Tag: sightings

American Names

April Name Sightings

Elizabeth1 Comment

Time for another rare-name round-up!  Every month, I publish a list of unusual names I spotted in and around my community over the past 30 days or so.  Usually I do this on the last night of the month, but yesterday was busy.  Errands, another blog post I needed to finish, Avengers: Infinity War…you get the picture.  By the way, happy May!

Here are the most interesting local names I spotted in April:

  • Firm
  • Draper – an uncommon occupational name that was briefly trendy in the late 1970s and peaked in 1980.  13 boys were named Draper in 2016, the most since 1982.
  • Roby (m, deceased) – 5 boys in 2016.  Roby is a surname that can also be a nickname for Robert.
  • Nielson (m) – Nielson doesn’t appear in SSA birth data, but Nielsen did once (in 1991).  Nielsen is a surname that means “son of Niels,” Niels being a Danish form of Nicholas.
  • Legend (m) – what makes this so interesting to me is that this person is likely an adult.  Legend is a popular, very trendy baby name that ranked #311 in 2016 (impressive, since it only entered the top 1000 in 2010).  It first appeared in Social Security Administration birth data in 1993.
  • Veronique – French form of Veronica.  8 girls were named Veronique in 2016, while Veronica ranked #413 out of 1000.
  • Judge – a curious occupational name which hasn’t been in the top 1000 since the 1930s, but has appeared in SSA birth data for every year since 1880.  The most famous bearer is probably actor Judge Reinhold, though in his case it’s just a nickname.  30 boys were named Judge in 2016, the most since 1954.  I think with the popularity of Justice, Judge could make a comeback.
  • Reeves (m, toddler) – another rare surname baby name that’s slowly becoming more common.  25 boys were named Reeves in 2016.
  • Sterett (m, preteen)
  • Avila – Avila probably refers to St. Teresa of Ávila.  37 girls were named Avila in 2016.
  • Haywood (m) – 10 boys in 2016.
  • Dulaney (m) – Dulaney has only appeared in SSA birth data as a girls’ name, probably as an alternative to Delaney. 
  • Burkley (m, deceased) – Burkley, a variant of Berkeley, first appeared in SSA birth data in 2001, and has been given to both boys and girls since then.  This Burkley was much older, though.
  • Rosebud – potentially born after Citizen Kane, but likely beforehand.  Rosebud was most popular in the 20s.
  • Meriwether (f, young adult) – Meriwether first appeared in SSA data in 2009 as a girls’ name, but anyone who remembers their U.S. history lessons will recall that the Lewis of Lewis and Clark was named Meriwether.  6 girls were named Meriwether in 2016.

What do you think of these names?  Have you spotted any interesting names in your community over the last month?  Let me know!

Earlier rare name round-ups in 2018:

American Names

March Name Sightings

Elizabeth6 Comments

It’s the last day of the month…time for a rare name round-up! Below you’ll see the rarest names I spotted in my community this March. The children’s names really shine like the sun, though that honor also goes to Helia further below…excuse the pun.

Children/Pre-teens:

  • Hill (b) – just 5 boys were named Hill in 2016. A rather unusual geographic name which I’ve only previously seen as a surname. There’s always the off-chance that it could be short for Hilary, but that died out as a men’s name in the 1990s.
  • Anoushka – 12 girls in 2016. This name was mildly trendy a decade ago, peaking at 58 girls in 2008.  Anoushka is sometimes treated as a variant of a Russian nickname for Anna, though one of its most famous bearers (Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi Shankar) is decidedly not Russian. I don’t think the Anoushka I encountered is either…I’m wondering if there’s another language source for the name.
  • Tryphena – 5 girls in 2016. Tryphena is an extremely rare Biblical Greek name!

Other sightings:

  • Helia – 6 girls in 2016. Helia is the feminine form of Helios, which is the name of the ancient Greek sun god.
  • Dellabell (deceased) – Dellabell has never appeared in SSA birth data, though if you add an ‘e’ to the end I can see where it could fit in with current naming trends. Della was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is on the rise again, and was given to 247 girls in 2016.
  • Miroslav (middle-aged) – 8 boys in 2016. Miroslav is a classic, medieval Slavic name that is still popular (though falling) in the Czech Republic. The feminine form Miroslava is slightly more popular in the U.S.; 16 girls were given the name in 2016.
  • Eryck – unusual spelling of Eric, didn’t chart in 2016 (last time was 2015). However, Deryck and Maveryck both appeared in the data.
  • Alleyne – Wow, it last charted in 1939! I can’t tell if this is meant as a variant of Ellen or an older feminine form of Alan.
  • Tierney – 62 girls in 2016. The given name Tierney came about in the 1950s, and it’s still occasionally used. Tierney peaked in 1993, when it was given to 172 girls.

