Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Barely Used Girl Names: Alba, Darlene & Tallulah [Part Seven]
If you're looking for an unusual name for a book character, pet, or simulated video game character, I'm happy that you've also stumbled across this page.
Below are ten interesting names that have either had their heyday in your grandparents era, or have never quite taken off. Either way, these names deserve consideration if you're into the uncommon. Go on, browse a bit, then be sure to check out the other six parts of this series for even more ideas!
Damaris (161 births - #1,428) Damaris was a woman in the New Testament who was converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. It is a Greek name from the word δαμαλις (damalis) which possibly means "calf, heifer, girl". The meaning is a little unusual but the biblical association makes up for it. Damaris has been used for girls in the US since 1916. It also gained minimal usage for boys in 1969. The year with the most female births was 2006, which ranked it at #604 for the year. However, it dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2012. Will it regain some usage in the future? Middle Name Ideas: Damaris Magdalene, Damaris Lily, Damaris Elaine, Damaris Sophia, Damaris June, Damaris Ruth, Damaris Lucille
Azul (160 births - #1,430) Pronounced ah-zhool, Azul is the Spanish word for "blue". This name should gain some popularity for being a triple threat. It's a color, it contains the cool letter Z, and it has that Spanish flair. It's only been around since 1995 in the US. Interestingly, this name spiked in popularity for 4 years (2007-2010) before dropping off the chart again. Could you see it making a splash in the future? Middle Name Ideas: Azul Gabriella, Azul Rosalinda, Azul Carina, Azul Miranda, Azul Selena, Azul Olivia, Azul Victoria
Gretchen (160 births - #1,431) Gretchen is the German diminutive of Margareta, which of course is a form of Margaret, which comes from the Latin Margarita and the Greek margarites meaning "pearl." Gretchen has been in use in the US since 1882 and had the most births per year in 1971. It was almost always in the Top 1000 until it dropped off the chart in 2010. Has Gretchen's time run out, or could it ever be well-used again in the future? Middle Name Ideas: Gretchen Adelaide, Gretchen Elise, Gretchen Rosalie, Gretchen Amelia, Gretchen Charlotte, Gretchen Louise, Gretchen Matilda
Ida (159 births - #1,439) The name Ida comes from the Germanic element id, which refers to "work" or "labor". It was common in England after the Normans introduced it, but it greatly lost usage in the Middle Ages. It made a strong comeback in the 19th century after being used as the name of a heroine in a poem in 1847 by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Births-per-year peaked in 1918 for Ida in the US, but then usage declined until the name left the Top 1000 in 1987. Middle Name Ideas: Ida Genevieve, Ida Lorraine, Ida Delaney, Ida Julianne, Ida Charlotte, Ida Grace, Ida Madeline
Darlene (158 births - #1,443) Exactly as you might guess, Darlene comes from the English word darling, but the suffix -lene was substituted to make it more acceptable as a name. This name first appeared in the birth record in 1896 in the US for girls. It was even briefly applied to males from 1927-1976 and 7 births as recent as 1989. However, this name is better suited for females as evidenced by its peak in popularity in 1958 with over 8200 births for the year. Shortly thereafter, the name began a decline in usage that has yet to turn around. The name left the Top 1000 in 2003. Could you picture modern Darlenes? Middle Name Ideas: Darlene Marianne, Darlene Elizabeth, Darlene Claire, Darlene Olivia, Darlene Rebecca, Darlene Johanna, Darlene Margot
Saoirse (158 births - #1,450) Pronounced SEER-sha, this beautiful Irish Gaelic name means "Freedom". It has ranked as high as #18 in Ireland in recent years, and #88 in Northern Ireland. However, its pronunciation has been deemed too difficult for many Americans, that is, until the name finally gained usage in 1993. With such a large percentage of the population hailing from Irish ancestors, like myself, I'd love to see more pure Irish names being used. Saoirse has never been in the Top 1000, but she is definitely gaining usage year-over-year. The name's familiarity is growing thanks to actress Saoirse Ronan's fame. Middle Name Ideas: Saoirse Caroline, Saoirse Margaret, Saoirse Aoibheann, Saoirse Emily, Saoirse Lily, Saoirse Niamh, Saoirse Maeve
Alba (157 births - #1,452) Alba is actually two different names with different origins. One Alba comes from the male name Albus, an Ancient Roman name meaning "white" or "bright" in Latin. The Second Alba is Germanic and is derived from the element alf meaning "elf". Lastly, Alba is also a word meaning "sunrise" or "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. These two different names and a word have been confused over time. Whichever Alba you prefer, it has been in use overall in the US since the 1880s. It briefly ranked in the Top 1000 at the beginning of the century through to 1923, but it has mostly been very rare ever since. Middle Name Ideas: Alba Carolina, Alba Gloriana, Alba Juliana, Alba Violet, Alba Magdalene, Alba Raquel, Alba Maren
Tallulah (157 births - #1,457) Tallulah is a Native American name that is typically said to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language but some argue that it actually means "town" in the Creek language . Perhaps both of them are accurate. This name is pronounced tə-LOO-lə. There's also an Irish Talulla which is a different name with its own meaning. This name appeared on the US birth record back in 1917, but it was very seldom used over the years, including none at all between 1957 and 1978. By 1995 though, Tallulah picked up steam and is inching toward the Top 1000. Will she make it? Middle Name Ideas: Tallulah Belle, Tallulah Jane, Tallulah Noelle, Tallulah Scarlett, Tallulah Vivienne, Tallulah Nayeli, Tallulah Itzel
Essence (156 births - #1,460) This name is relative to the word essence, which is derived from the Latin esse meaning "to be". It also refers to an odor or scent, or it could mean a "fundamental quality". This word name is a guilty pleasure for me. I find it delightful as an unexpected middle name. It had not been used at all in the US, though, until 1973. It moved fast enough to earn a spot in the Top 1000 by 1991 and it continued climbing as high as #490 in 1995. It faded downward again after that, leaving the chart by 2009, but it is a name that I'd like to see used more often. Middle Name Ideas: Essence Aurora, Essence Briar, Essence Josephine, Essence Penelope, Essence Lavinia, Essence Juliet, Essence Kate
Winifred (156 births - #1,467) From the Welsh name Gwenfrewi, Winifred is derived from the elements gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed", and frewi meaning "reconciliation, peace". Winifred has been in use for American 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 declined thereafter, leaving the Top 1000 in 1965. However, the last few years have shown an increase in usage of the name. Is it vintage enough to make a comeback though? Middle Name Ideas: Winifred Margaret, Winifred Louise, Winifred Adele, Winifred Alice, Winifred Grace, Winifred Sophia, Winifred Esme
What do you think of these ten, barely-used names for girls? Which do you think stand the best chance of revival? Which should stay uncommon? Share your thoughts in the comments or on social media! Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Barely Used Boy Names: Cordell, Tobin & Zephyr [Part Seven]
Take a look at the names on this list, pick your favorite(s) and pair them with a great middle name in the comment section below!
Cordell (129 births - #1342) Cordell is an interesting surname name taken from Middle English usage referring to the maker or seller of cord. Cordell actually first appeared in 1903 for females, and 1904 for males. However, over the years, it gained more traction for boys, despite being given to a handful of girls here and there until 1937. For boys, Cordell has ranked on and off in the Top 1000, doing the best in the late 1990s. Now it has fallen off the charts again but still earns a decent amount of births per year. Is this a name that you'd consider? Middle Name Ideas: Cordell William, Cordell Elijah, Cordell Frost, Cordell Thomas, Cordell Ryan, Cordell Sebastian, Cordell Peregrine.
Jael (128 births - #1350) Jael comes from the Hebrew name יָעֵל (Ya'el) which means "mountain goat". This was an Old Testament name used on a woman, the wife of Heber the Kenite. It's interesting that people have decided to use it for a boy. It was first used for girls back in 1957, and for boys in 1979. Over the years, it has actually been very evenly unisex with nearly the same amount of births for the year for each gender. In 2015, there were 150 girls named Jael and 128 boys. Middle Name Ideas: Jael Carter, Jael Matthew, Jael Benjamin, Jael Nathan, Jael Alexander, Jael Isaiah, Jael Tobias.
Creed (127 births - #1357) Creed is an English word that refers to a set of religious beliefs, or any set of principals that must be followed. It comes from the Latin credo meaning "I believe" or credere meaning "to believe". This name would most likely be used by parents who have strong spiritual beliefs, but it isn't off limits to those without faith. This has always been solely given to boys, dating back to 1880, but it wasn't regularly used yearly until the 1910s. It is more popular today than it has ever been, and yet it has not cracked into the Top 1000. Middle Name Ideas: Creed Jackson, Creed Oliver, Creed Michael, Creed Lucas, Creed Finnegan, Creed Anthony, Creed Gabriel.
