Names that Peaked in 1891

Clarence

Latin

"bright"

The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate. An English…

Omer

Hebrew

"sheaf of corn"

A symbolic name for boys born during a period between Passover and Shavuot.

Raleigh

English

"meadow of roe deer"

Attractive North Carolina place-name and surname of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Distinctive, classy-but-approachable choice for either sex.

Job

Hebrew

"persecuted"

A rare and single syllable Biblical name with a hint of Jude, Jonah, Jacob, and Joseph about it, Job is a weighty choice that may appeal to those who enjoy both heavily Biblical names and short,…

Judge

Word name

Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.

Ammon

Variation of Amman, German occupational name, Greek, Ancient Egyptian

"administrator; the hidden one"

Ammon is connected to two religions in the US and is used exclusively between the two of them. Prior to the 1960s, Ammon was considered a solely Amish name. In the Amish community, Ammon is bestowed…

Cato

Latin

"all-knowing"

Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman…

Berkley

Berkley is a masculine name derived from an English surname and place name, originally meaning 'birch tree meadow' or 'birch clearing' in Old English. This nature-inspired name carries associations…

Heber

Hebrew

"partner, togetherness"

Biblical name -- he was an ancestor of Abraham's -- rarely used today but registered on the U.S. popularity list at the end of the 19th century. With the rise of other obscure Old Testament names,…

Tillman

Tillman is a strong masculine name with Germanic origins, derived from the occupational surname meaning 'farmer' or literally 'one who works the land' (from Middle High German 'til' meaning field and…

Freeman

Word name or surname name, English

"free man"

Another meaningful word name that actually dates back to pre-Emancipation days.

Wellington

English surname from place name

"people living in the hamlet in the cleared area near the temple"

Wellington is a tony-sounding English surname turned baby name by pregnancy guru Rosie Pope, who calls her son Wells for short. It's also the middle name of one of the Sweet Home sextuplets, Blu…

Sigurd

Norse

"guardian of victory"

This old Norse name is still used in contemporary Scandinavia. An ancient hero's name, Sigurd got a modern boost from a heroic figure in television's The Vikings .

Albin

Latin

"white"

Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and…