Names on the Cusp - Boys

Seal of the SSA via Wikipedia

We ventured into the realm of fortune-telling with my previous post, and as promised, here are the boy names!

BOYS - #1000 in 2011 was Ethen with 192 boys given the name. There were two other boy names with the same amount of births, Nigel and Yair, that were left off the list due to its initial's lower place in the alphabet. Here are the names of interest from the next 100 names after the Top 1000 (excluding any spelling variations):

#1003 Addison 191
#1004 Oakley 191
#1005 Slade 191
#1008 Carlo 190
#1009 Clarence 190
#1010 Dariel 190
#1011 Humberto 190
#1012 Neymar 190
#1013 Nikhil 190
#1014 Anton 189
#1016 Taj 189
#1017 Aarush 188
#1018 Boden 188
#1019 Yousef 188
#1020 Kenyon 187
#1021 Thiago 187
#1022 Destin 186
#1023 Rocky 185
#1024 Jaquan 184
#1025 Jericho 184
#1026 Kyree 184
#1027 Leroy 184
#1028 Siddharth 184
#1032 Leif 183
#1034 Gordon 182
#1035 Yisroel 182
#1036 Jarrett 181
#1038 Marley 181
#1039 Truman 181
#1042 Adolfo 180
#1043 Antwan 180
#1044 Mack 180
#1045 Titan 180
#1048 Briggs 178
#1049 Daylen 178
#1052 Lachlan 178
#1053 Ulysses 178
#1054 Colson 177
#1057 Elmer 177
#1058 Yael 177
#1060 Reynaldo 176
#1062 Josh 175
#1063 Langston 175
#1065 Brayson 174
#1068 Jovan 174
#1071 Sheldon 174
#1072 Zavion 174
#1075 Armaan 172
#1076 Gerard 172
#1077 Menachem 172
#1081 Briar 170
#1083 Gino 170
#1084 Kalel 170
#1085 Mordechai 170
#1086 Pranav 170
#1088 Ephraim 169
#1090 Lamont 169
#1092 Bernard 168
#1096 Kelton 168
#1097 Tayden 168
#1098 Coby 167
#1099 Stone 167
#1100 Bailey 166
#1101 Eliezer 166

Six names I think have a chance to appear in 2012's Top 1000:

Oakley - Of course it's easy to say that the name only 1 birth away from making the Top 1000 will make it the next year, but Oakley is making headway of late for both boys and girls. Oakley's numbers jumped by over 50 births between 2010 and 2011; it will be interesting to see if it jumps again.

Thiago - I have already written about how much I love this name. It is a variant of James and popular in Argentina and Brazil. We'll see if Thiago can break into the Top 1000 in the United States.

Boden - Add -en to Bodhi and you have Boden. It is a surname with several roots as well as a clothing shop based in the UK. Boden is a fresh take on the popular "ends with -en" name and could very well rise up into the ranks.

Jericho - Want a Biblical name with a little bite? The TV show of the same name could also have created some fans who choose the name out of loyalty, but Jericho itself is a strong name that I would love to see in the Top 1000.

Lachlan - A Scottish name that is due, especially in a world of Lucases and Landons. Even Declan and Kellen, which are similar in feel, are making waves. It's popular in the UK and Australia, and it is about time Lachlan makes similar noise in the US.

Colson - For those who like Cole or Colton but want something less common, or for those who want to honor a family member named Cole or even Nicholas, this could be the option for you. Colson has made a few jumps over the past few years, and time will tell if it can make a bigger one to enter the Top 1000.

What names do you think will make their way into the Top 1000?

Thank you to Behind the Name and Nancy's Baby Names for a lot of the above information.

Names on the Cusp - Girls

Seal of the SSA via Wikipedia

The waiting is such torture. Whether it's the reason or not, it's nice to honor mothers by releasing the data near Mother's Day. But I wish the list would come out sooner. You know what I'm talking about.

Yes, I'm interested in the Top 10 and Top 100, but I also like to see what falls out of and what makes its way into the Top 1000. What's the new name on the block? Finding out is like Christmas in May.

It's hard to say what will make the jump into the published list and what will not. In 2011, Hattie reentered the Top 1000 at #993 with 253 births, up from 157 births in 2010 (which would have put it at #1444). I thought I would peruse the 100 names after the Top 1000 and see what jumps out at me. I am only listing names that do not have a varied spelling in the Top 1000. We will look at the girl names here and the boy names in the next post.

GIRLS - #1000 in 2011 was Damaris with 250 girls given the name. There were two other girl names with the same amount of births, India and Reina, that were left off the list due to its initial's lower place in the alphabet. Here are the names of interest from the next 100:

#1006 Ireland 248
#1019 Charlize 243
#1022 Tania 243
#1023 Essence 242
#1025 Monserrat 242
#1027 Roxanne 241
#1030 Lyra 240
#1031 Mercy 240
#1034 Aurelia 239
#1037 Noor 239
#1038 Amaris 237
#1039 Colette 237
#1041 Winter 237
#1042 Belinda 236
#1047 Ellison 234
#1048 Xiomara 234
#1049 Ashanti 233
#1051 Estella 233
#1053 Dallas 232
#1054 Naima 232
#1055 Antonia 231
#1056 Astrid 231
#1057 Azul 231
#1059 Gretchen 231
#1063 Katrina 230
#1064 Milena 230
#1065 Noa 230
#1070 Kayleen 229
#1071 Alaysia 228
#1073 Tinsley 228
#1078 Ivana 227
#1079 Jamiyah 226
#1084 Emmaline 225
#1089 Coraline 224
#1092 Maren 224
#1093 Raylee 224
#1094 Remi 224
#1095 Selina 224
#1099 Everly 222
#1100 Frida 222
#1101 Jessa 222
#1102 Lorena 222
#1103 Luisa 222
#1104 Shreya 222

