Category: Name Image
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Yes, there are still plenty of viable vintage names for boys that remain frozen in the popularity lists of the past. Some aren’t eligible yet for the 100-year-rule, some suffer from IDD (Image Deficit Disorder), and some have simply been forgotten. Here are 30 examples that we don’t think deserve to be dismissed.
June 21st marks the 2017 summer solstice. On this longest day of the year, let’s bask in the light of 14 names whose origins literally shine bright.
Abner means “father of light” in Hebrew. Though closely associated with the rustic comic strip Li’l Abner, the name also graced King Saul’s commander in the Old Testament and Abner Doubleday, the once-touted inventor of baseball. Reaching #371 back in 1901, the sun may shine on Abner again.
Are villain names becoming more popular with today’s parents? It sure seems that way. The rise of Anakin (Darth Vader) and Kylo (Darth Vader’s murderous grandson) has shown that bad guys often capture the hearts of baby-namers.
And here’s another sign that the dark side is winning. For the first time, Loki is more common than Thor.
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Most of us name lovers, even those who are fans of new, cutting-edge monikers, also have an affinity for names of the past. But which part of the past? There are so many possibilities!
Ancient names like Cassius?
Medievals like Isolde?
Puritan names like Prudence?
Frilly Victorian Valentine names ?
Gay 90s nicknames such as Millie and Minnie and Archie?
The Downton Abbey World War I era of Violets and Ediths and Coras?
Midcentury/Mad-Men-type faves–Roger, Sally, Peggy?
The more recent past when names like Amy and Amanda, Jason and Joshua ruled?
By Abby Sandel
If you’re expecting a daughter soon, the new most popular baby names stats for the US might be getting a lot of your attention lately.
Every year, it seems like more rarities are discovered. Calliope, Mavis, and Poppy joined the US Top 1,000. Once uncommon choices like Ophelia, Thea, and Wren all climbed more than 100 places in the rankings. Plenty of reliable traditional names, from Charlotte to Margaret, also gained in use.
Does that mean they’re unwearable? Not at all! But for parents seeking something truly unexpected, finding a great name will take some digging. We’ve got the rarest of the rare names here. But plenty of choices are slightly more familiar, while still remaining uncommon.
If you’re determined to find a name shared by only a handful of children, this list of 50 unusual girl names is a great starting point.
Every one of these names was given to fewer than 100 – and often, many less – girls born in the US last year. It took 263 births for a name to make the Top 1,000 in 2016. These names don’t even rank in the Top 2,000.