Analyzing the Top Twenty: 1890
Who would have thought that in just 10 years, so much has changed? Still, several are the same, so I’ll just be brief on those. Here is the Top Twenty for the year 1890.
| Rank | Male name | Female name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John | Mary |
| 2 | William | Anna |
| 3 | James | Elizabeth |
| 4 | George | Margaret |
| 5 | Charles | Emma |
| 6 | Frank | Florence |
| 7 | Joseph | Ethel |
| 8 | Robert | Minnie |
| 9 | Henry | Clara |
| 10 | Harry | Bertha |
| 11 | Edward | Bessie |
| 12 | Thomas | Helen |
| 13 | Walter | Grace |
| 14 | Arthur | Alice |
| 15 | Fred | Annie |
| 16 | Albert | Ida |
| 17 | Clarence | Mabel |
| 18 | Roy | Edna |
| 19 | Louis | Lillian |
| 20 | Samuel | Nellie |
1. John and Mary. Of course, always the classics. I’m not a huge fan of John, though I love Jonathan, but Mary is always simple and pretty.
2. William and Anna. I adore William, and Will even more, and Anna is so pretty. More info in the last analysis.
3. James and Elizabeth. James is a nice, solid name, and I see it coming back in a few years, But only James, no Jim or Jimmy. Elizabeth is my middle name, except I have it with an S. Its a family name, and I’m starting to like it more and more, especially after the Nameberry post on it.
4. George and Margaret. Don’t like George, and ok with Margaret. More info on these in the last analysis.
5. Charles and Emma. Love both of these. More info in last post.
6. Frank and Florence. Not sure about Florence, but I sort of like Frank. More info in last post.
7. Joseph and Ethel. I love Joseph, but Ethel is just plain ugly. I mean, as a name nerd, I respect it and maybe, perhaps, someday it might be popular again, but right now I am just not fond of it at all.
8. Robert and Minnie. Love both of these, more info in last post.
9. Henry and Clara. Love both of these, more info in last post.
10. Harry and Bertha. Not a huge fan of either. More info in last post.
11. Edward and Bessie. Edward is not my favorite name, but its ok. I just hate that it has become so sensationalized by the Twilight Series’ Edward Cullen. Its as if you cannot pick this name for a child without being labeled as a fan. Bessie has never been a huge favorite, I used to always think of a cow, but now it has a weird appealing quality that maybe only name nerds notice. Anyway, I’m growing on it.
12. Thomas and Helen. I like Thomas, but I just hate the nicknames Tom/Thom and Tommy. I absolutely adore Helen, I totally don’t see it as an old lady name. I see it as the Greek beauty it is, and I love the whole story behind Helen. (She was a beautiful queen who was kidnapped, thus starting the Trojan War.) I wouldn’t use Helen as a first name yet, but I would pair it with its Greek myth friend Penelope.
13. Walter and Grace. Like both of them. More info in last post.
14. Arthur and Alice. Like Arthur, love Alice. More info in last post.
15. Fred and Annie. Don’t like Fred, but ok with Annie. More info in last post.
16. Albert and Ida. Not a huge fan of Albert, but ok with Ida. More info in last post.
17. Clarence and Mabel. Finally, a big change. Clarence and Mabel moved up a couple of steps, and this is evident as there are many Clarences and Mabels in history. Clarence is a name I used to like for a girl, and I can still see it on a girl, but now I definitely like it for a boy. I read somewhere that Clancy can be a nickname for Clarence, and I love that. Mabel is sort of a guilty pleasure, I know that it won’t be “in” for decades to come but I absolutely love it. I also like Mabelle, pronounced MAY-BELL
18. Roy and Edna. I’ve never liked Roy very much, at my elementary school I remember them drilling “Roy G. Biv” over and over into our heads. So I’m a bit tired of hearing that name. Edna is another name that I try to like, but I still don’t for some reason. Its not bad, its not really ugly, compared to other names, but somehow it just holds no appeal to me.
19. Louis and Lillian. I said that Louis will grow to be popular soon, and so it does. A Louis William was born on my street a few days ago. Lillian has fully come back, right now all things Lilly are in. I love Lillian, I think its a very stately name and Lilly is just darling. I prefer the spelling Lillie, and I also like Lillianna and Lillianne.
