Names Ending with the Letters "-ay"

Welcome to a new mini-series featuring specific name endings. This list will explore the various names that end with the letters "-ay". The next article in the series will take a look at "-by" names, followed by "-cy" names, etc.

If you are searching for a specific sound and cannot find all that many options, allow me to assist you. This list of names ending with '-ay" is as neatly comprehensive as possible with only the most usable names on it.  There many be other spellings that lend to a similar sound but we are focusing primarily on the spelling. Can you think of any names that I may have missed? If not, tell me which of these you like most.

Girls:

Bay
Chardonnay
Day
Fay
Finlay
Friday
Gray
Halliday
Holiday
Holliday
Islay
Ismay
Janay
Jenay
Kay
Lindsay
Lyndsay
May
Saray
Shay
Sunday
Tueday
Wednesday

Boys:
Ajay
Barclay
Bay
Callaway
Carvay
Cejay
Chay
Clay
Conway
Deontay
Dontay
Findlay
Finlay
Gray
Jay
Macaulay
McKay
Murray
Nicolay
Ramsay
Ray
Sanjay
Shay
Vijay

Stay tuned for the next article of "-by" names.  Thanks for reading!

The Most Common Middle Names for Girls

In 2014, I posted a series of Birth Announcements pulled from real births in real hospitals around America. We explored the most common middle names for boys earlier this week. Similarly, I also collected together the twenty most common middle names for girls.

Disclaimer: This is very limited data. The following featured names appeared the most often in my small collection of birth announcements which can be found on the name lists page.  Of course, I would much rather have official data. If the Social Security Administration made a list of the most popular middle names, things would be easier and namers across the country would rejoice.  Since they don't seem to compile that data, I had to come up with my own.

What I noticed is that many of these names are fairly traditional. Not quite to the same extent as the male options, but the females may also receive names that honor a relative or an ideal such as grace or faith. This list will probably not come as a surprise to those familiar with names. Many of you might also refer to these names as "filler" names since they are often considered too common. Some may even feel that these names lack creativity when compared to other trendy, unexpected middle names that are available.

But then again, these middle names are popular for a reason. They are mostly timeless classics that flow very well with a variety of first names and surnames. When they also happen to honor relatives, they surely deserve to be considered as more than just "filler" names.

So, which middle name is most common for girls?:

1. Marie

(32 uses) Marie is the French form of Maria and Mary, both of which come from the biblical Greek names Mariam or Miryam. The meaning of these names isn't set in stone, but typically it is either "sea of bitterness" (or just "bitter"), "rebelliousness" or "wished for child". It could have also originally come from an Egyptian name derived partially from the letters mry meaning "beloved" or mr meaning "love".  Thanks to the biblical Virgin Mary, these names are incredibly popular with Christians. There have been Queens named both Mary and Marie. While Mary has been the longest reigning female name, Marie very much feels like one of the most popular middle names ever. On this limited list, it ranks as #1. It was most used as a first name in 1920 with a rank of #13, but in 2014, Marie only ranks at #579.

2. Rose

(31 uses) Not just a lovely flower, Rose was originally the Norman form of a Germanic name. The elements hrod meaning "fame" and heid meaning "kind, sort, or type" went into the name Rose first in the Ancient German forms of Hrodohaidis and Rothaid then later as Roese and Rohese which were introduced by the Normans to England. It became associated with the word for the flower which was derived from the Latin rosa. In other languages internationally you get names like Rosette, Rosine, Rosalija, Rosalie, Róisín, Ružica, Rosella, Rosália, Ruža  and Raisa.  Lovely, fragrant, international, versatile. Great as a middle name and so common today. As a first name, though, it peaked in 1915 through the 1960s. In 2014, it ranks down at #194 and would be more unexpected as a first name than as a middle.

