Category: Opinions

Baby Name Predictions for the U S Top 1000 (Boys). Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000 (Boys)
American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000 (Boys)

ElizabethLeave a comment

Any day now (it could even be tomorrow!), we’ll find out what the most popular baby names in the U.S. are! Except for a COVID delay in 2020, the Social Security Administration releases a new list every May – just in time for Mothers’ Day! The new Top 10 (and especially the #1 spot) is what most people are anxious to hear since that can impact whether they pick a popular baby name. Many parents are concerned if a name even reaches the Top 100. As a name-writer, I’m more excited for the Top 1000.

Why am I so interested in the Top 1000? The Top 1000 is the best, most objective way we have to delineate the popularity or rarity of American baby names. If a name is in the Top 1000, that means at least a few hundred children received it in a given year (for 2021, the last year we have data for, a name needed at least 254 uses for girls and 217 uses for boys to be included). Generally, if a baby name is out of the Top 1000, we call it rare. Here, we’re not talking about names that are popular or unusual across age groups or globally – simply what’s popular or rare for babies born here and now in the United States.

I published my girls’ name predictions yesterday. Here are the boys’ names I think will leave or enter the U.S. Top 1000 in the 2022 dataset! If you’re viewing on mobile, be sure to scroll left to view the entire chart.

Names Likely to Exit the Top 1000:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Abdullah984221810285734327
Aldo983222783297761311
Axl845278757316679377
Blaine986220881255874251
Brecken922244792291791292
Brennan871264762314719339
Cory985221912244902242
Crosby932240802288778299
Eliel852275750322663398
Ermias814295647413541521
Gary904252804288775302
Genesis973226827277914240
Harley923244782298808283
Jaxtyn9352405864701154168
Jakobe9462378372721381129
Karsyn9542347003621063191
Kody979224955229836269
Korbin859271709353689369
Kristopher936240830276772305
Landry989220947231929234
Nova853274759316866255
Rodney965230865261855259
Data extracted from the Social Security Administration

Notes:

  • Nova is wildly popular and trendy as a girls’ name, and now that it’s in the top 50 with no signs of stopping the ascent, some parents may shy away from Nova as a boys’ name.
  • Re: Karsyn and Jaxtyn, I personally wonder if there’s a little bit of fatigue towards unique spellings of Jackson, Carson, and similar names. They are still popular and widespread, of course.
  • In this case, Jakobe seems more like a variation of Kobe than Jacob, or a form of Jacob inspired by Kobe. Jakobe became popular again in 2020 after Kobe Bryant’s death.
  • Ermias (a form of Jeremiah) was Nipsey Hussle’s legal name. It debuted in 2019 at a rank of #540 and has been falling ever since.
  • Kody didn’t actually drop too much (just 5 babies between 2020 and ’21, with a rank change of -24), but with a rank of #979 and all the recent Sister Wives divorce stuff I think this name could be knocked out of the Top 1000.
  • Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s going on at the bottom of the top 1000 because some of the names that look like they could fall out are surprisingly trendy or trendworthy. Parents choose from a much greater variety of baby names than they did in past generations, which makes rare names more popular as a whole. Name popularity also becomes erratic at the bottom of the charts. Karsyn dropped heavily between 2020 and 2021 as a boys’ name, but who knows if it will suddenly rebound? Mordechai is like Karsyn in that it’s dropping fast but ultimately depends on outside factors for popularity. That’s partly why I’m not marking Zev for a likely exit despite ranking #996 and dropping from 2020 to 2021; on the whole, the name is still rising.

Names Likely to Enter:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Aspen105620011461691190160
Azaiah1172166174887191077
Beaux101821313071371272146
Benny100621611491681186161
Boaz101921311251741067190
Campbell104320411711641297142
Cashton104420410391941165166
Crue101521411711641361131
Danilo104520411761631121155
Eren1185164229159168894
Harris10012179952131025202
Jrue11231801435120171492
Kacey10022171186162202772
Kaisen102121310481911055193
Lev105320111071771003208
Lux109618912941401545109
Massimo111718113761271500114
Mattias111018312891411470117
Monroe109818814791151506113
Montgomery103220910871821085184
Nikko102221311801631296143
Ollie108519311521681269147
Ozias104620416031011356132
Ren111418213191361616102
Rhodes104220514061231568107
Sevyn101221511141761507113
Shai10701971441120165398
Syncere104720410311971145170
Wren110418712401501576106
Zen119116311981601389128
Extended data extracted from the Social Security Administration

I also have a list of maybes for names I’m not sure about. These may be more likely to enter in 2023 or 2024.

Other Names that Might Enter:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Adiel109718912691431121174
Beck105919910321961208158
Benito11391751616991589104
Booker1203159166795171092
Canyon117916514711161493114
Casper111918012221531202159
Draco11991601599101164099
Imran103620710092061150169
Ivaan116616813031381523111
Izan119216212491471549108
Joan110718511331721172165
Kilian117516612241531353132
Kyren109718812031571187161
Kyzer102521211471691064191
Lazarus115817112821421314139
Merrick10042171013205985216
Niam116316913001391397127
Ramiro103420810611881056193
Teddy117716613331341446121
Teo115117313661291335136
Veer110318711391711211158
Zamir102321310272001031200
Zephyr110018812851421228155
Extended data extracted from the Social Security Administration.

Notes:

  • Rhodes – Celebrity baby name via Emma Roberts, who had her son in 2020.
  • Zen was the name of Nick Cannon’s infant son who sadly passed away from cancer. Nick Cannon has many children, most of whom were born from 2020 on. Watch for these first names too: Powerful (g), Zion (b), Zillion (b), Legendary (b), Onyx (g), Rise (b), Beautiful (g), and Halo (g).
  • We’re long past Harry Potter, so I don’t know what’s driving Draco up all of a sudden. TikTok, maybe? Did an influencer name their baby Draco?
  • Sevyn is a variation of Seven, which have both gotten more popular in part thanks to the character in The Hate U Give.
  • Re: Kilian, I wonder if Kylian Mbappe and the World Cup will give related names a boost.

Do you have any names you’re eyeing for the 2022 Top 1000? Not all of these can come or go, but I’m betting a good number will (plus a few surprises). We’ll see the results soon enough!

Baby Name Predictions for the U S Top 1000 (Girls). Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000 (Girls)
American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000 (Girls)

Elizabeth1 Comment

We have under two weeks to go before the new list of the most popular baby names in the U.S. comes out! The Social Security Administration is due to release data on all the names given to at least 5 children in the country in 2022 any day now, likely next Friday to coincide with Mothers’ Day.