Six names I think have a chance to appear in 2012's Top 1000:

Lyra - Along with its space-cousin Luna, this stellar name is making strides. It is pronounced "leera" and is a constellation in the northern sky that contains the star Vega. Edit: While I got my main information from my husband who studied astrophysics and other online sites, there are also a lot of sites that say the pronunciation is lye-ra, so we'll say it's both and parents will probably have to explain how they want it pronounced. ;) Lyra made a pretty big jump in 2008 and has slowly been increasing in number ever since.

Aurelia - I first became aware of this beautiful name after seeing the movie Love Actually. The character in the movie was Portuguese, but the name is from Ancient Rome... remember Marcus Aurelius? 2011 saw the most girls given the name Aurelia in the United States since records have been kept (239 births) and I hope to see the number increase in 2012.

Ellison - Similar to Allison, but mostly a surname, and traditionally a boy name, like other -son names (son of Ellis), that has been overtaken by girls. If parents want the cute nicknames Ellie or Elle but don't want to use the popular Elizabeth, I see a good reason for Ellison to join the ranks in 2012.

Milena - I heard this name a lot while living in Poland and I love its quiet beauty. It is fairly popular in most Central and Eastern European countries and could be compared to Mila, which is similar in sound and origination and growing tremendously in the United States. I hope Milena follows the same path.

Tinsley - It is not found on most name sites, but does have an entry on Nameberry. It was brought into the social realm by socialite Tinsley Mortimer, is a character in The It Girl series, and is a place name in England. With the help of trendy names like Ainsley and Kinsley, Tinsley has made big strides over the past couple of years and could possibly enter the Top 1000 in 2012.

Everly - It came very close to becoming the name of my daughter. To be honest, I am surprised this particular spelling is the highest ranking of the name. It first came to my attention when I was on name forums back in 2005. Several people brought up the name Everleigh and I fell in love with the sound, but preferred the simpler Everly. Unfortunately, my husband was not as enthusiastic about it as I was and in the end we chose a different name, but it will always be a favorite of mine. Everly is increasing in number more and more each year and I think it has a great chance to break into the Top 1000 in 2012.

What names do you think will make their way into the Top 1000? We only have about four months until we can find out for sure.

Thank you to Behind the Name and Nancy's Baby Names for a lot of the above information.

Wanted: A 4th Sister's Name!

Photo by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

Update: Emerson Grace, Chloe Marie, and Leighton Marie are happy to announce the birth of their little sister, Harper Mae, on May 5! You may wonder where Harper came from... of course, my friend and I continued to talk and throw names around after this original post. She liked Skylar but wasn't 100% sure, so she asked me to send her more -er names. Harper was one of them, and I also noted that 'The Baby Name Wizard' listed Harper as a sibling name for Emerson. She added it to her short list, but didn't mention it to her husband. It was meant to be though, because he randomly brought it up one day! So Harper it was. And the middle name Mae was spelled as such because all the girls have middle names ending with an "e." Welcome to the world, Harper Mae, and congratulations to this beautiful family!

I have a friend with three daughters and expecting her fourth precious girl in May. She is really working hard to find a name that fits her other girls' names: Emerson, Chloe and Leighton. Since both Emerson and Leighton have the -on ending, her main goal was to find a name that starts with a vowel to go with Emerson, and ends with a -ee sound to go with Chloe. Ever since the search for this name has started though, she has realized how difficult it is to find that name and like it as well. So, she is open to names that match the set, but preferably doesn't end with an -on.

I threw a lot of names at her, but my first real suggestion was Adelaide (I was going through the British Royal family names and this name popped out). It doesn't have the -ee sound at the end, but it does end with an e and the nickname Addie would match Chloe. It turns out Adelaide was on her list already! She loves it but her husband may need convincing, as nicknames are not on his wish list.

The second name on her short list is Ainsley. It starts with a vowel and ends with the -ee sound and I think it matches pretty well. Again, she likes it but her husband doesn't.

The third name she is considering is one that I casually talked about and then later realized it would be perfect for her: Phoebe. I have to admit that this is my favorite with this sibset and it is growing on my friend (she had to look past the Friends character), but her husband is unsure.

The fourth name they are considering is Skylar. It is a name they both like, but she ranks it fourth among the names mentioned.

Names considered but turned down:

Alodie
Amberly
Amy
Annie
Ashley
Aubrey
Audrey
Avery
Bailey
Bonnie
Brinley
Briony
Cassie
Cecily
Chelsea
Courtney
Daisy
Darcy
Delaney
Elodie
Elsie
Everly
Felicity
Finley
Hadley
Halle
Hattie
Heidi
Ivy
Jolie
Josie
Kenzie
Lacey
Lindsay
Lucy
Macy
Maisie
Melanie (Laney)
Melody
Molly
Naomi
Natalie
Poppy
Ruby
Sadie
Sally
Sophie
Tierney
Whitley
Winnie

She feels as though she has exhausted all names, but it never hurts to put it out there to the masses to see if either a new name or a new regard for a name already considered can be presented. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Quick Pick: Best of the Meaning

Photo by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

To some parents, meaning is critical when naming their baby. They may want to emulate a concept that is important to them or honor another family member with a name of the same meaning. To aid these parents, I have collected some names with the following meanings: Grace, Love, Life, Fighter, Beautiful, Brave/Warrior, Strong, Fair One, Gift of/from God, and Defender/Protector.

