Common Favorites

A list of my favorite names that are rather common.
  1. Jude
    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "praised; to be generous, to be good to others"
    • Description:

      Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
  2. Jane
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Simple, classic, strong, and versatile, Jane has shrugged off her plain associations to become a short, punchy name with plenty of literary significance. Calling to mind Jane Austen and Jane Eyre, this charming choice is in the Top 300 in the US and The Netherlands, but a currently underused option elsewhere.
  3. Hudson
    • Origin:

      English place-name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "Hugh's son"
    • Description:

      Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
  4. Luke
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"
    • Description:

      Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.
  5. Parker
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "park-keeper"
    • Description:

      One of the first generation of surname names, along with Porter and Morgan, Parker's still one of the most appealing and remains firmly in the Top 100 for boys. About three times as many boys as girls get this occupational name. The association with Charlie Parker gives Parker itself a jazzy edge, and it also has a nature-related meaning. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Parker.

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