3. Ann/Anne

(18 uses) Let's break this name down in order starting at the origin. The Hebrew name Channah means "favour" or "grace". It leads to the names Hannah and Anna which seem to have been more interchangeable in the past than they'd be considered today. From Anna came the French form Anne which was also spelled Ann. Both were imported to England in the 13th century and were well-used in the Middle Ages. There have been English Queens by the name of Anne. This name works well in a variety of forms and languages and also as a suffix to certain names. Related names include Annette, Nancy, Hanna, Anaïs, Annabella, Annushka, Anica and more. Overtime, Ann was much more popular, peaking in 1957 at #44. Anne held her own and ended up surpassing Ann in popularity lately, ranking at #553 in 2014 while Ann ranks at #945.

4 . Lynn

(18 uses)  Lynn comes from an English surname derived from the Welsh element llyn which means "lake". Originally this name was used for males, especially before the start of the 20th century, but over time it became common for females instead. This is possibly because of the influence of the name Linda when it was mega-popular. And of course there are plenty of names now that are fashionable with -Lyn, -Lynn or -Line as the ending. Lynn is a common middle name for girls these days. As a first name, Lynn had a major popularity peak in 1956 but was not all that popular before or afterward for girls. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 1997 and there were only 87 girls named Lynn in 2014 (and also 16 males).

5. May/Mae

(16 uses) First of all, Mae is a form of May. Secondly, there are many possibly origins for these names. It could be inspired by the month of May which comes from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. It could be inspired by the name of the hawthorn flower. Or it could simply be a short form, nickname for or diminutive of names like Mary, Margaret or Mabel. Many times May comes from Mary. On their own, though, May and Mae do stand tall as solid first names. Mae is actually the more popular spelling. It peaked in 1918 as a first name with 2,756 births for the year. In 2014, Mae ranked at #682 with 412 births, and May only had 136 births for a rank of #1581.  As a middle name, these both seem to be quite popular.

6. Elizabeth

(13 uses)  Elizabeth is a classic, go-to name for girls. The most evergreen of them all as a first, and very common as a middle name too. It comes from the Greek Elisabet which was derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva meaning "my God is an oath". There have been two Queen Elizabeths, including the current long-reigning Queen of England. There was a 12th century Saint Elizabeth of Hungary who was often honored in medieval England through the Spanish variant Isabel. Elizabeth works very well internationally and has spawned so many names and nicknames like Elise, Isabella, Lillian and more. There have always been thousands of Elizabeths born every year and it has always ranked within the Top 30. In 2014, Elizabeth was #14. Would you use this name as a first or a middle?

7. Grace

(11 uses) The name and the word Grace come from the Latin gratia. It is one of the many virtue names that were first used by Puritans in the 17th century. It seems to be a very popular middle name for girls these days. As a first name, it first peaked in 1918 before declining in usage a bit. It has always ranked within the Top 400 since 1880, though. Since around the early 1990s, it caught on again with modern parents and was revived well for a popularity high of #13 in 2003 and 2004. Since then it's fallen back down to #21 in 2014. It's hard to tell, but it seems to be more favored in the middle rather than as a first name. What's your experience?

8. Faith

(9 uses)  Like Grace, Faith is another Puritan virtue name from the 17th century. This one comes from the Latin word fidere meaning "to trust" and is a huge element of religion. It makes sense that parents would want to give their daughters sure a virtue as a name. It has been in use sine the 1880s, but it wasn't until recently that Faith gained popularity as a first name. It peaked in 2002 at #48 and as of 2014, it ranked at #81. As a middle name, it could be even more popular but it is hard to be certain. Within our limited data here, it ranks well at #8.

9. Jane/Jayne

(8 uses)  John is the 2nd most-used boy name of the last 100 years, and has been vastly more popular when you account for history and international variations. Jane is one of the female forms of John. There are many including Janice, Johanna, Ivana, Siobhán, Gianna and more. Jane/Jayne itself comes from Jehanne which comes from Iohannes, along with John. Iohannes comes from Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious" which is the name of the Hebrew God.  Jane has always ranked in the Top 500, peaking in the late 1940s at #35.  Her popularity as a first name waned after that. In 2014, Jane ranked at #322. Jayne has never been as popular, only gaining usage in 1906. It ranked in the Top 1000 from 1912 to 1973, but now ranks down at #2225 in 2014 with 84 births. Which do you prefer, Jane or Jayne? First name or middle?