Eleazar (127 births - #1359) This comes from the Hebrew אֶלְעָזָר ('El'azar) which means "my God has helped" and was the name of one of the sons of Aaron in the Old Testament. Related names include Elazar, Lázár, Lazare, Lazzaro and Lázaro and of course, Lazarus. Eleazar is a masculine name, (despite 7 female births appearing in 1993), and it has been in use in the US since 1919 on record. While it has never been popular or on the Top 1000 chart, it has had some solid usage over the years. Could it ever catch on like other popular biblical names? Middle Name Ideas: Eleazar Dean, Eleazar Lee, Eleazar Matteo, Eleazar Jude, Eleazar Beau, Eleazar Quinn
Tobin (127 births - #1362) Tobin comes from an English surname that was derived from the male name Tobias. Tobias is the Greek form of Tobiah, a Hebrew form of Toviyyah meaning "YAHWEH is good". So, Tobin has been used in the US since 1941 for boys. It ranked as high as #720 in 1971, but fell out of the Top 1000 since then. Usage is on the rise now, but it hasn't quite caught on fully. Could Tobin gain enough popularity in the coming years to land on the Top 1000 chart? Middle Name Ideas: Tobin James, Tobin Andrew, Tobin Peter, Tobin Lysander, Tobin Clark, Tobin Leroy
Laith (126 births - #1369) Laith is an interesting Arabic name meaning "lion". It is also sometimes used as a surname or romanized as Layth. This name dates way back to a notable Egyptian scholar who lived from 713-791. However, in the US, Laith has only been on record since 1969. It has slowly gained a handful more births year over year since then, but has never cracked the Top 1000. Laith has all the right sounds to potentially be popular, but will it ever get there? Middle Name Ideas: Laith Raphael, Laith Jasper, Laith Dominic, Laith Muhammad, Laith Cassim, Laith David
Zephyr (126 births - #1373) This is a fascinating Greek name from Zephyros meaning "the west wind" of which Zephyros was the god. Interestingly, Zephyr has a longer history as a female name. It was on record between 1905 and 1937 for females before going into name hibernation. It reappeared in 1975 for boys and 1981 for girls. It was seldom used until most recently in the past decade. Now it has far more usage on boys. It's rare that a name will turn from pink to blue in the US, but this one is trending that direction, even though it began as a male god name. Middle Name Ideas: Zephyr Adrian, Zephyr Julian, Zephyr Noah, Zephyr Apollo, Zephyr Orion, Zephyr Leonidas, Zephyr Damian
Nestor (124 births - #1389) Nestor is a Greek name meaning "homecoming". There was a character in Homer's Iliad named Nestor who was known for his wisdom and longevity. The first usage of Nestor in the US was back in 1885. Always a masculine name, it failed to gain momentum until the 1910s, and it wasn't until the 1960s that it joined the Top 1000. It was most popular in 1991 at #587, but dipped back off the chart in 2008. Is this one too unusual for most people or could it gain popularity? Middle Name Ideas: Nestor Jack, Nestor Gabriel, Nestor Matthias, Nestor George, Nestor Timothy, Nestor Demetrius, Nestor Isaiah
Ollie (122 births - #1403) Ollie is a diminutive, or nickname, of the Oliver, Olivia and Olive branch of names. It is also used as a given name on its own. Ollie tends to be more commonly given to girls, especially back around the early 1900s. It ranked in the Top 1000 for girls until 1961. Ollie was used on boys simultaneously since 1880 but usually with fewer births per year. Only now is it trending upward for boys as a faster rate than for girls (122 male births vs 56 female in 2015). Will it break back into the Top 1000 soon? And if so, for which gender is it better suited? Middle Name Ideas: Ollie Maxwell, Ollie Barnabas, Ollie Christopher, Ollie Marcus, Ollie Foster, Ollie Theodore, Ollie Laurence
Cillian (121 births - #1407) Finally, we have the Irish Cillian, pronounced kil-ee-an. This name was probably taken from the Gaelic ceall meaning "church" and combined with a diminutive suffix which likely makes it "little church". It was originally spelled Ó Cillín in Irish before being Anglicized into Killeen as well as Killian. It could also possibly be the diminutive of ceallach meaning "war, strife". There was a 7th century Irish saint by the name. Here in the US, Killian is more popular (#348 in 2015) because the spelling lends to the pronunciation. Cillian has only been in use since 1995 but it is climbing the charts. Middle Name Ideas: Cillian Ferdinand, Cillian Patrick, Cillian Fox, Cillian Henry, Cillian Archer, Cillian Pierce, Cillian Reid
What do you think of these ten names and what other middle names might pair well? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Hidden Gems or Never-Agains?: Unusual Girl Names from the 1910s
Now, there were so very many names to browse through and I'm sure there are dozens more that could be added to this list, but these are some of the top choices I could find.
All of these had either 5, 6 or 7 births for the year within the decade of the 1910s. The names came straight from the US Social Security Administration's data.
Let's get started! While some aren't quite as unusual as others, browse slowly and try to imagine what it would be like to live with one of these names:
What do you think of this list? Pick a few names that catch your eye and share your choices in the comments below! Do you know anyone with an unusual name?
| Albirdia Allien Almeter Alphild Amparo Appie Areather Arloene Bannie Beedie Bernetha Binnie Birchie Bird Birdella Blandina Bleeker Blossie Bonzie Boots Borgny Brooxie Brownie Bular California Casilda Cellie Clatie Clesta Clevie Cliffie Clister Clova Cozy Creasie Cumi Darthula | Delight Delitha Dester Dicksie Dimples Domitila Dotsie Dymple Earnie Edmae Eduvigen Equilla Ercie Esteller Eulogia Euple Exilda Ezola Fairie Ferol Fleeta Folia Freedom Fritzi Gurtha Gypsy Happy Hellon Henretter Icel Inus Iota Kansas Lapriel Lauretha Leafie Leather | Leler Lockie Loice Lubie Maclovia Majel Mayo Mertice Methyl Mimmie Missouria Modest Narcissus Neppie Nervie Nieves Ninfa Nobia Novice Novis Occie Ogie Okie Ozite Pairlee Panagiota Panzie Parthena Peaches Peachie Pebble Pecolia Persis Piedad Pinkey Pleasant Plina | Porfiria Pricie Providence Quessie Reathel Rebel Refugio Rettie Rilda Senora Shadie Siller Simmie Sirkka Sissie Snoda Spicie Statia Stellar Sueno Sunbeam Swannie Sweetie Tassie Tatsue Tenner Theckla Thekla Theopal Thetis Thurza Thusnelda Tishie Toini Toots Topsy Toy | Trannie Treasie Trieste Trilby Tinnie Vandora Vangie Vanilla Velvie Verbal Vermell Verneal Verniece Verva Vicy Viletta Virgin Walburga Wanna Wavie Wealthy Weeda Welcome Westonia Willola Wilsie Wincie Wreatha Yaeko Yoshi Zannie Zeffie Zetha Zolar Zorka Zuella Zylphia |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Have You Heard of These Unusual Boy Names from the 1910s?
Today we are zooming in on the decade of the 1910s to discover some of the most unusual names given to boys at the time.
I analyzed the data from the Social Security Administration and looked at the names at the very bottom for each year from 1910-1919. I pulled interesting names that only had 5-7 births per year, and I did so for each of those years.
Take a look at this list and try to remember that these were once names given to baby boys. Some of the boy names that I found within the far-reaches of the data were straight up words.
Here are some of the most interesting ones:
Here are even more unusual names that I handpicked from several hundred options. It was hard to narrow it down and know which to include and which to ignore, but these ones made the cut:
Would you ever consider any of the names listed above? Have you met someone with one of these names, or something equally unusual?
I analyzed the data from the Social Security Administration and looked at the names at the very bottom for each year from 1910-1919. I pulled interesting names that only had 5-7 births per year, and I did so for each of those years.
Take a look at this list and try to remember that these were once names given to baby boys. Some of the boy names that I found within the far-reaches of the data were straight up words.
| Admiral Battle Bland Boss Boots Carless Castle Champion Chief Choice Colon Coma Commodore Concetto Converse Doctor Doll Dunk English Fess Flake Fleet Fort Friend Gentle | Glee Happy Hooker Jolly Math Method Normal Orange Other Perfecto Precious President Press Seaborn Shade Smiley Speed Square Swift Tiny Tip Watt Welcome White Worthy |
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Saturday, March 11, 2017
Molly
This featured name is pulled from the list of names that end with the letters "-ly". This list is one of the longest ones in this series so far. It was full of great options, but I decided to highlight Molly.
Not many people will realize that Molly comes from the name Mary. It developed as a diminutive based on Malle and Molle over time. Polly is in the same boat.
Now, Mary ultimately comes from the Greek Mariam and Maria, which were from the Hebrew Miryam. The meaning of Mary has never been absolutely certain, but meanings such as "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," and "wished for child" have been thrown about as possibilities. It's also likely that Mary was originally an Egyptian name derived from mry meaning "beloved". So by association, Molly and all of Mary's other forms, variants and translations, mean the same thing.
Now, Mary ultimately comes from the Greek Mariam and Maria, which were from the Hebrew Miryam. The meaning of Mary has never been absolutely certain, but meanings such as "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," and "wished for child" have been thrown about as possibilities. It's also likely that Mary was originally an Egyptian name derived from mry meaning "beloved". So by association, Molly and all of Mary's other forms, variants and translations, mean the same thing.