Thoughts? Favorites? Have you spotted any rare and awesome names this month? Let me know!

Previous rare name round-ups in 2018:

American Names

February Name Sightings

Elizabeth5 Comments

Since February ends on the 28th this year, it’s time for me to post the most interesting names I’ve spotted on people this month! You can read my January round-up here.

I saw:

  • Lucky – Male. Lucky is far more common as a men’s name than a women’s name, but it registered for both at last count. In 2016, 56 boys and 7 girls were named Lucky.
  • Anahata – There’s no data on Anahata, though the similar name Anahita has enjoyed fairly steady (if rare) usage among girls since the late 70s.
  • Catina was popular in the 70s due to the name Katina‘s appearance in a soap opera. The last SSA appearance for this spelling was in 2011.

In Newspapers:

  • Takicha – Takisha was briefly popular in the late 1970s, though the spelling Takicha never hit the minimum 5 uses to appear in the extended data.
  • Luerline (deceased) – another spelling of Lurline, which peaked shortly after World War I.
  • Ivey – Male, deceased. Though overwhelmingly feminine now (and growing because of Ivy), Ivey was more popular for boys through much of the early 20th century. 141 girls were named Ivey in 2016; Ivey last appeared in SSA data for boys in 2015, when it was given to 7 boys.
  • Ashby – 31 boys and 16 girls in 2016.
  • Sabine – 75 girls in 2016. The Sabines were an ancient people whose women were kidnapped by Roman men, who themselves were looking for wives to populate their city. The incident is known as the “Rape of the Sabine Women.”  I can’t help but think that that wording makes Sabine a really odd choice for a baby name. If you like the name’s sound, maybe go with Sabrina instead?
  • Saiyana – no data.
  • Avayah – 69 girls in 2016. Almost looks like a cross between Ava, Nevaeh, and maybe Vada. Avayah first entered SSA data in 2005, five years after more popular Avaya (85 girls in 2016) entered. Modern and stylish!
  • Daryl – Female, deceased. Daryl is usually thought of as a men’s name, though a famous woman Daryl is actress Daryl Hannah.  As a girls’ name, it last appeared in 2015; 141 boys were named Daryl in 2016.
  • Graylin – 5 girls in 2016. This particular Graylin is probably an adult man, though…and as it turns out, Graylin has traditionally been a men’s name, according to SSA numbers. Graylin only debuted for girls in 2013, but it debuted for men in 1949 (and peaked in the 50s). Last appearance on the boys’ side: 2015.

Thoughts? Have you spotted any interesting names lately? Let me know!

American Names

January Name Spotting

Elizabeth8 Comments

It’s the last day of January, and time for the first name sightings post of 2018!

Here are a few interesting names I spotted this month:

  • Tishaminga – Her siblings had names that would have been popular/trendy in the 70s or 80s…really makes me wonder about this one! I can’t find any numbers for it. Has anyone else ever seen this name, and if so, where?
  • Shealyn – Given to 12 girls in 2016.
  • Alynne (deceased) – In this case, apparently a feminine patronymic form of Alan. Last SSA appearance in 2010 (first in 1999).  This Alynne was likely born before the name ever debuted, though.
  • Tishawn – Last appeared in SSA birth data c. 2014 as a boys’ name. The last time Tishawn appeared as a girls’ name was in 1990.
  • Jennings (male, probably child) – In 2016 (at last count), 62 boys and 14 girls were named Jennings. It’s on the rise for both boys and girls.
  • Payeton – 5 girls were named Payeton in 2016.
  • Rogers (deceased) – 7 boys named Rogers in 2016; peaked in 1950 with 164 boys.
  • Navy – Assuming this name wasn’t a Freudian slip where I saw it listed (military family), then Navy is probably an adult. 152 girls and 29 boys were named Navy in 2016; it first appeared as a girls’ name in 1985.
  • Mekele (adult) – Mek’ele is a city in Ethiopia.
  • Senecca (adult) – Senecca (a variant of already-rare Seneca) was a boys’ name that appeared in the birth data a few times in the late 70s and early 80s. This person is highly educated and has a good job, which I feel is important to point out because of this name’s “youneek” spelling. Too often, people act as though children’s lives are instantaneously ruined if their parents give them names with non-standard spellings; they aren’t.
  • Falkon (teenager or young adult) – Another variant spelling of an already rare name! I can’t find Falkon in the birth data, but 21 boys and 7 girls were named Falcon in 2016.