10. Jean

(8 uses)  Jean is Jane's twin sister. Both names are the Medieval English form of Jehanne, which as we mentioned above, is related to Iohannes and the Hebrew Name Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". Jean has been commonly used in England and Scotland since the Middle Ages. Pronounced JEEN, this name is not to be confused for the masculine, French name Jean pronounced ZHAWN, however they are related. Jean has always been used for both genders since 1880. It peaked in popularity as a first name for girls in the late 1920s at #12. It left the Top 1000 in 1995 and only received 74 births in 2014. Do you think it fares better as a middle name these days?

11. Faye/Fae

(7 uses)  Fay, Faye and Fae are all derived from the Middle English faie which means "fairy". It has been also used as a short form of Faith. As a first name, Faye ranked within the Top 1000 from 1880-1979 before losing steam. It sank pretty low for a while but has been reclimbing the charts, even ranking at #908 in 2014. Fae was sometimes used from the 1890s to the 1960s but nearly disappeared until recently. However, it only received 21 births in 2014. Fay only got 33. Faye is the most-used spelling. Do you know any girls with Faye as a middle name?

12. Lee/Leigh

(7 uses)  Leigh is sometimes considered the feminine form of Lee, but both names are unisex surname names that come from the Old English leah meaning "clearing". Lee and Leigh work well as a first, a middle or a last name for both genders which is a somewhat unusual feat for a name. Lee for a boy is most popular of them all. Leigh wasn't even used for girls until 1912, but it had been around for boys since 1882. Plenty of women were named Lee through the 1950s-60s, but as of 2014, only 23 girls received the name. In the same year, 55 girls and 8 boys were named Leigh, and 348 boys were named Lee for a rank of #701. Which spelling do you like best for which gender? First or middle name?

13. Nicole/Nichole

(7 uses)  Nicole is the feminine French form of Nicholas which comes from the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people". Nichole is a variant of Nicole and not nearly as common with only 139 female births in 2014. Interestingly, Nicole wasn't used in the US until 1937. It suddenly boomed in the late 1960s, climbing as high as #6 in 1982. It has fallen since then to #129 in 2014. Some people may feel as though it's dated to the 70s and 80s because of its high popularity. Does it still work as a first name today or is it better off as a middle?

14. Rae/Ray

(7 uses) Rae is often thought of as the feminine form of the masculine Ray, but it is also a short form of Rachel. When derived from Rachel, it means "ewe", but when it's taken from Ray or Raymond, it could refer to a beam of light or be derived from a German element meaning "advice". If Star Wars' new heroine's name gets a boost, which is spelled Rey, then it would have the meaning "king" from the Latin rex or regis. This is take-your-pick kind of name. Obviously Ray has always ranked well for boys, but for girls, it has been spotty since the mid-90s when Rae seemingly took over. In 2014, 9 girls were named Ray while 87 were named Rae. We'll have to see if Rey pops up in 2015. All of these, though seem to be more popular as middle names.

15. Rain/Raine/Rayne

(7 uses) People love short middle names that start with R. We just saw Rae, now let's add the N sound to the end and toss in some nature. This unisex name simply comes from the English word rain referring to the precipitation. It comes from the Old English regn. However, you can't count out the possible regal angle that could be intended with spellings like Reign. Raine could be based on the French reine meaning "queen", just as Rey above refers to a king. Or perhaps these could be short forms of Lorraine, a region in France. Many possibilities are at play here. Most of these are all uncommon as first names. There were only 102 girls named Rain in 2014, and 92 named Raine, but there were 258 named Rayne which ranked it just short of the Top 1000.

