The Art of Naming

Welcome to part two of this series! Today we'll investigate ten interesting names that are currently not ranked within the US Top 1000. A couple were popular years ago and are uncommon now, while others have yet to hit their stride. Let's see if any of these could potentially start [re]climbing the charts in the coming years or if they are likely to remain barely-used. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you know any youngsters with these names?

Within the parenthesis, you'll find the number of births the name received in the year 2015, along with the names' corresponding popularity rank.

Denzel (186 births - #1060) Denzel is a form of Denzil which is a surname that indicated a person from the manor of Denzell in Cornwall. The spelling Denzel was made popular by Denzel Washington, an American actor. The name in the US has been around since 1906. It was rare until the early 1990s, peaking in 1993 at #311. It has since fallen off the Top 1000 chart.

Leif (186 births - #1063) This is an Old Norse name that comes from Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". The most famous bearer of this name is Leif Eriksson, a Norse explorer from the 11th century. As a name, Leif has been in use in the US since 1912. It ranked in the Top 1000 from 1959 to 1987. It is very close to rejoining the chart again, do you think it could ever be commonly used?

Octavio (185 births - #1065) Octavio is the Spanish form of the Latin Octavus meaning "eighth". There are not any Oct- names in the Top 1000, Octavio is the highest ranked for boys. It gained usage in the US in 1908. It ranked in the Top 1000 from the 1970s to 2010. It fell recently but isn't too far down. Could Octavio ever be more commonly used? Do you prefer Octavius? Octavian?

Roderick (185 births - #1066)  This name comes from  the Germanic elements hrod meaning "fame" and ric meaning power "power"; so it could mean "famous power". It was the name of a Visigoth King in the 8th century, but the name died out after the Middle Ages. It was revived again by Sir Walter Scott's 1811 poem called "The Vision of Don Roderick". It's always been used in the US and nearly always ranked within the Top 1000 until recently.

Lyle (183 births - #1072) Lyle is an English surname that is actually a bit of a play on words. It comes from the Norman French word l'isle which means "island" and is pronounced the same as Lyle.  The name as always been around in the US, perhaps being most popular in the 1920s. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in 1996, dipped down and is now back up on the outskirts. Could it rejoin soon?

Clarence (180 births - #1080)  Clarence derives from the Latin title Clarensis which may mean "clear, illustrious". This was a title used by the British royal family that comes from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. Clarence has always been used in the US, doing its best around 1920 and remaining a Top 100 name through the 1940s. It gradually fell, dropping out of the Top 1000 in 2009. Could it make a come back or will it continue to hover just below the charts?

Gerard (179 births - #1086) Gerard comes from the Germanic element ger meaning "spear" and hard meaning "brave, hardy". This name was often confused with similar-sounding name Gerald but it has never been nearly as popular. Gerard has been in use since 1886 in the US, but was never popular enough to rank higher than the 200s. It dropped out of the Top 1000 in the early 2000s. Could it be fashionable again in a couple decades?

Sidney (179 births - #1088) Sidney is a surname that also comes from place names in England that mean "wide island" based on the Old English sid meaning "wide" and eg meaning "island". Sidney could also be based on a town in Normandy called Saint Denis. Say that quickly with a French accent and there you go, but there isn't much evidence for this. In the US, Sidney has always been in use for both genders. And there's also the spelling, Sydney, which is popular for girls. Sidney ranked well for boys until it dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2014. Is Sydney's female influence too strong for Sidney to hold popularity for boys?

Aston (178 births - #1089) Aston could be derived from an Old English place name that means "east town"; or it could be a form of Æðelstan which is derived from the Old English elements æðel meaning "noble" and stan meaning "stone".  On record, Aston popped up in 7 different years between 1915 and 1930, each with a handful of births. It wasn't until the early 1980s that this name gained regular usage on boys. It is occasionally used on girls as well, but minimally. Aston has never been in the Top 1000 but it is inching awfully close. Could it be there in the next year or five?