To make this fun for everyone, I have turned this into a Quick Pick, because even if meaning isn't important to you, you may still develop an opinion of your favorite name from a group of names. Which name do you like best out of each meaning group? You may prefer a different spelling… I just listed my personal preference. And if a group has both boy names and girl names, you can pick one for each gender. Go!

1. Grace/Graceful
Anabel
Anita
Anna
Annaliese
Anne
Annette
Annika
Anya
Charis
Charissa
Grace
Hannah
Joanna
Lynette
Nancy
Nanette
Nina
Tabitha
Willow

2. Love/Worthy of Being Loved/Beloved
Darryl
David
Elmo
Jedidiah
Leif
Lowell

Amanda
Amara
Amy
Cara
Carys
Cheryl
Darlene
Esme
Kerensa
Mabel

3. Life
Guido
Omar
Vidal
Zoltar

Aisha
Eva
Eve
Evelyn
Liv
Vida
Viveka
Vivian
Zoe

4. Fighter
Barron
Boris
Donovan
Duncan
Evan
Louis
Magnus
Oscar
Owen
Roger
Sloan
Walter

Hilda
Louella
Louisa
Louise
Sloane

5. Beautiful
Alana
Alina
Anwen
Arabella
Belinda
Bella
Belle
Bonnie
Calista
Calla
Clarinda
Doreen
Keely
Linda
Naomi

6. Brave/Warrior
Anderson
Andrew
Bernard
Brandon
Brendon
Casey
Conrad
Emerson
Emery
Everett
Willard

Andrea
Bernadette
Casey
Kelsey
Tracy

7. Strong/Strength
Angus
Brian
Bryant
Carl
Charles
Ralph

Audrey
Breanna
Bridget
Carla
Carly
Carol
Caroline
Matilda
Maude
Megan
Milicent
Valerie

8. Fair One
Guinevere
Jennifer
Kenzie
McKenzie

9. Gift of/from God
Hans
Ian
Ivan
Jonas
Matthew
Micah
Michael
Mitchell
Nathan
Nathaniel
Sean
Shane
Zane
Zebediah

Dorothea
Dorothy
Jana
Jane
Janet
Janice
Michaela
Michelle
Mischa

10. Defender/Protector/Guardian
Alasdair
Alexander
Alexei
Chad
Eamon
Edmund
Edward
Liam
Raymond
Sanders
Sasha
Warner
Warren
William
Willis

Alexa
Alexandra
Alexis
Lexie
Lisandra
Ramona
Rosamund
Wilhelmina

Author's Note: This was originally posted on the old NameFreak! blog, but revised for this post.

Some Very F"ine" Names

Actress Maxine Elliott in 1901 via Wikipedia

With the huge rise in the name Max and all Max names for boys, as well as the sudden popularity of Maxwell as a girl's name (two celebrities using the name for their daughters = popularity), I have been wondering why Maxine is being overlooked. I guess it's considered "old", but I feel it's ready for a comeback. Maybe I'm a little smitten by it as it is my grandmother's name. In any case, all of this thinking made me look at other "-ine" names.

Whether it's pronounced eye-n or ee-n or inn, the suffix "-ine" has been common for girls names throughout the years. It either feminizes a boy name (Maxine), turns a girl name into a variant or diminutive (Adeline), or makes a name for itself (Katherine). The "-yn" ending can be included in this grouping, but for this blog post I chose to only look at names ending in "-ine."

In 1880, there were 32 names in the Top 1000 with the "-ine" suffix: Catherine #31, Josephine #50, Katherine #53, and Caroline #75 were in the Top 100 and the rest were (in their rank order) Pauline, Christine, Katharine, Adeline, Catharine, Angeline, Adaline, Madeline, Kathrine, Clementine, Ernestine, Emmaline, Cathrine, Celestine, Aline, Emeline, Josiephine, Adline, Corine, Geraldine, Augustine, Claudine, Evaline, Hermine, Wilhelmine, Albertine, Corrine, and Delphine.

In 2011, there were only 14 names in the Top 1000 names with the "-ine" suffix: Katherine #61, Jasmine #74, Madeline #85, and Caroline #87 were in the Top 100 and the rest were (in their rank order) Caroline, Josephine, Jacqueline, Evangeline, Adeline, Jazmine, Christine, Angeline, Jaqueline, and Geraldine.

And, just because, I took a look at halfway between those two years. In 1945, there were 43 names in the Top 1000 with the "-ine" suffix: Catherine #50, Geraldine #56, Christine #62, Jacqueline #63, and Katherine #82 were in the Top 100 and the rest were (in their rank order) Josephine, Pauline, Maxine, Caroline, Madeline, Ernestine, Francine, Nadine, Earnestine, Earline, Bernadine, Katharine, Jeannine, Kristine, Corrine, Jeanine, Arline, Corine, Adeline, Angeline, Celestine, Gearldine, Justine, Claudine, Florine, Evangeline, Aline, Jeraldine, Pearline, Janine, Catharine, Lorine, Delphine, Charline, Clementine, Maurine, Kathrine, and Jacquline.