16. Renee/Renae

(7 uses)  Just like the last two, Renee and Renae are well-used because they work well with a lot of first names.  The origin of these names is Renatus which is a late Latin name meaning "born again". It lead to the French male name René, of which the Renée is the female form. Without the accent mark, Renee and Renae are the English forms. There's also the related Renata. As a first name, none of these are hot right now. Renee peaked in 1962 so it's plausible that girls today receive Renee as a middle name in honor of their grandmothers. Renee was in the Top 100 from 1959 to the early 1980s but has been gradually declining since then. In 2014, it ranked at #962 so it may not rank in the Top 1000 by 2015. Renae only had 55 births in 2014 and has never been as popular.

17. Sophia

(7 uses)  It makes sense the the former #1 girls' name would also make for a great middle name.  It is a Greek name meaning "wisdom". The phrase Hagia Sophia, meaning 'Holy Wisdom" was the name of a large basilica in Constantinople. This name was common through the Middle Ages with European royalty. It became popular in Britain when the German House of Hanover took power in the 18th century. As a name, Sophia does have international appeal with translations such as Sofia, Sofiya, Sonja, Žofie, Sonia, Szonja and more. Sophie is also a popular option that ranked at #91 in 2014. Of course, Sophia was #3 after three years at #1, and Sofia ranked at #12. Which do you prefer as a first? As a middle?

18. Joy

(6 uses)  The name and the word Joy come from the Norman French word joie which came from the Latin gaudia. As a first name in the US, it has been in use since 1885. It has ranked rather well over the years, especially from the late 1920s through the mid-1980s, peaking in 1957 and 1974. In 2014, it ranked at #462 for girls. Joy has also always been giving to boys, but only in handfuls per year. There were 23 boys named Joy in 2014. Do you think Joy is better as a first name or a middle name?

19. Louise

(6 uses) This is the French, feminine form of the male name Louis which comes from Ludovicus, the Latinized form of the German Ludwig which comes from Chlodovech. Tha tname is composed of the elements hlud meaning "famous" and wig meaning "war". Other female diminutives include Louella, Lula and Lovisa. Louise itself seems to be used more as a middle name than a first name. It's a name that is heard often, but surprisingly hasn't ranked within the Top 1000 since 1991. Louise was most popular in 1918 and declined in usage after that. Only 199 girls received the name in 2014. However, for the first time since 1969, sister-name Louisa did rank at #973. Could Louise join the Top 1000 soon, too?

20. Michelle

(5 uses)  Michelle is the French feminine form of the male name Michel which is the French form of Michael. Michael comes from the Hebrew name Mikha'el meaning "who is like God?"  From Michelle also come names like Micheline and international versions like Michaela, Mikaela, Michalina, Miguela and Mykhaila.  As a first name, Michelle wasn't used in the US until 1915. It entered the Top 100 in 1954 and ranke as high as #2 in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Then it declined, falling out of the Top 100 in 2008. As of 2014, it ranks at #187. What do you think of Michelle as a first and as a middle name?

Does this list seem somewhat accurate to you or do you think there are other middle names that might be more popular than the ones listed above? There are definitely more names out there that might have deserved a spot above. For example, other middle names that appeared frequently within The Art of Naming's birth announcements but didn't make the cut for this list include Christine, Catherine/Katherine/Kate, Caroline, Charlotte, Alexandra/Alexandria/Alessandra, Victoria, Ruth, and Josephine. 

Beyond these names mentioned above, anything else that you choose for a middle name will probably not be quite as commonly used, however, since this data is very limited, there are surely names more or less popular in specific locations. Other middle names that could be added in as "modestly popular" may include Abigail, Belle, Beth, Brooke, Claire, Dawn, Elaine, Elise, Evangeline, Evelyn, Frances, Jo, Juliet/Juliette, June, Kay, Lane, Lillian, Madeline, Margaret, Noelle, Olivia, Pearl, Skye, Taylor, Violet, Virginia, and Vivian/Vivienne.

There's bound to be a lot of discrepancies between this data and what you may experience in your particular area, so this list is meant as a basic guide to which names are most likely popular for middle names if that is something you're trying to avoid.