Dale (177 births - #1092) Dale is a nature name and a surname that refers to a person who may have lived near a dale or valley. This name has always been in use in the US for both genders, but it's more commonly a male name. It peaked in 1958 at #46 and 8,478 births. It declined after that, falling off the Top 1000 chart in 2010. It's been lingering on the outskirts, could it ever make a comeback or is it still too recently dated to feel fresh?

Which of these names do you like best? Could any rise in popularity soon or are they better off where they are?

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is a very specific series. We are taking the time to look for names ending in specific letters. We already looked at "-ay" names and "-by" names. Now we are going to investigate all the possible names ending with the letters "-cy".  There could be more out there in other languages around the world but these are some of the best options for an American kid.

Which do you like best?  Can you think of any others that could be added?

Girls:

Cecy
Clancy
Clemency
D'Arcy
Dacy
Darcy
Delancy
Jacy
Kacy
Lacy
Lucy
Macy
Marcy
Mercy
Nancy
Quincy
Stacy
Tacy
Tancy
Tracy
Valancy

Boys:
Chancy
Clancy
Cy
Darcy
Delancy
Ignacy
Jency
Legacy
Percy
Piercy
Quincy
Stacy
Tracy
Yancy

Share your thoughts on these names in the comments below! Take a look at our other articles:

Uniqueness. What does that word mean to you? When it comes to names, it may refer to a name that is seldom heard. What about the spelling? It seems to be a trend lately to take a common name and "make it unique" by tweaking the spelling. But after all, by ear, aren't Emily, Emilee, Emaley, Emylee and Emmalea all pronounced the same? Why not opt for the common spelling to avoid headache and confusion?

(Plus, if you really want a unique name, wouldn't it make more sense to use one that is statistically uncommon rather than respelling a common name?)

If you'd love to steer clear of the constant "could you spell that for me?" questions, and actually be able to find your name on default personalized keepsakes, perhaps you'd prefer a name that doesn't have a ton of spelling options. In fact, maybe you'd like a name with only one common spelling.

Creative namers could be able to twist some of these around, but those variations wouldn't be common. The names on this list will most likely give you an easy time when it comes to having your name spelled correctly when spoken. Can you think of more names that are hard to respell creatively?

Agatha Alba Alessia Alma Althea Amanda Anita Antonella Ariadne Arizona Astrid Audra August Avalon Azul Belen Belinda Bernadette Beth Blanca Brenda Charity Clementine Cordelia Dawn Demi Dixie Dominique Donna Doris Dulce Echo Elle Ember Emerald Emma Esperanza Estelle Etta Eunice Eve Felicity

Fernanda Florence Georgina Giada Gloria Guadalupe Harper Hattie Heather Henrietta Hollis Hope Ida Imogen Indigo Ingrid Ireland Iris Jessica Joelle Joyce Jubilee Judith June Juniper Liv Lois Lotus Louisa Louise Lucero Lucinda Luz Magdalena Magnolia Margarita Marie Martha Mary Meadow Merida Milagros

Moira Mona Monroe Octavia Opal Paloma Pamela Parker Paula Pepper Petra Pippa Poppy Princess Ramona Regina Rhiannon Romina Rosalind Ruth Sabine Salma Salome Sawyer Scout Selma Shannon Sheila Soleil Summer Sylvie Tess Valencia Vida Viola Virginia Whitney Wilhelmina Willa Yolanda Zelda Zinnia

This list is far from complete. What other names can you think of that may have only one common spelling? Would you refute any of these?

Here in America, we tend to like putting the long, proper form of the name on the birth certificate even if we end up calling them by something else as a nickname. Other countries sometimes cut to the chase more often and just name them the short form to start with.

However, it isn't unheard of here in the US. The #2 boys' name of 2015, Liam, is essentially the second half of the name William. It's considered the Irish form, but it still ranks higher than its longer companion.