Here is a compiled list of names ending in "-ine." This is by no means a complete list. :)

Adeline - diminutive of Adele
Albertine - feminine form of Albert
Alexandrine - elaborated form of Alexandra
Alexine - variant of Alexandra
Aline - diminutive of Adeline, variant of Eileen
Ambrosine - feminine form of Ambrose
Angeline - diminutive of Angela
Arline - original name
Arthurine - feminine form of Arthur
Augustine - feminine form of Augustinus
Azurine - variant of Azure
Bernardine - feminine form of Bernard
Bettine - diminutive of Elizabeth
Carine - French form of Carina
Carmeline - diminutive of Carmel
Caroline - feminine form of Carolus
Celestine - English form of Caelestinus
Celine - feminine for of Caelinus or diminutive of Marceline
Charline - feminine diminutive of Charles
Christine - French form of Christina
Claudine - feminine form of Claudius
Clementine - feminine form of Clement
Coraline - variant of Coral
Corine - variant of Corinne
Delphine - French form of Delphina
Earline - feminine form of Earl
Edeline - variant of Adelaide
Elbertine - variant of Alberta
Emmeline - variant of Emma
Ernestine - feminine form of Ernest
Evangeline - original name
Eveline - variant of Evelina
Florentine - French form of Florentina
Florine - feminine form of Florinus
Francine - diminutive of Francois
Geraldine - feminine form of Gerald
Gilbertine - feminine form of Gilbert
Hermine - feminine form of Herman
Jacqueline - feminine form of Jacques
Jasmine - original name
Jaxine - variant of Jacinta
Jeannine - diminutive of Jeanne
Jessamine - variant of Jasmine
Joceline - feminine form of Joscelin
Joline - variant of Jolene
Josephine - feminine form of Joseph
Justine - feminine form of Justin
Katherine - original name
Katrine - Danish and Norwegian form of Katherine
Lexine - diminutive of Alexandra
Lorine - variant of Laura
Lusine - variant of Lucinda
Madeline - English form of Magdalene
Marline - variant of Madeline or Marlene
Maurine - variant of Maureen
Maxine - feminine form of Max
Nadine - French elaborated form of Nadia
Noeline - variant of Noelle
Pameline - variant of Pamela
Pascaline - feminine form of Pascal
Pauline - feminine form of Paulinus, variant of Paula
Pearline - variant of Pearl
Rosaline - variant of Rosalind
Sabine - French and German form of Sabina
Sandrine - variant of Alexandra and Sandra
Seraphine - French form of Seraphina
Thomasine - feminine form of Thomas, variant of Thomasina
Tourmaline - original name
Valentine - variant of Valentina
Victorine - feminine form of Victorinus
Wilhelmine - feminine form of Wilhelm
Zoeline - variant of Zoe
Zurine - derived from Basque zuri "white"

My one gripe with names that end in "-ine" is pronunciation. One does not know how to pronounce the name until the parent or name-holder says it. Not that there isn't a "common" pronunciation (I don't think I've ever heard Maxine pronounced any other way than "Max-een"), but there is always apprehension due to people's differing preferences. All that to say, most names that end in "-ine" are girl names and have quite a feminine appeal. The numbers mentioned above could present the view that these names are decreasing in popularity of late, but you also have to keep in mind that I only looked at the Top 1000 and there were MANY more names given in 2011 than there were in 1800 and 1945. You can not go wrong naming your daughter a sweet, ending in "-ine" name.

Do you have a favorite "-ine" name?

Thank you to Behind The Name and Think Baby Names for most of the above information.

The Names of the First Ladies

First Ladies gathered in 1994 via Wikipedia

The United States inaugurates a President on Monday. One of my favorite things about the Inauguration is seeing the President's spouse holding the Bible for him as he declares his oath. The First Lady is a kind of royalty in the US, with her wardrobe, parenting, and policies under the microscope. So, to honor this special occasion, and since I've already written a post about Presidential names, here are the lovely First Ladies (and their birth year):