The other day, I posted my predictions for the Top 10, which are the baby names most frequently counted in a given year. Now I’m looking at the Top 1000, or the names that are just becoming “popular.” While the SSA probably could start sharing the Top 1500 or Top 2000 due to the wide variety of names that parents are choosing now, the top 1000 has served as the dividing mark between commonality and rarity in American baby naming for the better part of 25 years. In earlier eras, far more children wore the most popular names. Even after Mary and John fell from the #1 spots and well into the 90s, each generation complained about how frequently they shared names with classmates. Now, there’s no guarantee kids named Liam and Olivia, the #1 names in the country for infant boys and girls, will even run into other Liams and Olivias in their grade (they probably will, though).

When we talk about rare American baby names, we talk about current baby names that rank below the Top 1000. Because today’s parents increasingly prefer unusual names, though, there’s a huge difference between a name given to 250 babies versus 5 babies. 5 babies means you probably won’t encounter one at all, but 250 babies averages 5 children per state *and* is just under the popularity threshold for girls.

So what are we predicting for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000? I always look at what names are likely to exit or enter. What names are about to be rare, and what names are about to be popular? The Top 1000 threshold is so much harder to predict than the Top 10 because there’s a lot more volatility. Because there’s so much ground to cover, I’m splitting my Top 1000 predictions into separate posts for girls’ and boys’ names. Let’s start with the girls’ names I think may leave the top 1000 this year. If you’re reading on mobile, scroll left at each chart for full visibility.

Girls’ Names Likely to Exit the Top 1000:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Alexia874308735370633466
Annabella1000254851318652447
Avah825332657436657444
Ellen920288804335799345
Elliot773366572509593510
Ensley789358590492666433
Frida973264887298730386
Itzayana971265757359791350
Judith959270908288822331
Julissa915290783346694415
Kaisley870312758359845318
Kamilah979263823330805340
Keyla980263837325776356
Kyleigh981263835327768361
Kynlee921287810334701413
Lyanna969266766353604500
Madalyn929284818332753372
Meghan986261880303734384
Sariah970266844322983262
Tinsley892301718386808339
Tori995256845322905293
Zola990259936274976265
Data from the Social Security Administration

I didn’t include names that were new to the top 1000 in 2021 on my exit list because we simply don’t know what they’ll do in 2022!

Notes:

  • Alexia – Partly due to its association with Alexa and drops related to the Amazon device, partly due to “Alex” names having reached their peak, perhaps partly due to Alexia sharing its name with a disability.
  • Though Annabella fits several ongoing trends (old-fashioned, maximalist/long, vowel-heavy), it has two things going against it. One is that the “-Bella” ending trend has already peaked for many names, but the other bigger one is that Annabelle and related names were skewered by a horror movie “Annabelle” in 2014. Annabelle and related names were trending upwards until then.
  • Elliot enjoyed an upwards trend as a girls’ name for much of the 2000s and 2010s before a significant and sudden drop in 2021. My guess? Actor Elliot Page publicly came out as transgender in December 2020. Caitlyn and other spellings of Caitlin/Kaitlyn took massive hits to popularity when Caitlyn Jenner came out in 2015, so…it follows. Page’s birth name dropped too, though it’s hard to say whether that’s because of transphobia or because Ellen is an old name falling out of fashion more naturally. Elliott with two ‘T’s also dropped for girls (from #448 to #552) between 2020 and 2021. We’ll see what the names do in 2022; Caitlin names were already past peak by 2015, so maybe the drop will be temporary for the Elliots since they’re still fashionable?
  • Meghan enjoyed a brief revival thanks to Meghan Markle and is now dropping again.
  • Zola sounds quite trendy, though I wonder if some parents associate it too heavily with the wedding website.

Let’s talk about the names I think may join the top 1000. In 2021 the #1000 name (Annabella) was given to 254 babies assigned female at birth. Let’s assume, then, that the new names have to hit around 250 uses to become popular in 2022.

Girls’ Names Likely to Enter the Top 1000:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Amal103924111212141283179
Atlas12451871640126223082
Aura104024112101891475149
Avani100625210482381940101
Ehlani10412411790110161585
Elowyn104823912051901318173
Emberlyn105623714491491573136
Indy106223515151401782114
Jhene107623111232141645128
Jream10162491265177198697
Lakelyn104923911871951164205
Lakelynn102824514691461687124
Leylani109222512211871446153
Lottie109322515541361640129
Love101924810332421658127
Maisy102124711262121130214
Majesty100525311402081020252
Marigold102224710922231297177
Nori101325111701991032249
Rosalina101724910442401086230
Saanvi100825210612331039247
Scottie113721513281661835111
Sol105423812231871510144
Tallulah103024511272121245188
Violette10332449832591021252
Winifred106723410982221212193
Xyla107223313981561794114
Extracted from extended SSA birth data

I also have a list of maybes for entry.

Girls’ Names that Might Enter the Top 1000:

Name2021 Rank2021 Babies2020 Rank2020 Babies2019 Rank2019 Babies
Araya106823312631771305175
Ayana111421912581791174201
Beatrix11192181164200982262
Bernadette118620314431501546139
Elouise113021613251661222191
Emiliana103224411472061087229
Gianni101025110312421654127
Harriet10512381075229985261
Ida112721711911941267183
Keziah110022311662001278181
Lilia102024711502051101223
Nairobi10442411119215266665
Onyx13221691755114203694
Reya113521612751751500145
Rhiannon111222111552041247187
Rowyn107123311881951153208
Sarahi104524112221871053243
Seraphina10872271271176998258
Sterling127018216831221778115
Tilly113621613401641342170
Tru111721914771451780115
True113821512991701511144
Vayda106623411811961114219
Wednesday1802112233476232778
Yuna118920314361521426157
Zahara120519713501631369165
Zaira111821915721341464151
Extracted from extended SSA birth data

Notes:

  • Ehlani – Alani (Rank #183) and Kehlani (Rank #150) were both quite trendy in 2021. Kehlani especially has spun off a huge amount of spelling variations and names, though Ehlani specifically appears to be an influencer’s baby’ name from 2020.
  • Parents have been talking about Elowyn and Elowen for years, though they’ve never been able to decide on a spelling. One of them should have been in the top 1000 by now. For the record, Elowen is the original spelling.
  • Gianni is a possibility, though because Gianna Bryant was the influence for many girls named Gianni in 2020 and 2021, entry somewhat depends on whether Gianna remains a top 15 name in 2022. It’s already a Top 400 name for boys.
  • Popular names mean alternative spellings, hence Emberlyn, Maisy, Violette, Elouise, Reya, and Rowyn. Reya looks like it might be getting a boost from Raya and the Last Dragon.
  • Marigold became trendy in large part thanks to Downton Abbey, though vintage-sounding nature names are hugely popular at the moment. Marigold couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
  • Nairobi is a character in Casa de Papel / Money Heist.
  • Regarding Lottie, Scottie, Indy, Maisy, and Tilly: Americans have finally decided it’s okay to put nicknames on the birth certificate, long after our British cousins adopted the practice. Bonus points for trendiness if the nicknames are vintage, boyish, or both.
  • Also speaking of Lottie, I’ve personally seen a lot of buzz about this one on Facebook. That combined with a big jump between 2020 and 2021 and the popularity of Charlotte leads me to believe that it will become popular by 2024.
  • Nori, Sterling, and Love are celebrity baby names, respectively the daughters of Kim Kardashian, Patrick Mahomes, and Diddy. Diddy’s daughter was born in early December 2022, so that may have a bigger impact on the 2023 stats. You may know Nori better by her legal name, North West.
  • Why am I calling Wednesday now when it’s nowhere near the threshold? Because not only was it already trending, Netflix released their hit series in the autumn of 2022. I don’t know if that’s too late in the year for the boost, so if not 2022 then expect Wednesday to hit the top 1000 in 2023.

Remember, these are just predictions. Some of the ones I think will exit will go, but others will hold on. It’s the same for the names I think could enter. We’ll see how right or wrong I am soon enough!

Do you have any girls’ names you’re watching out for this naming season? Are there any names on here you don’t think will reach the top 1000 for 2022 or at all? What about ones you think are getting popular? Let me know, and look for the results!

Baby Name Predictions for the U S Top Ten. Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 10
American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 10

Elizabeth1 Comment

Mothers’ Day is just around the corner, which means we’re about to learn the most popular U.S. baby names of 2022! The Social Security Administration almost always releases the previous year’s birth data in May. Each new list follows the zeitgeist of current American culture, reflecting the country’s mindset, ongoings, and more. How are Americans naming their children now? These datasets are crucial to finding that out. Plus…they’re just plain fun!

In order to get a sense of the most popular names of 2022, we need to look at the most popular baby names of 2021. Here are the top 10 names for babies assigned male and female at birth in 2021:

1) Liam1) Olivia
2) Noah2) Emma
3) Oliver3) Charlotte
4) Elijah4) Amelia
5) James5) Ava
6) William6) Sophia
7) Benjamin7) Isabella
8) Lucas8) Mia
9) Henry9) Evelyn
10) Theodore10) Harper
2021 Top 10 via the Social Security Administration

What are some things we notice with the top 10? It might be hard to say without context, but I think the girls’ top 10 looks slightly more traditional than, say, 25 years ago. Here’s the 1997 top 10 for comparison:

1) Michael1) Emily
2) Jacob2) Jessica
3) Matthew3) Ashley
4) Christopher4) Sarah
5) Joshua5) Hannah
6) Nicholas6) Samantha
7) Andrew7) Taylor
8) Brandon 8) Alexis
9) Austin9) Elizabeth
10) Tyler10) Madison
1997 Top 10

While timeless-traditional girls’ names like Sarah and Elizabeth featured in the 1997 top 10, there were also far more “modern” girls’ names: Ashley, Taylor, Alexis, and Madison. In the 2021 dataset, the only truly modern girls’ name is Harper. Even Mia, which wasn’t terribly popular before Mia Farrow became famous in the 1960s, started as a nickname for Maria. At a minimum, all the other girls’ names in the 2021 top 10 date back centuries as girls’ names (the modern examples in the 1997 list were previously more traditional for boys). That isn’t to say that “last names as first names” aren’t still popular for girls (they are!), but that the uppermost popular girls’ names – the names that enough parents from all 50 states and Washington, DC can agree on – have gotten more traditional since the 1990s. As name-writers always say, vintage and “grandma” names are in!

The top boys’ names almost always skew classic, though how that’s defined has changed. Religious names have always fared well, though instead of favoring saints’ names and New Testament options like Christopher and John, today’s parents tend to prefer Old Testament names like Noah and Elijah; a notable exception to the New Testament rule in the top 10 is Lucas, which is the Latin and international form of Luke. Timeless, more secular names like William, Henry, Theodore, and Oliver were in vogue for 2021. Interestingly, names from British royal history have been popular for both boys and girls: James, William, Henry, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia, and Isabella.

So what do we think will happen with the 2022 top 10? In order to get a sense of what the new top 10 looks like, we need to look at the next 15 most popular names for boys and girls. Generally speaking, any name that has a chance of hitting the top 10 needs to already be in the top 25. Here are the top names in the 11-25 category in 2021:

11) Jack11) Luna
12) Levi12) Camila
13) Alexander13) Gianna
14) Jackson14) Elizabeth
15) Mateo15) Eleanor
16) Daniel16) Ella
17) Michael17) Abigail
18) Mason18) Sofia
19) Sebastian19) Avery
20) Ethan20) Scarlett
21) Logan21) Emily
22) Owen22) Aria
23) Samuel23) Penelope
24) Jacob24) Chloe
25) Asher25) Layla
#10-25 ranks in 2021

If the prevalence of English royal names in the top 10 translates to predictions, than ideally Eleanor is the most poised to enter the upper echelons of American baby naming. I don’t know if that will happen for 2022, but it could very well happen in 2023 or 2024. That said, some of those royal names may not stick in the top 10 much longer.

The names I think are most likely to enter the top 10 are Jack and Luna, and not just because they’re currently at #11. Jack would have been in the top 10 if Theodore hadn’t jumped 13 places from #23 between 2020 and 2021. According to SSA data from 2021, 9535 boys were named Theodore and 9504 were named Jack. That’s a difference of just 34 babies! Additionally, Jack also managed a huge jump between 2020 and 2021: from #21 to #11. That wouldn’t mean much lower down in the charts, but +5 or -5 ranking is a big change in the top 25. Luna is interesting to me because her 2020-2021 rise wasn’t meteoric like Jack or Theodore (+3 from the previous year), but it ranks in the top 100 of every state except South Dakota and ranks highly in our highest population states (California, Texas, and New York). Luna is an Ancient Roman name that fits so many of the current naming trends (mythological, short, soft, vowel-heavy, vintage, international, etc.). Jack, for that matter, is short and classic; more parents are deciding to put the nickname on the birth certificate than, say, name him John only to call him Jack.