20. Samuel and Nellie. I love both of these, especially Nellie. More info in last post.
Analyzing the Top Twenty: 1880
In honor of the coming new year, I will be analyzing the top 20 names once a week for every ten years, all the way up to 2009. I know that doesn’t quite fit, but I thought every decade would be easier. First is 1880:
| 1 | John | Mary |
| 2 | William | Anna |
| 3 | James | Emma |
| 4 | Charles | Elizabeth |
| 5 | George | Minnie |
| 6 | Frank | Margaret |
| 7 | Joseph | Ida |
| 8 | Thomas | Alice |
| 9 | Henry | Bertha |
| 10 | Robert | Sarah |
| 11 | Edward | Annie |
| 12 | Harry | Clara |
| 13 | Walter | Ella |
| 14 | Arthur | Florence |
| 15 | Fred | Cora |
| 16 | Albert | Martha |
| 17 | Samuel | Laura |
| 18 | David | Nellie |
| 19 | Louis | Grace |
| 20 | Joe | Carrie |
1. John and Mary. Well, that was to be expected. The two of them have been the most popular for centuries. John is fine, a little plain, but mostly fine. I prefer Jonathan, though, somehow John seems very nickname-ish. Mary is a classic, and its not my favorite because it too, is quite plain. If I were to use Mary, I would definitely pair it with Alice or Grace or Sophia, and call her by two names.
2. William and Anna. Not surprising there, either. William has always been popular, and even now William is still a top ten name. Perhaps now people like the nickname Will. I know I do. And Anna is lovely, in my opinion its much prettier than boring drab Anne.
3. James and Emma. I’m sure James will be back in a couple of years, its one of those solid, stately names that can’t stay out for long. As for the nicknames Jim and Jimmy, though, those can be out and stay out. Oh, Emma. Once number three, now number 1. Who knew Emma would be so popular again? I love it, though I wouldn’t use it because its so popular. And Emma was actually popular in England during the 80s, so they beat us to it.
4. Charles and Elizabeth. Charles is definitely coming back, no doubt about that. Charlie is adorable, and Charles has that strong manly feel to it. I have already heard of a slew of newborn boys named Charles. Elizabeth is in the top ten again too, but its showing signs of wear. Though I do adore the nicknames Beth and Libby. Actually, I love all of Elizabeth’s wide range of nicknames.
5. George and Minnie. George is, of course, the name of almost every old guy I possibly know. Really, it is. I’ve met so many Georges its hard to keep track. I’m not fond of the name, but the female Georgia is lovely. Minnie is another surprise, I’ve never met a Minnie. I’ve met a Minette though.
6. Frank and Margaret. Frank is one I hope will be resurrected from the baby name dead soon. Like Charles, it has that manly, solid feel but the nickname Frankie is just so cute. Margaret is a family name, so it has special connections for me. I have a cousin Meg, an Aunt Margie, and a Grandma Maggie. Its not my favorite name, but its special.
7. Joseph and Ida. As some of you may know, Joseph almost became the name of my new son. Joey for short, of course. In the end, he became Camden Joseph, so I still used it. But I love Joey still. And Ida is a surprise. I haven’t heard of many ladies named Ida. I suppose the old folks liked unisex names too, because Ida was originally a boy name. Either way, I find it a similarity to today’s popular Ava and Ada.
8. Thomas and Alice. Thomas is actually getting quite popular, though I imagine Tom and Tommy won’t be as popular for nicknames this time around. I personally have a neutral feel towards it, I would use it for a middle name but not for a first. Alice is my second favorite name in the entire world, period. Actually, it might be moving up to my first soon. I can’t believe its not popular yet. Probably people think it already is, because of Twilight. But I love Alice, and Ali as a nickname would suit a modern little girl.
9. Henry and Bertha. Henry, I love. Nickname Hank, not so much. But Henry is already popular with hipster parents, meaning it will be a matter of time before it appeals to a wider audience. Unlike other name nerds, I rejoice when I see my favorite names being widely accepted by the public. However, Bertha is not one of those favorites. Try as I might to view Bertha with an open mind, it proves to be quite difficult.