• Martha Dandridge Custis Washington 1731
• Abigail Smith Adams 1744
• Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson 1748 (died before Thomas Jefferson entered the White House; his daughter Martha Washington Jefferson Randolph acted as hostess)
• Dolley Payne Todd Madison 1768
• Elizabeth Kortright Monroe 1768
• Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams 1775
• Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson 1767 (died before Andrew Jackson was inaugurated; his neice Emily Donelson and then his daughter-in-law Sarah York Jackson acted as hostesses)
• Hannah Hoes Van Buren 1783 (died before Martin Van Buren took office; his daughter-in-law Angelica Singleton Van Buren acted as hostess)
• Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison 1775
• Letitia Christian Tyler 1790 (died while John Tyler was in office; his daughter-in-law Priscilla Cooper Tyler took over as hostess)
• Julia Gardiner Tyler 1820 (married John Tyler during his Presidency)
• Sarah Childress Polk 1803
• Margaret "Peggy" Mackall Smith Taylor 1788
• Abigail Powers Fillmore 1798
• Jane Means Appleton Pierce 1806
• Harriet "Hal" Rebecca Lane Johnston 1830 (was hostess for her uncle, the only President never to have married James Buchanan)
• Mary Ann Todd Lincoln 1818
• Eliza McCardle Johnson 1810
• Julia Boggs Dent Grant 1826
• Lucy Ware Webb Hayes 1831
• Lucretia "Crete" Rudolph Garfield 1832
• Ellen "Nell" Lewis Herndon Arthur 1837 (died before Chester Arthur took office; his sister Mary Arthur McElroy acted as hostess)
• Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland Preston 1864 (married Grover Cleveland while he was President; his sister Mary Elizabeth Cleveland acted as hostess prior to the marriage)
• Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison 1832 (died while Benjamin Harrison was President; his daughter Mary "Mamie" Scott Harrison McKee took over as hostess)
• Ida Saxton McKinley 1847 
• Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt 1861
• Helen "Nellie" Louise Herron Taft 1861
• Ellen Louise Axson Wilson 1860 (died while Woodrow Wilson was President; his daughter Margaret Woodrow Wilson took over as hostess)
• Edith White Bolling Galt Wilson 1872 (married Woodrow Wilson while he was President)
• Florence "Flossie" Mabel Kling DeWolfe Harding 1860
• Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge 1879
• Lou Henry Hoover 1874
• Anna Eleanor Roosevelt 1884
• Elizabeth "Bess" Virginia Wallace Truman 1885
• Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower 1896
• Jacqueline "Jackie" Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis 1929
• Claudia "Lady Bird" Alta Taylor Johnson 1912
• Thelma "Pat" Catherine Ryan Nixon 1912
• Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Bloomer Warren Ford 1918
• Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter 1927
• Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne "Nancy" Frances Robbins) 1921
• Barbara Pierce Bush 1925
• Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton 1947
• Laura Lane Welch Bush 1946
• Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama 1964

Just a few observations from this research...

• If you consider the given names only, the most popular First Lady name is Elizabeth/Eliza (4). 
• Contrary to what some may think, Pat Nixon's given name was not Patricia. It was Thelma; she was nicknamed "Pat" by her father who was going off of the fact she was born around St. Patrick's Day. 
• There is speculation about how Dolley Madison spelled her name - historians have settled on Dolley, but Dolly is what newspapers used and Dollie may have been the spelling at birth. Her name was not Dorothy or Dorothea. 
• Frances Cleveland was originally named Frank after an uncle, but it was soon changed to the feminine variant. 
• Edith Kermit Roosevelt had a brother die in infancy a year before she was born - his name was Kermit. 
• Lady Bird Johnson was named after her uncle Claud, but her nurse commented that she was a pretty "as a ladybird" and the name stuck. She was called Lady by her family, and her husband called her Bird. Bird is the name listed on her marriage license.

Any observations I missed? What are your favorite First Lady names?

Thanks to www.whitehouse.gov and Wikipedia for the info.

Where Are They Now? - A Final Look at 1911's Top 100

photo by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

Over the past ten weeks, we have gone through the Top 100 names from 1911 and where they stood in 2011. The original intent was to see if the "100 Year Rule", or names popular 100 years ago are back to being popular today, was... well, real. After going through the ranks, it has been quite interesting to see what names have come back into the fold after falling away. Now let's look at all 200 names together in one final analysis.

I have divided the names into categories to show their journey over the past 100 years. Names in red are currently falling in popularity; names in green are currently rising; and names in black are holding steady, give or take a few ranks. The names are listed in the order of ranking in 1911.

Steady on Top - Names that never left the Top 100. These are the reliable and constant classics. 

John
William
James
Robert
Joseph
Charles
Thomas
David
Samuel
Anthony
Michael
Andrew
Daniel

Elizabeth

As you can see, Americans love more variety for their girls than for their boys, as there is only one girl name on the list. And I noticed that only four out of the 13 boy names are not Biblical.

*****

"100 Year Rule" Contenders - For the purposes of this study, I define the rule as names that fell out of and then came back into the Top 100 over the past 100 years.

Henry (fell to #146)
Jack (fell to #179)
Benjamin (fell to #155)
Alexander (fell to #233)

Anna (fell to #106)
Lillian (fell to #485)
Evelyn (fell to #289)
Grace (fell to #397)
Emma (fell to #458)
Sarah (fell to #119)
Julia (fell to #142)
Eva (fell to #362)
Katherine (fell to #105)
Ella (fell out of the Top 1000 for 5 years)
Stella (fell out of the Top 1000 for 10 years)
Lucy (fell to #588)
Charlotte (fell to #311)

People may define the rule differently, but according to this study, only 8.5% of the Top 200 (100 boy and 100 girl) names from 1911 meet the "100 Year Rule". However, the rule does not have the be as strict as I define it here. I looked at all the Top 100 names in 1911 and their current rank, even if they are not in the Top 100 anymore, to see if they are on the rise in the very least. Just because they are not in the Top 100 doesn't mean they are not on their way back. In any case, as we will observe more later, girl names are definitely stronger contenders for comebacks than boy names.

An interesting note on the girl names in this category: if the name fell further, it's currently on the rise. Those names that are currently on the decline (Anna, Sarah and Julia) didn't fall past #142 over the past 100 years. Also, all three of those names, and Katherine, would also be considered a Roller Coaster Name, discussed later.

*****

The "It" Names - Names that are currently on the rise after falling from their 1911 ranks. I call them the "It" names because they are coming back (some are coming back faster than others), but aren't considered "too common" yet.

