I said, Aidan is very popular. I'm sure many of you are tired of this name and its soundalikes such as Braden, Cayden, Hayden, etc. That's probably because of how incredibly fast this name rose from out of nowhere. It wasn't even used in the US until 1957. It didn't rank in the Top 1000 until 1990 at #889. Suddenly, by the year 2003 there were over 10k boys given the name for a rank of #39.

However, it was actually the spelling Aiden with an E that was vastly more popular. It rose slower than Aidan but has hung on longer. It had half the popularity of Aidan in 2003, but climbed the charts while Aidan declined. Aiden's peak came in 2009 with exactly 16,000 births and a rank of #12. But it went on to rank higher at #9 in 2010 and 2011 with slightly fewer births per year.

Currently, Aidan ranks at #187 in 2014 while Aiden holds steady at #14. They are both finally overstaying their welcome a bit and creeping back down the charts. Which spelling do you prefer?

Ash 

This name can refer to the residue of a fire, but it is more typically associated with the Ash Tree or it is simply a short form of names like Ashley, Asher or Ashton. However, it has to be noted that these longer forms don't have meanings having to do with fire.

Ash was first regularly given to boys as a name in the US in 1996. Most parents probably prefer longer forms of the name since Ash has never been popular on its own. There were a record-high 66 male births in 2014.  Would you ever use Ash on its own? Do you like any of the longer forms?

Blaze

Blaze is an English word meaning "a very large or fiercely burning fire". As a name, though, it is a modern variation of Blaise. Even though these two names are technically related and share a pronunciation, Blaise has nothing to do with fire since it is a Roman name meaning "lisping". 

Blaze popped up in the US as a boy name in 1953. While it has never been popular, it entered the Top 1000 in 2000 and currently resides at #775 fourteen years later. Blaze could be a more edgy alternative to Blake. 

Ember

Ember is an English word meaning "a small piece of burning or glowing coal or wood in a dying fire." As a name, Americans have used it since 1946 but it never has much steam until recently. It entered the Top 1000 in 2009 and shot all the way up to #435 in 2014. Even though embers are a dying fire, the name Ember is glowing brightly.

It is very similar in sound to the name Amber which was huge in the 1980s-1990s, ranking as high as #13 in 1986. Since Amber's popularity is starting to fall, perhaps Ember is rising to take her place. If that seems like a stretch, though, Ember is also very close in sound to other popular Em- names such as #1 names Emma and Emily. Ember could be similar enough to those yet unique enough to be catching parents' attention today.

Flint

A flint is a hard stone with which one could start a fire if the stone is struck hard enough. As a name, Flint comes from the Old High German word flins and usually refers to a dark stone made of the mineral quartz. Since it is a hard stone, it has been used in the past as a nickname for a tough guy.

Flint might immediately bring to mind the cartoon character Fred Flintstone. But also, with the recent news out of Flint, Michigan concerning the toxic water scandal, Flint might not currently be a name you want at the top of your shortlist. 

Ignatius 

The name Ignatius comes from the Roman family name Egnatius. Originally, Egnatius had an unknown meaning from the ancient Etruscan origin. As time went on, the spelling was altered so it would be similar to the Latin word ignis which means "fire". Because of this, the Etruscan Egnatius became the Latin Ignatius and inherited itself a meaning. 

Now that Ignatius means fire, it is certainly a red-hot choice for bold namers. It is used well internationally under various translations, but here in the US, it remains rare. Ignatius was only given to 40 boys in 2014.

Phoenix

Of course the Phoenix is perhaps the most beautiful image aside from fire itself. The immortal bird from Egyptian and Greek mythology is known for being consumed by fire and then rising from its own ashes every 500 years. The Greek word phoinix actually means "dark red". 

In other English-speaking countries, Phoenix is mostly used for boys, but here in America, this name is hot for both genders as both a mythological name and a place name for the capital of Arizona. It was given to girls first but caught on more quickly for boys. For boys, it entered the Top 1000 in 1995; girls followed in 2003. Here's 2014's stats: 59% boy / 41% girl. Boys: 901 births (#355).

Girls: 629 births (#494). Which gender do you prefer?

Seraphina

The lovely, underused Seraphina comes from the biblical word seraphim that means "fiery ones" and refers to an order of angels.


