Names from Late To Church tv series

John

Hebrew

"God is gracious"

John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…

Matthew

Hebrew

"gift of God"

Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M . The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the…

Thomas

Aramaic

"twin"

A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…

George

Greek

"farmer"

Iconoclasts though we may be, we like Fred, we like Frank, and we like George, which was among the Top 10 from 1830 to 1950, when the number of little Georges started to decline. Solid, strong, royal…

Felix

Latin

"happy, fortunate"

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks…

Paul

Latin

"small"

Paul is an ancient name for boys -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity. To the thousands of girls who…

Kyle

Scottish

"narrow spit of land"

Kyle is still appreciated by thousands of parents each year for its combination of simplicity, strength, and style; it was in the Top 20 for most of the nineties. As a Scottish surname, it dates back…

Jonas

Greek variation of Jonah

"dove"

Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge…

Chris

English nickname for Christian, Christopher

"one who carries Christ"

Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls. While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread…

Chandler

English from French occupational name

"candle maker"

For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends . Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but…

Darwin

English

"dear friend"

Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear…

Elvis

Meaning unknown

When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. The name Elvis is…

Ignatius

Latin

"fiery"

The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical…

Price

Welsh

"son of Rhys"

Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength.

Rivers

Nature name and surname, English

"rivers"

The name Rivers combines two major trends: nature names like the popular River itself, and S-ending surname-names such as Brooks, Rhodes, and yes, Rivers. Rivers is most notable as a first name via…

Denton

English

"valley town"

Denton has never been extremely popular but maintains a steady, modest usage throughout English-speaking countries. The name conveys a sense of reliability and strength, with its strong consonant…

Delano

French surname

"from the forest of nut trees"

Popular President Franklin Delano Roosevelt inspired a brief fashion for this as a first name in the 1940s; almost never heard today.