Names that Peaked in 1884
Across 7 pages
of 7
Matt
Short form of Matthew
"gift of God"
Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and…
Nels
Norwegian and Swedish variation of Nicholas
"people of victory"
One of those simple Norse names, like Lars, that is definitely worth thinking about.
Osborn
English
"divine bear; divine warrior"
A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the…
Shep
Diminutive of Shepherd
Three Stooges name (he's the one who wasn't Moe or Curly).
Sid
Short form of Sidney, French
"Saint-Denis"
Sid originated as a nickname for Sidney, but we like it on its own, a la Sara Quin's and Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen's sons. Sid Vicious, member of the band the Sex Pistols, gives this name a punk…
Silvester
Latin, "wood, forest"
"wood, forest"
More commonly spelled as Sylvester in English speaking countries, Silvester is closer to its Latin origins silva . Sharing a root with Silas, Sylvia, and Sylvie, this form saw occasional use in the…
Stafford
English
"from the ford by the landing place"
A surname style name could feel stuffy and edgy, depending on how you look at it. Originally, it was given to those who came from Staffordshire, a county in the West Midlands of England. The name…
Washington
English
"home of the Wassa people"
Lincoln, Tyler, Taylor, Jackson, Jefferson, Harrison, McKinley, Grant, Kennedy, Carter -- yes. Washington -- probably not.
Isom
Isom is a masculine name with historical usage dating back several centuries. It likely originated as a variant of Isham, which itself may be derived from a medieval English surname taken from place…
Lennie
Diminutive of Leonard, Eleanor, or Helen
"brave lion; light, shining torch"
An "old-man" nickname for girls, Lennie could feel as fresh as Billie, Scottie, and Stevie — and if the 100 Year Rule is anything to go by, it may well be time for it to come back round, having been…
Anner
Anner is a feminine name with several possible origins. It might be a variation of Anna or Anne, names that derive from the Hebrew Hannah meaning 'grace.' Alternatively, it could relate to place…
Doctor
Word name
Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you may feel would be only positive for…
Lum
Diminutive of Columbus, English from Latin
"dove"
A forgotten nickname for Columbus, which itself is becoming ever rarer. Radio comedy program Lum and Abner , which ran for over two decades beginning in 1931, featured a character named Columbus…
Lafe
Variation of Leif, Diminutive of Lafayette, Scandinavian, French
"heir, descendant; faith"
In the 18th century, Lafe was the common short form of the French surname name Lafayette. A notable bearer was Lafe McKee, who acted in over 400 films during the first half of the 19th century.…
Doshie
Doshie is a feminine name with American roots, particularly associated with the Southern United States. It likely originated as a nickname or diminutive form, possibly derived from names like…
Ephriam
Ephriam is a variant of the biblical name Ephraim, derived from Hebrew origins meaning "fruitful" or "productive." In the Old Testament, Ephraim was the second son of Joseph and the founder of one of…
Erie
Erie is an uncommon feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from the Erie Native American tribe and the Great Lake named after them, giving it a natural, geographical connection.…
Arlington
English habitational surname, place name
"the noble's town"
Similar in sound to Arlo, Remington, and Arthur, this surname style and place name could make a patriotic choice in the US, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetery. Given to 7 girls and…
Venie
Venie is a delicate feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a diminutive of names like Lavenia or Venetia, or possibly derived from Latin 'venire' meaning 'to come' or Italian…
Gustaf
Swedish form of Gustav
"staff of the Geats"
A Swedish form of the Scandinavian classic, Gustaf was a Top 100 name in Sweden in the 90s and early 2000s. Pronounced as GUWS-stahv (uw like the sound in l oo k) in Swedish, but sometimes as…