Where Are They Now? - 1911 #51-60

Doris Day via Wikipedia

As we enter into the bottom half of the Top 100, we'll see if the names in the lower 100 have more of a turnaround power than the upper half. So far, not so good. For a reference, here is a link to the previous Where Are They Now? posts.

1911 #51-60

51 Peter - #198 and falling (after rising to #36)
52 Frederick - #540 and falling (after rising to #49)
53 Daniel - #10 and falling (after rising to #5)
54 Bernard - fell off the Top 1000 after 2008 (after rising to #45)
55 Russell - #404 and steady (after rising to #49)
56 Theodore - #231 and rising (after falling to #314)
57 Floyd - fell off the Top 1000 after 1998
58 Chester - fell off the Top 1000 after 1995 (after rising to #53)
59 Leroy - fell off the Top 1000 after 2010  (after rising to #51)
60 Edwin - #235 and falling  (after rising to #52)

51 Bernice - fell off the Top 1000 after 1984 (after rising to #39)
52 Minnie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1971
53 Ann - #996 and falling (after rising to #28)
54 Nellie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1979
55 Katherine - #61 and steady (after rising to #45, falling to #105 and then rising to #25)
56 Doris - fell off the Top 1000 after 1992 (after rising to #6)
57 Laura - #273 and steady (after falling to #119 and then rising to #10)
58 Marion - fell off the Top 1000 after 1988 (after rising to #42)
59 Marjorie - fell off the Top 1000 after 1994 (after rising to #16)
60 Lillie - #467 and steady (after falling out of the Top 1000 for 22 years)

This group definitely lacks in contenders. Daniel is a name that will probably always be in the Top 100, but Theodore is the only other boy name that fits into the realm of the "100 year rule" criteria (and it isn't even close to the Top 100 yet). As for the girl names, Katherine and Laura are roller coaster rides, while Lillie has made a slight comeback after being out of the picture for 22 years and re-entering the Top 1000 in 1998.

I think the mouse has forever tainted the name a bit, but I love Minnie. I also wish Frederick would make a U-turn and come back into common use.

Do any of these names stick out to you?

The Bush Family

via Wikipedia

While not quite American royalty (I guess that title only goes to the Kennedys), the Bush family is definitely an American dynasty. Several members have a history of public service, the most well-known being the father and son who were both President of the United States. Recently, President George W. Bush's daughter Jenna announced her pregnancy, expanding the lineage even further. I've always known that the Bush twins were named after their grandmothers, but as I did the research for this post, I was pleased to find that the Bushes have a history of using family names. I put together as much information as I could find from the trusty internet. Let's go back to the late 1600s...

Richard Bush (1695-1742) with Mary Fairbanks
-Timothy

Timothy Bush (1735-1815) with Deborah House
-Timothy, Jr.

Timothy Bush, Jr. (1761-1850) with Lydia Newcomb
-Henry
-Lovina
-Obadiah Newcomb
-Anna

Obadiah Newcomb Bush (1797-1851) with Harriet Smith
-Harriet
-Cornelia and/or Cornelius (not sure if this is twins or a mix-up with the names; it is said that Obadiah had 7 kids, so maybe they named their twins Cornelia and Cornelius?)
-Sanford
-James Smith
-Elizabeth
-William Mack

James Smith Bush (1825-1889) with Harriet Eleanor Fay
-James Freeman
-Samuel Prescott (named after Harriet's grandfather Samuel Prescott Phillips Fay)
-Harriet Montford
-Eleanor Howard

Samuel Prescott Bush (1863-1948) with Flora Sheldon
-Prescott Sheldon
-Robert Sheldon
-Mary Eleanor
-Margaret Livingston
-James Smith

Prescott Sheldon Bush (1895-1972) with Dorothy Wear Walker
(Dorothy's parents were George Herbert Walker and Lucretia "Loulie" Wear)
-Prescott Sheldon, Jr.
-George Herbert Walker
-Nancy Walker (has 4 children with Alexander Ellis - Nancy, Alexander III, John Prescott, and Josiah)
-Jonathan James (has two sons with Josephine - Jonathon S. and William Hall "Billy")
-William Henry Trotter "Bucky"

George Herbert Walker Bush (b. 1924) with Barbara Pierce
(Barbara's parents were Marvin Pierce and Pauline Robinson; Marvin Pierce's parents were Scott Pierce and Mabel Marvin)
-George Walker
-Pauline Robinson "Robin" (died at the age of 3)
-John Ellis "Jeb"
-Neil Mallon
-Marvin Pierce
-Dorothy Walker