In the US, Molly has always fared well as a stand-alone name. Since 1880, it has consistently remained within the top half the Top 1000. Even with all the history, Molly's high-point for most usage in a year came rather recently in 1991 with 4,651 births and a rank of #74. Molly has spent a lot of time in the Top 100 in the past 30 years. However, she's slightly on the decline now as of 2015's data which listed her as the 144th most popular name in the country based on 2,235 births for the year.
This decline in usage could be a result of the drug "ecstasy" being nicknamed molly. Not as many parents are willing to commit to the name, but there's clearly many that still do, whether they are familiar with the association or not. Despite that, there have been many famous Mollys over time and the name is regularly heard throughout pop culture. One of the first associations came from James Joyce's 1920 novel "Ulysses" in which the wife of the main character was called Molly Bloom.
There's also the American Titanic survivor Margaret Brown who was nicknamed Molly. Additionally, the Irish community have a folk heroine called Molly Malone; and there's a song titled "Good Golly, Miss Molly" by Little Richard. These are just a few references among dozens of other Mollys out there. Do you have a favorite Molly?
What do you think of this name? Is it on your list? If so, here are a few ideas for middle names and sibling names for Molly:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Charlotte, Elise, Lucy, Olivia, Sadie, Tessa
Brothers: Arthur, Evan, Henry, Liam, Nathan, Raymond, Warren
Middle Name Ideas:
Molly Abigail
Molly Evelyn
Molly Caroline
Molly Harper
Molly Rae
Molly Vivienne
As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Molly
Christina Molly
Eleanor Molly
Julianne Molly
Sabrina Molly
Viola Molly
What would you pair with the name Molly? Share your thoughts below!
Sisters: Amelia, Charlotte, Elise, Lucy, Olivia, Sadie, Tessa
Brothers: Arthur, Evan, Henry, Liam, Nathan, Raymond, Warren
Middle Name Ideas:
Molly Abigail
Molly Evelyn
Molly Caroline
Molly Harper
Molly Rae
Molly Vivienne
As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Molly
Christina Molly
Eleanor Molly
Julianne Molly
Sabrina Molly
Viola Molly
What would you pair with the name Molly? Share your thoughts below!
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Baby Names Ending With The Letters "-ly"
To continue our series, let's take a look at the many names that end with the letters -ly. This list is not necessarily exhaustive, but it is fairly long and full of great options if -ly is your favorite end-sound.
Girl names:
Boy names:
Which of these do you like the most? Pick 3, any gender combination, and pair middle names with them! Share your name combos in the comments!
Girl names:
| Ally Amberly Aracely Beverly Billy Blakely Bly Caily Caitly Callalily Carly Cecily Chantilly Chavelly Cicely Connolly Daily Dolly Donnelly Eily Emily Everly Gilly Haverly Havily Heavenly Holly Ily Irely Italy Jessaly Joely Josaly July Kaily Karly Keely Keily Kelly Kessly Kimberly | Kirrily Lily Linsly Lolly Lovely Marely Mariely Molly Nallely Nathaly Nelly Nerilly Noely Orly Paigely Pialy Polly Reilly Romilly Sally Shyly Sicily Siddaly Sonaly Tally Temily Tessaly Thessaly Tigerlily Tilly Truely Truly Tully Vally Verily Waverly Weatherly Yanelly Yanely Zaily Zeely |
| Anatoly Beverly Billy Chavelly Connolly Dally Daly Donnelly Early Huntly Karoly Kelly Kimberly Landly Linsly Manly Mihaly Neely Nelly Olly Pauly Reilly Romilly Scully Sly Stokely Sully Telly Tully Vally Vasily Vassily Vitaly Wally Wassily Waverly Willy |
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
How Well Did My Sibsets Match from My "Statehood Initial Challenge" Series? [Part One]
Way back in January 2015, I began a little series on Instagram that featured the two-letter abbreviations of states within the USA.I started with Delaware, the very first state that was given official statehood, and then I continued on from there. This has been a very long and slow series, but finally, two years later, we've reached the halfway point.
With each post, I would ask you to name a boy and a girl using those initials as the basis. And each time, I would also post my name choices for those letters.
Let's take a look back and see how my impulse naming panned out. Over time, did I actually create a family tree of names that might match nicely? Or did those names vary greatly with each state? How many times might I have repeated a name? I'm willing to bet that my general naming style fluctuated greatly, but, if you've followed my blog since the beginning, perhaps you'd find me somewhat predictable.
If you'd like to play along with this name game, you can either browse through my Instagram posts, or visit this album on Facebook.
1. DE - Dante Evander & Dahlia Emmeline
2. PA - Pierce Averill & Posey Augusta
3. NJ - Nash Julian & Nova Jessamine
4. GA - Gregor August & Gesine Abigail
5. CT - Calvin Thomas & Cora Tamsin
6. MA - Maximus Alexander & Madeline Alice
7. MD - Malcolm David & Minerva Dawn
8. SC - Stetson Cole & Sable Cressida
9. NH - Nicolai Harris & Nova Helene
10. VA - Vadden Alexis & Vienne Augusta
11. NY - Nathaniel York & Natasha Yve
12. NC - Noble Carlisle & Nova Caroline
13. RI - Rafferty Iwan & Rowan Isabelle
14. VT - Valor Thaddeus & Vella Temperance
15. KY - Killian Yannick & Kensington Yve
16. TN - Tristram Noel & Tabitha Nell
17. OH - Oscar Hadrian & Olive Hettienne
18. LA - Leopold August & Lavinia Aveline
19. IN - Isadore Noel & Isla Natalie
20. MS - Malcolm Silas & Mabel Sabrina
21. IL - Irving Lawrence & Ida Laurel
22. AL - Alexander Lincoln & Augusta Lily
23. ME - Marlon Elliott & Mavis Eleanor
24. MO - Miles Oliver & Maisie Octavia
25. AR - Asher Ramsey & Avara Raine
What are your thoughts about my choices? Remember, these are spread out over 2 years and I chose them rather spontaneously with each post. I didn't go back to see what other names I had used previously. I simply went with what I liked at the time. As a result, there are a few repeats.
Repeated Names:
Augusta: 3 / August: 2
Nova: 3
Alexander: 2
Malcolm: 2
Noel: 2
Yve: 2
What these names show me is that some weeks I was feeling bold, so I would pick something more unusual like Hettienne, Gesine, Vadden, Averill, Cressida, Vella or Avara.
Other times, I was in a bit of an old-fashioned mood so I went for names like Irving, Gregor, Marlon, Mavis, Malcolm, Mabel, Lawrence, Ida and Laurel.
And sometimes I would play it safe and go for something common and classic, such as Oliver, Alexander, Thomas, Lily, Caroline, Abigail and Isabelle.
If I had to choose one name that does not belong here, it would be Kensington. It's much more trendy than the rest and isn't usually my kind of name. I might also toss Stetson in the same category.
Overall, if there weren't any repeats, I'd say this would be quite an interesting family tree to be part of. What do you think? Did I choose any that catch your eye? Are there any that just don't belong?
Whenever the statehood series is finally concluded, (even if its another two years from now), I will post that set of 25 twins and see how they match up. Hopefully I won't repeat any from here on out but I can't guarantee it! Stay tuned!
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Rocky
This name comes from our list of names ending with the letters "-ky". If you saw that article, you know that this is a very limited club of names, but there are definitely some cool choices. One of the coolest options from the list is Rocky.
Rocky is given as a full name, but it is also treated as more of a nickname. It could be considered a diminutive of the name Rocco which is a Germanic name from the element hrok which means "rest". Rocco is the patron saint of the sick.
However, as you may know, Rocky is not so much a saint as a famous fictional boxer. The Rocky franchise of movies starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky began in 1976 and is possibly the most well-known association with this name. Another association comes from the old cartoons "The Bullwinkle Show" and "Rocky and His Friends" both of which aired in the 1960s. These featured a flying squirrel named Rocky and his moose pal experiencing a variety of adventures. Interestingly, Rocky was short for "Rocket", which would definitely be a bold choice for a baby name today.
As a baby name in the US, Rocky appeared on the charts in 1913. In 1942, it entered the Top 1000 chart and had a great year in 1957 with its record-high 911 births for a single year. It had its ups and downs but has mostly remained within the Top 1000 except for the years 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2008-2012. Nowadays, Rocky still lingers in the #900s as a viable option for usage on a modern boy. There have even been a handful of female Rockys, including 6 in 2015, but mostly given between 1949-1984. Do you know anyone named Rocky?
If not, perhaps it would be an appealing choice for your child. If so, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names for Rocky if you were to use it:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ada, Dolly, Frankie, Laurel, Minnie, Robin, Vona
Brothers: Daryl, Jack, Jett, Lou, Mickey, Russell, Val
Middle Name Ideas:
Rocky Allen
Rocky Carter
Rocky James
Rocky Lucas
Rocky Oliver
Rocky William
As a Middle Name:
Alvin Rocky
Donald Rocky
George Rocky
Laurence Rocky
Max Rocky
Vince Rocky
These may be a bit unconventional and over-the-top, but they work if you strictly remain in the same tough, nicknamey vein as Rocky. What would YOU pair with Rocky?