Eleanor, Levi, and Mateo are also decently strong contenders for reaching the top 10, though they might wait until 2023 or 2024. All three have risen significantly within the last few years, and each rose at least 5 places within the top 25 between 2020 and 2021. Current trends are right for their ascendance: Eleanor is classic and regal, Levi has old-school Biblical and Country-Western vibes, and Mateo is a cross-cultural, international religious option as the Spanish form of Matthew. Camila is also a possibility (again, international vibes), but popularity slightly decreased between 2020 and 2021. Jackson rose three spots from #17 in 2020 to #14 in 2021, though a decline of trendy spellings like Jaxon and Jaxson indicates Jackson may start to taper off, though that spelling could also benefit from Jack’s trendiness. Asher and Aria are big risers too, but at #25 and #22 respectively, I don’t think they’re ready for the top 10 just yet without some external influencing event. For example of external influences: Gianna’s place at #13 two years in a row after a skyrocket from the #79 spot in 2019 resulted from tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in January 2020. Obviously, that kind of massive naming impact within the top 100 (let alone the top 25) is unusual. Note that the raw numbers for Gianna show a slight tapering in 2021 from 2020, so while Gianna could also hit the top 10, I think other names are more likely.

The next question is, what’s going to exit the top 10? I personally think Harper and Isabella are most likely to exit the girls’ lists, while William and Benjamin are most likely to exit the boys’ lists. I could also see Lucas being succeeded by Levi or Mateo if they rise faster than Lucas does. While Harper feels ubiquitous, raw usage is declining enough that it seems likely that Luna, Eleanor, or even Camila will overtake it. All it takes is a couple hundred here, a couple hundred there! Isabella, on the other hand, dropped by almost 1000 baby girls between 2020 and 2021. When the #1 girls’ name was given to over 17000 babies and Isabella was given to over 11000, that’s a big drop (even if the overall ranking didn’t change). Mia could even rise in rank while still dropping in usage just because Isabella is falling faster. Similarly with the boys’ names, I think Henry, Theodore, Jack, and Levi are all rising fast enough they could overtake William and Benjamin, which both fell by a few hundred babies. Don’t get me wrong – William and Benjamin will always be popular, but other names appear to trend against them right now.

Finally, and the question we all want to know: what will the #1 baby names in the U.S. be? I personally think Liam and Olivia will remain in the #1 spot for 2022, but don’t be surprised if Charlotte overtakes Emma for the #2 spot. I’m eyeing Charlotte as a future #1 contender, keeping the Bridgerton effect in mind. Amelia is also likely to continue rising and could be a new #3, whether in 2022, 2023, or even 2024.

What do you think we’ll see in the 2022 Top 10 most popular baby names in the U.S.? Are there any names you want to see take off? Let me know, and check back soon to find out what the new top 10 looks like!

Sources:

American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Predictions for the Top 1000 Baby Names of 2017

ElizabethLeave a comment

The wait is almost over!  In less than two weeks, the Social Security Administration will release their data on the most popular names of 2017. 

Throughout April, I’ve been posting various prediction posts.  So far, I’ve already published what I think the 2017 top 10 and top 100 will look like.  Today, I’m posting about the names I predict will enter or leave the top 1000 when the new numbers come out.  Remember, name predictions are just for fun – there are always surprises! 

—

Girls

The name that ranked #1000 in 2016 was Meilani, which was given to 263 girls.  Assuming that the 2017 threshold will be around 260 uses, here are the girls’ names I think will enter the top 1000 in 2017:

  1. Amora – 258 girls in 2016, up from 255 in 2015, up from 181 in 2014
  2. Arleth – 256 girls, up from 116 in 2015 (!)
  3. Arlette – 254, up from 128 (!)
  4. Bellamy – 231, up from 184
  5. Della – 247, up from 215
  6. Egypt – 254, up from 200
  7. Elodie – 243, up from 216
  8. Etta – 256, up from 242
  9. Everlee – 257, up from 240.  Everlee rides on Everly‘s (#107) coattails.
  10. Florence – 246, up from 214
  11. Kamiyah – 255, up from 190
  12. Legacy – 250, up from 163 (!)
  13. Lyanna – 216, up from 62 (!!).
  14. Margo – 252, up from 190.  Rising as popular Margot (#433) does.
  15. Marlowe – 256, up from 221
  16. Octavia – 255, up from 174 in 2015 (!), up from 74 in 2014.
  17. Palmer – 241, up from 176 (!)
  18. Rosalee – 245, up from 228.  Rising along with Rosalie (#254).
  19. Shanaya – 234, up from 171
  20. Violeta – 245, up from 220.  Rising with Violet (#47).
  21. Opal – 256, up from 231
  22. Whitley – 250, up from 222
  23. Xiomara – 257, up from 220

Other possibilities: Agnes, Akira, Avalyn, Diya, Eleanora, Elina, India, Loretta, Raya, Rilynn, Sailor, Spencer, Treasure, Viola, Winnie

Here are the girls’ names I think will leave the top 1000:

  1. Adilynn – #978 (271 girls) in 2016, down from #806 (347 girls) in 2015
  2. Alisha – #985 (269), down from #922 (296)
  3. Ally – #979 (271), down from #872 (318)
  4. Ann – #992 (264), down from #897 (306)
  5. Aryana – #994 (264), down from #832 (335)
  6. Azaria – #984 (270), down from #936 (288)
  7. Briley – #989 (267), down from #918 (297)
  8. Cherish – #974 (273), down from #937 (288)
  9. Desiree – #955 (282), down from #809 (346)
  10. Elin – #990 (266), down from #919 (297)
  11. Esperanza – #996 (264), down from #924 (296)
  12. Farrah – #964 (278), down from #780 (360)
  13. Hailee – #940 (289), down from #833 (335)
  14. Jasmin – #958 (281), down from #887 (310)
  15. Joslyn – #962 (279), down from #868 (321)
  16. Kaya – #961 (280), down from #859 (324)
  17. Lilia – #991 (266), down from #961 (282)
  18. Lilyanna – #997 (264), down from #969 (279)
  19. Luz – #999 (263), down from #957 (282)
  20. Madyson – #967 (276), down from #826 (339)
  21. Marjorie – #923 (295), down from #799 (351)
  22. Meilani – #1000 (263), down from #953 (284).  Meilani only entered the top 1000 in 2015.
  23. Micah – #968 (276), down from #836 (334)
  24. Milania – #946 (287), down from #800 (351)
  25. Shayla – #988 (268), down from #803 (349)

Other possibilities: Alianna, Arden, Brenna, Giana, Heather, Kailee, Kaylynn, Lizbeth, Marisol, Monserrat, Nancy, Nathaly, Yamileth, Zendaya

Boys

In 2016, the #1000th name was Jonathon, which was given to 202 boys.  Assuming the 2017 threshold is around 200 uses, here are the boys’ names I think will enter the top 1000 in 2017:

  1. Baker – 156 boys in 2016, up from 86 in 2015
  2. Bastian – 186, up from 143.  Bastian is a nickname for Sebastian (#24), which itself is increasingly popular.
  3. Bear – 186, up from 134
  4. Bjorn – 150, up from 99
  5. Cillian – 175, up from 121.  Killian (#264) is very trendy.
  6. Colson – 185, up from 170
  7. Decker – 197, up from 182
  8. Eamon – 181, up from 141
  9. Edmund – 190, up from 173
  10. Finnian – 186, up from 166
  11. Finnick – 149, up from 56 (!)
  12. Idris – 175, up from 138
  13. Imran – 191, up from 183
  14. Joan – 187, up from 169
  15. Kiaan – 168, up from 87 (!)
  16. Kyng – 183 boys, up from 100 (!)
  17. Lian – 195, up from 165
  18. Onyx – 172, up from 118
  19. Remi – 174, up from 90 (!)
  20. Roderick – 199, up from 185
  21. Ross – 191, up from 158
  22. Shepard – 189, up from 115 (!)
  23. Sidney – 196, up from 180
  24. Wallace – 196, up from 154

Other Possibilities: Adiel, Alaric, Briar, Campbell, Elvis, Harlem, Jaxxon, Jesiah, Kabir, Menachem, Norman, Ruger, Slade

And here are the boys’ names that I think will leave the top 1000:

  1. Alfonso – #921 (229 boys) in 2016, down from #794 (292 boys) in 2015
  2. Amare – #980 (207), down from #838 (267)
  3. Bode – #994 (203), down from #847 (263)
  4. Braeden – #995 (203), down from #792 (293)
  5. Brantlee – #953 (215), down from #777 (302)
  6. Brenden – #996 (203), down from #899 (241)
  7. Brent – #973 (209), down from #886 (250)
  8. Camilo – #985 (205), down from #950 (217)
  9. Coleman – #963 (211), down from #887 (250)
  10. Davian – #998 (202), down from #868 (255)
  11. Dominique – #964 (211), down from #911 (264)
  12. Dwayne – #946 (219), down from #795 (292)
  13. Gauge – #966 (211), down from #881 (251)
  14. Giancarlo – #986 (205), down from #845 (265)
  15. Gordon – #949 (218), down from #812 (278)
  16. Jamarion – #987 (205), down from #955 (216)
  17. Javon – #954 (215), down from #866 (259)
  18. Jonathon – #1000 (202), down from #879 (252)
  19. Kendall – #922 (229), down from #781 (300).  Kendall also experienced a significant drop for girls between 2015 and 2016.
  20. Kolby – #952 (216), down from #830 (270).  Colby is also falling.
  21. Lyric – #962 (213), down from #892 (246).
  22. Santos – #959 (214), down from #914 (235)
  23. Steve – #988 (205), down from #938 (224)
  24. Urijah – #956 (215), down from #883 (251)

Other Possibilities: Agustin, Anton, Blaise, Dayton, Dimitri, Ernest, Immanuel, Judson, Lamar, Kymani, Van, Vivaan

—

Are there any names you think will or won’t enter the top 1000 when the new data comes out?  Are there any names you think will leave?  Let me know, and check back in a couple of weeks to see the official results! 🙂

American Names · Modern names · Opinions

Terra

Elizabeth1 Comment

The name Terra is on my mind this Earth Day.  Terra is the Latin word for “earth,” though as a name it’s more commonly a variant of Tara.  It can also mean “country.”

The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17

Terra first appeared in SSA birth data in the early 1940s, but didn’t become popular until the early 70s.  She peaked in 1980, just three years after Tara did.  Terra only remained in the top 1000 until 1996, but a decent number still receive the name every year – indeed, 95 girls were named Terra in 2016 (Tara was given to 262).  Additionally, 22 boys were named Terran, which is sometimes used in sci-fi as another name for humans (the most recent examples I know of are Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 1 and “Star Trek: Discovery”).

Besides being an alternative to Tara, Terra could be treated as a modern nickname for Teresa.  You could also use Terra to honor a Terrence, a Terry, or even an Eartha!  It would also be a fun name for the child of someone who works with dirt, i.e, an archaeologist or farmer.

What do you think of Terra?

American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Predictions for the Top 100 Baby Names of 2017

Elizabeth1 Comment

Predicting the top 100 baby names for a year is all about trying to figure out which names are coming in and which ones are going out.  The internal results are fun to look at once the new data arrives, but the main goal is to determine what the numbers say about the names on the edge (usually the names between #80 and #120th most-popular, though there’s always some leeway for rising stars and sinking ships).

Looking at the numbers* for names on the edge of the American top 100, I believe that the following girls’ names will enter:

  • Emilia (currently #102; +43 rank change) – Rising because of actress Emilia Clarke and the growing popularity of similar Amelia (#11).
  • Rylee (#105; +16) – When a standard spelling takes off, another version follows.  1403 more girls were named Riley (#22) in 2016 than in 2015, causing a rank increase of +13; a huge jump for any name in the top 50!
  • Valentina (#106; +8)
  • Everly (#107; +31)
  • Ivy (#112; +17)
  • Josephine (#114; +17)

Replacing:

  • Faith (#100; -9 rank change)
  • Brianna (#98; -16)
  • Taylor (#89; -13)
  • Mackenzie (#85; -11)
  • Aubree (#84; -6) – Aubrey (#25; -4) experienced a significant drop of 850 girls, and Aubree lost 227 from 2015.  In terms of raw numbers, Aubree is currently only 336 girls more popular than the #101 name Ashley.
  • Kylie (#83; -17)

If I have to suggest some less likely contenders, I’d say Nova (#136; +79), and Teagan (#150; +78).  Those two are rising so quickly they could unseat falling Katherine (#90; -6) and/or Peyton (#81; -9).  Still, Teagan is more of a long shot than Nova, which could definitely crack the top 100 if she does slightly better than her current trajectory.

As for the boys’ names entering:

  • Vincent (#104; +5)
  • Santiago (#106; +21)
  • Harrison (#107; +12)
  • Everett (#114; +21)

Replacing:

  • Bentley (#100; -7) – Besides the fact that Bentley ranked #100 in 2016 and is already falling, 2017 saw the resignation of disgraced Alabama governor Robert Bentley.
  • Brandon (#99; -17)
  • Tyler (#91; -10)
  • Kevin (#89; -10)

Ezekiel (#121; +27) might also join the top 100, probably at the expense of Ayden (#92; -5), Gavin (#80; -10) or Parker (#87; -15).  Parker‘s descent might be slowed by last year’s Spiderman movie, and based on raw-usage numbers I think Gavin is a more likely exit anyway.  Additionally, Miles (#105; +2) is rising very slowly but could accidentally find himself in the top 100 because some other name fell faster.  Three other possibilities for entry are Cole (#110; +5), Axel (#116; +7), and Maverick (#139; +45), but I don’t really expect them until the 2018 set.