It is rather surprising that this name has never caught on. Even more surprising is that it was never used in the US before 1981. Even today, Seraphina is nowhere near the Top 1000.  In 2014, there were only 175 girls given this name. Do you think it'll blaze up the charts someday or remain forever uncommon?

Tyson

Tyson is an English surname that is said to mean "firebrand" based on the Old French word tison. In the past it has also been used as a nickname for a quarrelsome person.

This name has been around in the US since 1912, It never ranked all that well until it joined the Top 1000 in 1966. It ranked well through the 1980s but declined again in the 90s. Tyson peaked in popularity in 2009 with nearly 1,500 births for the year and a rank of #237. These days it's down to #282.  What do you think, is the name Tyson hot or not?

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Names that mean "fire" in other cultures:

Agni (m) "fire" Sanskrit
Azar (m&f) "fire" Persian
Brandr (m) "sword or fire" Scandinavian
Cinaed (m) "born of fire" Gaelic
Conleth (m) "chaste fire" Irish
Fajra (f) "fiery" Esperanto
Fiammetta (f) "fire" Italian
Fintan (m) "white fire" Irish
Hurik (f) "small fire" Armenian
Keahi (m&f) "the fire" Hawaiian
Nina (f) "fire" Quechua
Ognyan (m) "fiery" Bulgarian
Plamen (m) "flame, fire" Slavic
Shula (f) "flame" Arabic
Şule (f) "flame" Turkish
Ugne (f) "fire" Lithuanian

So what do you think of these fiery names? Can you think of any that I missed?

Yannick

Our final boy name of the A-Z series is Yannick. It comes straight from the list of The Very Best Y Names for boys and girls.

Yannick  is a diminutive of the name Yann which is the Breton form of the name John. Yann is well-used by the French, recently ranking at #113. Yannick is a bit more unusual but it did rank at #288 in The Netherlands recently.

Nameberry says that Yannick is "not likely to appeal to many American ears," but I disagree. It may never be popular but it isn't strange either. It could even be unusually refreshing to meet a little Yannick. There have been many names ending with -ick over the years. In the 1960s in particular, names like Derrick, Erick, Dominick, Frederick and Patrick ranked well. They all declined in usage after that but they are all ticking upward again today. Add to that list Maverick and Kendrick too for more modern options.

Perhaps, though, they are referring to the "yann" part rather than the "ick". Y Names in general aren't popular. They're not even common. There's no denying that. But if you were to choose one, Yannick is one of the cooler options.

Yannick has been in use in the US since 1981. It has never been popular but it is regularly used. The most births in a single year that it has received was 34 in 2013, and it is currently down to 33 in 2014.

Since it is a form of John, Yannick means "God is gracious".  This name could very nicely honor a relative with any number of related John names, especially if the family has any French or Breton ancestry. If you're looking for something French and unusual with a solid lineage, Yannick would be a great choice. Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Angeline, Coralie, Eugenie, Helene, Lenore, Manon, Valorie
Brothers: Armand, Gerard, Hugo, Mathias, Remi, Roland, Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas:
Yannick Augustin
Yannick Damien
Yannick Julien
Yannick Laurent
Yannick Ross

As a Middle Name:
Beau Yannick
Evan Yannick
Hugh Yannick
Michael Yannick
Victor Yannick

What do you think of Yannick? Is there another Y name you would have chosen instead?

The Very Best Y Names for Boys and Girls

Let's face it. There just aren't very many popular Y names. You occasionally hear them, my own middle name starts with a Y, but as a whole, Y names just aren't hitting the spot for mainstream parents.

Isn't that something we should change?  There are many more names that start with Y out there than I even thought there were.

I found a couple hundred per gender to browse through which means this letter has enormous potential if only someone would get the trend going.

If you're into the unique and unusual, this letter can be your best friend! Take a look at the 25 Y names for girls and the 25 Y names for boys that I picked out and let me know which ones you love most!

Yadira Yaella Yamileth Yara Yareli Yaretzi Yasmine Yeardley Yelena Yesenia Ygritte Ynez Yohanna Yolanda Yoselin Yosephina Ysabel Ysadora Yseult Ysolde Yuliana Yulisa Yveline Yvette Yvonne

Yale Yannick Yarden Yardley Yarley Yarrow Yasser Yates Yeardley Yeats Ygnasio Yorick York Yosef Young Yovan Ysaac Ysidor Ysidro Ysmael Ysrael Yule Yuri Yves Yvon

What do you think of the letter Y? If it isn't the letter for you, use the links below to browse other letters.