I think I also saw a guy named Ushinsi, though I’m not positive on the spelling.

What do you think?  Did you spot any unusual names this month?  Let me know in the comments!

American Names

December Name Sightings

Elizabeth2 Comments

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had wonderful holidays. 🙂

Something interesting was pointed out to me earlier. As of today – December 31, 2017 – there are no more children who were born in the 20th century. Tomorrow, people born in 2000 can purchase cigarettes legally. Everybody born in the 1900s is now (or would be) an adult. All I can say is…wow! And maybe, yikes?

That in mind, it does bring me back to the topic of names. Most of the time, I talk about baby names – names of children who were recently born. Once a month, though, I write about the interesting names I’ve spotted among all ages in that time. Babies aren’t the only ones with unique names! Indeed, sometimes adults (even ones who’ve passed away) are the bearers of names so unusual that you’d almost never find them in data-sets. If there’s ever a way for name-enthusiasts to discover new and uncharted appellations, this is it.

I met:

Doucette – She told me her family was from southern France.

Presumably children’s names, seen in newspapers:

  • Arrow – Increasingly popular for both boys and girls. According to the latest numbers, 71 girls and 119 boys were named Arrow in 2016.
  • Kourtlyn – 22 girls were named Kourtlyn in 2016. A little surprisingly, this trendier, more modern take on Courtney first appeared in SSA birth data in 1992. Other spellings include Courtlyn and Courtlynn.
  • Phinehas – Phineas is a better-known form of this Biblical name. 25 boys were named Phinehas in 2016, compared to 139 named Phineas.
  • Hosanna – Biblical, but not traditionally a name (though it sounds like one!). It’s a word that commonly pops up in church hymns. 76 girls were named Hosanna in 2016.

Adults in newspapers:

  • Avelina – This is a name we’re all going to start hearing more often. Avelina tails on the trendiness of Aveline, which has more than quintupled in usage since 2012! 179 girls were named Aveline in 2016 (up from 100 in 2015), and 64 girls were named Avelina in ’16 (up from 48 in ’15). 
  • Cinderella (deceased) – Most of her siblings had ordinary names, making this an especially odd sighting! Cinderella last appeared in SSA birth data in 2010.
  • Stanwyn (deceased, male) – looks like someone tried to Welsh-ify Stanley.
  • Shirley Sr. (deceased, male) – I think this is the second time this year I’ve encountered a man named Shirley. A reminder that many “women’s” names didn’t start out that way.

Elsewhere:

Aphroditi-Marilena – At least, I think it’s Aphroditi-Marilena. I’m not 100% sure that Marilena was the name after the hyphen, but I definitely saw Aphroditi before the dash! Spotted in the credits of Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4. Aphroditi is a variant of Aphrodite, name of the Ancient Greek goddess of love. Although Aphroditi doesn’t show up in SSA birth data, Aphrodite does, and was given to 12 girls in 2016.

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And that’s it for 2017! I can’t wait to see what goodies 2018 brings. Maybe I’ll meet a real-life Champagne or something…speaking of which, time to open a bottle! 

P.S. What did you think of the names I spotted in December? Did you spot any unusual names of your own? Let me know in the comments!

Previous rare-name round-ups of 2017:

American Names · Analysis

November Name Spotting!

Elizabeth6 Comments

It’s the last day of November! Let’s see the most interesting, unusual names I’ve encountered over the past 30 days.

I met:

Rigby (female, late 20s) – I should have asked if her parents were Beatles fans. Rigby didn’t enter SSA birth data at all until 1999, and not until 2011 for girls. This one was born in the 80s…talk about avant-garde!