I thought it would be fun to browse the Top 1000 and find some names that are typically thought of as nicknames (or diminutives or short forms) more often than given names. Most of these are considered nicknames for something longer and many have probably stood alone for years. You may be surprised at how well some of these more abrupt names actually rank on their own:

Liam #2
Luke #28
Jack #40
Eli #53
Jace #75
Leo #91
Max #118
Jayce #132
Alex #134
Jase #182
Mark #196
Jake #205
Xander #207
Jax #214
Zander #249
Johnny #310
Andy #323
Enzo #330
Thiago #333
Drew #363
Jay #394
Theo #408
Danny #426
Alec #455
Nico #464
Ty #484
Jaime #485
Jerry #491
Tony #504
Chris #507  
Hank #534
Sam #554
Larry #556
Randy #570
Jimmy #575
Ricky #584
Joe #596
Niko #636
Mack #661
Terry #664
Eddie #668
Marc #673
Toby #689
Zeke #704
Tommy #705
Ray #713
Clay #718
Jon #737
Bobby #738
Ben #740
Joey #758
Ronnie #771
Willie #775
Maxim #779
Harry #781
Trace #801
Billy #8009
Jamie #821
Van #826
Will #834
Rudy ##868
Jordy #874
Franco #878
Kenny #890
Rey #903
Jessie #918
Rocky #927
Louie #967
Freddy #990
Frankie #992
Would you ever use any of these names alone or would you opt for Edward with the nickname Eddie or Kenneth with the nickname Kenny instead?  Can you think of any other names like these that you would consider?

No doubt you heard about the social security administration's yearly baby name list that came out a couple weeks ago for the US in the year 2015.  As you know, the #1 name for the year was Emma for girls. They also published the Top 1000 names for each gender. Did you know they also have data available for the names beyond the Top 1000?

I often have parents ask me for "unique" name ideas. Now, it is hard to define what is truly unique because everyone has different definitions. Perhaps I've never met someone named Aspen or Mara but once I suggest those, you happen to have known a few and suddenly those aren't really all that unique to you even if they are to me. The best way to determine if a name is more on the unique side of things is to look at the data.

If a name is in the Top 10, there will probably be many kids with those names in the same school, which some parents want to avoid. The farther down on the list you browse, the less likely it is you will find another kid with the same name. If you completely avoid the Top 1000 altogether, you are more likely to be "unique" than not. At least in your area.

To increase your chances of having an uncommon, one of a kind name, it helps to toss out names that are simply respellings of popular names. For example, in this series, I will not be featuring any names that are similar to one that already ranks in the Top 1000.  Since there are names like Adeline (#135), Adelyn (#193), Adelynn (#275) and Adelina (#545) in the Top 1000, I would not be featuring Adilene (#1136) or Addalynn (#1150) because of their similarity. However, there aren't any other names like Poppy so it will be discussed below.

With all of that said, I want to welcome you to this new series that features ten barely used names per month. We'll explore our way down the list and cover more and more uncommon names as we go. In the parenthesis, the number of births for 2015 is listed, followed by the rank. First up:


Mavis comes from the Old French word mauvis which means "thrush" and relates to a bird called the song thrush. Mavis may also mean "purple" in Greek. It was first used in the US for girls in 1893. It was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s, but it has declined in popularity since then. It dropped out of the Top 1000 by 1964, only recently has it gained usage, climbing up to its current rank which is just shy of the Top 1000.


Mercy was one of the 17th century Puritan names, now considered a virtue name. It comes from the Latin merces which means "wages, reward" and is a version of the Latin merx meaning "goods, wares". It has been in use on record in the US since 1881. It was never within the Top 1000 names until it sneaked in at the bottom from the years 2012-2014. It dipped back down in 2015. Could it continue upward in the coming years?

The name India comes from the name of the country which is named after the Indus River. The river's name is Sanskrit meaning "body of trembling water, river". India has been in use in the US since 1880 on record.  It has been on and off the Top 1000 chart over the years, with its most impressive run from 1985 to 2005. The name has dipped down in 2015.