<-- The Very Best X Names for Boys and Girls |||  The Very Best Z Names for Boys and Girls -->

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

Xanthe

The name Xanthe is brought to you today in honor of a previous article featuring The Very Best X Names for Boys and Girls.

This name is Greek and is derived from ξανθος (xanthos) meaning "golden, yellow" or "fair hair".

While this is a very beautiful name, there can be some annoying pronunciation issues that go along with it. Fortunately, the overwhelming consensus that I've found among typical English speakers is that they pronounce it ZAN-thee. ZAN-tha is another possibility. Some claim that it is pronounced more like ZAN-they or KSAN-thee. If you'd like to read a discussion about it, click here.

For the purposes of this article, I will be assuming the pronunciation ZAN-thee.

Xanthe is a name used twice on the planet Mars. Once for the Xanthe Montes which is a mountain range, and once for a region referred to as Xanthe Terra. Additionally, there is an asteroid called 411 Xanthe. There were also a few minor mythological characters with this name.

Xanthe has only been in use in the US since 1964 however, it is far from common. It has never ranked anywhere close to the US Top 1000.

There have been many years that did not have at least 5 births on record for this name. There's also never been more than 12 females given the name Xanthe in a single year; this happened only once in 2001. As of 2014, there were only 5 girls given this name. It is very uncommon. Even rarer is the name Xanthia which has hardly had any use.

If you are looking for a big, bold, rare name for a girl, Xanthe is a great choice. The trendy X makes this name interesting while the rest of the name offers a unique sound. This name is sure to turn heads. If you're considering it, here are ideas for sibling and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas: 

Sisters:   Aurelia, Ariadne, Cassia, Clio, Eulalia, Freya, Iris, Octavia, Sybil

Brothers: Augustus, Damian, Everett, Ignatius, Lucian, Tavish, Theron, Vance

Middle Name Ideas:

Xanthe Adeline
Xanthe Elena

Xanthe June
Xanthe Lenore
Xanthe Pearl

Xanthe Viola

As a Middle Name:
Caroline Xanthe
Helena Xanthe
Lydia Xanthe
Olivia Xanthe
Philippa Xanthe
Sophia Xanthe

I played it a bit safe with these pairings since Xanthe is the bolder option. What would you pick as a middle name for Xanthe?

The Very Best X Names for Boys and Girls

We have covered the letter X before on The Art of Naming. We pondered some "Xcellent" underused names for boys and girls.

We also listed out names for boys that contain the letter X, as well as a list for girl names with an X in them.

 This letter typically gives names an edge. They tend to be rather bold and interesting.

Today we'll look at some of the very best names that start with X. I handpicked 25 for each gender for a total of 50 awesome names.

Is X your favorite letter? Are you looking for something unusual, unique and interesting? This list is for you!

Xabrina Xalvadora Xandra Xantara Xanthe Xanthippe Xaria Xavienna Xaviera Xavierre Xena Xenaida Xenia Xenobia Xeraphina Xevera Xeveria Xia Xiamara Ximena Xiomara Xochitl Xola Xolani Xylia

Xachary Xadrian Xaime Xalvador Xan Xanadu Xander Xannon Xanthos Xanthus Xanto Xarles Xavian Xaviell Xavier Xavion Xenon Xenos Xerxes Xhaiden Ximenes Xola Xuan Xylander Xylon

Which name catches your eye? Would you put one of these on your short list? If not, perhaps you'd enjoy exploring one of the other letters. Use the following links for that:

<-- The Very Best W Names for Boys and Girls  |||  The Very Best Y Names for Boys and Girls -->

Jasper, Peter & Stone: Earthy Boy Names That Rock!

When it comes to earthy boy names, some of the coolest ones are related to rock and stone. There are some names that mean rock such as the Scottish surname Carrick from the Gaelic Carraig. 

The name Peter means "stone" and so does all of its variants and translations such as the French Pierre, the Spanish Pedro, and others such as Piers, Pierce, Pierson, Piet and Pietro.  

