Names that Peaked in 1909
Across 2 pages
of 2
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…
Margaret
Greek
"pearl"
Margaret is derived from the French Marguerite, which in turn came from Margarita, the Latin form of the Greek Margarites. Margarites was based on the Old Persian word margārīta , meaning "pearl."…
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…
Helen
Greek
"torch; shining light"
Helen is a name that has connoted beauty since ancient times – Helen of Troy was the the mythological "face that launched a thousand ships," over whom the ten-year Trojan War was fought. The name…
Willie
Diminutive of Wilhelmina or Willa, feminine forms of William, German
"resolute protection"
Willie is one of the adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for girls, rarer than Billie. It definitely makes the somewhat-fearsome Wilhelmina more fun and approachable. The -ie spelling…
Zenobia
Greek
"force of Zeus"
With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically…
Alfonzo
Alfonzo is a masculine name representing an alternate spelling of Alfonso, which derives from Germanic origins combining the elements 'adal' (noble) and 'funs' (ready), essentially meaning 'noble and…
Buddie
Buddie is an affectionate masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of 'buddy,' which itself began as a familiar term for 'brother' or 'friend.' While primarily used as a nickname…
Buster
Modern nickname
An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle…
Clifford
English
"lives near the ford by the cliff"
Clifford is beginning to overcome a slightly stodgy intellectual image and showing signs of possible revival. Kids might or might not like the association with the big red dog. In England, the…
Elmo
Italian from German
"protector"
Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.) But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the…
Hoyt
English
"long stick"
Distinctive though somewhat abrupt, most prominently borne by country singer Hoyt Axton.
Kermit
Irish, variant of Diarmaid/Dermot
"without injunction, without envy"
Kermit was a Top 500 name until the 1960s, not coincidentally the decade in which Kermit the Frog made it a one-person (well, one-frog) name. Derived from the Irish surname Mac Diamada, itself from…
Tommie
Short form of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Tommie is a masculine name traditionally used as a diminutive form of Thomas, which derives from the Aramaic name Te'oma, meaning '"twin"' Popular throughout the 20th century, particularly in the…
Garnett
Garnett is a name of English origin that began as a surname derived from the gemstone garnet, a deep red precious stone. The name was traditionally given to boys but has occasionally been used for…
Einar
Old Norse
"bold warrior"
With Norse (and pseudo-Norse) names such as Thor, Odin and Magnus growing in popularity, this one, which refers to warriors destined for Valhalla on account of their bravery, might have some appeal…
Mearl
Mearl is a masculine name with roots as a variant of Merle or Merrill. Originating from Old French, the name is derived from 'merle' meaning 'blackbird.' It may also have connections to the Latin…
Vlasta
Czech; Slovak; Serbian; Croatian
"homeland, power"
A distinct-sounding Slavic name, most common in Czechia.