10. Robert and Sarah. One of the few remaining -bert names left that can stand to be used, Robert is as much an old classic as a modern one. Though I can’t see Bob or Bobby as nicknames in the future, Rob and Robby might have a better chance. Sarah is a name that needs no explanation, it is and always will be popular. I do prefer Sara, but thats just me.
11. Edward and Annie. Another Twilight name. Personally, Edward is not a wonderful name, but I like it enough not to hate it. It does have character to it, but Ed and Eddie are horrible nicknames. Annie IS a nickname, and I like it, somehow. Of course, I prefer it to be a nickname for Anna or Annabel, but I do like it.
12. Harry and Clara. My kids love Harry Potter, so I end up hearing that name too much. I’m not too stricken with it, and even less with Harold, but its possibly growing on me. But right now I prefer Harry over Harold any day. I absolutely adore Clara to bits and pieces. Claire is common, Clarissa is frilly, but Clara is the right amount of fabulous.
13. Walter and Ella. Walt Disney, anyone? Well, its probably not the strongest connection for most people, but thats who I think of. I don’t recall ever meeting a Walter. Some say that Walter is so uncool that it must be cool again, but I’m not sure its quite there yet. But Ella is just slamming the charts right now, and I’m almost positive she will be on the 2009 top ten.
14. Arthur and Florence. Arthur is another one of those that may be resurrected. Honestly, if I had quadruplet boys, I would name them Charles, Henry, Arthur, and Frank. Ugh. Florence. As much as I try to like this name, it just doesn’t do it for me. It seems like an earlier version of a geographical name. Flora, however, is pretty and exotic.
15. Fred and Cora. Okay, fine. Quintuplet boys. Because I absolutely MUST add Fred with the resurrected boy names group. Although I prefer Frederick as the full name. And absolutely NO Freddy. Horrible nickname, in my opinion. I am in love with Cora, as I always have been, but I just recently learned that Cora was a made-up name. How disappointing! But Coralie, the French name, does have a illustrious history.
16. Albert and Martha. I must admit, neither of these names are my favorite. Albert has always had a nerdy, creepy feel to it. The first is probably attributed to Albert Einstein, but I’m not sure what the latter is. Martha reminds me of Martha Stewart, who, lets just say, is not my favorite person in the world. As a name nerd, I like those names because they are old fashioned, but as a person I just don’t like them very much.
17. Samuel and Laura. These names are actually not doing so bad on the popularity list right now. Samuel is extremely popular, almost 1/4 of the little boys in my daughter’s school is named Samuel, or just Sam. Laura is a little less popular, but I can see it coming back. Personally, it seems a bit classier and prettier than the overused Lauren.
18. David and Nellie. David is not one of my favorites, simply because I know way too many Davids and I would never use it as a first name. But no matter how much I want to use David as a middle name, it just won’t work because somehow David won’t flow with anything. Nellie, I love. Especially the spelling. I used to think that I was weird for always using the -ie spellings for names like Hollie, Sallie, and Nellie, but here it is on the top 20 chart!
19. Louis and Grace. Louis is not a personal favorite, but I see it coming back and actually becoming quite popular with hipster parents. I’m not a huge fan, but I love the feminine Louise, Louisa, and Lois. Grace is thought of as a filler middle name, but I would definitely use it, if my daughter’s name wasn’t already Gracelyn. I can see it as a first name too, but I prefer it in some form, like Gracelyn, Graciela, or simply as a middle.
20. Joe and Carrie. What a letdown. Well, not really, but these two are probably my least favorite names. I hate the name Joe, its so average, so plain, so everyday. Whats worse is that is was on the top 20! I thought people back then had better taste. Anyway, Joseph is infinetly better. Carrie, I can deal with, but I really am not fond of it. For some weird reason, it seems like a very small, weak name. I’m alright with it as a nickname for Caroline, but thats it.
Well, what do you think? Tell me your thoughts on the 1880 top 20s or paste a link to your blog/video/whatever in the comments. Hope to hear from everybody!