If it's a down-to-earth name you want, the list below features a few more names with rocky and earthy meanings:

Cephas Clayton Cole Craig Dunstan Ebenezer Haldor Halle Halstein Halvard Harlow Hermes Leofstan Malachite Mason Seneca Stanford Stanley Terran Torsten Winston Wystan

"rock" "clay settlement" "charcoal" "crag, rock" "dark stone" "stone of help" "Thor's rock" "rock" "rock, stone" "rock guardian" "rock hill" "piles of stones" "beloved stone" "mallow stone" "stoneworker" "place of stones" "stone ford" "stone clearing" "land, earth" "Thor's stone" "joy stone" "battle stone"

If those aren't for you, perhaps you'd be a fan of names that come from actual stones, minerals or rocky landscapes:

Canyon Carnelian Clay Cliff Cobalt Copper Dale Dune Flint Garnet Glen Jasper Jet

Knoll Mica Obsidian Onyx Quartz Ridge Shale Slate Sterling Stone Terrace Vale Zinc

Did I miss any good ones? What is your favorite rocky name for a boy?

Caspian, Kai & River: Names Inspired by Water

Water is everywhere. We use it for countless reasons every day. Heck, we're made of water. It is essential to life as we know it. What better way to honor our precious life-sustaining water than to choose a name inspired by it?

Plenty of parents are already fans of nature names, why not filter those down to just the water-related ones? You'll find that you have many great options to choose from.

Before we dive into the deep end, let's explore a bit of mythology. The God of the Sea is known as Poseidon in Greek mythology. One of his love interests was the Sea Goddess Amphitrite. Together they had a son named Triton who was the Messenger of the Sea.  The Roman equivalent of Poseidon is Neptune, the God of Freshwater and the Sea.

Here are some of the best names inspired by water:

Bodies of water that could be used as names:

Bay Bayou Brook Cascade Cove Delta Fjord Frost Harbor Icy Laguna Lake Marsh Ocean Rain River Snow

Names of falls, lakes, rivers and oceans that work as names:

Caspian Como Danube Erie Hudson Jordan Kivu Loire Lucerne Nile Oman Rhine Tahoe Tallulah Thames

Names meaning "water" or "sea", etc:

Afon Alton Clinton Darya Douglas Indra Irving Kai Kelvin Kendall Kenton Lincoln Lynn Marinus Maris Marisol Maristela Marlowe Maya Meri Merlin Merton Mira Misty Moana Morgan Mortimer Muir Muirgel Muirgen Naia Neith Nerida Nerissa Océane Pegasus Pelagius Rio Rosemary Sevan Tallulah Vale Wilton

"river" "town at the source of the river" "settlement on the River Glyme". "sea, ocean" "dark river" "possessing drops of rain" "green water" "sea" "narrow water" "valley on the river Kent" "town on the River Kenn" "lake colony" "lake" "of the sea". "of the sea" "sea and sun" "star of the sea" "remnants of a lake" "water" "the sea" "sea fortress" "town on a lake" "sea, ocean" "misty" "ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea" "sea circle" "still water" "sea" "bright sea" "born of the sea" "wave, sea foam" "water" "water lily" "nymph, sea sprite" "ocean" "from a water spring" "the sea" "river" "dew of the sea" "lake" "leaping waters" "wide river valley" "town on the River Wylye"

Other relevant names:

Aqua Beach Cloud Coral Marina Reef Shore Tide Wade

What do you think of this list? Can you think of more that could be added? Which is your favorite?

Wesley

This featured name is brought to you by the letter W and the very best W names for boys and girls.

We recently talked about how one of the biggest boy name trends is to use surnames as first names. As an English surname, Wesley is no exception. It fits right in with other surname names for boys.

As a name, Wesley could be considered more on the gentle side of boy names. This could be partly because many of the other -ley names are rather unisex like Bailey or conquered by the girls like Ashley. However, there are many who also consider Wesley to be a tough guy name due to pop culture associations such as actor Wesley Snipes.

Another major association is John Wesley, an 18th century theologian who founded the evangelical movement known as Methodism.

Wesley is short for "Wesleydale" which is Anglo-Norman in origin. The "wes" part refers to the direction "west" while "lea" is an open grassy area. Therefore, Wesley refers to a western field or
meadow. Most sites list its meaning as "west meadow".

The name Wesley is more popular for boys, but it has also been given to a handful of girls every year since 1910. There were 43 girls named Wesley in 2014.

For boys, though, Wesley has consistently ranked in the #100s or better since 1880. Its high point came in 1977 when 4300 boys were given the name. It has had its ups and downs but as of 2014, Wesley ranks at #130 with 3,112 births.