Rocky is given as a full name, but it is also treated as more of a nickname. It could be considered a diminutive of the name Rocco which is a Germanic name from the element hrok which means "rest". Rocco is the patron saint of the sick.
However, as you may know, Rocky is not so much a saint as a famous fictional boxer. The Rocky franchise of movies starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky began in 1976 and is possibly the most well-known association with this name. Another association comes from the old cartoons "The Bullwinkle Show" and "Rocky and His Friends" both of which aired in the 1960s. These featured a flying squirrel named Rocky and his moose pal experiencing a variety of adventures. Interestingly, Rocky was short for "Rocket", which would definitely be a bold choice for a baby name today.
As a baby name in the US, Rocky appeared on the charts in 1913. In 1942, it entered the Top 1000 chart and had a great year in 1957 with its record-high 911 births for a single year. It had its ups and downs but has mostly remained within the Top 1000 except for the years 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2008-2012. Nowadays, Rocky still lingers in the #900s as a viable option for usage on a modern boy. There have even been a handful of female Rockys, including 6 in 2015, but mostly given between 1949-1984. Do you know anyone named Rocky?
If not, perhaps it would be an appealing choice for your child. If so, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names for Rocky if you were to use it:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ada, Dolly, Frankie, Laurel, Minnie, Robin, Vona
Brothers: Daryl, Jack, Jett, Lou, Mickey, Russell, Val
Middle Name Ideas:
Rocky Allen
Rocky Carter
Rocky James
Rocky Lucas
Rocky Oliver
Rocky William
As a Middle Name:
Alvin Rocky
Donald Rocky
George Rocky
Laurence Rocky
Max Rocky
Vince Rocky
These may be a bit unconventional and over-the-top, but they work if you strictly remain in the same tough, nicknamey vein as Rocky. What would YOU pair with Rocky?
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Names Ending With The Letters"-ky"
We've covered nearly half the alphabet already. Sure, there are some letters that just won't fit into this category, so we have skipped a few of them. But here we are, arriving at letter K for a compilation of "-ky" names!
How many can you name off the top of your head? Luckily, you don't have to since I did the legwork for you! I even went so far as to include names ending with "-kie" since the choices were slim for "-ky" names. Enjoy:
Girls:
| Boys:
|
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Barely Used Girl Names: Marcella, Calista & Isadora [Part Six]
Let's explore another ten female names that are more on the unusual side. If you are tired of the same popular names that you hear on every 4th child you meet, here are ideas that are much less common these days. Some may have been common in the past, but for this current generation of babies being born, they're not as frequently used.
The information below comes from the US Social Security Administration's 2015 list of the most commonly registered names. The first number listed is the number of births for the year, followed by the ranking number when compared to all other names. It's possible that one or more of these names could suddenly gain more usage from one year to the next. Which name do you think has the best chance of gaining a small popularity boost in 2016, if any?
Marcella (170 births - #1,380 in 2015) This is the feminine form of Marcellus which is a Roman family name, a diminutive of Marcus. That was most likely derived from the Roman god Mars who is the god of war. Marcella has been used in the US since records began in 1880. It was common enough to rank in the Top 1000 until the 2000s. It officially dropped off the list in 2003 but still receives nearly 200 births a year. Could it rise again?
Calista (169 births - #1,385) This comes from the male name Callistus, derived from the Greek Kallistos meaning "most beautiful". In the US, Calista appeared on the charts in 1894 but it remained extremely rare for decades. It wasn't until the year 1998 that the name got a major boost. It landed on the charts at #697 after previously ranking way down at #2830. 1999 was the biggest year with 490 births and a high rank of #519. Just as fast as it appeared, Calista left again by 2005. Will she ever return?
Isadora (169 births - #1,386) This is a variant of Isidora, which incidentally is the much less popular spelling in the US. They come from the male Isidore from the Greek Isidoros meaning "gift of Isis", referring to the Egyptian goddess of the sky and nature. Isadora was used in the US since 1880 but briefly disappeared from use altogether from 1958-1968. The name hasn't ranked in the Top 1000 but it has gained births per year.
Darcy (167 births - #1,394) This is the name of a well-known male literary character, or rather, it's his surname. It originally comes from the Norman French d'Arcy which refers to someone who came from Arcy in France. This name has been rather unisex over the years, but is still used more often for females. It ranked within the Top 1000 from 1949 to 1994. Could it be stylish again in the future?
Pamela (166 births - #1,402) This name may have been intended to mean "all sweetness" from the Greek "pan" and "meli". It was invented in the 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney in his poem "Arcadia". Pamela was first steadily used in the 1910s for females, (even popping up for males from 1941-1993) and it landed in the Top 1000 by 1925. In 1943, it was in the Top 100 for girls, ranking as high as #10 in 1953 with over 25,000 births for the year. It declined again over the next two decades, leaving the Top 100 in 1984 and it was out of the Top 1000 by 2012. Is Pamela now firmly in grandma-name territory or could it return?
Tesla (166 births - #1,403) This name is most likely used in honor of the inventor Nikola Tesla who was the first to harness and control electricity. This name first popped up on the US charts for girls in 1985, and in 2009 for boys. It has never ranked within the Top 1000 for either gender. Could Tesla gain popularity, especially since it's also the name of a high-end vehicle?
Carissa (163 births - #1,412) Carissa is a form of Charissa which comes from Charis and Chares, Greek names meaning "grace" or "kindness". Carissa appeared in 1949 for girls in the US, and entered the Top 1000 in 1970. It ranked the highest in 1992 at #239. It left the Top 1000 again in 2013. Will Carissa return to the top?
Legacy (163 births - #1,415) This name means what it seems. From the English word "legacy," it refers to "something inherited from a predecessor". It comes from the Old French legacie, the Medieval Latin legatia. As a name in the US, this could be become an interesting unisex name. It popped up for girls first in 1994, and boys in 2008. While it has never ranked, it is doing well for girls and could continue to climb.
Nadine (162 births - #1,424) Nadine is a French form of Nadia or Nadya, diminutives of Nadezhda, a Slavic name meaning "hope". This name has been around since 1887 and has ranked rather well for decades. It received 1,013 births in 1958. However, it left the Top 1000 in 2002. Will Nadine make a comeback?
Salem (162 births - #1,425) Salem comes from the Biblical Hebrew shalém meaning "complete". This is a place name, most notoriously that of Salem Massachusetts where the Salem witch trials infamously took place in 1692. As a name in the US, though, it was first used in 1912 for boys. It wasn't until 1976 that it was used for girls, however it has never been common for either gender.
Are there any names on this list that you'd consider for your daughter? Share some first and middle name combinations!
The information below comes from the US Social Security Administration's 2015 list of the most commonly registered names. The first number listed is the number of births for the year, followed by the ranking number when compared to all other names. It's possible that one or more of these names could suddenly gain more usage from one year to the next. Which name do you think has the best chance of gaining a small popularity boost in 2016, if any?
Marcella (170 births - #1,380 in 2015) This is the feminine form of Marcellus which is a Roman family name, a diminutive of Marcus. That was most likely derived from the Roman god Mars who is the god of war. Marcella has been used in the US since records began in 1880. It was common enough to rank in the Top 1000 until the 2000s. It officially dropped off the list in 2003 but still receives nearly 200 births a year. Could it rise again?
Calista (169 births - #1,385) This comes from the male name Callistus, derived from the Greek Kallistos meaning "most beautiful". In the US, Calista appeared on the charts in 1894 but it remained extremely rare for decades. It wasn't until the year 1998 that the name got a major boost. It landed on the charts at #697 after previously ranking way down at #2830. 1999 was the biggest year with 490 births and a high rank of #519. Just as fast as it appeared, Calista left again by 2005. Will she ever return?
Isadora (169 births - #1,386) This is a variant of Isidora, which incidentally is the much less popular spelling in the US. They come from the male Isidore from the Greek Isidoros meaning "gift of Isis", referring to the Egyptian goddess of the sky and nature. Isadora was used in the US since 1880 but briefly disappeared from use altogether from 1958-1968. The name hasn't ranked in the Top 1000 but it has gained births per year.
Darcy (167 births - #1,394) This is the name of a well-known male literary character, or rather, it's his surname. It originally comes from the Norman French d'Arcy which refers to someone who came from Arcy in France. This name has been rather unisex over the years, but is still used more often for females. It ranked within the Top 1000 from 1949 to 1994. Could it be stylish again in the future?
Pamela (166 births - #1,402) This name may have been intended to mean "all sweetness" from the Greek "pan" and "meli". It was invented in the 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney in his poem "Arcadia". Pamela was first steadily used in the 1910s for females, (even popping up for males from 1941-1993) and it landed in the Top 1000 by 1925. In 1943, it was in the Top 100 for girls, ranking as high as #10 in 1953 with over 25,000 births for the year. It declined again over the next two decades, leaving the Top 100 in 1984 and it was out of the Top 1000 by 2012. Is Pamela now firmly in grandma-name territory or could it return?
Tesla (166 births - #1,403) This name is most likely used in honor of the inventor Nikola Tesla who was the first to harness and control electricity. This name first popped up on the US charts for girls in 1985, and in 2009 for boys. It has never ranked within the Top 1000 for either gender. Could Tesla gain popularity, especially since it's also the name of a high-end vehicle?
