Zoey

Our final featured name for this alphabetical name series is the female name Zoey. Did you get a chance to view the final list of The Very Best Z Names for Boys and Girls earlier this week?

The name Zoey is actually a variant of Zoe. Interestingly, while Zoe has been in use in the US since before 1880, Zoey has only been around since 1967. Despite that, Zoey is the more popular spelling today. Both names are currently ranking within the Top 40 though.

Zoey joined the Top 1000 chart in 1995 and entered the Top 100 in 2008. Now, as of 2014, Zoey is the 22nd most popular name in the country with over 7,300 female births.

Zoe peaked quicker, entering the Top 1000 in 1983. By 2000, Zoe was the 82nd most popular girl name. Even though Zoey has surpassed Zoe, Zoe still ranks at #32 in 2014 with over 5,800 births.

After breaking down those American popularity statistics, which name do you prefer?

If you're not sure, let's take a closer look at the names. Zoe is a Greek name that means "life". According to Behind the Name, Zoe was historically considered a translation of the name Eve by Hellenized Jews.

There are two early Christian saints named Zoe, both were martyred in their day. In the Byzantine Empire, Zoe was actually a commonly used name for women including an empress in the 11th century.

There are plenty of variations of Zoe, including the one we are featuring today, Zoey. There's also Zoie and Zowie. The Dutch like the spelling Zoë, the French use Zoé, the Polish go with Zoja, while Russians and Ukrainians prefer Zoya.

Then of course there's the spelling Zooey which is popularized in Hollywood by actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. While she pronounces her name the same as Zoey or Zoe, the name Zooey is better known as a masculine nickname for Zachary or Zechariah. Author J.D. Salinger used the name Zooey for a male character in his book "Franny and Zooey". Deschanel was named after that character.

Believe it or not, the name Zoe has broad international appeal. In recent years, it has ranked within the Top 100 in at least 17 countries around the world including The Netherlands (#7), Hungary (#9), and France (#11). Click here to view a complete list of recent popularity rankings.

Are you considering using the name Zoe or Zoey? Here's some suggestions for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alyssa, Esme, Keira, Lila, Mara, Olivia, Tessa, Violet
Brothers: Damian, Finn, Gavin, Isaac, Levi, Max, Tyler, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas: 
Zoey Abigail
Zoey Colette
Zoey Harper
Zoey Madeline
Zoey Roxana
Zoey Taylor

As A Middle Name:
Amelia Zoey
Catherine Zoey
Evelyn Zoey
Lorelei Zoey
Magnolia Zoey
September Zoey

Thanks for following this series for the past year! Tell me in the comments which name you prefer and what middle name you'd pair with it!

The Very Best Z Names for Boys and Girls

At last, we have arrived at the very end of the alphabet. I appreciate all of you who have stuck with me this long.

It took a year and three months to finish the entire series! 

Now, let's look at the zippy letter Z! Along with the rest of the tail-end letters, Z names are rather few and far between when compared to the letters at the start of the alphabet.

However, that doesn't mean that there are unappealing options. Far from it!

Z names are mostly bold, interesting and unusual but there are a few classics in there like Zachary, Zachariah and Zoe. 

Which of these 50 Z names for boys and girls do you like most? 

Zahara Zaila Zaire Zamora Zandra Zanna Zara Zariah Zarina Zasha Zaviera Zelda Zelia Zendaya Zenon Zia Zinnia Zion Zoe Zoey Zola Zora Zoraya Zorina Zuri

Zacchaeus Zachariah Zachary Zaiden Zaire Zale Zander Zane Zavier Zealand Zebadiah Zebedee Zed Zeke Zelig Zenith Zenon Zephaniah Zephyr Zeppelin Zeus Zion Zoltan Zubin Zuma

Are there any I missed that you like more? Share your thoughts in the comments! If Z isn't your letter, there are 25 others to explore! Use the links below and thank you for following this series.

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

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?