Thanks,
Lucy <3
Nola and Nolan
I’m back! I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t even gotten to post. Part of it was my new obsession with the Youtube baby name community. Who knew? Anyway, check out my new baby name channel, just search LucyKruegerBabyNamer. Also check out AnastasiaRuby, she’s another great baby name Youtuber.
Anyway…on to my featured names. Nola is the girl name, and I suppose Nolan must be the male form though I can’t be sure. Nola is of Celtic, Irish, and Latin origin, and is the short form of the Irish name Fionnula. I heard on Nameberry from Olivekit that she named her little girl Nola, and it means little bell. Hmm…Fionnula. That’s an interesting one, especially with Fiona gaining popularity right now. Nolan is also Celtic and Irish, which makes me think the two are related. Nolan means famous and noble. I love the old lady cool feel that Nola as, and is also just so cute. I can imagine the name on a cute little girl. Its similar to Nora, but I don’t like Nora as much. I love how Nolan has that girly-masculine feel to it. Its hard to explain, but I just don’t see Nolan as some sort of muscular football player. I see a handsome but nerdy guy who wears tweed, and somehow I love that. There aren’t any nicknames I can think of for these two, but I do like these combinations:
Nola Isabelle Jane
Nola Penelope Grace
Nola Dorothy Alice
Nolan Andrew Charles
Nolan Samuel James
Nolan Daniel Howard
Howard. Howard??!! Somehow, the more I think of Howard, the more I think it needs a revival. And Howie is an adorable nickname. That’ll be my next featured name, I think. Oops. Did I give it away? Oh, well. Comment and question, please.
—Lucy <3
Cool Botanical Names
Last weekend, I went over to my aunt’s house to help them with some paperwork, housework, and such. Saying she is a plant lover is an understatement. She has volumes and volumes of botany books, and beautiful garden full of plants I can’t even pronounce, let alone try to grow. I am the furthest thing from a botanist, but I was interested in the names of these plants. There are so many that I found interesting, but here’s just a few that popped out at me while looking through those books. Note that all of these are girl names.
Cleome—Pronounced Klee-OH-mee, this name of a flower is now a new favorite of mine. What a pity that it is unknown as a name! It is the Latin name for the spider plant, and its absolutely lovely. Cleome may be a nice change from boring old Chloe, and a sexier variation of rising star Cleo.
Aubrieta—With Aubrey rising fast, parents will soon be looking for new variants of the name, just like with Audrey a few years back. Aubrieta is a type of flowering cabbage, according to my auntie’s plant book. It has a very upscale, nose-in-the-air feel to it, but I love it. Aubrie serves as a lovely nickname.
Aurinia—Its so hard to believe this one’s not already a name. With Aurelia, Aureline, and Aurelie at the top of many parent’s list, this variation may be more unique. It is the Latin term for basket of gold, though I have no clue what that is. Either way, Aurinia is climbing my list as well.
Roseraie—Is this a bit like Desirae? Rose-er-ray? I’m not sure, but Roseraie is definitely eye-catching and pretty. It is actually a breed of roses, but is unknown as a name. Again, this one is close to being on my list.
Félicité—I’ve never been a big fan of Felicia or Felicity, but this foreign version seems much more classier and sophisticated. I believe its either Spanish or French, and pronounced somewhere along the lines of Fuh-lee-see-teh. It is also a breed of roses, and also a new favorite of mine.
Tilia—With Tilly super popular in Britain and Lilia quite popular here, parents may be looking for something new. Tilia is a blend of Tilly and Lilia, I think. Tilia is a type of tree, and is pronounced till-lee-uh, like how it looks. I like this for its Tily potential, as well as its snazzy, fresh sound. This one’s a keeper for sure.
Some other botanical names that I found interesting:
Cerinthe
Cordyline
Abele
Abelia
Alcea
Alisma
Aralia
Idesia
Laurentia
Lewisia
Matteucia
Grisellinia
Osmunda
Paeonia (Peony)
Paulowina
Phillyrea
Robinia
Rodgersia
Romneya
Albertine
With Love,
Lucy 
Girl Names of the Future: The Weird, The Pretty, and The Outrageous.
