Names that Peaked in 1954

Rickie

Rickie is a masculine name typically used as a diminutive form of Richard, though it can stand as an independent name. The name Richard, from which it derives, has Germanic origins meaning "powerful…

Dana

English, Slavic, Persian Arabic

"from Denmark, gift, or wise"

Baby girl Danas outnumber baby boys with the name nearly ten to one. But Dana is an attractive, sleek name that can certain work for babies of either gender.

Dirk

Flemish and Dutch, contracted form of Derek

A perennial classic in the Netherlands, short-and-sweet Dirk is starting to feel like a fresher alternative to cousin Derek.

Gerard

English and Irish from German

"spear strength"

Gerard is currently in style limbo, after reaching peak popularity in the 1950s. With its strong meaning and gentle sound, it may be back in a generation or two. But for now, a boy called Gerard will…

Gary

English

"spearman"

When Gary cracked the Top 10 in 1950, it was one of the first nonclassic boys’ names to do so, largely due to Gary (born Frank) Cooper, who was renamed after Gary, Indiana, his agent's hometown. Now,…

Garry

Garry is a masculine name typically considered a variant spelling of Gary, which originated as a diminutive of names like Gareth or Gerald, or from the Germanic element "gar" meaning "spear." This…

Garth

Norse

"groundskeeper, enclosure"

A name that took on a pronounced country twang via Nashville megastar Garth (born Troyal) Brooks.

Jerrold

Jerrold is a masculine name of Germanic origin, essentially a variant of Gerald, which combines elements meaning 'spear' and 'rule' or 'power.' This spelling variation emerged in English-speaking…

Kenton

English

"the royal settlement"

Although Kenton has the trendy K beginning and on ending, and a jazz reference to Stan Kenton, it still manages to sound stiff and old-fashioned.

Kimball

Welsh

"warrior chief"

Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.

Kirby

Norse

"church settlement"

Attractive British place-name with a sense of humor. Fun fact: John Wayne played five characters with the first or second name of Kirby.

Randle

Randle is a masculine name with Germanic origins, derived from the elements 'rand' meaning 'rim of a shield' and 'wolf' meaning 'wolf.' It's a variant of Randall or Randolph, with a slightly softer…

Reyes

Spanish

"kings, royalty"

This regal Spanish name combines several of today's top trends: names that end in S, last names that can also be first names, royal-sounding names, and unisex options. It has a long history of use in…

Ricci

Ricci is a masculine name with Italian origins, primarily used as a diminutive form of Ricardo (Richard). Derived from Germanic elements meaning 'powerful' and 'ruler,' Ricci literally translates to…

Robbin

Robbin is a unisex name that functions primarily as a masculine name in American usage, though it appears as a feminine name in some contexts. It originated as a medieval diminutive of Robert (from…

Stephan

Variant of Stephen

If you wanted to try to get people to pronounce your son's first name the way Stephen Curry does, this might be a way to do it.

Michial

Michial is an uncommon spelling variant of Michael, one of the most enduring masculine names throughout Western history. While the traditional Michael comes from Hebrew meaning 'Who is like God?',…

Michale

Michale is a masculine name that represents an alternative spelling of Michael, one of history's most enduring names. Derived from the Hebrew name Mikha'el meaning 'who is like God?' or 'gift from…