Charlie
Leo
Theodore
Lewis
Leon
Vincent

Alice
Rose
Ruby
Hazel
Josephine
Edith
Lucille
Clara
Esther
Beatrice
Elsie
Pearl
Eleanor
Lillie
Vera
Lena
Mae
Leona
Vivian
Violet
Hattie
Ada
Cora
Genevieve

This is my favorite category of the bunch. To be honest, these names are the reason why I did the study. While they may not have made it back to the "top" in exactly 100 years, they are turning people's heads and making them notice.

*****

Roller Coaster Names - Names that rose and fell and rose (and possibly fell again) over the past 100 years. These names are not tied up in a neat bow in terms of their trends, at least when it comes to their rank. Numbers and percentages might produce less of an up and down motion. These names may also appear in one of the other categories.

Anthony
Michael
Andrew
Leo
Jesse
Leon
Eddie
Vincent
Victor
Edgar
Stephen
Irving
Allen

Anna
Evelyn
Edith
Esther
Sarah
Julia
Eleanor
Katherine
Laura
Mattie
Vera
Kathryn
Carrie
Sylvia
Ellen
Genevieve

I felt it important to include this category because as a person looking for the perfect bell curve, these names were not fitting the bill. As I said above, the ranks may not be an accurate look at the names' trends, but on the other hand, a look at the numbers could produce even more names for this category (like Virginia). Take a look at the numbers for Katherine... now, THAT'S a roller coaster. It makes me wonder, why the ups and downs? Some of these names, like Genevieve, aren't as obvious in their movements, but still made enough waves in their ranks for me to notice. Trends are unpredictable at times, and definitely fascinating to watch.

*****

Down But Not Out - Names that fell out of the Top 100, still in the Top 1000, and are either steady or continuing to fall.

George
Frank
Edward
Walter
Harry
Willie
Albert
Harold
Paul
Arthur
Raymond
Richard
Louis
Ralph
Carl
Howard
Joe
Roy
Ernest
Francis
Donald
Lawrence
Alfred
Kenneth
Eugene
Stanley
Leonard
Sam
Peter
Frederick
Russell
Edwin
Lee
Oscar
Philip
Ray
Jesse
Melvin
Martin
Eddie
Jessie
Victor
Marvin
Edgar
Stephen
Ben
Gerald
Alvin
Harvey
Sidney
Allen
Maurice

Mary
Helen
Margaret
Dorothy
Ruth
Marie
Frances
Catherine
Irene
Annie
Virginia
Martha
Ann
Laura
Lillie
Alma
Anne
Mattie
Jessie
Kathryn
Sylvia
Ellen
Hattie
Rosa
Georgia

The names in this category are either on their way to the category listed below, or could possibly make a turnaround in the coming years and join the "It" names. Hattie just reentered the Top 1000 in 2011... will it continue to climb in 2012? (I hope so.)

*****

The Fallen - Names that have left the Top 1000 since 1911. I have marked where 1911's Top 50 ends to show the difference between the number of top boy names and the number of top girl names that have fallen from the ranks.

Fred
Clarence
Earl
Herbert
Elmer
Herman_____Top 50 in 1911_____
Bernard
Floyd
Chester
Leroy
Clyde
Clifford
Norman
Lester
Milton
Lloyd
Cecil
Morris
Claude
Johnnie
Irving
Homer
Vernon
Gordan
Luther

Mildred (the only one from the Top 10 that has disappeared from the Top 1000)
Florence
Ethel
Edna
Gladys
Louise
Thelma
Gertrude
Bertha
Pauline
Agnes
Bessie
Mabel
Ida
Viola
Myrtle_____Top 50 in 1911_____
Bernice
Minnie
Nellie
Doris
Marion
Marjorie
Willie
Lois
Betty
Jean
Blanche
Carrie
Beulah
Opal
Jennie
Marguerite
Fannie
Mamie
Velma
Lula
Inez
Theresa

Most of these names are probably in the basement for a good while (I don't see Homer or Beulah making a comeback any time soon), but a few could make their way back in the coming years (take a look at Viola).

*****

While the "100 Years Rule" was the original purpose of this research, I have found all of the results fascinating. One of the main trends I noticed was that while the boy names stayed mostly consistent, the girl names are the ones that fell the hardest never to come back, but also are the ones that came back from the dead. There also does not seem to be any connection between a name's location in the Top 100 and whether or not it made a comeback.

What observations have you made? What do you think about the names... do you see any moving up or moving down?

Free At Last

Picture from the March on Washington in 1963 via Wikipedia

Next week, the United States honors Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday as a national holiday. In his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington in 1963, King ended with words from a spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last." These words are so powerful and enduring. Freedom is a valuable concept for everyone, and one that you might wish to translate it into your child's name. After doing some research, here are some names I found that deal with freedom (I also included some variants and diminutives I liked):

Brac - "free"
Camile or Camilla - "free-born"
Carl, Carlton or Charlton - "free men's town"
Carlos - "free man"
Carla, Carlene, Carly, Carol, Caroline, Carrie, Charlene, Charlie, Charlotte, or Cheryl - "free man"
Charles, Charlie, or Chaz - "free man"
Darby - "free from envy" (has also been given to girls)
Dermot, Diarmaid or Diarmid - "free man"
Fanny, Fran, Frances, Francesca, Francine, Francisca, Sissy, or Ziska - "free"
Francis, Francisco, Frank, Franklin or Frisco - "free"
Frantz or Franz - "free"
Fremont - "protector of freedom"
Freedom - "freedom"
Freeland - "from the free land"
Freeman - "free man"
Frewin - "free friend"
Fritz - "free"
Kanoa - "the free one"
Kermit - "free"
Liberty - "free"
Lysander - "liberator"
Paco - "free"
Saoirse - "freedom"