Brother name Westley has been in use in the US since 1887 but it has never been anywhere near as popular as Wesley. It has ranked within the Top 1000 many times, though, mostly through the 1980s and early 1990s. The timing of that popularity boost coincides with the 1987 film The Princess Bride which featured a handsome character named Westley. After that time period, the name Westley declined in usage again and was given to only 174 boys in 2014.

Wesley feels both old-fashioned and modern. It has always been in use so it is more of an evergreen name than not even though it is much less common than other evergreens like James and William. What do you think of Wesley? If you are considering it, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annabel, Diana, Laurel, Katherine, Margaret, Rebecca, Sarah
Brothers: Bennett, Carson, Harrison, Neil, Owen, Reid, Stephen

Middle Name Ideas:
Wesley Allen
Wesley Marshall
Wesley Oliver
Wesley Robert
Wesley Thomas

As a Middle Name:
Charles Wesley
George Wesley
Jack Wesley
Shawn Wesley
Tyler Wesley

What names would you pair with Wesley? Do you prefer Wesley or Westley?

The Very Best W Names for Boys and Girls

As you continue your search for the perfect name, I'd like to ask you to take a moment and consider using a name that starts with the letter W.

We're nearing the end of the alphabet so if you've been following this series and you haven't found a winner yet, this might finally be the list for you.

The letter W has a good variety of names. There's the more proper ones like William and Winston for boys, and the more whimsical options like Waterlily or Wintress for girls.

There should be a little bit of something for everyone here.

Tell me in the comments, did I miss any good W names that you enjoy? Of the ones featured below, which name catches your eye the most?

Wanda Waterlily Waverly Wednesday    Wendy Whisper Whitley Whitney Wilda Wilhelmina Willa Willamena Willene Willow Wilma Wilmet Windsor Winifred Winnie Winona Winter Wintress Wren Wylie Wynne

Wade Walker Walter Warren Watson Waylon Wayne Wendell Wesley Weston Wilder Wiley Wilfred Willard William Willis Willoughby Wilmer Wilson Winslow Winston Wolf Wolfgang Woodrow Wyatt

If W isn't your letter after all, use the following links to continue your search in the remaining letters of the alphabet.

<-- The Very Best V Names for Boys and Girls  |||  The Very Best X Names for Boys and Girls -->

The Most Popular Arabic Names in the US in 2014

Have you ever really taken a look at the names in the United State's Social Security Administration's Top 1000 most popular names chart? I mean, have you really looked at it?  I decided to fish a little bit and I found a ton of Arabic names swimming right at me. Had I really never noticed these names before? Sure, I'm not an ethnic match for any of them but not all of them stand out as foreign.

Just take a look at the female names! Many of them aren't obviously Arabic and they are no doubt being used on girls of a variety of races all across the country. For example, the highest ranking name is Layla at #29 and it has so many variants that are very fashionable today such as Lyla, Laila, Lila, Leila and Lilah which all rank within the Top 1000.  Then there's the Aaliyah sisters with a similar story.

Let's start with the male names. There are four spellings of Muhammad and also variants like Ahmad that rank in the Top 1000. Somehow, though, the masculine names strike me as more ethnic and foreign-sounding than any of the female names do.  Why do you think that could be? Take a look:

Boys: Amir #212 Omar #214 Ali #333 Malik #376 Muhammad #399 Mohamed #427 Ibrahim #455 Khalil #465 Mohammed #498 Ahmed #549 Nasir #551 Yahir #564 Ayaan #570 Ahmad #571 Mohammad #588 Yusuf #589 Rayan #606 Hamza #620 Abdullah #634 Omari #707 Kareem #751 Samir #757 Hassan #759 Jamal #764 Yousef #766 Jamir #820 Rashad #913 Mustafa #916 Ameer #940 Khalid #953 Ayan #991

Girls: Layla #29 Aaliyah #45 Lyla #140 Laila #149 Aliyah #168 Lila #183 Alina #192 Leila #241 Nyla #301 Lilah #312 Fatima #328 Amina #408 Zara #422 Aleah #423 Nylah#430 Imani #503 Zariah #535 Aisha#559 Mariam #568 Maryam #597 Amani #647 Alia #729 Farrah #759 Yamileth #794 Zaria #860 Aliya #865 Salma#878 Yasmin #904 Yaritza #992

The feminine names are all so beautiful. They have a certain elegance about them that no doubt is the reason they are so appealing cross-culturally.