Thoughts?  Agreements, disagreements?  Remember – these are just for fun, something to do while awaiting the new data.  In the meantime, check out my Top 10 Predictions!  I’ll post my speculations for the top 1000 by the end of April.

*Numbers via the 2016 top 1000 lists on Social Security Administration and Behind the Name. 

American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Predictions for the Top 10 Baby Names of 2017

Elizabeth3 Comments

The Social Security Administration is expected to release information about America’s most popular baby names of 2017 sometime in May, and I’m getting so excited!  Just for fun, here are my predictions for the top 10.

I predict that Liam and Olivia will replace Noah and Emma as the #1 names.  Noah could keep his spot because he was still #1 in extremely high-population states like California and Texas in 2016, however…I’m starting to see some turnover.  Liam replaced Noah as the top boys’ name in San Diego, which has already released its 2017 data!  As for Olivia vs. Emma: both Olivia and Emma dropped in raw numbers between ’15 and ’16, though 1,001 fewer babies were named Emma in ’16 than in the previous year (while Olivia only fell by around 400 girls).  Plus, Oliver‘s fast upwards trajectory might help Olivia (similar sounds).

Amelia and Evelyn will probably enter the top 10 for girls, and I suspect they will replace Emily and Abigail; however, I think Abigail is more likely to stay in the top 10 than Emily.  Oliver will probably enter for boys, and Ethan will probably go.  I also suspect Lucas will replace Jacob; 1400 fewer baby boys were named Jacob in 2016 than in 2015, and it’s teetering close enough to the edge that already-rising Lucas (currently #14) will probably surpass him.  The name Lucas also has the benefit of belonging to a main character in a very popular Netflix series – “Stranger Things.”

Here’s what the 2016 top 10 looks like, including rank changes from 2015:

Girls

  1. Emma (0; stable)
  2. Olivia (0; stable)
  3. Ava (+1)
  4. Sophia (-1)
  5. Isabella (0)
  6. Mia (0)
  7. Charlotte (+2)
  8. Abigail (-1)
  9. Emily (-1)
  10. Harper (0)

Boys

  1. Noah (0; stable)
  2. Liam (0; stable)
  3. William (+2)
  4. Mason (-1)
  5. James (+2)
  6. Benjamin (+4)
  7. Jacob (-3)
  8. Michael (+1)
  9. Elijah (+2; new)
  10. Ethan (-4)

Here’s what I think the top 10 will look like in the 2017 list, with estimated rank changes from 2016:

Girls

  1. Olivia (+1)
  2. Emma (-1)
  3. Ava (0; stable)
  4. Charlotte (+3)
  5. Isabella (0; stable)
  6. Sophia (-2); Sophia experienced a large drop of around 1300 girls between ’15 and ’16.  On the other hand, Charlotte gained almost 1700.
  7. Mia (-1)
  8. Amelia (+3; new)
  9. Harper (+1)
  10. Evelyn (+2; new)

Exiting: Emily and Abigail

Runner-up: Abigail

Boys

  1. Liam (+1)
  2. Noah (-1)
  3. William (0; stable)
  4. James (+1)
  5. Benjamin (+1)
  6. Mason (-2)
  7. Elijah (+2)
  8. Oliver (+4; new)
  9. Michael (-1)
  10. Lucas (+4; new)

Exiting: Ethan and Jacob

Runner-up: Jacob

Do you agree with my predictions, or do you think there’s going to be a different line-up?  Ultimately, we’ll see the results in May…and I do expect surprises.  In the meantime, I’ll continue to post my predictions for the top 100 and top 1000 throughout April.

American Names · Analysis · Classic, Old, and Traditional Names · Opinions

Girls’ Names Popular in Every Year Since 1880

Elizabeth4 Comments

Screen Shot 2018-02-27 at 2.22.54 PM

What defines a timeless name? Is it a name that never seems to age? Or is it a name that stays popular throughout the centuries?

In the U.S., a name is considered popular if it falls within the top 1000, as tallied by the Social Security Administration. Every year, the SSA publishes baby name data going all the way back to 1880. Amazingly, hundreds of names have managed to remain popular every single year since then! If that’s not the definition of a timeless name, then I don’t know what is. 

I will post all of these classic names, though today I’m starting with the girls’ list. The names are listed below with their ranks in 2016; whether they rose, fell, or remained stable from 2015 to 2016; and by how many places in the rankings that they rose or fell.  Any rank change over ±30 receives the “quickly” modifier, while changes up to ±3 are described with “slightly.” At the bottom of this list, I’ll summarize and relist the names that rose and fell the most between 2015 and 2016.