Heres a list of girl names that I think will be popular in the far future, like maybe 100-250 years from now. They range from nature, to virtues, to mythology, and outer space. Here’s a enormous list of these far-flung, futuristic names. Some I love, some I don’t, but they are all names to consider for fiction stories set in the future.
The Flowers:
Flower names have always been used, but a couple of these are quite unknown as names.
Orchid
Clover
Daisy
Marigold
Tansy
Poppy
Pansy
Paisley
Peony
Posey
Rose
Lily
Flower
Cala
Celastrus
Violet
Dahlia
Amaryllis
Lavender
Lilac
Chantilly
Laelia
Jasmine
Primrose
Daphne
Laurel
Ivy
Iris
Tulip
Wisteria
Magnolia
Other Plants/Trees Names
Cypress
Willow
Fern
Heather
Tree
Pine
Sage
Palmer
Ginger
Vesper
Names of Brightness:
Spark
Light
Brilliance
Vibrance
Radiance
Silver
Golden
Bright
Names of Happiness
Bliss
Blithe/Blythe
Paradise
Love
Mellow
Serenity
Merrily
Joy/Joyce
Lovely
Wonder
Names of Things or Places:
Minnow
Sparrow
Pepper
Meadow
Ocean
Blue
River
Starling
Lark
Green
Hill
Story
Names of Forever
Infinity
Eternity
Legacy
Ever
Forever
Virtue Names:
Divinity/Divine
Clarity
Charity
Chastity
Mercy
Verity
Virtue
Unity
Amity
Trinity
Genesis
Temperance
Purity/Pure
Patience
Prudence
Liberty
Humility
Glory
Faith
Hope
True
Angel
Moral
Right
Miracle
Calender Names:
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Holiday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Names To Live Up To:
Elegance
Vanity
Beauty
Royalty
Majesty
Magic
Names from Above
Haven
Heaven
Skye
Angel
Shining
Space Age Names:
Galaxy
Earth
Sun
Solara
Solaris
Luna
Moon
Lunara
Mercury
Venus
The Olde Boys
Many times, there are classic old names that I adore. Such as Timothy, Samuel, Marcus. But sometimes, a name becomes too linked to a specific period in time, and if its popular during that time, it makes it less usable in the future. Here’s a list of old, slightly nerdy, if not cliche names that aren’t really used anymore.
Full Names:
Albert
Arnold
Arthur
Alfred
Bernard
Boris
Charles
Claude
Delbert
Donald
Dennis
Filbert
Frederick
Frank
George
Gerald
Harold
Howard
Hubert
Lewis
Leonard
Lester
Malcolm
Martin
Maxwell
Nigel
Norbert
Otis
Osmund
Richard
Ronald
Rupert
Stewart
Theodore
Victor
Vincent
Virgil
Wallace
Walter
Wilfred
Nicknames:
These not-so-cool nicknames are rarely used anymore, and I wouldn’t dare to use them for my kids.
Art/Artie
Andy
Bill/Billy
Bob
Burt
Denny
Dick
Ed/Eddie
Fred/Freddy
Gus
Jim/Jimmy
Johnny
Teddy
Being a name nerd, it means taking chances with names but even I would be scared to use some of these. Most of these I wouldn’t even consider; I wouldn’t give them a second thought. But a couple, like Theodore or Maxwell, I might consider for middle names. Whenever I here these names, I think of a black and white movie, perhaps made during the Depression, and men in suits walking along Wall Street. That’s what these names remind me of. And it also seems like the names that end in D and the -Bert enders are the ones we don’t like anymore. Robert is probably the only one that people still use. I wonder why that is?
***Finally! I did some boy names!***
—Lucy
Diana
Following the previous post about Cynthia and Sylvia, I kept thinking about Cyndi’s sister name, Diana. They are both names for the Greek goddess Artemis, and Diana is actually the Roman version of it. How those two virtually unknown Greek/Latin names became so popular in the mid 1900s is a mystery to me, but I think they were still unused enough to come back in a few decades or so. After all, who can resist these precious moon goddess beauties? Diana and Cynthia would be perfect for twins, and I would use them if only they matched my other children’s names. Some nicknames for Diana include Di, Dia, Ana, Annie, and Dani.