What do you think of this list? Have I missed any? Share your favorites in the comments below!

Viola

One of The Very Best V Names around is Viola, of course! Taken from our previous article, this name is still a rarity but could potentially gain popularity in the coming years.

The name Viola means "violet" in Latin. If Violet is too popular for you (it ranked #67 in 2014), try Viola. It is very similar in sound but it is ranking well below the Top 1000 chart.

As you may know, the viola is a bowed string instrument. Wikipedia says that "it is slightly larger than a violin in size and has a lower and deeper sound than a violin. Since the 18th century it has been the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello."  This would be a great name choice for musical parents, specifically ones who may actually play this instrument.

The Viola is also a genus of flowering plants within the violet family of Violaceae. The name Viola would please not only musical parents, but those with an appreciation for nature. Additionally, literature lovers would recognize that Viola is the name of the heroine in Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night" (1602).

On top of all that, Viola can also be considered a vintage name since it was well-used a century ago and has the potential to come back into fashion again in the next few years if it can catch a ride on Violet's coattails.

What's not to love? She's a musical, literary, vintage nature name that happens to still be flying under the radar popularity-wise! Hollywood has an Emmy Award winning actress by the name of Viola Davis who has been helping to increase exposure to the name in the entertainment world recently.

Do you think Viola may start climbing the charts for modern babies soon? Viola has been in use in the US since 1880 when records began. It isn't very popular now but it once peaked even higher than the name Violet did. In 1918, there were 4,331 girls named Viola for a ranking of #59 (while Violet ranked at #83 in the same year.)

Since the 1920s, though, Viola has declined in popularity straight down the charts and out of the Top 1000 by 1973. While Viola remains uncommon, it is starting to inch its way back up. There were 192 girls given this name in 2014 for a rank of #1250.

Here are some sibling and middle name ideas for Viola:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Cecily, Coraline, Grace, Imogen, Lenore, Lucille, Rosalie
Brothers: Ambrose, Barnaby, Curtis, Henry, Leonard, Marcus, Thomas

Middle Name Ideas:
Viola Camille
Viola Genevieve
Viola Hettienne
Viola Maren
Viola Rose

As a Middle Name:
Alice Viola
Belle Viola
Julianne Viola
Louise Viola
Tess Viola

What do you think of the name Viola? Or do you prefer Violet? What about Violetta?

The Very Best V Names for Boys and Girls

The letter V is trending these days within popular names like Ava and Evelyn for girls.

It's been a constant for boys in the name David. Both genders love Avery as the top unisex name.

What about names that start with the letter V?

Victoria still ranks well and Violet and Valentina are trending upward for girls.

Vincent is just outside the top 100 for boys with Victor not far behind.

Are you a fan of the letter V? If you are, surely you'll enjoy this great list of the 25 best V names for girls and 25 for boys.

 Did I miss any of your favorite V names?

Vale Valencia Valentina Valerie Vanessa Vanna Vella Velvet Venus Verity Veronica Vesper Victoria Vida Vienna Vincenza Viola Violet Violetta Virginia Viveca Vivian Viviana Vivienne Vrai

Vadden Valdemar Valentino Valor Van Vance Vander Vasily Vaughn Verne Vernon Vicente Victor Vidal Viggo Vin Vince Vincent Vincenzo Vinny Virgil Vitaly Vito Vladimir Voyer

Which of these names do you love most? Share your thoughts about this list below! Not a V fan? Check out the following links to browse names starting with other letters:

<-- The Very Best U Names for Boys and Girls  |||  The Very Best W Names for Boys and Girls -->

A Look Back At The Art of Naming's 2015 - A Year End Summary

We're at the end of the year 2015. Before we step into 2016, let's take a moment to look back at the names and articles we've discussed this year.

The main name series of the year took us on an alphabetical adventure. The plan was to fit all 26 letters into 12 months but it was a bit too jam-packed. As a result, the letter Z has been stretched out to March, but we have been able to explore most of the letters already. Below are all of the available links to view the Top 50 names per letter according to The Art of Naming:

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

The featured name articles that have accompanied the alphabetical posts were originally meant to complement each other as if they were part of a big sibset of 26 kids from A-Z but there may be a few outliers that don't quite "fit" in the traditional sense of what one may perceive a sibset to be. Here are links to those articles:

Alistair Bridget Conrad Daphne Emmett Flora Graham

Honora Ignatius Juno Kai Luna Milo Nova

Oberon Phoebe Quincy Ruby Soren Tallulah Ulysses

The letters V-Z will be arriving shortly. I hope you've enjoyed this series so far.