Newspaper Sightings:

  • Benefrida (deceased) – Here’s an intriguing name I can’t find any information on. It kind of looks like a mash up between Benedicta and Frida.
  • Joetter (deceased) – In the old days (mainly before widespread TV), popular girls’ names ending in -a were sometimes spelled with an -er ending instead. ‘Old’ and ‘forgotten’ choices like Anner, Emmer, and Etter are really just variations of Anna, Emma, and Etta. Joetter is probably a variation of Joetta, which was slightly popular in the 1930s through 1950s.
  • Elnora (deceased) – Vintage form of Eleanor that peaked in the early 20th century. 19 girls were named Elnora in 2016.
  • Baker – His or her siblings both have top 10 baby names. Maybe it’s a family name? 156 boys and 19 girls were named Baker last year.
  • Maryblair – Fun compound name!
  • Shaughnessy (African-American, possibly child or young adult) – Shaughnessy is a variation of the Irish surname O’Shaughnessy, and last appeared in the birth data circa 2009.
  • Imgard – looks like variation of Irmgard, which is contracted from Irmingard…and related to Ermengarde.
  • McKenzie (boy) – As a girls’ name McKenzie ranks #156. Still, a few boys are given the name every year. 17 boys were given this name in 2016.
  • Essence – Like Baker, Essence‘s siblings had extremely popular names from their generation. I’m guessing they were born in the 80s, maybe early 90s at the latest. Essence entered the top 1000 in 1991, peaked in 1998, and left after 2008. Last year, 135 girls received the name.
  • Decima – Ooh, Latin! Decima is a very rare ordinal name which means “tenth” … I wonder if she’s one of ten kids? Decima hasn’t appeared in SSA birth data since 1973, though it’s always possible that this one was born in a year where there weren’t enough (minimum of five) to appear. The masculine form of Decima is Decimus.

Elsewhere:

Cyne-burh – Cyneburh is already rare enough…no idea why she wrote her name with a hyphen unless it’s meant as a pronunciation marker? What an amazing sighting! Cyneburh is a variation of Cyneburg, Cyneburga, or Kyneburga, and is an Anglo-Saxon saint’s name.  It means “royal fortress.” Elated that I got to see this one…it was hiding in broad daylight on a list where other women with mid-century standards like Kay and Cheryl had also written their names! For all I know, Cyneburg could have born a Kimberly and wanted something more exciting. Could it even be a confirmation name?

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Have you spotted any unusual names lately? What do you think of the ones I’ve found? Let me know!

Previous rare name round-ups in 2017:

American Names · Analysis

October Name Sightings

Elizabeth2 Comments

Happy Halloween! Since November starts tomorrow, it’s time to review the most interesting and unusual names I spotted in October.

I met:

  • Everly – Adult woman, 20s. This was certainly a surprising encounter! The vast majority of people named Everly are under the age of 5, considering the name only officially became popular in 2012. Current U.S. rank: #107.
  • Wallis “Wallie” – adult woman, probably in her 70s. I didn’t get a chance to ask, but I wonder if she was named after Wallis Simpson, who was the American wife of King Edward VIII…and the main reason why Elizabeth II is queen, since Edward was forced to abdicate to his brother Albert (King George VI) for marrying a two-time divorcée. 8 girls were named Wallis last year in the U.S.
  • Benita – adult. I don’t remember how old she was, but I was surprised to learn that Benita spent much of the 20th century in the top 1000. Peak usage was in the early 1960s. 14 girls were named Benita (the Spanish form of Benedicta) in 2016.
  • Blair – teenage boy.  This was popular for both sexes between 1980 and 1995. Blair was last in the top 1000 for boys in ’95, and then dropped out for girls after 2000. It has since returned for girls. Current rank: #521, representing 594 girls.  There were also 83 boys given the name last year.
  • Breandan – teenager. Interesting spelling of Brendan; sounds slightly drawled. Maybe his parents are Brendan and Breanna and decided to smash their names together? Anyway, 9 boys were given this spelling in 2016.

Mentioned in Newspapers:

  • Daugherty – Unsure of gender. Probably long deceased as was mentioned in an obit as a parent of decedent.
  • Unity – probably a child or young adult. 30 girls were named Unity in 2016.
  • Aonika – early teens. Variant of Annika?
  • Ada-Marie – adult.  Since double-barrels aren’t a thing in SSA data, we have to look to Adamarie, which was in fact used 6 times last year.
  • Helge – male. This hasn’t appeared in extended birth data since 1930! Helge is the masculine form of Helga.

I also spotted an amazing couple of names last night during the starting credits for The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a 1921 film which made actor Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) a household name. Since it’s in the public domain, you can watch it anywhere online for free – here’s a link. Incidentally, Four Horseman was the top-grossing movie of its year.

324px-Four_Horsemen_of_the_Apocalypse_Poster
The starting credits of this movie had a few absolutely eye-catching rare names!

