A Host of TV Baby Names
By Meagan at TulipByAnyName
These famous television show hosts have the gift of gab. Let’s have our own chat about their names!
Conan is an Irish name meaning little wolf or little hound. Conan has long been associated with the character Conan the Barbarian. Only 45 babies were named Conan last year, making it a great alternative to similar, popular names like Connor.
David Letterman
David is a classic Hebrew name meaning beloved. Currently Number 18 in popularity, David was in the Top 10 from 1936 till 1992. If you’re looking for a cool spin on David, you might consider Davis, Davidson, or Dawson.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen peaked in 1946, though I think it’s due for a comeback. Like so many popular girls names, Ellen has two syllables, and lends itself to the nickname Ellie. Ellen is an English variation of Helen meaning bright and shining.
Seth Meyers
Seth is a Hebrew name meaning appointed or placed. Seth Meyers’ is just one of the many funny men with this name. The club of funny Seths include Seth Green, Seth Rogen, Seth Macfarlane, and of course Seth Meyers.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah’s iconic name actually comes from a mispronunciation of her intended given name, Orpah. Orpah is a Hebrew name meaning back of the neck. There’s only one Oprah.
Craig is a Scottish surname meaning from the rocks. Craig peaked in popularity in 1970. Currently at 933, Craig is the lowest it’s ever been in the charts.
Wendy is a literary name invented by J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. Prior to Barrie’s use of the name Wendy, it may have also been used as a nickname to Gwendolen.
Stephen is a Greek name meaning crown. Peaking in the 1950’s, Stephen currently comes in at Number 258. There are many handsome variations of Stephen, such as Stefanos, Étienne, and Esteban.
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea is an Old English name meaning chalk landing place. Most people know Chelsea as a London and a New York place name. Chelsea first entered the Top 1,000 in 1969 and is currently at Number 274.
Carson is a name that feels very much on trend. At Number 91 on the charts, Carson is an Irish and Scottish surname possibly meaning son of the marsh-dwellers. Carson is also the surname of legendary talk show host Johnny Carson.
Trevor is a Welsh name meaning from the large village. Trevor may also have Irish roots coming from the name Treabhar meaning prudent. Trevor first entered the charts in 1956 and peaked in the late 1990’s.
Three great John/Jon’s – let’s hear it for Carson and Stewart!
Johnny Carson (John “Johnny” Carson)
John is just about as classic as it gets. A Hebrew name meaning God is gracious. For most of the 20th century John was in the Top 10. John lost momentum in the late 1980’s, though it is still readily used at Number 26.
Jon Stewart (Jonathan “Jon” Stewart)
Jonathan is a Hebrew name meaning gift of God. Jonathan peaked in the 1980’s, providing parents with a replacement and way to honor the classic John. Slowly falling in popularity, Jonathan is currently Number 44.
Oliver is a handsome Latin surname meaning olive tree. Popular in many countries, Oliver is currently Number 32 in the U.S. In the past 10 years alone Oliver has moved up nearly 200 spots. Oliver is also the name of the lead character in the beloved British musical Oliver!
Four Cheers for James – we’re talking Leno, Kimmel, and Fallon
James is an English name meaning supplanter. Last year James reentered the Top 10 in ninth place. There are many familiar nicknames for James, including Jay, Jim, Jimmy, Jamie, and Jem. Recently several celebrities have used the name James for their daughters as well.
Jimmy Kimmel (James “Jimmy” Kimmel)
Kimmel could make an interesting first name choice. It would follow the surname trend, having a similar feel to Kendall and Campbell. Kimmel may come from a German word meaning caraway.
Jimmy Fallon (James “Jimmy” Fallon)
Fallon is an Irish unisex name meaning leader. Fallon was briefly ranked in the Top 1000 for girls, from 1981-1995. No doubt, the small spike Fallon saw was due to it being the name of a character on the show Dynasty.
James Corden
Corden is an occupational surname possibly referring to a ribbon seller or maker, probably derived from the French word corde. If you like Corbin or Corey, you might consider Corden.
What is your favorite host name?