Combinations:
Diana Seraphine Rose
Diana Carys Jane
Diana Isobel Grace
Diana Scarlette Rose
Diana Mildred Louise
Diana Rachelle Marie
Once again, questions, suggestions, and comments are more than welcome, and also it would be helpful if you suggest some boy names for my new baby boy that I will soon be adopting. I like Jakob Samuel and Markus Daniel, but what do you think? I also like Camden Elliott, so it would match my other children’s names. I already have 2 Gs, Gracie and Gabe, so if I use Camden then I will have Cam and Cali, 2 Cs.
Thanks
—Lucy
Cynthia and Sylvia
Growing up as a young child, I went by the nickname Cindy for Lucinda. At the time, it was a pretty cool name to have. But naturally, many people got confused and started calling me Cynthia, thinking that was my name. In fact, I distinctly recall a 6th grade gym coach who repeatedly called me Cynthia until I had to kindly correct her.
“Umm…coach…?” I said uncertainly.
” Yes, what is it, Cynthia?” she replied, not knowing her mistake.
” Well…my name is Lucinda….” I answered shyly.
Ahh…yes. Its a conversation I’ll never forget, probably one of the most awkward ones next to the “growing up” ones I’ve had with my daughter and when I was younger, with my own parents. It is also a conversation that was a precedent to 50 curl ups. No, my coach was not a kind woman, but she did teach my one lesson: Don’t go by Cindy unless your name is Cynthia. Which is why I was Lucy all through high school, college, and now.
But that’s not the topic of this post. Many many years later, I start to appreciate Cynthia for its namey-ness instead of the whole gym teacher incident. And along with it, Sylvia, a pretty, silvery name I have always loved. (Actually, it was the name of the down-syndrome girl in my elementary school. I’m surprised I can remember that far back, but then again, name-nerdiness has its pluses. You never forget the names.) Cynthia is a Greek name meaning moon, and it was also another name for the moon goddess Artemis. How can you not love that? Though it was widely overused in the 1950s and 1960s, I think its ready for a comeback. A similar name is Diana. Sylvia is a Latin name that means forest, and is the name of famous poet Sylvia Plath. A similarity between these two names it that they are both in the mid-500s on the current SSA list, which leads me to believe that they are, indeed, rising. Strangely, sister name Diana is already at 137, which may be another indication of their steadily growing popularity. Nicknames for Cynthia include Cyndi, Thia, and Cia. For Sylvia, Sylvie and Via can used. I think for both of these names, very dainty, soft middle names must be used.
A few combinations….
Cynthia Alice Rose
Cynthia Nancy Grace
Cynthia Evelyn Ramone
Sylvia Emily Grace
Sylvia Rosaline Marie
Sylvia Bethany Diane
—Lucy
Araminta and Lavinia
I came across these two 18th-19th century names a long time ago, when I was looking on the SSA website for baby names. These too names jumped out at me, and I immediately linked them together. Sometimes I do that, linking names together. Whether its the style, syllables, or spelling, something about certain names makes me want to put them together because they “match”. Some examples would be Shelby and Bailey, Mary and Anne, Molly and Sally, Stephanie and Michelle, and of course, Araminta and Lavinia. In my opinion, these names have an old fashioned quality that is appealing, but not yet ready for use at the moment. I love them, but I would not recommend actually using them for a child. Araminta is a name that is from literary roots, coined by several writers. It is unknown if it was used before the writers used them. Lavinia, however, does have a history. It is a Latin name that means purified, or woman of Rome. Both of these names are hard to give nicknames to, but I have seen Minty in different forms on the SSA charts, and Vinnie is a common one to. I suppose Ari, Ara, Minnie, Mina, Amy, and Mia could work for Araminta, and Lia, Via, Nia, Vinia, Lina, and Ava would be ok for Lavinia.
Combinations:
Araminta Josephine Rose
Araminta Sybil Jane
Araminta Luvenie Grace
Lavinia Charlotte Grace
Lavinia Katharine Alice
Lavinia Caroline Anne
Please comment and suggest!
—Lucy