If you don't like any of those names but still want to honor freedom, you could always use names related to the topic itself (this list is mostly from an American standpoint): any of the Founding Father's names (John, George, Thomas, Jefferson, etc.), Rosa (Parks), Martin, Luther, Abraham, Lincoln, Lucretia (Mott), Susan (B. Anthony), Elizabeth (Cady Stanton), Lucy (Stone), Julia (Ward Howe), Harriet (Beecher Stowe or Tubman), Sojourner (Truth), or even William or Wallace. Braveheart may be about a Scottish leader and set in Scotland, but it's a favorite of many Americans and has a strong message of freedom. :) This list could go on and on.

What are some other names that communicate "free" or "freedom" to you?

Miss America 2013

I saw an announcement for the Miss America pageant and I had to check out the names! So, here's a list of the 53 ladies competing for the title of Miss America 2013 (not including last names):

Anna Laura - Alabama
Debbe Jo - Alaska
Piper - Arizona
Sloane - Arkansas
Leah - California
Hannah - Colorado
Emily - Connecticut
Alyssa - Delaware
Allyn - DC
Laura - Florida
Leighton - Georgia
Skyler - Hawaii
Whitney - Idaho
Megan - Illinois
Merrie Beth - Indiana
Mariah - Iowa
Sloane - Kansas
Jessica - Kentucky
Lauren - Louisiana
Molly - Maine
Joanna - Maryland
Taylor - Massachusetts
Angela - Michigan
Siri - Minnesota
Marie - Mississippi
Tippe - Missouri
Alexis - Montana
Mariah - Nebraska
Randi - Nevada
Lindsey - New Jersey
Megan - New Hampshire
Candice - New Mexico
Mallory - New York
Arlie - North Carolina
Rosie - North Dakota
Elissa - Ohio
Alicia - Oklahoma
Nichole - Oregon
Jordyn - Pennsylvania
Kiaraliz - Puerto Rico
Kelsey - Rhode Island
Ali - South Carolina
Calista - South Dakota
Chandler - Tennessee
DaNae - Texas
Kara - Utah
Chelsea - Vermont
Aniska - Virgin Islands
Rosemary - Virginia
Mandy - Washington
Kaitlin - West Virginia
Kate - Wisconsin
Lexie - Wyoming

Lots of good stuff here! TWO Sloanes. An interesting take on Mary Beth with Merrie Beth. TWO Mariahs, one of which has the last name of Cary (she's 20-years-old, meaning her parents had to have known about Mariah Carey, who released her first album in 1990). A Nichole, the spelling of which I've never really cared for due to the word "hole" at the end; I also read that she was runner-up in Oregon and replacing the winner due to residency issues (the winner's name is Rachel). I wonder what the story is behind Allyn and Tippe's names. Finally, I am loving Aniska and am thrilled to see Piper, Mallory, Arlie, Rosie, Calista, Chandler, and Siri. Not your average list of pageant contestant names.

Do you have any observations? Which are your favorites?

Where Are They Now? - 1911 #91-100

Movie poster of Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn via Wikipedia

This is it! I have loved going through these "old" names and seeing where they stand now. We are definitely finishing this series with a bang! Don't forget to check out the blog next week as I take a look at all the posts and do a final analysis on the Top 100 of 1911. Here are the final twenty names...

1911 #91-100

91 Harvey - #862 (returning in 2011 after falling out of the Top 1000 for 12 years, after rising to #85)
92 Sidney - #896 and falling (after rising to #80)
93 Irving - fell off the Top 1000 after 2005 (after falling out of the Top 1000 sporadically and then rising to #523)
94 Alexander - #8 and falling (after falling to #233 and then rising to #4)
95 Homer - fell off the Top 1000 after 1983
96 Vernon - fell off the Top 1000 after 2003 (after rising to #65)
97 Gordon - fell off the Top 1000 after 2008 (after rising to #71)
98 Allen - #318 and steady (after falling to #105 and then rising to #71)
99 Maurice - #460 and falling
100 Luther - fell off the Top 1000 after 1994

91 Cora - #204 and rising (after falling to #878)
92 Rosa - #624 and falling
93 Genevieve - #232 and rising (after rising to #76 and then falling to #691)
94 Lula - fell off the Top 1000 after 1965
95 Charlotte - #27 and rising (after rising to #47 and then falling to #311)
96 Georgia - #305 and steady (after falling to #724)
97 Ada - #494 and rising (after falling out of the Top 1000 for 15 years)
98 Jane - #368 and rising (after rising to #35 and then falling to #477)
99 Inez - fell off the Top 1000 after 1976
100 Theresa - fell off the Top 1000 after 2010 (after falling to #109 and then rising to #32)

Alexander is the standout on the boy side, making it's way up to the Top 10 after falling to #233 over the past 100 years. Another notable is Harvey, reentering the Top 1000 after disappearing off the list for 12 years... will the rise continue? And while the name is no longer on the Top 1000 chart and therefore has no bearing in the "100 year rule," I was captivated by Irving, which jumped over 400 spots in 1988 after being out of the Top 1000 for a bit. Not sure why it made such a leap and was so sporadic there for a bit, but it has since fallen off the charts and doesn't look to return any time soon.

