Muppet Names
- Natasha
Origin:
Russian diminutive of NatalyaMeaning:
"birthday of the Lord"Description:
Natasha, an appealing, still unusual name, entered the American mainstream post-Cold War but seems to have peaked in the eighties, replaced by the more straightforward Natalie. As is common for Natashas the world over, the Obamas shorten their Natasha's name to Sasha.
- Elmo
Origin:
Italian from GermanMeaning:
"protector"Description:
Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.)
- Johnson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of John"Description:
No competition for Jackson.
- Grover
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who lives near a grove of trees"Description:
Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look, similar in style to the likes of Wilder and Ranger, to Sullivan, Chester, and Stanley.
- Lou
Origin:
Short form of LouiseMeaning:
"renowned warrior"Description:
Lou is usually a short form of Louise, Louisa, or Lucy in English-speaking countries, when Lou is used for girls at all. But in France and Germany, it's a fashionable choice all on its own, sure to gain even more widespread style credibility since Heidi Klum and Seal chose it for their daughter.
- Roosevelt
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"rose field"Description:
Presidential surname adopted as a first by numbers of midcentury African-American parents.
- Bert
Origin:
English, diminutive of Albert and BertramDescription:
A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here.
- Herbert
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"bright army"Description:
Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English speakers since medieval times, and was in the Top 25 in the US in the late 1920s, around the time of the presidency of Herbert Hoover, but there's been no sight of Herbert in the 21st century. Some Herberts, including novelists H. G. Wells and H. E. Bates, have preferred to go by their initials.
- Yolanda
Origin:
Spanish from GreekMeaning:
"violet flower"Description:
Bold and distinctive, Yolanda is a floral name that doesn't sound frilly or delicate. Ultimately deriving from the Greek words ioles meaning "violet" and anthos meaning "flower", it appears in a variety of forms internationally, including Jolanda, Jolanta, Iolanthe, Iolanta, Iolanda, and Jolana.
- Floyd
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"gray-haired"Description:
Floyd was a Top 100 name from the 1880s to the 1940s that somehow developed an almost comical hayseed persona along with a touch of retro jazz cool; it's beginning to appeal to parents with a strong taste for the quirky.
- Wanda
Origin:
Slavic or GermanMeaning:
"shepherdess; wanderer"Description:
Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's eponymous novel Wanda. A musical namesake is the great Polish harpsichordist Wanda Landowska.
- Ernie
Origin:
Variation of Ernest, English from GermanMeaning:
"serious, resolute"Description:
Can Ernie shed the rubber ducky association and make its way onto the vintage revivals list? Years ago we may have said no, but celebrity chef Stephanie Izard made a strong case for Ernie when she gave the name to her son in 2016. Princess Eugenie uses Ernie as a nickname for son Ernest, born in 2023 - showing that Ernie could be the next Augie.
- Guy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"wood"Description:
The patron saint of comedians and dancers (also known as St Vitus) has a name that is both the ultimate everyman, and has a hint of British aristocracy. In the States, Guy was most popular in the 1950s. Now he hovers steadily below the Top 1000, in the sweet spot of familiar but not overused. With the meteoric rise of Kai, Guy may have potential with parents looking for a more classic name with a similar sound.
- Kermit
Origin:
Irish, variant of Diarmaid/DermotMeaning:
"without injunction, without envy"Description:
Kermit was a Top 500 name until the 1960s, not coincidentally the decade in which Kermit the Frog made it a one-person (well, one-frog) name.
- Don
Origin:
Diminutive of Donald, ScottishMeaning:
"proud chief"Description:
Short form of Donald -- or more stylishly, Donahue or Donovan -- that's acquired a new sixties-era suaveness thanks to Mad Man Don Draper. The name also carries a Sopranos or Godfather-style double entendre.
- Curly
- Barkley
Description:
Barkley is a masculine name of English origin, originally a surname derived from the Old English 'beorc' meaning 'birch tree' and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow.' As a first name, Barkley has maintained modest usage, experiencing small peaks of popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, possibly influenced by basketball star Charles Barkley. The name carries strong nature associations and a certain preppy, distinguished quality. It balances being recognizable without being common, appealing to parents looking for names with English heritage and woodland connections. Barkley also carries a friendly, approachable sound while maintaining a traditional surname-as-first-name style.
- Biff
Origin:
American nicknameDescription:
The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman."
- Beaker
- Fozzie
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