  1. Alice – #76; rising (+10)
  2. Alma – #723; falling (-36)
  3. Amanda – #329; falling (-13)
  4. Amelia – #11; rising slightly (+1)
  5. Amy – #176; falling (-18)
  6. Angela – #214; rising (+6)
  7. Angelina – #175; falling (-11)
  8. Angie – #619; falling quickly (-30)
  9. Ann – #992; falling quickly (-95), critically endangered. Unless Ann pulls a Judith* in 2017, this name is almost guaranteed to exit this list in May.
  10. Anna – #51; falling (-7)
  11. Anne – #554; rising (+12)
  12. Annie – #287; rising quickly (+36)
  13. Audrey – #39; falling slightly (-2)
  14. Barbara – #856; rising (+9)
  15. Bridget – #594; falling quickly (-61)
  16. Camille – #243; rising slightly (+3)
  17. Caroline – #56; rising (+6)
  18. Carolyn – #810; falling quickly (-58); endangered.
  19. Catherine – #195; falling (-18)
  20. Cecilia – #179; rising slightly (+2)
  21. Celeste – #495; rising slightly (+2)
  22. Celia – #837; rising (+18)
  23. Charlotte – #7; rising slightly (+2)
  24. Christina – #390; falling quickly (-57)
  25. Christine – #729; rising quickly (+61). No guarantee that gains continue in 2017; sometimes dying names will zig-zag up and down for a few years before completely falling out of popularity.  Indeed, Christine was never outside the top 200 until 1999, and has mostly continued downwards since then.  Hopefully, the large rise between 2015 and 2016 will continue in 2017.
  26. Claire – #40; rising (+9)
  27. Clara – #99; falling slightly (-1)
  28. Claudia – #761; falling (-19)
  29. Cora – #87; rising slightly (+1)
  30. Corinne – #796; falling quickly (-64); endangered, but don’t expect a 2017 exit.
  31. Cynthia – #561; falling (-21)
  32. Daisy – #190; falling (-7)
  33. Deborah – #815; falling (-8)
  34. Edith – #488; rising quickly (+36)
  35. Eleanor – #41; rising (+19). +19 is a huge jump within the top 100, so this was one of the trendier names of 2016.
  36. Elisabeth – #684; rising (+31)
  37. Elise – #166; rising (+8)
  38. Ellen – #655; rising quickly (+51)
  39. Elsa – #622; falling quickly (-136) and possibly endangered. Elsa spiked up to #286 in 2014 because of Frozen; either it’s correcting back to pre-movie levels or will drop out of the top 1000 in a couple years.
  40. Emily – #9; falling slightly (-1)
  41. Emma – #1; stable (0)
  42. Elizabeth – #13; stable (0)
  43. Esther – #183; rising (+20)
  44. Eva – #73; rising slightly (+2)
  45. Evelyn – #12; rising slightly (+3)
  46. Frances – #446; rising quickly (+69)
  47. Genevieve – #188; falling (-6)
  48. Georgia – #227; rising slightly (+3)
  49. Grace – #19; stable (0)
  50. Hannah – #33; falling (-5)
  51. Helen – #408; rising (+12)
  52. Helena – #518; rising (+16)
  53. Irene – #656; falling (-26)
  54. Iris – #186; rising (+31)
  55. Isabel – #145; rising (+4)
  56. Jane – #279; rising (+9)
  57. Jessie – #642; falling (-27)
  58. Joanna – #248; rising quickly (+57)
  59. Johanna – #555; falling (-14)
  60. Josephine – #114; rising quickly (+17)
  61. Josie – #237; rising quickly (+13)
  62. Judith – #889; rising (+38). Rebounding? *Judith ranked as low as #992 in 2013; incidentally, that’s Ann‘s exact ranking for 2016.
  63. Julia – #88; rising slightly (+1)
  64. Julie – #482; falling (-27)
  65. Kate – #231; falling (-9)
  66. Katherine – #90; falling (-6)
  67. Kathleen – #841; falling (-12)
  68. Kathryn – #398; falling quickly (-79)
  69. Katie – #364; falling quickly (-54)
  70. Laura – #346; falling quickly (-24)
  71. Lea – #690; rising quickly (+48)
  72. Leah – #37; falling slightly (-1)
  73. Lena – #276; falling (-4)
  74. Leslie – #413; falling quickly (-42)
  75. Lillian – #28; falling slightly (-2)
  76. Linda – #669; stable (0)
  77. Lucia – #213; rising quickly (+13)
  78. Lucy – #55; stable (0)
  79. Lydia – #80; stable (0)
  80. Madeline – #91; falling slightly (-1)
  81. Maggie – #242; stable (0)
  82. Margaret – #139; rising (+15)
  83. Maria – #113; falling (-4)
  84. Marie – #583; falling (-21)
  85. Martha – #727; rising quickly (+62). Martha is in a similar position as Christine. I hope that Martha continues to trend upwards, but usage has been erratic this decade.
  86. Mary – #127; falling (-4)
  87. Miriam – #293; rising slightly (+1)
  88. Molly – #157; falling (-14)
  89. Nancy – #900; falling quickly (-78); critically endangered. After Ann, this is probably the next most likely to fall out of the top 1000 in 2017.
  90. Naomi – #74; rising slightly (+2)
  91. Natalie – #31; falling (-4)
  92. Nina – #309; falling (-10)
  93. Nora – #36; rising (+5)
  94. Olivia – #2; stable (0)
  95. Paula – #824; rising quickly (+64)
  96. Priscilla – #474; rising (+28)
  97. Rachel – #173; falling (-6)
  98. Rebecca – #207; falling (-19)
  99. Regina – #437; rising quickly (+80)
  100. Rosa – #639; falling (-10)
  101. Rose – #154; rising (+12)
  102. Ruby – #71; rising (+12)
  103. Ruth – #299; falling (-7)
  104. Sara – #152; rising (+10)
  105. Sarah – #57; rising slightly (+1)
  106. Sophia – #4; falling slightly (-1)
  107. Susan – #922; rising (+6)
  108. Sylvia – #505; falling (-21). On the other hand, the French form Sylvie was new to the top 1000 in 2016.
  109. Teresa – #667; rising slightly (+1)
  110. Veronica – #414; falling quickly (-46)
  111. Victoria – #21; falling slightly (-1)
  112. Virginia – #517; rising (+6)
  113. Vivian – #95; stable (0).

Biggest gains? Regina (+80), Frances (+69), Paula (+64), Martha (+62), Christine (+61), Joanna (+57), Ellen (+51), Lea (+48), Judith (+38), Annie (+36), Edith (+36), Elisabeth (+31), Iris (+31)

Biggest losses? Elsa (-136), Ann (-95), Kathryn (-79), Nancy (-78), Corinne (-64), Bridget (-61), Carolyn (-58), Christina (-57), Katie (-54), Veronica (-45), Leslie (-42), Alma (-36), Angie (-30)

I think it can be said that all 113 names on this list are classic, though not necessarily ageless or even timeless. Names like Barbara and Paula certainly have a dated “grandma” quality to them, and yet they’ve remained popular choices for parents across three centuries at least! Truly, one of the best reasons to use a classic baby name is that it’s time-tested.

And what about the names that might leave the top 1000 (and this list) in 2017, like Ann and Nancy? We can hope for a revival, and comfortably rest in the knowledge that leaving the top 1000 does not mean name-extinction. The sad part is that the number of names that have been perennially popular since 1880 will continue to dwindle. Names that were trendy in the mid-to-late 20th century are in danger of obscurity as many of their bearers become parents and (especially) grandparents.  In 2016, once-classic Jenny fell victim to Jennifer‘s ongoing decline. Many of today’s most popular names were also popular so long ago that most of their bearers have died off, leaving today’s parents with few previous impression of older generations. This is probably part of the reason why names like Edith and Eleanor are trendy, and why names like Matilda and Adeline have returned to the top 1000 after decades of obscurity.

Thoughts, anyone? I’m going to post the boys’ names later, so watch out for those. 

Sources:

American Names · Opinions

Rare ‘E’ Baby Names for Boys in 2016

Elizabeth2 Comments

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 12.16.32 PM

A week ago I expressed my adoration towards rare ‘E’ baby names for girls. Honestly though, the boys’ names are pretty cool too! Among other things, the letter ‘E’ gives us an awesome selection of hardcore Bible names like Elimelech and nearly forgotten Old English favorites like Egbert!