Also in 2015, we explored the following name lists:

• 4+ Syllable Boy Names | 4+ Syllable Girl Names
• Boy Names from 1950  | Girl Names from 1950
• Valentine's Day Names | Presidential Names
• Double-Letter Boy Names | Double-Letter Girl Names
• Numerical Names |  Rainbow Color Names
• Unisex Boy-to-Girl Ratios | Top Unisex Names
• Uncommon Alternatives to Top 10 Names: Boys | Girls
• Word Names for Boys | Word Names for Girls
• Whimsical Boy Names |  Whimsical Girl Names
• Names Written in Cursive | Haiku Poetry Name Game
• Boy Names Ending in "Uh" | Girl Names Ending in "Oh"
• Latinate Boy Names |  Colonial Virtue Names
• Surname Names for Boys | Surname Names for Girls

As always, if you are expecting a child soon and find yourself at a loss for names, I have naming services available to help you! You can visit my Private Naming Services page to learn more about how I can help you find the perfect name in a professional, private and personalized manner.

Thank you for following my articles this year. Next year will bring several new series of name articles. I look forward to sharing more names with you in 2016 and beyond!

Happy New Year!

-Kara @ The Art of Naming

I Want To Change My Name! Where Do I Start?

Changing your name can be tough. It requires that you really know yourself and what you want. 

You would need to browse through name lists and pick out the ones that jump at you. Maybe you’ll find something that instantly speaks to you, but most likely it’ll take a while and names will need to grow on you. You’ll need to try them on and wear them to see if they’re a fit.

You could go about it in many different ways but it would depend on if you want to keep a connection to your old name or abandon it completely. Here are a few of the many possible methods for choosing a different name for yourself:

1. Stick to similar sounds: Maybe you dislike your name Carolyn but you find yourself liking the similar sounding Coraline instead.

2. Find a related name: You don't want to stray too far but Heidi just isn't you. Try sister name Adelaide from the same root name Adalheidis.

3.  Do the complete opposite:  If you have a common name, go for something unusual like Rafferty or Xenia. If you already have an odd name that gives you trouble, you might opt for a more classic choice like James or Elizabeth.

4. Simplify it: If your name is needlessly complicated, you could find a simpler spelling. For instance, change Abbygayle to Abigail or Xzayvier to Xavier.

5. Scramble the old, create the new: You could rearrange the letters in your old name to come up with something else:  Alice -> Celia. Include your middle name and even your maiden name or surname if you're changing the entire thing.

6. Meanings are everything: You could find a name with the same meaning as your old one to subtly link your new self to a piece of your old self.

7. Borrow from the past:  You could pick something from your family tree like your great grandmother’s maiden name or an uncle's middle name. Explore your ancestral options, maybe you'll find something you like more than your own. Honoring a late relative would be a great bonus!

8. Random name generator:  You could look up name popularity statistics for your birth year and see where your name ranked, then choose whatever name ranked the same for 2014. Or 1920. Or 1957. Whatever year means something to you.

9. Swap it out: You could look at your birth year and find a different name that ranks within the Top 1000 so you would still fit in with your age group. (Some names that are popular and appealing now were not used at all until recently so you’d seem out-of-time if you used it.)

10. Find something shiny and new: The most likely option will be that you simply find something that feels right with no strings attached to your old name. Only you can know if the name will suit you. Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to be bold with your choice if need be. Being happy with your name is very important for your self identity.

No matter what approach you take to finding a new name for yourself, it takes research, self-meditation and trial and error. Introduce yourself with a name you like and see how it feels. Practice writing it and see if it seems natural or odd. It’s a complicated process but it is completely possible with enough thought and determination!

If you've ever changed your name or if you're considering it, share your story with us in the comment section below! 

Ulysses

Names that start with the letter U aren't always favored very highly but Ulysses is a great exception that deserves more usage.

The masculine name Ulysses is the Latin form of the excellent Greek mythological name Odysseus. Odysseus is said to be derived from the Greek οδυσσομαι (odyssomai) which means "to hate, wrathful". While that isn't the greatest meaning ever, both of these names are strong and interesting.

In Greek legend, Odysseus was a hero of the Trojan War. Homer's The Odyssey, follows Odysseus's journey back to his kingdom and his wife Penelope.