  • Pomeroy – Pomeroy Cannon (1870-1928) was listed before Valentino in the credits. Not much seems to be known about him.
  • Brodwitch – Bowditch Turner (1877-1933). Yes, there’s a slight difference between his name and credit.

There’s also a Bridgetta listed in the credits. It wasn’t her real name, and Four Horseman was her first movie. Judging by the SSDI, it’s improbable that her stage name affected baby naming at all. However, Rudolph Valentino most definitely did have an effect. When he died in 1926, Valentino entered the top 1000 for the first time (staying until 1928) and already-popular Rudolph was temporarily boosted.

What do you think of these names? Did you spot any interesting names this month?  Let me know in the comments! 

Previous name round-ups from this year:

American Names

September Name Sightings (and Babies!)

Elizabeth4 Comments

I’ve been publishing name sightings for the past few months now, but this month I lucked out and spotted some babies’ names!  So, my September post includes a few birth announcements. 🙂

I met:

Tor – in his 20s. His middle name is also Scandinavian; Behind the Name defines Tor as a Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish form of Thor. Only 14 boys were named Tor in 2016, compared to 87 Thors.

Agape – teenage girl. The name has nothing to do with the English word, but with an Ancient Greek word for love (especially in a divine or Biblical sense). This name is pronounced with 3 syllables: ah-gah-pay or ah-gah-pee. 7 girls were named Agape in 2016.

Leila – Adult. Leila is *not* an unusual name, but she pronounced it like “Lyla.” Until this point, I assumed everyone said Leila the way they say Layla. Leila currently ranks #230 in the U.S.; Lyla, #138.

Shirley – a man in his 70s. Shirley started out as a men’s name, and it would have still been in the top 1000 when he was born. I wonder what his life’s been like; Shirley was extremely trendy a few years before he was born. Was he a real-life “Boy Named Sue?” 168 girls were named Shirley in 2016.

Via Facebook:

Kyrslynn – No information on this name, though I’m surprised she’s not a young child considering the trendiness of “-Lynn” names. All I can think of is that it’s somehow related to “Kyrsten.”

Loredana – A very rare name that hasn’t charted in SSA data since 2001.

From Elsewhere:

Charlay – young woman. 5 girls were named Charlay in 2016.

Ripley–Reece – unknown gender, but definitely an adult. Double-barrel names are uncommon in this country, and Ripley is on its own. 128 girls and 26 boys were named Ripley last year, while 474 boys and 175 girls were named Reece.

Olwen – also an adult. Olwen is a beautiful and extremely rare Welsh girls’ name. Apparently it hasn’t appeared in American birth data since 1917, but you can find 11 in the 2016 English/Welsh data.

Justo – Probably a form of Justus. Justo was given to just 5 boys last year.

Robinson – Robinson Crusoe! 54 boys were given this literary name last year.

Kiernan – person (likely female) with a sixty-year-old sister. In 2016, 32 boys and 16 girls were named Kiernan. 

Birth announcements!

Brody Krishna – I believe his dad is Indian. Brody ranks #135 in the U.S., while Krishna lies far below the top 1000 (with 73 boys and 24 girls in 2016).

Clara Blue – Clara currently ranks #99 in the U.S., but Blue is a rare first name (23 boys/16 girls last year). I expect Blue is far more popular as a middle name, as it’s short and takes on a hipster quality.

Alanna Valentina – Both Alanna (#564) and Valentina (#106) are in the top 1000! 

Milly Emma – Only 112 girls were named Milly in 2016; Millie is the more popular spelling with a rank of #436. Emma is the #1 name in America.

What do you think of these names? Have you spotted any interesting ones lately? Met any babies with cool names? Let me know in the comments!

Previous rare name round-ups:

American Names · Analysis

August Name Sightings!

Elizabeth6 Comments

These are all of the rare names I’ve “collected” during the month of August. Amazingly, only one was a men’s name and only three even charted in the SSA extended data for 2016. Remember, these are real people!

From Facebook:

  • Neileen – I wonder how it’s pronounced. Nayleen? Nyleen?
  • Mainie – German.  