So tell me, which middle names do you hear most often for girls in your area?

The Most Common Middle Names for Boys

In 2014, I posted a series of Birth Announcements that were taken from real hospitals across the US. After combing through all of the names and tallying them up, I came across the twenty most commonly recurring middle names for boys.

Disclaimer: This is very limited data. The following featured names appeared the most often in my small collection of birth announcements which can be found on the name lists page.   Of course, I would much rather have official data on that. If the Social Security Administration made a list of the most popular middle names, things would be easier and namers like me would be thrilled. Since they don't compile that data, I had to improvise.

What I noticed, though, is that we tend to like our male names to be on the traditional side. It may be that many parents use the middle name spot to honor male relatives. Many may simply favor solid, classic choices above the more modern and trendy, while others pair a trendy first name with a classic middle name for balance.

So which names are the most popular middle names? We can't be totally sure, but the following names were most commonly used on the birth announcements curated by The Art Of Naming:

1. James

(31 uses) James is the English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, which means James and Jacob are related. It may be safe to assume that James is the most popular middle name for boys. The data used here is admittedly limited, but James is very prevalent elsewhere too. As a first name, it ranked at # 9 in 2014.  It is also the #1 male name overall for the past 100 years combined, out ranking all other male names. Girls are being named James now too. There were two girls within this data that were given James as a middle name. If you are wanting something uncommon, this is not the name for you.

2. Michael

(15 uses) Michael comes from the Hebrew name Mikha'el meaning "who is like God?". Michael was the #1 boys' name in America from 1954 to 1998. It still ranks well today as a first name, falling only down to #7 in 2014. As a middle name, according to my small data set, Michael was the 2nd most recurring with 15 births.  While Michael has always been given to boys as firsts and middles, it has also been used for girls since the early 1900s.

3. Alexander/Alejandro

(13 uses) This is the Latinized form of the Greek name Alexandros which means "defending men". This strong name for boys has always ranked well in the US. It's also sometimes given to girls even in lieu of the feminine forms like Alexandra. Since the late 1980s, Alexander has been massively popular. It ranked as high as #4 in 2009. Currently it is the 8th most popular name for boys as of 2014.  Within our small data set here, there were 13 instances of Alexander being used as a male middle name, which puts it at #3 on The Art of Naming.

4. John/Jon/Jean

(13 uses)  The name John is the English form of Iohannes, which comes from the Greek Ioannes which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan meaning "YAHWEH is gracious". John has always been a typical name, (think John Doe), but it is no longer the most popular overall boy name since James took that title. John was #1 from 1880-1923 and ranked in the Top 10 until 1986. Currently, John ranks at #26 in the US.

5. Joseph

(11 uses) The Hebrew name Yosef lead to the Latin and Greek Ioseph, which brought about the English Joseph as we know it.  It means "He will add". There are many saints with this name, including the husband of the biblical Mary. The name Joseph was more common among Jews in the Middle Ages than with Christians. Later Joseph gained popularity in Spain and Italy then in England. This name has a ton of variations and translations across different languages around the world (things like Yosif, Josepe, Peppe, Giuseppe, José, and more). Joseph, itself, has never ranked lower than #22 in the US. It has spent decades in the Top 10. In 2014, it was #20.

6. Lee

(11 uses) Lee comes from a surname that was derived from the Old English leah meaning "clearing". This name is predominately masculine but it has always been given to females too, which means it can be considered unisex. It ranked at its best for males in the 1940s and 1950s. It spiked for females through the 1950s and 1960s, too. Popularity has declined for both genders recently with only 348 male births (#701) and 23 female births in the US in 2014. It seems likely that Lee (and possibly the feminine equivalent Leigh) are used more often as middle names than first names now.