Carissa (163 births - #1,412) Carissa is a form of Charissa which comes from Charis and Chares, Greek names meaning "grace" or "kindness". Carissa appeared in 1949 for girls in the US, and entered the Top 1000 in 1970. It ranked the highest in 1992 at #239. It left the Top 1000 again in 2013. Will Carissa return to the top?
Legacy (163 births - #1,415) This name means what it seems. From the English word "legacy," it refers to "something inherited from a predecessor". It comes from the Old French legacie, the Medieval Latin legatia. As a name in the US, this could be become an interesting unisex name. It popped up for girls first in 1994, and boys in 2008. While it has never ranked, it is doing well for girls and could continue to climb.
Nadine (162 births - #1,424) Nadine is a French form of Nadia or Nadya, diminutives of Nadezhda, a Slavic name meaning "hope". This name has been around since 1887 and has ranked rather well for decades. It received 1,013 births in 1958. However, it left the Top 1000 in 2002. Will Nadine make a comeback?
Salem (162 births - #1,425) Salem comes from the Biblical Hebrew shalém meaning "complete". This is a place name, most notoriously that of Salem Massachusetts where the Salem witch trials infamously took place in 1692. As a name in the US, though, it was first used in 1912 for boys. It wasn't until 1976 that it was used for girls, however it has never been common for either gender.
Are there any names on this list that you'd consider for your daughter? Share some first and middle name combinations!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Barely Used Boy Names: Idris, Wiley & Boaz [Part Six]
Welcome to Part Six of our Barely Used Boy Names series!! This list has some interesting and unsual options for you.
Idris (138 births - #1286) Idris possibly means "interpreter" in Arabic and it is the name of an ancient prophet in the Qur'an, typically equated with the biblical Enoch. Idris is also a Welsh name meaning "ardent lord". This name ranked at #280 in England and Wales recently, as well as #447 in France. It gained usage in the US for males in 1971 and has slowly been gaining births per year but it has yet to reach the Top 1000.
Sheldon (137 births - #1294) There are several locations in England called Sheldon. It generally means "valley with steep sides" and was both a place name and a surname before it was ever a given name. In the US, Sheldon has been given to boys on record since 1881. It has also been used infrequently for girls from 1931 to 2002. For boys, it gained entry to the Top 1000 in the early 1900s, earning as many births per year as 608 in 1992. It dipped back down below the Top 1000 again in 2009, 2011 and has stayed below since 2013. Could it rise again?
Lucius (136 births - #1299) Lucius comes from the Latin lux meaning "light" and was a Roman praenomen. The name belonged to several important Romans and three popes. It wasn't regularly used by Christians until after the Renaissance. Here in the US, people have given their son the name since records began in 1880. It even ranked in the Top 1000 until 1960. It's dipped down to double-digit births per year but is back on the rise again. Could it rejoin the Top 1000?
Pierson (134 births - #1310) Pierson seems to be related to Piers which is a medieval form of Peter taken from the Old French Pierre. Pierson (along with Pearson and Peirson) were typically used as surnames. As a given name, Pierson is rare. It first popped up in the US with a handful of births in 1912 but it didn't catch on until it finally gained regular yearly usage in the 1980s. It remains nowhere near the Top 1000 but its climbing!
Atreyu (133 births - #1314) Atreyu is a literary name created by German author Michael Ende and originally spelled Atréju. It was the name of the hero in his 1979 fantasy novel "Die unendliche Geschichte" which is "The Neverending Story" in English. It's said to mean "son of all" in the book's fictional language since the orphaned character was raised by a village. In the US, the name popped up in the mid-1980s but despite gaining usage over the years, it has never been in the Top 1000. Will it ever get there or is the name too unusual?
Jarvis (133 births - #1318) Jarvis comes from a surname that was taken from the male French name Gervais, which came from the German Gervasius partially meaning "spear". If you look for the Marvel comic book meaning, you'll find that Tony Stark's AI computer J.A.R.V.I.S stands for "Just A Rather Very Intelligent System". The name Jarvis has been in use in the US since 1882 and even ranked in the Top 1000 between the 1950s and 2006. It's declined in popularity now, but could it make a comeback?
Wiley (133 births - #1321) Wiley comes from a surname derived from am Old English place name meaning "temple clearing". It can also be used in reference to the word "wily" and given originally as a nickname to a person who was, well, wily. This name has actually been given to boys since 1880 in the US, ranking within the Top 1000 until 1974. Could it come back on the charts again soon? It's also been given to a handful of girls in recent years.
Boaz (132 births - #1325) Boaz is a Biblical Hebrew name meaning "swiftness". It was never a popular one, though. Boaz first popped up on the US charts in 1965 but it's never been near the Top 1000. In 2015, it received the most births it has ever had in a single year. Will it catch on soon?
Forest (132 births - #1326) Forest is the less-popular spelling of Forrest. Both names come from an English surname that refers to an actual forest. Both of the spellings have been in use in the US since 1880. Forest ranked in and out of the Top 1000 through the 1960s and 1980s, and it ranked again in the early 1990s, but since then it's declined. However, its starting to trend upward again. Would you use Forest or Forrest?
Francesco (131 births - #1338) Francesco is the Italian form of the Late Latin Franciscus which means "Frenchman." While Francisco has always been well-used, the spelling Francesco is rarely used. It only gained usage in 1906, but it managed to rank in the Top 1000 from 1967-200, save a few years. Now it has fallen off the charts. Is Francisco just a superior spelling?
What do you think of this list? Would you use any of these names?
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Unusual But Real Names from Colonial America
Ah yes, the Puritans. They were around when America was just gaining an origin story. People tend to have Colonial America on their mind around Thanksgiving time. They like to discuss the Puritans and the Pilgrims, so why not take another look at some of the interesting names they used to use.
The Art of Naming has covered Colonial Names several times. Not only the virtuous names like Hope, Grace and Faith, but also the more uncommon choices like Charity, Prudence, Prosper and Resolved. We also looked at names drawn from the bible like Lydia and Levi since these were common then and now.
Today, we're going to look at a list of names that most people would agree are unusual and rather unpractical for use today. There's no need to explain these since they're quite straight forward, but yes, these were actually given to people as names back in the day. Are there any that strike you as a guilty pleasure?
Abuse-not
Acts-Apostles
Aid-on-high
Be-courteous
Be-strong
Be-thankful
Die-well
Divine-authority
Do-good
Do-right
Do-well
Faith-my-joy
Fare-well
Fear-the-Lord
Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith
Fly-Fornication
Free-gift
Free-grace
From-above
Give-thanks
God-reward
Good-gift
Hate-bad
Hate-evil
Hate-ill
Have-mercy
Help-on-high
Hope-for
If-Christ-had-not-died-for- thee-thou-hadst-been-damned
Jesus-Christ-came- into-the-world- to-save
Job-raked-out-of-the-ashes
Joy-again
Joy-in-sorrow
Learn-wisdom
Live-well
Make-peace
More-fruit
More-trial
Much-mercy
No-merit
Praise-God
Safe-deliverance
Safe-on-high
Search-the-scriptures
Seek-wisdom
Sin-deny
Small-hope
Sorry-for-sin
Stand-fast-on-high
The-Lord-is-near
The-peace-of-God
Weep-not
What-God-will
Zeal-for-the-Lord
Zeal-of-the-Land
What a list! Thoughts?
The Art of Naming has covered Colonial Names several times. Not only the virtuous names like Hope, Grace and Faith, but also the more uncommon choices like Charity, Prudence, Prosper and Resolved. We also looked at names drawn from the bible like Lydia and Levi since these were common then and now.
Today, we're going to look at a list of names that most people would agree are unusual and rather unpractical for use today. There's no need to explain these since they're quite straight forward, but yes, these were actually given to people as names back in the day. Are there any that strike you as a guilty pleasure?
Abuse-not
Acts-Apostles
Aid-on-high
Be-courteous
Be-strong
Be-thankful
Die-well
Divine-authority
Do-good
Do-right
Do-well
Faith-my-joy
Fare-well
Fear-the-Lord
Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith
Fly-Fornication
Free-gift
Free-grace
From-above
Give-thanks
God-reward
Good-gift
Hate-bad
Hate-evil
Hate-ill
Have-mercy
Help-on-high
Hope-for
If-Christ-had-not-died-for- thee-thou-hadst-been-damned
Jesus-Christ-came- into-the-world- to-save
Job-raked-out-of-the-ashes
Joy-again
Joy-in-sorrow
Learn-wisdom
Live-well
Make-peace
More-fruit
More-trial
Much-mercy
No-merit
Praise-God
Safe-deliverance
Safe-on-high
Search-the-scriptures
Seek-wisdom
Sin-deny
Small-hope
Sorry-for-sin
Stand-fast-on-high
The-Lord-is-near
The-peace-of-God
Weep-not
What-God-will
Zeal-for-the-Lord
Zeal-of-the-Land
What a list! Thoughts?
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Dorothy
Taken from our article about names ending with the letters "-hy", we found the name Dorothy.
