Names that Peaked in 1893
Across 4 pages
of 4
The names
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…
Arthur
Celtic
" bear"
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals.…
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…
Ruth
Hebrew
"compassionate friend"
Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and…
Olive
English, from Latin, nature name
"olive tree"
Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the…
Roy
French or Celtic
"king or red-haired"
We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same? Roy came into use in the late nineteenth century,…
Rhea
Greek mythology name
"a flowing stream"
Rhea is an old-style creative name of the Greek mythological earth mother of all the gods. A lot better than the Roman equivalent: Ops. Rhea reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015 and has been heading…
Sanders
Scottish diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
Sanders is one of the S-ending surnames gaining traction as a first name for boys in the US. It jumped nearly 2000 points in popularity this year.
Carlisle
English
"from the walled city"
This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more…
Forest
French occupational name
"woodsman or woods"
The Forest variation of Forrest, used by actor Whitaker, nudges the meaning more toward the woods and away from the woodsman.
Humphrey
German
"peaceful warrior"
Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond…
Icy
English word name
"icy"
A short form of the modern coinage Icelyn that feels cool as a short form, but too frosty for a full name.
Claudius
Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claudius is one of the most user-friendly of the ancient Roman names – even though it's associated with the villainous character in Shakespeare's Hamlet . But as with feminine form Claudia, the…
Thorwald
Thorwald is a masculine name of Norse origin, combining the elements 'Thor' (the Norse god of thunder) and 'wald' or 'valdr' (ruler or powerful one). This powerful name literally translates to…
Leaner
Leaner is an uncommon feminine name with American origins, possibly derived as a variant of Lena or Eleanor, or emerged from the English word 'lean' (slender or graceful). The name may also represent…
Weaver
Occupational name
Weaver, which made an appearance as a first name on the U.S. Top 1000 in the late 19th century and then vanished, may rise again along with its occupational brethren, from already-popular choices…
Elmyra
Elmyra is an uncommon feminine name with possible derivation from Germanic elements meaning 'noble' and 'famous' or 'renowned.' It may also be a variant of Almira, which has Arabic roots meaning…