As usual, the data for these names comes from the Social Security Administration, which releases a set of baby names every year that were given to 5 or more children in the U.S. The names below weren’t quite popular enough to be in the top 1000, but were still common enough to chart. The order of names in this post descends from most popular to rarest. I’ve color-coded the mostly or entirely masculine-trending names blue, and names with significant unisex usage purple.

  • 150-202 baby boys: Edmund, Elvis, Elmer
  • 100-149: Everest, Eliam, Elon, Ewan, Ever, Eleazar, Ender, Eliel, Emil, Elan, Emir, Elvin, Evander, Earl, Elam
  • 50-99: Eyad, Ellison, Ezio, Egypt, Emrys, Eros, Eldon, Esdras, Eben, Elton, Eoin, Evans, Elio
  • 25-49: Elwood, Esau, Eliab, Ellington, Ethaniel, Edric, Everson, Ebenezer, Elder, Enos, Essa, Eamonn, Elimelech, Eh, Ernie, Enrico, Escher, Eero, Eliud, Erasmo, Errol
  • 10-24: Exodus, Elnathan, Emeric, Egan, Elihu, Eoghan, Elbert, Evangelos, Ericson, Eber, Even, Epic, Ezequias, Elchonon, Eliakim, Eligio, Eusebio, Everton, Earvin, Eissa, Eon, Evaristo, Ezekiah
  • 7-9: Edsel, Enzio, Esmond, Estuardo, Evelio, Exton, Edilberto, Espn, Eustace, Eyoab, Eyosias, Eaton, Ebrima, Ebubechukwu, Edel, Eito, Elber, Elisey, Elrey, Eno, Ether
  • 6: Early, Edenilson, Eiji, Eiven, Ekamveer, Eldridge, Eleftherios, Eleuterio, Elhadj, Elienai, Emeterio, Emilian, Erioluwa, Ernst, Essam, Essex, Eton, Exander, Ezekias
  • 5: Eberardo, Eddiel, Egbert, Einar, Eldad, Eldric, Elishua, Eljay, Elohim, Emigdio, Emperor, En, Engels, England, Enver, Erling, Eryx, Eshwar, Exiquio, Ezell

What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments!

American Names · Opinions

Ka-ching! Money-Themed Baby Names

Elizabeth8 Comments

Something I’ve noticed while perusing the United States extended data is the prevalence of baby names related to money. This makes a lot of sense to me – money pervades our lives so thoroughly that whether we’re trying to earn it, spend it, or save it, it’s everywhere! People name children after their values all the time, so it’s no wonder that money-themed baby names are so popular.

Currency:

Florin – Hasn’t appeared in SSA data since 2003. The florin was a popular medieval European currency.

Lira – 30 girls; currency of Italy (pre-Euro) and Turkey. Pronounced “lee-ruh.”

Mark – #195; Germany (pre-Euro).

Naira – 57 girls; Nigeria.

Quetzal – 5 boys; Guatemala. The Resplendent Quetzal is that country’s national bird and monetary namesake.

Rand – 11 girls and 21 boys; South Africa. Most people will probably think of Sen. Rand Paul before they think about South African money.

Sterling – #458; United Kingdom (Pounds Sterling). The TV series Archer saved this name from obscurity in the U.S.

Yuan – 7 girls, 8 boys; China.

Yen – 7 girls; Japan.

Zaire – #783; Zaïre. This currency is now defunct, plus the country changed its name to Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997. The name spiked that year, interestingly enough.

Physical Money:

Cash – #253. This most popular of monetary baby names took off after Johnny Cash died, though I can’t tell whether this name is meant more as a throwback to country music or, well, cash. Cash has led to derivations like Cashton (135 boys) and Cashlynn (11 girls). The name Cassius has various alternate spellings that include “cash,” but they may be phonetic and unrelated to the name Cash itself.

Denarius – 7 boys; Ancient Roman coin. Denarius Moore played with the Oakland Raiders from 2011 to 2014.

Dinero – 19 boys. Dinero is the Spanish word for money.

Penny – #693. Penny returned to the top 1000 in 2013, the same year that Penelope entered the top 100 for the first time.

Silver – 50 girls; 12 boys. Don’t be that person who names a child Sterling Silver.

Tuppence – A corruption of “two-pence,” this is a strictly (albeit rare) British name. Agatha Christie had a character called Tuppence (whose name was really Prudence).  Another potential namesake is actress Tuppence Middleton.

Wealth:

Fortune – 11 girls, 5 boys.

Prosperity – 6 girls.

Rich – 17 boys. Using Rich as a formal name might seem conceited if you’re going for a monetary name theme, so put Richard on the birth certificate instead and use Rich as a nickname.

Wealthy – Hasn’t appeared since 1941.

Worth – 12 boys.

Money-Inspired:

Araminta – Last appeared in 2015. Use this in reference to “mints,” or places where money is produced.

Crown – 6 boys; can refer to any currencies (especially Scandinavian) whose name translates to “crown” or “crowns.”

Damoney – 7 boys.

Dinara – 5 girls; in reference to the “dinar,” a currency mostly used in countries whose land previously belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Dinara itself seems to have been a (more ancient) coin, and the word dinar ultimately derives from the Latin denarius.

Florence – 246 girls; In reference to the medieval Florin.

Florian – 18 boys; also in reference to the Florin. Florian is a very popular baby name in Austria.

Frank – #353; Swiss Franc, along with the pre-Euro Belgian Franc.

CHF20_8_front_horizontal
Note for 20 Swiss Francs

Franklin – #423; $100 or Franc.

Hamilton – 97 boys; $10/1st secretary of the Treasury.

Millicent – 119 girls. It contains ‘cent,’ doesn’t it?

Monique – #923; “Money” for short.

Ruby – #71. As in “ruble” (Russia) or “rupee” (India), though I guess one can pay in rubies!

Vincent – #104; see Millicent.

Personally, I think the name Jackson (#17) should be avoided if naming a child after money. On the other hand, Centurion could be a fun way of incorporating “cent!”

Thoughts:

I didn’t always like this name theme, but I appreciate it more and more as I grow older. There’s something to be said about naming children in the hopes that they’ll be successful, prosperous, and blessed with good fortune. I don’t recommend naming a child to flash your family’s perceived riches (that would be tacky), but I don’t think many people are doing that. If you’re a coin-collector, money-themed names are especially cool choices!

What do you think about money-themed baby names? Are there any you would add to this list? Let me know!