Names that Peaked in 1885
Across 6 pages
of 6
About this list
The names
Henry
German
"estate ruler"
Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…
William
German
"resolute protection"
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down…
John
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…
Clara
Latin
"bright, clear"
Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…
Anna
Variation of Hannah, Hebrew
"grace"
Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne. Anna is the Latin form of…
Mary
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…
George
Greek
"farmer"
Iconoclasts though we may be, we like Fred, we like Frank, and we like George, which was among the Top 10 from 1830 to 1950, when the number of little Georges started to decline. Solid, strong, royal…
Rome
Place name, Latin, Greek
"to hurry or flow; strength"
Given that Rome is arguably the most important city in European history, it has been used as a first name remarkably little. However, with Roman in the Top 100 and one-syllable choices in vogue, it…
Frank
Diminutive of Francis or Franklin
"Frenchman or free man"
A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank…
Amalia
German
"work"
Originally popularized in eighteenth century Europe due to the fame of Anna Amalia, a Duchess who was a great patron of the arts, Amalia is now a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to…
Worley
Worley is a masculine name that originated as an English surname derived from a place name, combining Old English elements 'weor' (meaning dam or weir) and 'leah' (woodland or clearing) - essentially…
Medora
Greek
"mother's gift"
Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…
Fielding
English topographical surname
"dweller in the open country"
Fielding is a surname style name, originally given to someone who lived in the country or worked in the fields, however it might also be considered a word name relating to sports (cricket and…
Campbell
Scottish
"crooked mouth"
The seventh most common surname in Scotland, for a time associated only with soup company and the Andy Warhol's iconic painting, Campbell is once again being considered as an accessible but rarer…
Pollie
Pollie is a delightful feminine name typically serving as a diminutive of names like Pauline, Paula, or Polly. It has English origins and derives ultimately from the Latin name 'Paulus,' meaning…
Gee
Gee is a masculine name that can have multiple origins. It may function as a short form of names beginning with 'G' such as George, Gerald, or Geoffrey. Alternatively, it could have originated as a…
Burney
English
"island of the brook"
Though they sound exactly alike, this spelling makes it much more elegant than Bernie.
Clevie
Clevie is an uncommon feminine name that may have originated as a diminutive form of Cleva or as a nickname for names containing the 'clev' sound. It has a vintage, somewhat whimsical quality…
Mollie
Variation of Molly
This new/old spin on Molly -- nickname-names with the ie ending were particularly popular at the turn of the last century -- that has landed this name in the US Top 1000.
Purl
Purl is an uncommon masculine name derived from an English word with multiple meanings. In textile crafts, 'purl' refers to a specific knitting stitch, while in nature, it describes the gentle sound…