Dorothy is a form of Dorothea which comes from the Late Greek name Δωροθεος (Dorotheos) meaning "gift of God". Dorotheos is pulled from the Greek words δωρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεος (theos) meaning "god".
Interestingly, the names Theodora and Theodore (and their variants) also come from theos and doron, but their direct Greek origin name (Theodoros) is a little different: Θεοδωρος. However, all of these names do share a meaning.
Perhaps the most well-known Dorothy comes from literature and film. In 1900, an author by the name of L. Frank Baum published a little fantasy novel called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" featuring a young girl named Dorothy as the main character. Portrayed by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film, Dorothy has become a classic and iconic character in pop culture.
You don't meet all that many "young Dorothys" these days. However, that could be changing in the next decade or two since this name is starting to trend upward. That would make this name a vintage choice that would fit in with the 100 year rule.
Dorothy was huge in the 1920s. She climbed the charts quickly back then, joining the Top 100 in 1890, the Top 10 in 1904 and ranking at #2 from 1920-1927. Just as quickly, though, she left the Top 10 by 1940 and the Top 100 by 1962. She didn't rank within the Top 1000 for most of the 2000s, but the tide is turning in her favor now. She's back on the charts at #714 as of 2015 with 395 births.
Since it has almost been 100 years since her first heyday, do you think Dorothy will regain popularity as a "fresh-sounding" name again through the 2020s-2030s?
Use it now and you'll be ahead of the trend! If this is a name you're considering for a daughter, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Beverly, Ellen, Marjorie, Nancy, Ruth, Sylvia, Violet
Brothers: Arnold, Franklin, Henry, Howard, Leonard, Russell, Warren
Middle Name Ideas:
Dorothy Arlene
Dorothy Christine
Dorothy Hazel
Dorothy Mavis
Dorothy Valentina
As a Middle Name:
Amelia Dorothy
Faye Dorothy
Miriam Dorothy
Susannah Dorothy
Tessa Dorothy
I kept the styles similar to Dorothy, but there are plenty of more modern names that could also work. What would you pair with Dorothy? Do you know anyone with this name? If so, how old are they?
Dorothy is a form of Dorothea which comes from the Late Greek name Δωροθεος (Dorotheos) meaning "gift of God". Dorotheos is pulled from the Greek words δωρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεος (theos) meaning "god".
Interestingly, the names Theodora and Theodore (and their variants) also come from theos and doron, but their direct Greek origin name (Theodoros) is a little different: Θεοδωρος. However, all of these names do share a meaning.
Perhaps the most well-known Dorothy comes from literature and film. In 1900, an author by the name of L. Frank Baum published a little fantasy novel called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" featuring a young girl named Dorothy as the main character. Portrayed by actress Judy Garland in the 1939 film, Dorothy has become a classic and iconic character in pop culture.
You don't meet all that many "young Dorothys" these days. However, that could be changing in the next decade or two since this name is starting to trend upward. That would make this name a vintage choice that would fit in with the 100 year rule.
Dorothy was huge in the 1920s. She climbed the charts quickly back then, joining the Top 100 in 1890, the Top 10 in 1904 and ranking at #2 from 1920-1927. Just as quickly, though, she left the Top 10 by 1940 and the Top 100 by 1962. She didn't rank within the Top 1000 for most of the 2000s, but the tide is turning in her favor now. She's back on the charts at #714 as of 2015 with 395 births.
Since it has almost been 100 years since her first heyday, do you think Dorothy will regain popularity as a "fresh-sounding" name again through the 2020s-2030s?
Use it now and you'll be ahead of the trend! If this is a name you're considering for a daughter, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Beverly, Ellen, Marjorie, Nancy, Ruth, Sylvia, Violet
Brothers: Arnold, Franklin, Henry, Howard, Leonard, Russell, Warren
Middle Name Ideas:
Dorothy Arlene
Dorothy Christine
Dorothy Hazel
Dorothy Mavis
Dorothy Valentina
As a Middle Name:
Amelia Dorothy
Faye Dorothy
Miriam Dorothy
Susannah Dorothy
Tessa Dorothy
I kept the styles similar to Dorothy, but there are plenty of more modern names that could also work. What would you pair with Dorothy? Do you know anyone with this name? If so, how old are they?
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Names Ending with the Letters "-hy"
This series takes a closer look at a very limited set of names. If you're searching for a particular sound or spelling at the end of the name, this series may be for you. We've already considered names ending with -ay, -by, -cy, -dy, -ey, -fy, and -gy. All of these posts can be found here.
The only names that I could find ending with "-iy" are Andriy, Arkadiy, Arseniy, Bryliy, Dmitriy and Yuriy. I didn't find them common enough or appealing enough to earn their own post. We'll skip ahead to "-hy" names since there's a few more options available.
Girls:
Abernathy
Cathy
Dorothy
Dorthy
Kathy
Marthy
Murphy
Ruthy
Sophy
Stephy
Boys:
Adahy
Joshy
Malachy
Murphy
Timothy
Would you ever use one of these? Which is your favorite?
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Barely Used Girl Names: Harriet, Guinevere & Persephone [Part Five]
If you're reading this, you've made it to part five in this series featuring barely-used girl names. We are well below the #1300s now, which makes these names rather uncommonly used in the US.
Harriet (179 births - #1314) Harriet is the feminine form of Harry, and a sister name to Henriette. These all come from Henry which, of course, comes from the German Heimirich and Heinrich meaning "home ruler". Harriet has been in use in the US since 1880 on record. It was in the Top 1000 until 1971. While it declined for a while, it is inching back up the chart.
Clover (178 births - #1319) This quirky name comes from the wild flower. It is derived from the Old English clafre. While unusual, this name dates back to 1897 in the US for women. It has never been close to ranking in the Top 1000, but it is inching upward now. Would you consider it?
Roxanne (178 births - #1324) Roxanne is the French and English form of the Greek Ρωξανη (Roxane) which was taken from the Persian or Bactrian name روشنک (Roshanak) meaning "bright" or "dawn". Roxanne first popped up at 1906 and was most popular in 1954. It left the Top 1000 in 2001, except for 2013. Could it gain more popularity?
Linnea (177 births - #1330) This comes from the name of a flower known as the twinflower. It is a Swedish name that honors Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus. He named the flower after himself. The name first landed on the charts in the US in 1894. It was popular enough to enter the Top 1000 from 1942-1955, but it hasn't had a top spot since then.
Guinevere (176 births - #1336) Guinevere comes from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. It comes from the elements gwen meaning "fair, white" and sebara meaning "magical being". The Cornish form of this name is Jennifer. Guinevere first charted in 1912 but it has never been in the Top 1000. It is more popular now than it has ever been.
Luella (176 births - #1337) Luella is a varient of Louella which is just a combination of Lou and Ella. Lou comes from Louis, a form of Ludovicus and Ludwig ultimately meaning "famous battle". Ella comes from the Germanic Alia and alja meaning "other". Luella has been around since 1880 but left the Top 1000 in the 1950s. It is back on the rise now, though.
Persephone (175 births - #1350) The only thing that may be keeping this name down is its potential meaning. It comes from the Greek pertho meaning "to destroy" and phone meaning "murder". A very dark name for the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. The name popped up in the US in 1962. In the past decade, Persephone has started gaining some attention and is slowly inching toward the Top 1000.
Flora (173 births - #1362) Flora comes from the Latin flos meaning "flower" and was the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. Flora is rather vintage. It was most popular in 1920. While it hasn't quite caught on again now, it is starting to slowly gain attention.
Octavia (173 births - #1364) This name is the feminine form of Octavius meaning "eighth". In ancient Rome, she was the sister of emperor Augustus and the wife of Mark Antony. As a name, Octavia has been in the US since 1880, but it didn't join the Top 1000 until 1971 with its best year being 1987. It left the charts again by 1999 but looks like it could regain some greater usage soon.
Arlene (170 births - #1376) Arlene comes from Arline whose meaning and origin is mostly unknown. It's possible that Arline was invented for a character in the 1843 opera "The Bohemian Girl" by Michael William Balfe. Both names did well in the 1920s through the 1940s or so, but Arlene was much more used than Arline. Arlene left the Top 1000 in 2006 but Arline faded away back in the 1950s.
Which of these names do you like most? Which do you think might reenter the Top 1000 first?
Harriet (179 births - #1314) Harriet is the feminine form of Harry, and a sister name to Henriette. These all come from Henry which, of course, comes from the German Heimirich and Heinrich meaning "home ruler". Harriet has been in use in the US since 1880 on record. It was in the Top 1000 until 1971. While it declined for a while, it is inching back up the chart.
Clover (178 births - #1319) This quirky name comes from the wild flower. It is derived from the Old English clafre. While unusual, this name dates back to 1897 in the US for women. It has never been close to ranking in the Top 1000, but it is inching upward now. Would you consider it?
Roxanne (178 births - #1324) Roxanne is the French and English form of the Greek Ρωξανη (Roxane) which was taken from the Persian or Bactrian name روشنک (Roshanak) meaning "bright" or "dawn". Roxanne first popped up at 1906 and was most popular in 1954. It left the Top 1000 in 2001, except for 2013. Could it gain more popularity?