George Walker Bush (b. 1946) with Laura Lane Welch
(Laura's parents were Harold Welch and Jenna Louise Hawkins)
-Jenna Welch (twin)
-Barbara Pierce (twin)

Jeb Bush (b. 1953) with Columba Garnica Gallo
-George Prescott Garnica
-Noelle Lucila
-John Ellis, Jr. "Jebby"

Neil Bush (b. 1955) with Sharon Smith
-Lauren Pierce
-Pierce Mallon
-Ashley Walker

Marvin Bush (b. 1956) with Margaret Conway Molster
-Marshall Lloyd (girl)
-Walker

Dorothy Bush (b. 1959) with William LeBlond and Robert Koch
-Sam (LeBlond)
-Ellie (LeBlond)
-Robert (Koch)
-Gigi (Koch)

I can't wait to see if Jenna uses family names for her little one! What names would you choose?

This information was gathered from Wikipedia.com and Geni.com.

#12/#12/#12

photo by jon700 via Flickr

In honor of 12/12/12, I thought we would take a look at the names that ranked #12 from 1880 through 2011. I love looking at names in this area of the Top 1000 because the names are popular, but more than likely never reached the top spots. The #12 names from the years around your birth are probably names that you heard a lot in your class when you were young, but they didn't and don't have the notoriety of being "the name." So, here you go... the #TWELVES:

1880 Harry, Clara
1881 Harry, Sarah
1882 Harry, Sarah
1883 Harry, Sarah
1884 Harry, Florence
1885 Harry, Florence
1886 Harry, Bessie
1887 Harry, Annie
1888 Thomas, Ida
1889 Thomas, Alice
1890 Thomas, Helen
1891 Thomas, Bessie
1892 Thomas, Minnie
1893 Thomas, Minnie
1894 Thomas, Minnie
1895 Harry, Clara
1896 Thomas, Alice
1897 Walter, Edna
1898 Harry, Edna
1899 Walter, Alice
1900 Walter, Edna
1901 Walter, Alice
1902 Walter, Gladys
1903 Walter, Alice
1904 Walter, Lillian
1905 Walter, Ethel
1906 Walter, Ethel
1907 Walter, Ethel
1908 Walter, Ethel
1909 Walter, Frances
1910 Thomas, Florence
1911 Walter, Florence
1912 Henry, Florence
1913 Henry, Evelyn
1914 Henry, Alice
1915 Harold, Virginia
1916 Paul, Marie
1917 Harold, Marie
1918 Richard, Marie
1919 Richard, Marie
1920 Harold, Evelyn
1921 Harold, Evelyn
1922 Donald, Anna
1923 Thomas, Evelyn
1924 Frank, Evelyn
1925 Frank, Evelyn
1926 Frank, Jean
1927 Frank, Frances
1928 Frank, Jean
1929 Frank, Jean
1930 Paul, Virginia
1931 Paul, Virginia
1932 David, Joyce
1933 Ronald, Joyce
1934 David, Joyce
1935 Ronald, Joyce
1936 Ronald, Joyce
1937 Joseph, Helen
1938 Joseph, Judith
1939 Joseph, Joyce
1940 Joseph, Dorothy
1941 Joseph, Margaret
1942 Larry, Shirley
1943 Larry, Shirley
1944 Larry, Judy
1945 Donald, Carolyn
1946 Gary, Carolyn
1947 Gary, Judith
1948 Gary, Karen
1949 Gary, Donna
1950 Ronald, Karen
1951 Ronald, Donna
1952 Joseph, Carol
1953 Mark, Cynthia
1954 Mark, Pamela
1955 Gary, Pamela
1956 Joseph, Pamela
1957 Joseph, Pamela
1958 Joseph, Nancy
1959 Timothy, Pamela
1960 Joseph, Barbara
1961 Joseph, Barbara
1962 Steven, Pamela
1963 Scott, Tammy
1964 Steven, Deborah
1965 Timothy, Pamela
1966 Christopher, Donna
1967 Thomas, Amy
1968 Thomas, Kelly
1969 Scott, Julie
1970 Scott, Karen
1971 Jeffrey, Heather
1972 Joseph, Julie
1973 Joseph, Julie
1974 Joseph, Elizabeth
1975 Joseph, Christina
1976 Joseph, Rebecca
1977 William, Lisa
1978 Joshua, Kelly
1979 Daniel, Kimberly
1980 Brian, Angela
1981 Justin, Rebecca
1982 Justin, Heather
1983 Justin, Amy
1984 Ryan, Crystal
1985 Ryan, Christina
1986 Joseph, Melissa
1987 Joseph, Megan
1988 Joseph, Megan
1989 John, Nicole
1990 John, Emily
1991 Nicholas, Kayla
1992 Nicholas, Lauren
1993 Joseph, Lauren
1994 Zachary, Kayla
1995 Joseph, Rachel
1996 Joseph, Megan
1997 Joseph, Kayla
1998 Daniel, Kayla
1999 Ryan, Lauren
2000 Brandon, Alyssa
2001 David, Taylor
2002 Anthony, Alyssa
2003 Nicholas, Sarah
2004 Ryan, Sarah
2005 Alexander, Sophia
2006 Alexander, Ashley
2007 David, Samantha
2008 Andrew, Addison
2009 Aiden, Addison
2010 Mason, Elizabeth
2011 Matthew, Ella

