Names that Peaked in 1911
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About this list
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…
Ruby
Latin
"deep red precious stone"
Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again…
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."…
Rose
Latin
"rose, a flower"
Rose is derived from the Latin rosa , which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros…
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…
Abraham
Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abraham is among the most classic baby names that's still widely-used today, popular for its references to both the Bible and American history. The Biblical Abraham was the first of the Old Testament…
Grady
Irish
"noble"
Following in the footsteps of popular brother Brady, Grady is another lively, ebullient Irish surname name. The O'Gradys (originally O Gradaugh) were an ancient clan that produced an impressive…
Opal
Sanskrit
"gem"
Opal is on the verge of a repolishing, following other jewel names like Ruby and Pearl. A Top 100 name during the first two decades of the twentieth century, the opalescent Opal has a good chance of…
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…
Estelle
French
"star"
Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on…
Alden
English
"old, wise friend"
Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine,…
Vincenzo
Italian variation of Vincent
"conquering"
This classic yet poetic Italian name for boys , is a Top 50 choice in its native Italy, and has been climbing up the charts in the US and the UK too. It had sporadically made the US charts throughout…
Hyman
Anglicized variation of Chaim
"life"
Hyman was commonly used by first-generation Jewish immigrants to Anglicize Chaim, but similarities to terms like heinie and hymen have taken it out of the realm of modern possibility. The original…
Vivien
Latin
"life"
Vivien (Scarlett O'Hara) Leigh was born Vivian. Some sources give Vivien as a relative of the Irish goddess name Bebinn and a literary name invented by Tennyson. Others say it's related to the…
Ozie
Ozie is a unisex name with historical usage in the United States dating back to the late 19th century. The name may have multiple origins: it could be a diminutive of names like Oswald or Osborne…
Zelda
Diminutive of Griselda
"gray fighting maid"
Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight…
Blanchie
Blanchie is a feminine name that functions as an affectionate diminutive of Blanche, which comes from the French word for "white" or "fair." This charming variation adds a warm, familiar quality to…
Winthrop
English
"friend's village"
Proper Bostonian.
