User-created list
Pennsylvanian Names in 1874
Across 10 pages
of 10
Moses
Egyptian
"delivered from the water"
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's choice of this white-bearded Old Testament name helped bring it into the modern age, along with brethren Elijah, Isaiah and Isaac. User-friendly nicknames include…
Kate
English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong,…
Philip
Greek
"lover of horses"
Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys' classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has…
Scott
English
"from Scotland"
A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.
Priscilla
Latin, diminutive of Prisca
"ancient"
Despite her somewhat prissy, puritanical air, Priscilla has managed to stay widely used for well over a century -- it reached as high as Number 127 in 1940 -- appreciated for its delicacy and solid…
Emanuel
Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew
"God is with us"
Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.
Allen
English and Scottish
"handsome, cheerful"
Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a…
Seth
Hebrew
"appointed, placed"
The long-neglected name of Adam and Eve's third son after Cain and Abel, Seth is appreciated for its gentle, understated presence -- and strong middle-name potential. It reached a high of Number 63…
Albert
German
"noble, bright"
Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top royal baby boy names , a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer). Albert became popular in Britain…
Leonard
German
"brave lion"
Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of…
Uriah
Hebrew
"God is my light"
A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield . Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine.…
Dennis
French from Greek, vernacular form of Dionysius
"god of Nysa"
Although it has come to sound Irish, Dennis is one of the most widely-used French names (St. Denis is the patron saint of France) and harks back even further to Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and…
Martha
Aramaic
"lady"
The name of our first First Lady still has something of a prim and proper image, academic and efficient. That quiet, traditional, and tasteful gestalt is exactly what makes Martha appealing to some…
Amos
Hebrew
"carried by God, load, burden"
Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. Similar to other popular choices like Amias, Asa, Moses, and Thomas, it has a contemporary air…
Hugh
English from German, Irish
"mind, intellect; fiery one"
Tough yet gentle in look and sound, Hugh was a Top 100 choice in the US back in the late 19th-century and while it's never reached those heights again, it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000…
Ambrose
Latin
"immortal"
Gentle but grandiose and beloved by British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose was a fast rising name in 2022. Entering the UK Top 1000 for the first time and proving…
Harry
Diminutive of Henry, English, German
"estate ruler"
Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold…
Paulina
Spanish, feminine variation of Paul
"small"
More stylish than either Paula or Pauline, it was given a glamour gloss by model Paulina Porizkova in the nineties.
Darius
Latin from Greek and Persian
"possessing goodness"
Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be…
Jefferson
English
"son of Jeffrey"
The name of the third U.S. President sounds, like Harrison and Jackson, more modern and stylish now than its root name. Used as a first name long before our surname-crazed era, Jefferson was most…