Linnea (177 births - #1330) This comes from the name of a flower known as the twinflower. It is a Swedish name that honors Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus. He named the flower after himself. The name first landed on the charts in the US in 1894. It was popular enough to enter the Top 1000 from 1942-1955, but it hasn't had a top spot since then.
Guinevere (176 births - #1336) Guinevere comes from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. It comes from the elements gwen meaning "fair, white" and sebara meaning "magical being". The Cornish form of this name is Jennifer. Guinevere first charted in 1912 but it has never been in the Top 1000. It is more popular now than it has ever been.
Luella (176 births - #1337) Luella is a varient of Louella which is just a combination of Lou and Ella. Lou comes from Louis, a form of Ludovicus and Ludwig ultimately meaning "famous battle". Ella comes from the Germanic Alia and alja meaning "other". Luella has been around since 1880 but left the Top 1000 in the 1950s. It is back on the rise now, though.
Persephone (175 births - #1350) The only thing that may be keeping this name down is its potential meaning. It comes from the Greek pertho meaning "to destroy" and phone meaning "murder". A very dark name for the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. The name popped up in the US in 1962. In the past decade, Persephone has started gaining some attention and is slowly inching toward the Top 1000.
Flora (173 births - #1362) Flora comes from the Latin flos meaning "flower" and was the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. Flora is rather vintage. It was most popular in 1920. While it hasn't quite caught on again now, it is starting to slowly gain attention.
Octavia (173 births - #1364) This name is the feminine form of Octavius meaning "eighth". In ancient Rome, she was the sister of emperor Augustus and the wife of Mark Antony. As a name, Octavia has been in the US since 1880, but it didn't join the Top 1000 until 1971 with its best year being 1987. It left the charts again by 1999 but looks like it could regain some greater usage soon.
Arlene (170 births - #1376) Arlene comes from Arline whose meaning and origin is mostly unknown. It's possible that Arline was invented for a character in the 1843 opera "The Bohemian Girl" by Michael William Balfe. Both names did well in the 1920s through the 1940s or so, but Arlene was much more used than Arline. Arlene left the Top 1000 in 2006 but Arline faded away back in the 1950s.
Which of these names do you like most? Which do you think might reenter the Top 1000 first?
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Barely Used Boy Names: Murphy, Noble & Caius [Part Five]
For our fifth article in this series, we will take a look at 10 interesting boy names that are currently not ranking within the Top 1000 chart. This chart maps out the most popular names according to Social Security data every year. The year we're focusing on is 2015.
As you know, the more articles there are, the further down on the charts we explore. We've hit the 1,200s now. These names are getting more and more rare as we go! So let's get started!
Murphy (148 births - #1225) - Murphy comes from an Irish surname, Ó Murchadha, meaning "descendant of Murchadh". Murchadh comes from the Gaelic elements muir meaning "sea" and cadh meaning "warrior". In the US, Murphy has been around since the 1880s. It has never had more than 100 births per year until recently. Since 2010, the name has started inching upward for boys. Since 1987, it has been given to girls too.
Brighton (147 births - #1228) - Brighton is said to be an English surname literally meaning "bright town" or "fair town". This name has only been on record in the US since 1983 for boys and 1986 for girls. It climbed a bit faster for males, earning 147 births in 2015. There were 102 females. Which gender do you prefer it on?
Alton (146 births - #1232) - Alton comes from an Old English surname. It was taken from a place name that means "town at the source of the river." For boys, Alton has been used in the US since 1880 on record, and since 1904 for girls. It ranked well for boys until 1999 when it left the Top 1000. For girls, it was never consistently used and died out by 1989.
Cael (145 births - #1240) - Cáel, with the accent, is an Irish name. It comes from the Gaelic caol meaning "slender". This name popped up for boys in 1989 in the US and it ranked in the Top 1000 from 2002 until 2012. Could it return to the charts soon?
Clifford (145 births - #1241) - This name is very straight forward. Clifford means "ford by a cliff" in Old English. It comes from a surname which came from a place name. This name ranked in the Top 100 from 1886 to 1946. It left the Top 1000 in 2006.
Noble (144 births - #1250) - Noble is a word I'm sure you're familiar with. Noble could refer to an aristocrat, or a person having fine personal qualities or high moral principles. Noble comes from an English surname. This name has been used in the US for boys since 1880. It was in the Top 1000 until 1954, but it has yet to come back even though its births per year are starting to climb.
Amarion (141 births - #1265) - Amarion is possibly a long form of Amari. Both names are relatively unknown in their origins and meanings but they tend to be used by African Americans and Western Africans most frequently. Amari has been around since 1974 for boys and 1980 for girls. Amarion, though, arrived in the US for boys in 1998. It ranked from 2002-2005 and again in 2007. It's only been used a handful of times for girls from 2002-2004.
Monroe (141 births - #1270) - There is a river in Ireland named the Roe. The name Monroe comes from a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". This name started out as a boy's name, dating back to 1880 but left the Top 1000 in 1972. For girls, it appeared on the charts in 1996 and entered the Top 1000 in 2012. Much of this may be inspired by late Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe.
Eamon (140 births - #1276) - Eamon is a variant of the Irish name Éamonn which is a form of Edmund. Edmund comes from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth" and mund meaning "protection". In the US, this name popped up around 1920 and 1940, but it wasn't until the late 1950s that it gained consistent usage. However, it has never been in the Top 1000.
Caius (138 births - #1283) - Caius is the Roman variant of the name Gaius. It's exact meaning is uncertain but it is possibly derived from the Latin gaudere meaning "to rejoice". Gaius was a common Roman praenomen belonging to both Gaius Julius Caesar and Gaius Octavius. In the US, Caius has only been used since 1994. While it has never been in the Top 1000, it is gaining more births per year every year.
Which of these barely-used names do you like most? Which have the most potential to actually climb the charts soon?
As you know, the more articles there are, the further down on the charts we explore. We've hit the 1,200s now. These names are getting more and more rare as we go! So let's get started!
Murphy (148 births - #1225) - Murphy comes from an Irish surname, Ó Murchadha, meaning "descendant of Murchadh". Murchadh comes from the Gaelic elements muir meaning "sea" and cadh meaning "warrior". In the US, Murphy has been around since the 1880s. It has never had more than 100 births per year until recently. Since 2010, the name has started inching upward for boys. Since 1987, it has been given to girls too.
Brighton (147 births - #1228) - Brighton is said to be an English surname literally meaning "bright town" or "fair town". This name has only been on record in the US since 1983 for boys and 1986 for girls. It climbed a bit faster for males, earning 147 births in 2015. There were 102 females. Which gender do you prefer it on?
Alton (146 births - #1232) - Alton comes from an Old English surname. It was taken from a place name that means "town at the source of the river." For boys, Alton has been used in the US since 1880 on record, and since 1904 for girls. It ranked well for boys until 1999 when it left the Top 1000. For girls, it was never consistently used and died out by 1989.
Cael (145 births - #1240) - Cáel, with the accent, is an Irish name. It comes from the Gaelic caol meaning "slender". This name popped up for boys in 1989 in the US and it ranked in the Top 1000 from 2002 until 2012. Could it return to the charts soon?
Clifford (145 births - #1241) - This name is very straight forward. Clifford means "ford by a cliff" in Old English. It comes from a surname which came from a place name. This name ranked in the Top 100 from 1886 to 1946. It left the Top 1000 in 2006.
Noble (144 births - #1250) - Noble is a word I'm sure you're familiar with. Noble could refer to an aristocrat, or a person having fine personal qualities or high moral principles. Noble comes from an English surname. This name has been used in the US for boys since 1880. It was in the Top 1000 until 1954, but it has yet to come back even though its births per year are starting to climb.
Amarion (141 births - #1265) - Amarion is possibly a long form of Amari. Both names are relatively unknown in their origins and meanings but they tend to be used by African Americans and Western Africans most frequently. Amari has been around since 1974 for boys and 1980 for girls. Amarion, though, arrived in the US for boys in 1998. It ranked from 2002-2005 and again in 2007. It's only been used a handful of times for girls from 2002-2004.
Monroe (141 births - #1270) - There is a river in Ireland named the Roe. The name Monroe comes from a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". This name started out as a boy's name, dating back to 1880 but left the Top 1000 in 1972. For girls, it appeared on the charts in 1996 and entered the Top 1000 in 2012. Much of this may be inspired by late Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe.
Eamon (140 births - #1276) - Eamon is a variant of the Irish name Éamonn which is a form of Edmund. Edmund comes from the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth" and mund meaning "protection". In the US, this name popped up around 1920 and 1940, but it wasn't until the late 1950s that it gained consistent usage. However, it has never been in the Top 1000.
Caius (138 births - #1283) - Caius is the Roman variant of the name Gaius. It's exact meaning is uncertain but it is possibly derived from the Latin gaudere meaning "to rejoice". Gaius was a common Roman praenomen belonging to both Gaius Julius Caesar and Gaius Octavius. In the US, Caius has only been used since 1994. While it has never been in the Top 1000, it is gaining more births per year every year.