Notice the change in preferences as the years progress. It's fascinating that preferences remained the same throughout many years early on in the list, and then names would periodically pop up throughout the later years but not with the same consistency. You can also see some of the top names as they make their way up (or down) the ladder.

In my opinion, 1995 is the best year for #12s... two timeless, Biblical names in Joseph and Rachel. Rachel happens to be my daughter's name, but I hold no bias. ;) I also think 1887, 1914, and 1930/31 were great years for #12s.

Which year holds your favorite pair of #12s?

Name Madness - FINAL ROUND

photo by Zagrev via Flickr

We started out with 72 names. Now we are down to 4.

This is it! The last round for Name Madness 2012! Thirty-one people voted in Round 4 and here are the results:

#1
Claire 55%
Josephine 45%

#2
Penelope 52%
Daphne 48%

#3
Declan 42%
Emmett 58%

#4
Henry 65%
James 35%

The matches were all pretty close except for Henry vs. James. I am sad that James lost, but if it has to lose to anyone, I'm glad it was to Henry.

When we started this tournament, did you have any idea that these would be the final names?

So, here we are. The final vote. Out of our 72 character names, which is going to be the tops for girls and which is going to be the tops for boys? You have the next week to VOTE! The Final Round ends Sunday, December 16. Winners will be announced Monday, December 17. Please vote only once and for only one name in each match. Have fun!

Where Are They Now? - 1911 #41-50

Elmer Fudd via Wikipedia

We are halfway there! I am going through the top 100 names of 1911 and seeing where they are now. Does the "100 year rule" apply more to the names in the top 50 or bottom 50? We'll see!

You can read and see links to the previous groups here.

1911 #41-50

41 Herbert - fell off the Top 1000 after 2002 (after rising to #25)
42 Andrew - #16 and falling (after falling to #86 and then rising to #5)
43 Eugene - #826 and falling (after rising to #20)
44 Stanley - #674 and steady (after rising to #34)
45 Charlie - #236 and rising (after falling to #479)
46 Leonard - #705 and steady (after rising to #37)
47 Sam - #485 and falling
48 Elmer - fell off the Top 1000 after 2009 (after rising to #44)
49 Herman - fell off the Top 1000 after 1999
50 Leo - #167 and rising (after rising to #47 and then falling to #486)

41 Elsie - #480 and rising (after falling out of the Top 1000 for 28 years)
42 Sarah - #39 and falling (after falling to #119 and then rising to #3)
43 Mabel - fell off the Top 1000 after 1964
44 Julia - #57 and falling (after falling to #142 and then rising to #27)
45 Ida - fell off the Top 1000 after 1986
46 Eva - #83 and rising (after falling to #362)
47 Viola - fell off the Top 1000 after 1972
48 Pearl - #814 and rising (after falling out of the Top 1000 for 20 years)
49 Eleanor - #150 and rising (after rising to #25 and then falling to #686)
50 Myrtle - fell off the Top 1000 after 1965

Charlie and Leo are the stars of the boy group. Leo will probably see time in the top 100 again in the coming years. Andrew is a timeless Biblical name that will probably stay in the top 100. Among the girl names, Elsie fell out the Top 1000 from 1976 through 2004, reappearing in 2005 at #924 and rising over 400 spots in 6 years. It will keep making strides I'm sure.  Eva and Eleanor are also making strong comebacks, with Pearl returning to the Top 1000 in 2007 and beginning to rise again as well.

I have a friend who recently named his daughter Viola after a grandmother. Love it. Would you like to see any of the other names make a new showing?