Thanksgiving Names

Blessed and Blessing are two new entrants in the word name and virtue name categories, gaining popularity for both boys and girls.

A warm and positive English word name, used by the Puritans for both sexes but now given to only around a dozen baby girls each year.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

A puritan virtue name that's only slightly less challenging than Chastity. It was used for nearly 20 baby girls in the contemporary US in one recent year.

Aki is a simple international name from two wildly divergent cultures.

Variant of Seble

Not, in fact, a spelling variation of Hazel (although it could be used as such). But Hazal is also a nature name — it refers to the dried, fallen leaves of Autumn.

Virtue names are making a comeback, but we don't foresee Humility coming into fashion. A baby named Humility Cooper was a passenger on the Mayflower.

Gracious African choice.

This Puritan virtue name may be unstylish, but it is also sympathetic and appealing in these largely uncomfortable times.

In addition to being the appellation of an ancient grain goddess, this name was also borne by two mythic Irish figures, one of whom was betrothed to legendary chieftain Finn MacCool, the other the brave sixteenth century pirate Grainne Ni Mhaille— known in English as Grace O'Malley-- whose name passed into poetry as a symbol of Ireland.

Maybe if you really love Autumn.

Full-hearted new virtue choice, though five syllables is a lot to handle.

A traditional day name used by Akan speakers in Ghana.