I am absolutely in love with the girl names in this group. Whether they are coming back or not, they are all fascinating and beautiful names. Charlotte is a perfect contender to represent the "100 year rule," while Cora is making its presence known with the help of the British show Downton Abbey (the character of Cora is American). Genevieve is a gem that looks to keep rising and maybe Georgia will start on the up in the coming years. Ada reentered the Top 1000 in 2004 after not showing for 15 years and made huge strides to reach #494 in 2011. Then there is Jane, which will always be my all-time favorite name and will hopefully continue the slow rise back to the Top 100. And could Lula make a return in 2012?

See you next week!

Where Are They Now? - 1911 #81-90

Morris Chestnut via Wikipedia

Another Where Are They Now post... I'm so glad you've stuck with me this far! After 8 previous posts, we are now on the homestretch. One more to go and then the final analysis. Here are the 80s!

1911 #81-90

81 Victor - #142 and falling (up and down between #63 and #142; it is currently falling lower than it ever has)
82 Marvin - #468 and falling (after rising to #44)
83 Edgar - #243 and falling (after falling to #309 and then rising to #142)
84 Stephen - #229 and falling (after falling to #138 and then rising to #19)
85 Morris - fell off the Top 1000 after 1994 (after rising to #82)
86 Ben - #686 and steady
87 Claude - fell off the Top 1000 after 1993
88 Gerald - #627 and steady (after rising to #19)
89 Alvin - #553 and steady (after rising to #66)
90 Johnnie - fell off the Top 1000 after 2001

81 Opal - fell off the Top 1000 after 1960
82 Sylvia - #554 and steady (after rising to #67, falling to #132, and then rising to #50)
83 Violet - #101 and rising (after rising to #74 and then falling out of the Top 1000 for about 25 years)
84 Ellen - #699 and steady (after falling to #104 and then rising to #59)
85 Jennie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1997 (after rising to #73)
86 Hattie - #993 (returning in 2011 after falling out of the Top 1000 for 41 years)
87 Marguerite - fell off the Top 1000 after 1972 (after rising to #78)
88 Fannie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1967
89 Mamie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1966
90 Velma - fell off the Top 1000 after 1973

Except for Violet, and possibly Hattie, this list of names is not too promising for comebacks. Violet reentered in 1998 at #904 and has been steadily rising, and we'll see if Hattie continues to climb when the 2012 numbers are released. Just because it piqued my interest, I checked the graphs on Nancy's Baby Names and found that Opal is very slowly increasing (92 girls were given the name in 2011, the highest number since the 1960s). I realize Hattie and Opal are not anywhere close to the Top 100 like they were in 1911 and therefore not applicable to the "100 year rule", but I still like finding out what names are on the return. And while a couple of the boy names had some ups and downs during the past 100 years, it doesn't look like any of them are currently turning around.

I am really digging Morris though.

The Year in Review: 2012

Happy New Year! For my 60th post, and the first blog of 2013, I thought it would be fun to look back at my most popular posts. Granted, I started this blog in September so there is not that much to pull from, but let's do it anyway.

1. Where Are They Now? - Three of the top 10 posts are from this series, including the top two posts, so I will combine them all for the number one spot. This series is still ongoing, and is a look at the Top 100 names from 1911 in the hopes to analyze the "100 year rule." Where do the popular names from 100 years ago rank now, and if they haven't already made a comeback, will they?

2. Names from Wreck-It Ralph - From what I have observed, the most searchable terms leading people to my blog deal with the names from this movie. Not only does Wreck-It Ralph have some truly unique and fun names for its video game characters, such as Vanellope, Taffyta, and Jubileena, but some could also be considered wearable in the real world.

3. Name Madness - Two of the top 10 spots are from the Name Madness tournament, which is a fun way to reach a "favorite" name. This tournament started off with 72 character names from books, movies, and TV shows, and finished strong with winners Claire and Henry. Try doing a similar thing with your friends if you have a bunch of names you want to choose from! I know we will do this again in 2013, maybe using names from Hollywood, celebrity baby names, or names from European countries.

4. Baby Shower Name Game: Favorites - This was a look at a fun way to reach some name prospects for the future mom at a baby shower. How can your favorites in acting, music, and books turn into possible baby names?

5. Downton Abbey - A Name Study - One of my favorite posts of the year. This British show has caused quite a stir among fans as well as name enthusiasts. With gems such as Cora, Lavinia, and Edith, you cannot go wrong in taking a look for serious name considerations.

6. Wentworth: From Rare Inspiration - Another one of my favorite posts. Actor Wentworth Miller was named after Captain Wentworth from Jane Austen's Persuasion. What other character surnames would make fabulous given names?

7. Diverted by a Name: Cosette - I have loved doing posts for the Diverted by a Name series and will continue to do them as certain names jump out at me. Cosette is a character name from Les Misérables, the book, the musical, and the newly released motion picture. It will be interesting to see if the numbers for this name jump in 2012 and 2013. Other names from this series include Galadriel, Thiago, and Hortense.

Thank you for making these posts so popular! I would also like to thank Appellation Mountain, as most of you linked to this blog from Abby's wonderful site. It was fun to look back, not only to see what you took an interest in, but to also build up anticipation for the coming year. Feel free to contact me with any interests or inquiries!

I can't wait to see what 2013 brings!