BabyNameRegistry

Last post we looked at the most popular baby names in the US in the 1880s, via the Social Security Administration.  A fascinating exercise in looking at the general consciousness of the past; a past almost unrecognizable to modern life.  Instead of going decade by decade looking at the changes and trends in names, I thought it would be interesting to compare top names from a couple of different decades, spread out to allow for a much starker difference over time.  So let’s jump from the 1880s, to the roaring 1920s, a time when America was still new, and still rising fast.  Let’s see if the most popular baby names reflect the times, and how much different they are from 40 years prior.

Boys:

Robert

John

James

William

Charles

George

Joseph

Richard

Edward

Donald

Girls:

Mary

Dorothy

Helen

Betty

Margaret

Ruth

Virginia

Doris

Mildred

Frances

As we can see, the boy’s names generally stayed the same with the standards all still represented, although in a different order, and Donald has made an appearance at number 10.  As for the girl names, they are very different, with the exception of Mary still staying strong as the top name for girls, there is only one other name in the 1920s top 10 and in the 1880s top ten, and that is Margaret.

Today marks the last day in the cycle of the Taurus, meaning tomorrow is the beginning of the Gemini.   Gemini means twins, and people born under this sign, according to astrology, are likely to be gregarious, and talkative.  They are adventurous and enjoy new experiences.  Gemini’s tend to be multi-talented and intelligent, while sometimes displaying a recklessness and impulsivity which can get them into trouble.  If you’re expecting a baby soon, here may be some good names for your lively Gemini.

Girls:

Fleta (Old English)—Swift as an arrow

Amora (Hebrew)—Speaker

Callan (German)—Talkative

Gemina (Greek)—Twin

Kenna (English)—Brilliant

Hughuette (Teutonic)—Intellectual

Boys:

Jay (English)—Bird-like, chattering

Clark (French)—Scholar

Zivan (Hebrew)—Lively

Alber (Teutonic)—Agile mind

Skeeter (Old English)—The fast one

Tristan (Celtic)—Noisy one

The Social Security Administration is a great resource for expectant parents mulling over the options for naming their new addition.  With a loaded database of all the names bestowed, during any given year or decade, and by state, you can see the relevant treads as they unfold over time.  The data was first compiled in the 1880s through 2012.  It’s a fascinating thing to take a peek back.  The times have changed, but some things, such as a classic name never really does.  Let’s take a look at the United States most popular names of the 1880s.

Girls:

Mary

Anna

Emma

Elizabeth

Margaret

Minnie

Ida

Bertha

Clara

Alice

Boys:

John

William

James

George

Charles

Frank

Joseph

Henry

Robert

Thomas

Everyone wants the best for their children. We want them to be everything we’re not; to have every good quality, with none of the bad. But, of course, that is unrealistic. We are all complicated and flawed. There is no getting away from those facts. However, you’re baby is perfect to you, and how could they not be. Here are some “perfect” names for your perfect upcoming arrival.
Girls:
Dilys (Welsh)
Idylla (Greek)
Kamilla (Arabic)
Nipuna (Indian)
Maria (Egyptian)
Perfecta (Spanish)
Tama (Japanese)
Abla (Muslim)

Boys:
Parfait (French)
Master (Hindi)
Shiva (Sanskrit)
Teleon (Greek)
Callion (Greek)
Devin (French)

Some parents avoid names with obvious shortened versions, as to avoid the inevitable “nicknaming” of their child. Want to name your daughter Katherine but don’t want her to be called Kat or Kate? Well unfortunately there isn’t much a parent can do to prevent this, especially as their child gets older. But one way to combat this would be to find a “nickname” or shortened version of a name and just go with that. Beat them to the punch. If it’s already shortened there is nowhere else to go with it. Here are some good “nicknames” that could easily serve as a given name.
Girls:
Rebecca—Becca, Bec
Elizabeth—Eliza, Beth, Liz
Victoria—Vicky, Vickie
Lilith—Lilly, Lil
Christine, Christina—Crissy, Cris, Tina
Boys:
Michael—Mickey, Mike, Mick
Jonathan—John, Jonah, Jack
Theodore—Ted, Teddy, Theo
William—Will, Bill, Billy, Liam
Donald—Don, Donnie

May 13th is a sad day in history for fans of the popular sci-fi franchise Star Trek, which in 2005; broadcast its final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise in the US. Known for a very serious fan base, the show has spawned almost anything imaginable, from movies and collectibles to conferences and costumes. And I’m sure over the years it’s also been the inspiration for the names of some Trekkie kids. Here are some various names from the fictional future that may serve well as a name for your little explorer.
Boys:
Nimoy
Tiberius
Moriarty
Bashir
Sisko
Archer
Trip
Tucker
Barclay
Toral
Girls:
Lemli
Hadley
Jaya
Seska
Ayala
Seven
Kes
Perrin
Tallera
Kira

I can’t think of another name with such a powerful resonance when spoken. It’s probably because the movies can make anyone look cool, which could affect our overall mental perception. If James Bond was a bumbling fool, like a Mr. Bean for example than maybe Bond, James Bond wouldn’t sound as awesome as it does. Whatever the reason, it is awesome. The 007 series of books and films is known for their unusual names, and here are some of the most interesting.
Vesper Lynd—Casino Royale
Dr. Christmas Jones—The World is Not Enough
Damian Falco—Die Another Day
Lupe Lamora— License to Kill
Achille Aubergine—A View to a Kill
Andrea Anders—The Man with the Golden Gun
Marc-Ange Draco—On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Jack Wade—Multiple
Tiger Tanaka—You Only Live Twice
Seraffimo Spang—Diamond Are Forever

In the game of Scrabble the letters Z and Q are worth ten points, the most for any individual letter, mainly because they are so rarely used in our language. Unlike the game of Scrabble you don’t receive extra points for using an often obscure letter to begin your baby’s name. However, the real prize is the individualism that comes with picking a name beginning with a less than traditional letter, and there are some great options out there. Here are some ideas for names that’ll score high on any Scrabble board, especially if it’s a triple word score.
Q:
Quinlan (Irish)–Graceful
Quinn (Celtic)–Counsel
Quentin (English)–Fifth
Quincy (English)—Born Fifth
Quiana (American)—Silky
Z:
Zelda (Yiddish)—Luck
Zachariah (Hebrew)—The Lord Recalled
Zander (English)—Abbreviated version of Alexander
Zane (English)—Gift from God
ZaZa (Hebrew) — Movement

With so many words in the English language almost anything can be used as a baby name, even if it’s not a name at all.  Buck tradition, be a trailblazer, start your child off on an independent note with a name that’s as unique as them.  Here are some ideas for names that aren’t really names (in a traditional sense).

Cricket—Sport or Bug, a quirky name

Dune—Piles of sand on the beach or influential Sci-Fi novel, either way a great name

Pike—A fish, nice and natural

West—The direction of American expansion, great for your little explorer

Fable—An important story, even better name

Ever—infinite, a name without limits

Curry—Spicy food, spicier name

Echo—ECHO…Echo…echo, say it again

Cameo—unexpected and important

Slate—Broad and stable