Which of these barely-used names do you like most? Which have the most potential to actually climb the charts soon?
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Ziggy
This interesting name comes from our list of names ending with the letters "-gy". There are not many -gy names. In fact, there were only two decent options for boys, Iggy and Ziggy. I chose to learn a bit more about Ziggy.
Have you ever heard of this name before? Perhaps in the pop culture world, you've heard of the late Bob Marley's musician son named Ziggy. Where does the name come from? For Ziggy Marley, it's a nickname. His real name is David Nesta Marley. According to Bob Marley, Ziggy is just a nickname he gave his son meaning "little spliff". He may have been inspired by David Bowie's album "Ziggy Stardust".
Ziggy Stardust, of course, was David Bowie's alter ego. Bowie was quoted in Rolling Stone Magazine as saying that Ziggy was "one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter Z". Later, he also said he was inspired by a tailor shop called Ziggy's.
It is possible that Ziggy doesn't mean anything. It is also possible that it's a short form of the name Zigfried, a form of the German Siegfried. Siegfried comes from the elements sigu meaning "victory" and frid meaning "peace". The meaning "peaceful victory" is appealing, but how common is this name?
It first popped up in the US with 5 male births in 1988; another 5 appeared in 1995. By 2000, this name gained some consistent usage. The most births it has ever had in a single year was 44 male births which occurred in both 2014 and 2015. It is an unusual name but it has a cool vibe with pop culture associations. Could Ziggy ever catch on?
If this is a name that peaks your interest, here's a few ideas for sibling names and middle names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Blaire, Effie, Jacey, Maisie, Marlowe, Piper, Tamsin, Zoey
Brothers: Bowie, Bugsy, Flynn, Murphy, Rocky, Tad, Wiley, Wilder
Middle Name Ideas:
Ziggy Cole
Ziggy Daniels
Ziggy Finnegan
Ziggy John
Ziggy Sawyer
Ziggy Sebastian
Ziggy Tavish
As a Middle Name:
Evan Ziggy
Julian Ziggy
Kendall Ziggy
Milo Ziggy
Nolan Ziggy
Theodore Ziggy
Wyatt Ziggy
What would you pair with Ziggy? What do you think of it?
Have you ever heard of this name before? Perhaps in the pop culture world, you've heard of the late Bob Marley's musician son named Ziggy. Where does the name come from? For Ziggy Marley, it's a nickname. His real name is David Nesta Marley. According to Bob Marley, Ziggy is just a nickname he gave his son meaning "little spliff". He may have been inspired by David Bowie's album "Ziggy Stardust".
Ziggy Stardust, of course, was David Bowie's alter ego. Bowie was quoted in Rolling Stone Magazine as saying that Ziggy was "one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter Z". Later, he also said he was inspired by a tailor shop called Ziggy's.
It is possible that Ziggy doesn't mean anything. It is also possible that it's a short form of the name Zigfried, a form of the German Siegfried. Siegfried comes from the elements sigu meaning "victory" and frid meaning "peace". The meaning "peaceful victory" is appealing, but how common is this name?
It first popped up in the US with 5 male births in 1988; another 5 appeared in 1995. By 2000, this name gained some consistent usage. The most births it has ever had in a single year was 44 male births which occurred in both 2014 and 2015. It is an unusual name but it has a cool vibe with pop culture associations. Could Ziggy ever catch on?
If this is a name that peaks your interest, here's a few ideas for sibling names and middle names:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Blaire, Effie, Jacey, Maisie, Marlowe, Piper, Tamsin, Zoey
Brothers: Bowie, Bugsy, Flynn, Murphy, Rocky, Tad, Wiley, Wilder
Middle Name Ideas:
Ziggy Cole
Ziggy Daniels
Ziggy Finnegan
Ziggy John
Ziggy Sawyer
Ziggy Sebastian
Ziggy Tavish
As a Middle Name:
Evan Ziggy
Julian Ziggy
Kendall Ziggy
Milo Ziggy
Nolan Ziggy
Theodore Ziggy
Wyatt Ziggy
What would you pair with Ziggy? What do you think of it?
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Buffy
Today's featured name comes from our list of names that end with the letters "-fy". There weren't a ton of choices, but I picked out one of the most interesting names on that list.
Buffy is one of many diminutives of the name Elizabeth. From the Hebrew name Elisheva, Elizabeth (and therefore Buffy) means "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance".
Elizabeth is known for its abundance of nicknames, short forms and diminutive options, which makes it very versatile if used in full. It has been extremely popular over the years, consistently being used as both a first name and a middle name for girls.
However, Buffy is definitely one of the more obscure options as a nickname for Elizabeth. As a stand-alone full given name, Buffy is almost non-existent. It first appeared on record in the US in 1951. Nearly overnight between 1965 and 1966, Buffy caught on for a brief stint. It popped onto the Top 1000 chart at #793 in 1967, and climbed as high as #530 in 1972 which accounted for 319 births.
By 1978, though, Buffy was already on its way out the popularity door. By 1991, it wasn't being used at all except for a handful of births from 2002-2005, and a few in 2013.
However, you do need to take into consideration its biggest association: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, of course, was a television show that ran from 1997-2003.
If you are taken by short, spunky nicknames as given names, Buffy is an interesting, obscure name that could be the one for you! If that's the case, here are some ideas for siblings and middle names so you can start planning your family in full:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Bella, Darby, Elsie, Maisie, Mindy, Sadie, Winnie
Brothers: Brody, Eddie, Johnny, Kirby, Milo, Tobin, Wyatt
Middle Name Ideas:
Buffy Amelia
Buffy Charlotte
Buffy Michaela
Buffy Olivia
Buffy Veronica
As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Buffy
Catherine Buffy
Emilia Buffy
Juliana Buffy
Violet Buffy
What do you think of Buffy? What names would you pair with it?
Buffy is one of many diminutives of the name Elizabeth. From the Hebrew name Elisheva, Elizabeth (and therefore Buffy) means "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance".
Elizabeth is known for its abundance of nicknames, short forms and diminutive options, which makes it very versatile if used in full. It has been extremely popular over the years, consistently being used as both a first name and a middle name for girls.
However, Buffy is definitely one of the more obscure options as a nickname for Elizabeth. As a stand-alone full given name, Buffy is almost non-existent. It first appeared on record in the US in 1951. Nearly overnight between 1965 and 1966, Buffy caught on for a brief stint. It popped onto the Top 1000 chart at #793 in 1967, and climbed as high as #530 in 1972 which accounted for 319 births.
By 1978, though, Buffy was already on its way out the popularity door. By 1991, it wasn't being used at all except for a handful of births from 2002-2005, and a few in 2013.
However, you do need to take into consideration its biggest association: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, of course, was a television show that ran from 1997-2003.
If you are taken by short, spunky nicknames as given names, Buffy is an interesting, obscure name that could be the one for you! If that's the case, here are some ideas for siblings and middle names so you can start planning your family in full:
Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Bella, Darby, Elsie, Maisie, Mindy, Sadie, Winnie
Brothers: Brody, Eddie, Johnny, Kirby, Milo, Tobin, Wyatt
Middle Name Ideas:
Buffy Amelia
Buffy Charlotte
Buffy Michaela
Buffy Olivia
Buffy Veronica
As a Middle Name:
Alexandra Buffy
Catherine Buffy
Emilia Buffy
Juliana Buffy
Violet Buffy
What do you think of Buffy? What names would you pair with it?
Monday, September 12, 2016
Names Ending with the Letters "-fy" and -"gy"
This categorization of names is admittedly limited and unusual but it may strike a chord for certain parents seeking a specific sound. Continuing our series that has already featured -ay, -by, -cy, -dy and -ey names, I present the interesting short list of -fy and -gy names. Since the list is so short, I combined the two and included -fie and -gie names as well.
Many of these might actually be considered nicknames more so than given names. Most Americans are not big fans of this style of names, however in England and Wales, names like Effie and Alfie are considered full, stand-alone names and rank fairly well on the popularity charts.
Effy
Saffy
Sofy
Taffy
Tiffy
Effie
Elfie
Safie
Sofie
Wolfie
Wolfie
Peggy
Tiggy
Aggie
Angie
Georgie
Maggie
Margie
Peggie
Reggie
Vangie
Vergie
Virgie
Ziggy
Algie
Angie
Augie
Dougie
Georgie
Hughie
Reggie
Many of these might actually be considered nicknames more so than given names. Most Americans are not big fans of this style of names, however in England and Wales, names like Effie and Alfie are considered full, stand-alone names and rank fairly well on the popularity charts.
Girl names ending with -fy and -fie:
Buffy
Saffy
Sofy
Taffy
Tiffy
Effie
Elfie
Safie
Sofie
Wolfie
Boy names ending with -fie:
AlfieWolfie
--
Girl names ending with -gy and -gie:
MargyPeggy
Tiggy
Aggie
Angie
Georgie
Maggie
Margie
Peggie
Reggie
Vangie
Vergie
Virgie
Boy names ending with -gy and -gie:
IggyZiggy
Algie
Angie
Augie
Dougie
Georgie
Hughie
Reggie
Would you ever use any of these names as a full given name on the birth certificate? If so, which one?
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