Antonella is a female form of the Latin Antonius, which is a Roman family name. Its original meaning and origin are unknown but this family of names has become associated with the Greek anthos which means "flower." That's why that "h" is added into the boy name Anthony, but is generally left out of other forms like Antonella and Antonia. Antonella has only been around since 1954 on record in the US and is getting close to making its first appearance in the Top 1000. Sister name Antonia is ranked only 4 spots higher in 2015.

Robin is a unisex name that comes from Robert. Robert is a German name "bright fame". It is also the name of a red-breasted bird. It currently ranks for boys at #973, cracking the Top 1000 for the first time since 1999. But for girls, it is still laying low. Female Robin ranked in the Top 1000 from 1932 to 2004. It peaked in 1961 at #169. Today, it's getting close to reclaiming a top spot again.

Cambria is the Latin form of the Welsh name Cymru which is actually the Welsh name for the country of Wales meaning "the people". So this is a place name. It has only been in use in the US for girls since 1963. It cracked the Top 1000 in the years 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014. It currently dipped back down. Could this name be more popular in the near future?

While this name is very rare in the US, it's extremely popular in the UK, ranking as high as #5 in England and Wales recently. It comes from the Old English popæg which is also where the red flower gets its name. It first had usage in the US in 1919 as a name, but it has been inconsistent. It wasn't sued between 1983 and 1998 on record. Now, it's knocking at the door of the Top 1000.  Will it join soon?

Ellery is an English surname which came from the medieval masculine name Hilary. It was derived from the Latin hilaris and the Greek Hilaros which mean "cheerful". Ellery was first used for boys as far back as 1884 in the US. The first female usage came in 1959. It only had 13 male births in 2015, but for girls, it is inching closer and closer to the Top 1000 every year.

Temperance implies moderation and self-restraint. Like Mercy, it is also a virtue name used by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. In the US, though, it wasn't used on recent records until 1972. It has increased since 2006, likely influenced by the main character from the TV show Bones . It ranked in the Top 1000 from 2011 to 2014 but dipped below in 2015. Could it climb again or has it had its fun?


Despite the super popularity of Isabella (and Isabelle, Isabel, Isobel, etc), Belle has somehow managed to remain uncommon. While it may be considered a short form of one of those (or other -belle names), on its own, it is the French word for "beautiful". It had the most usage between the 1880s and the 1930s before dipping down low. It's climbing a bit lately and is just on the outskirts of the Top 1000 chart now, on which it has not ranked since 1934.

Which of these barely-used girl names do you enjoy most? Do you think any of these could gain more usage soon and become common or even popular in the coming years? 

We hear about common and popular names often. The social security administration's yearly baby name list came out a couple weeks ago for the US in the year 2015. Everybody loves to focus on the #1 names and the top 10. Quickly rising names are noted as ones to watch and quickly falling names get even more parents jumping overboard.

What about all of the names that float under the radar? There are still plenty of great names beyond the Top 1000 list. These would be excellent choices for parents who want something more unique rather than something popular. The ones that I've handpicked from 2015's data are all very usable for a modern boy despite being uncommon at the moment.

Welcome to my new series that features ten barely used names per month. We'll explore our way down the list and cover more and more uncommon names as we go. In the parenthesis, the number of births for 2015 is listed, followed by the rank. First up:

Harris comes from a surname that's derived from Harry, which of course is a diminutive of Henry. Harris has been in use in the US since 1880 on record. It fell off the Top 1000 chart in the 1970s, but it's currently just outside of it and could rejoin again in the next year or five. Which do you like more, Harris, Harrison or Harry?

Jericho is the name of a biblical city in Israel, mentioned in the Old Testament. It isn't clear what the name truly means, but it is associated with the Hebrew word yareach which means "moon", or it could possibly be related to the Hebrew word reyach meaning "fragrant". The name has only been in use in the US since 1970 but it's always been outside the Top 1000 except for twice in 2013 and 2014.

