Names that Peaked in 1919
Across 3 pages
of 3
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…
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…
Vera
Russian
"faith"
Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple…
Edward
English
"wealthy guardian"
Unlike perennials William, John and James, Edward is a classic that moves in and out of fashion. This royal Anglo-Saxon standard has benefited in recent years from the popularity of the hot hero of…
Lucille
French variation of Latin Lucilla
"light"
Lucille is a name that had long been overpowered by its link to Lucille Ball, with an image of tangerine-colored hair, big, round eyes, and a tendency to stage daffy and desperate stunts. But with…
Raymond
German
"wise protector"
Now that the show has gone into reruns, does anybody still love Raymond? Though it's been long dormant, some parents, including Jack Nicholson, are finding its cool name component, largely through…
Edwin
English
"wealthy friend"
Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available. The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century…
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. These days,…
Irene
Greek
"peace"
Serene Irene, the name of the Greek goddess of peace and one of the most familiar Greek goddess names , was hugely popular in ancient Rome and again in the United States a hundred years ago. One of…
Quentin
Latin
"fifth"
Quentin, an offbeat name with lots of character, relates to the Latin for the number five and is by far the subtlest and most usable of the Latin birth-order names, masculine as well as stylish and…
Evelyne
Variation of Evelyn, English from French and German,"desired; or water, island"
"desired; or water, island"
Evelyn is becoming so popular that many variations are sure to become more widely used too. But in this case, the third E doesn't add anything and only confuses pronunciation: Is it Eveline?
Loraine
Loraine is a feminine name of French origin, derived from the Lorraine region in northeastern France. The name gained notable popularity in English-speaking countries during the early to mid-20th…
Margurite
Margurite is a feminine name that represents a variation of Margaret, ultimately derived from the Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl.' This particular spelling shows French influence, though it…
Elvera
Elvera is a feminine name with Romance language origins, likely deriving from variants of names like Elvira or Vera. The name has Spanish and Italian connections, possibly meaning 'truth' or 'true…
Sybil
Greek
"seer, prophetess"
The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and…
Laverna
Latin
Laverna was the Roman goddess of thievery, cheating, and the underworld. The original meaning of her name in unknown, however, there are several theories. One such theory states that Laverna is…
Syble
Syble is a feminine name that serves as a variant spelling of Sibyl or Sybil, which comes from the Greek 'sibylla,' referring to female prophets or oracles in ancient Greece and Rome. These sibyls…
Lorene
Variation of Lauren, Laura, or Lorraine
"from Laurentum; bay laurel; from Lorraine"
Derived from either the Laura/Lauren/Laurence family, ultimately from the Latin laurus meaning "bay laurel", or a variation of Lorraine and Lorena, names associated with the French province of…
Eloisa
Italian and Spanish variation of Eloise
"healthy; wide"
Eloisa captures a lovely name back from the spoiled little girl at the Plaza. Historical romance writer Eloisa James has helped make this antique name sound fresh and sassy again.