7. David

(10 uses) The Hebrew name dawid probably comes from the Hebrew letters dwd meaning "beloved". As a name, David has been used since the Middle Ages in Britain and was huge in Wales and Scotland. It has vast international appeal and recently ranked within the Top 100 in nearly 30 different countries. In English, it's DAY-vid, but many languages opt for the dah-VEED or DAH-vit pronunciations. This name has always within the Top 35 names in the US. It was a Top 10 name between 1936 and 1992, even ranking at #1 in 1960. It currently ranks at #18 in 2014. This name really spans all ages as a first name, and seems to be common as a middle name too.

8. Thomas

(10 uses) Thomas is the Greek form of the Aramaic name Ta'oma meaning "twin". This is a biblical name that was introduced to England by the Normans and grew in popularity. There were a couple saints and philosophers with this name, and also a president and an inventor. A good, traditional name that works as a first name or a middle name nicely. This name has always been popular, consistently ranking within the Top 15 from the 1880s through the 1960s. After that, it dropped a bit but still remains within the Top 70; it was #54 in 2014.

9. Anthony

(9 uses)  Anthony is the English form of Antonius which is a Roman family name. Its meaning, though, is not certain. It has been incorrectly associated with the Greek anthos, meaning flower, which added an h to the name which was originally not there.  A famous bearer was Mark Antony, (or Marcus Antonius) who ruled the Roman Empire with Augustus. He wound up with a tragic story along with his mistress Cleopatra; their story was later told by Shakespeare in 1606's "Antony and Cleopatra".  As a name in the US, Anthony is much more common than Antony. It has almost always ranked within the Top 100, peaking at #7 in 2007. It's currently ranked at #21 as of 2014.

10. Daniel

(9 uses)  Daniel means "God is my judge" as derived from the Hebrew name Daniyyel. A biblical prophet wore this name which upped the popularity in England through the Middle Ages.  It grew rare again after that until it was revived after the Protestant Reformation. Other noteable bearers include authors, mathematicians and frontiersmen. This is is another traditional, biblical name that has never ranked lower than #55. It has ranked as high as #5 in a number of years; and currently is #10 in 2014.

11. Scott

(9 uses) Scott comes from an English surname but it originally referred to someone from Scotland or someone who speaks Scottish Gaelic. Its root is the Latin Scoti which literally means "Gaelic speaker". Even though this name still ranked at a respectable #425 in 2014, you're probably more likely to find this name on someone born between 1960 and 1975. It was very popular during that time, ranking as high as #10 in 1971. Today, you may encounter it more often as a middle name.

12. Alan/Allen

(8 uses) Allen is a variant of Alan, but both names have a few different etymologies. The name was first introduced to England by the Bretons in the 11th century. Possible meanings include "deer" in Breton and Welsh, "little rock" in Irish,  or "beautiful/handsome" in Irish and Scottish Gaelic. Another possibility is that it's English and French via the Indo-Iranian name alans. So the meaning is unknown, but most layman baby name sites list it as "handsome". In the US, Allen started out as the more popular choice, then they both ranked together in the Top 100 from the late 1930s to the late 1960s. Then Alan became the more common choice. Today, as of 2014, Alan ranks at #170 and Allen ranks at #367. Which do you prefer?

13. Andrew

(8 uses)  Andrew is the English form of the Greek Andreas, which itself came from andreios meaning "manly" or "masculine", a derivative of aner which means "man." It is theorized that the biblical Andrew was called that as a nickname for or a translation of his real Hebrew name, but that name is unknown. Andrew was popular in the Middle Ages with Christians. Saint Andrew wore the name, along with 3 Hungarian Kings and an American President. In the US, Andrew has always ranked within the Top 90. It spent time in the Top 10 many times since 1986 and currently ranks at #22.

14. Christopher

(8 uses)  Derived from Christophoros and Christos to mean "bearing Christ", the Greek name Christopher was popularly used to indicate that the bearer literally carried Christ in their hearts. As an English name, it has been used since the 15th century. There are a few different translations of this name, such as Christoffer which was used on 3 Danish Kings. Famous bearers include explorers and playwrights. In the US, the name has always been well-used, ranking in the Top 10 from 1967 to 2003. As of 2014, it's #30.