As for the name Ulysses, it was used as the title of a book written in 1920 by Irish author James Joyce. This story was loosely based on The Odyssey and was adapted into a movie in 1967.

The most famous man named Ulysses in American history is Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War. He later became the 18th President of the United States from 1869-1877. His full name was actually Hiram Ulysses Grant.

This was also the name of George Clooney's character name in the Coen brothers' film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Other forms of the name include the feminine Ulyssa, the French Ulysse, the Italian Ulisse, the Portuguese Ulisses and the Spanish Ulises.

Ulysses has been used as a name in the US since records began in 1880. It has always ranked within the Top 1000 up until the mid-2000s. It received the most amount of births in a single year in 1999 which was 272. Currently, Ulysses ranks at #1109 in 2014 with 171 births.

If you're considering this handsome, strong name, here are some middle name ideas and sibling name ideas that you may enjoy:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Antonia, Athena, Aurora, Eugenie, Lavinia, Octavia, Xanthia
Brothers: Fabian, Felix, Horatio, Octavian, Percival, Titus, Virgil

Middle Name Ideas:
Ulysses Benedict
Ulysses Clark
Ulysses Matthew
Ulysses Theodore
Ulysses Raphael

As a Middle Name:
Barnaby Ulysses
Dominic Ulysses
Henry Ulysses
Julian Ulysses
Victor Ulysses

What do you think of the name Ulysses? Does it deserve to rejoin the Top 1000? Or should it remain uncommon?

The Very Best U Names for Boys and Girls

Imagine an alternate universe where the alphabet was arranged differently. I surmise that people love the letter A so much because it is #1, but what if it wasn't?  What if the letter U came first?

What if there were an abundance of favorable baby names that began with the letter U? What if common A names had their spellings changed to start with U and everyone loved them?

If that is hard to imagine, perhaps you should take a moment to stop and smell the U-scented roses. There is a surprising amount of lovely names that begin with this under-appreciated letter. I narrowed it down to the best I could find.

Here are the 50 best boy and girl names that start with the letter U:

Ujana Ulani Ulla Ulyana Ulyciana Uma Umay Umeko Umi Umika Ummi Una Unique Unity Ura Urania Uriela Urja Ursa Ursula Usra Utari Uttara Uva Uzuri

Uba Uchenna Uday Udell Ugo Ulmer Ulrich Ulysses Umberto Umed Umi Unique Uorsin Upton Urbain Urban Urbano Uri Uriah Urian Uriel Urijah Usher Usman Uttam

Which of these do you like best? If U isn't your letter, use the links below to explore 25 others.

<-- The Very Best T Names for Boys and Girls  |||  The Very Best V Names for Boys and Girls -->

Surname Names for Girls

Surname names aren't anything new. There are countless surnames that could work as a given name for a boy, but did you know that there is also an increasing amount of surname names for girls?

This list ranges from the more unisex options like Morgan, Parker and Carson that are also popular for boys to the interesting, feminine ones like Ayala, Miranda and Valencia.

Do you have a favorite surname to use as a girl's given name? Perhaps you'd use your maiden name or your grandmother's maiden name for a daughter.

Browse the list below and let me know in the comments if there are any other surname names that you can think of that I've missed.

Adair Addison Ainsley Aniston Arden Arlington Ashley Astor Avery Avila Ayala Bailey Bardot Bell Bellamy Bettany Blair Blakely Caldwell Callan Cameron Campbell Carlisle Carrigan Carrington Carroll Carson Carter Chandler Connelly Darby Darcy Delaney Ellery Ellington Elliott Ellis

Ellison Embry Emerson Emery Everly Fifer Finley Garcia Gracen Greer Hadley Haley Hanna Harlow Harper Hayden Holland Hollis Hollister Hope Jordan Karter Kelly Kennedy Kensington Kerrington Kim Landry Lane Lara Larkin Lexington Lindsey Luna Mackenzie Madden Madigan

Madison Mara Marley Matlin May Mckenna Mckinley Miranda Monroe Mora Morgan Paige Parker Phoenix Presley Quinn Reese Riley Rivera Rose Sailor Santana Sawyer Sayer Sheridan Sinclair Sloane Sutton Taylor Tierney Valencia Valentine Whitney Windsor Winslet Winslow Wylie

Do you know any girls with any of these names? Which is your favorite?