Teagan comes from an Irish surname. It is the anglicized form of Ó Tadhgáin which indicates a "descendant of Tadhgán."  Tadhgán itself comes from the name Tadhg, pronounced TIEG, which means "poet" in Irish.  Teagan is used much more often for girls. It ranked at #228 in 2015 on the female side, but for boys it slipped out of the Top 1000 for the first time since 2003.  In all, it has only been in American use since 1986.

Just as the name suggests, Bridger comes from an English surname which refers to a person who lived near or worked on a bridge. Americans have used this name occasionally since 1974. The few times it has ranked within the Top 1000, it was never higher up than #907 which was its peak in 2013. Will it become the next big occupational surname name for boys? Will it ever rise higher than the bottom of the charts?

Keanu (197 births - #1020)  This handsome Hawaiian name means "the cool breeze" from the elements ke and anu. It is indeed a cool name, but does its Hollywood star-power make it unusable or does Mr. Reeves give it the right amount of familiarity? It may indeed be because of him that the name has received usage at all because it's only been around on record in the US since 1990, coinciding with the actor's popularity. It ranked in the Top 1000 from 1994-2005, could it rejoin again soon?

Foster is an English surname that has several different possible origins. First, it could be a contraction of Forester, referring to a keeper of the forest. Second, Foster may come from an Old French occupational name, forcetier, which is a scissor maker; or perhaps fustrier which is a woodworker. Lastly, it may be derived from the word foster which means to encourage or promote development, and would refer to those who care for children who are not their own. Foster has been in use in the US since 1880, ranking until the early 1960s. It was in the Top 1000 again in 2013-2014 but fell as of 2015. Could it make its way up the chart?


It comes from Randel which is a diminutive of Randolf and other similar names that start with rand- which is a Germanic element meaning "rim (of a shield)".This name is admittedly much more dated than the rest. It ranked very well from the early 1950s to the early 1960s, hitting as high as #53 in 1955. It may feel more like a dad/grandpa name right now, but it has always been in use and could work on modern boys still today. However, data indicates it is on its way down since it dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2015 for the first time since 1905. Is it time for this name to fade or does it deserve to stick around?


The surname Howard comes from either the German given name Hughard or the Ancient Scandinavian name Haward / Hávarðr. The first is composed of the Germanic elements hug meaning "heart, mind" and hard meaning "brave, hardy". The second has Old Norse elements há meaning "high" and varðr meaning "guardian, defender". So which is it? Well, Howard may also be derived from ewehirde which is a Middle English term for a ewe herder. I'll let you choose your favorite.  This name has always been in use but it peaked in 1921 and again in 1947. It has always ranked within the Top 1000 except for the years 2013 and 2015. Do you think it will continue to fall?

Garrison is a word that refers to a body of troops stationed within a fortified stronghold in order to protect it. It also refers simply to the city, fortress or ship used by the military base. Garrison comes from the French word garnison, from the verb garnir meaning "to equip". It is also an English surname meaning "son of Garrett". Garrison has been used as a given name in the US since 1912. It didn't rank in the Top 1000 until 1986. The highest it has ranked is #566 in 1999. As of 2015, it's dipped back below the Top 1000.


 Merrick comes from an English surname which was originally derived from Meurig, the Welsh form of the name Maurice. Now, Maurice comes from the Roman name Mauritius or Maurus which is Latin for "dark skinned". The name Merrick dates back to 1905 in the US for boys. It does have occasional usage for girls since 1981, but it has never ranked within the Top 1000 for either gender. As of 2014 for boys, it was as close as it has ever been with a rank of #1036, but it dropped a bit by 2015. Will it ever crack the list?

Which of these ten names do you like most? Which do you think could be the first of them to rank on the Top 1000 chart in the coming years? Which names will only decline more?