15. Matthew

(8 uses)  Matthew comes from the Greek Matthaios which came from the Hebrew name Mattityahu meaning "gift of YAHWEH". Saint Matthew was also called Levi and was one of the twelve apostles who also penned a Gospel book. The English used this name since the Middle Ages. Here in the US, Matthew has ranked within the Top 100 since 1956, peaking at #2 in 1995-1996. Today it is the 16th most popular name in the US as of 2014.

16. William

(8 uses) William comes from the Germanic name Willahelm which is composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm meaning "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England by the Normans and remained very popular through the Middle Ages until now. The most famous William of today is England's Prince. Before him, the name was worn by kings and conquerors. It has also been the name of many writers and poets. In the US, William ranked within the Top 10 for nearly a century. It descended to #20 in the 1980s and 1990s, but currently climbed back up to #5 in 2014.

17. Edward

(8 uses) Edward is composed of the Old English elements ead meaning "wealth" and weard meaning "guard" which makes the meaning "wealthy guard". Edward is a regal name with use in England. This name has international spellings such as Eduardo, Eduard, Edvard, Ekewaka, Duarte and Edorta. This name ranked within the Top 100 from 1880-1996. Despite Twilight, the popularity of the name Edward wasn't really affected. In 2014, it ranked at #160.

18. Richard

(7 uses) A German name made from the elements ric meaning "power, rule" and hard meaning "brave, hardy" which makes Richard means "brave power". The Normans brought this name to Britain and it has always been common there. It was even used by 3 kings. It was most popular in the US in the 1940s and 1950s.  Richard always ranked in the Top 100 up until 2006. As of 2014, it is now at its lowest rank of #141.

19. Charles

(7 uses)  Charles is said to come from the German name Karl which means "man", however it is also possible that it came from the German hari meaning "army, warrior". And yet, layman baby name sites like to list it as meaning "free man". Take your pick, I suppose. This name was popular in Europe during the time of Charles the Great, or Charlemagne (742-814). Beyond him, there have been many Kings of France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary and England by the name. Even some Holy Roman Emperors. Add in Darwin, Dickens and others, this name has been well used. In the US, it has always ranked within the Top 70. There were over 40k boys named Charles in both 1947 and 1949. These days, you'll only find about 7k boys per year. It ranked #51 in 2014.

20.Paul

(6 uses) Paul comes from the Roman family name Paulus meaning "small" or "humble" in Latin. This was the name of an important Christian figure, Saint Paul, whose Hebrew name was originally Saul. There have been many other St. Pauls along with six popes by the name, too. This name was not common during the Middle Ages; it took until the 17th century for the name to catch on. This name translates very well across the languages such as Paolo, Pavel, Pól, Pasha, Pablo, Paulos and others. Here in the US, Paul ranked within the Top 100 until the year 2000. It had the most usage per year through the 1950s and 1960s, but recently, the name has fallen to the rank of #201 in the US in 2014. Perhaps it has more usage now as a middle name to honor all those grandpas born in the 50s and 60s.

Other middle names that appeared frequently within The Art of Naming's birth announcements but didn't make the cut for this list include Lucas, Arthur, Patrick, Robert, Lewis/Louis, Steven/Stephen, Timothy, Wayne, Samuel, Ryan, Frederick, Lawrence, Ray and Wesley.

Beyond these 35 names mentioned above, anything else that you choose for a middle name will probably not be quite as commonly used, however, since this data is very limited, there are surely names more or less popular in specific locations. Other middle names that could be added in as "modestly popular" may include Vincent, Xavier, Gabriel, Dean, Benjamin, Oliver, Cole, Everett, Grant,  Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah, Nathaniel, Reid, Russell, and Vaughn.

There's bound to be a lot of discrepancies between this data and what you may experience in your particular area, so this list is meant as a basic guide to which names are most likely popular for middle names if that is something you're trying to avoid.

So I ask, which middle names do you hear most often for boys in your area?

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?