I met:

  • Iryna – I mostly found this interesting because she transliterates it into English with a “y” instead of an “i.” Iryna has never charted, but Irina is increasingly popular here (possibly due to Twilight). In 2016, 96 girls were named Irina in the U.S.  Maybe we’ll start to see Iryna too?
  • Pia – in her 20s or 30s. 105 girls were named Pia in 2016, which is coincidentally the most Pia‘s born in the U.S. in a single year. Feminine form of Pius. 
  • Titania – named after the fairy queen in A Midsummer Night’s Dream! 2010 was the last year Titania appeared in the extended data, but several girls were given this name every year between 1967 and 2002. I reckon this one was born in the 80s. 
  • Coffee – Late 30s or early 40s. Hilariously, she worked in hospitality! Indeed, Coffee was the name on her name tag.  Whether or not it’s her real name is another story; this spelling’s never charted (though Coffy appeared in the 70s).  Anyways, now I need to update my “coffee-inspired baby names” post!
  • Halesha – 30s. 
  • Cheyney – female, mid-twenties. For girls, the name Cheyney both debuted and peaked in 1989.

Seen in newspapers or advertisements:

  • Pepsi – yup, there are people named Pepsi. In the U.S., it sporadically charted as a women’s name between 1970 and 1989.
  • Juvenal – 9 boys were named Juvenal in 2016.

Thoughts? I can’t get over how apt Coffee’s name was…and if there’s a Pepsi out there, I really want to meet someone named Royal Crown. Have you met or encountered anyone with a very unusual name this month?

Previous rare name round-ups:

  1. Name Spotting! (March/April 2017)
  2. Rare Name Round-Up! (May-July 2017)
Uncategorized

Rare Name Round-Up!

Elizabeth6 Comments

Between May and July,* I spotted tons of awesome, rare names on real people. I’ve checked the names against publicly-available popularity data from the SSA, but some are too rare to appear which makes them even more amazing!

Seen on Facebook:

  • Zacchaeus – A rare New Testament Biblical name only appearing in the U.S. birth data since the 1970s. Last year, only 41 boys were registered under Zacchaeus, though there are other spellings. I don’t know how old FB Zacchaeus was; I spotted his name in passing.
  • Schakeline – presumably, a phonetic German spelling of Jacqueline. To my knowledge, this is the only name from this entire set that doesn’t belong to somebody in the United States.

I met:

  • Millard “Mike“ – older gentleman. Kudos for the unexpected formal name! Only 10 boys were named Millard in 2016, which was a top 1000 baby name until 1970. One major namesake is America’s 13th President, Millard Fillmore.

298px-Mfillmore
Millard Fillmore

  • Eihmear – teenager or young woman. Pronounced “Ee-mer,” this is an extremely rare Irish or Scottish Gaelic name that’s usually spelled Éimhear, Eimhir, or Emer. Now, when I asked Eihmear about her unique rendition, she told me her parents didn’t check the spelling first! Bonus points: Emer was the name of Cúchulainn’s wife in Irish Mythology.
  • Sabina, a twenty-something. This is certainly an unusual name, but if you know how to say Sabrina, you know how to say Sabina. 2016 usage: 106 girls.
  • Lourdes, a teenage male! For the unfamiliar, Lourdes is typically associated as a Catholic feminine name honoring the Virgin Mary. As a men’s name, this hasn’t appeared in the SSA data since 1990. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been any American men named Lourdes since then (he’s the obvious evidence to the contrary); it just means there hasn’t been a year after 1990 when there were more than 5 of them born. He may be the only guy Lourdes his age, though. In 2016, 99 girls were named Lourdes.

Read in local newspapers and lists:

  • Concerto (teenager). I don’t think Concerto has ever entered the SSA data for either gender!
  • Beaux – (late teens or early 20s). Beaux caught my eye for several reasons. First, over 2000 boys were named Beau 2016, compared to only around 120 boys who were named Beaux. Second, ‘x’ is a distinctive letter for any name that isn’t some form of Max or Alexander. Third, Beaux is a plural adjective in French; Beau is a masculine singular form, and Belle is the feminine singular (they mean “beautiful”). Finally, this Beaux‘s last name ended in -Beau; unless they call him “Box,” his first name rhymed with his last name! Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was from Louisiana. Now I’m curious as to what constitutes a Cajun baby name.
  • Langston – I encountered two Langstons! This name entered the U.S. top 1000 in 2013, but both were older than that by probably a decade at least. So although this isn’t exactly a rare baby name, it’s rare for people of older generations.
  • Lois – (middle or high school age). Lois is fairly popular in the U.K., but she hasn’t been in the U.S. top 1000 since 1983.  It’s rather distinctive for a young woman here! Just 118 girls were named Lois in 2016.
  • Onassis (college age). This actually has shown up in SSA birth data a few times. You might be familiar with Onassis as Jacqueline Kennedy’s other married name!
  • Trevin (college age). Trevin‘s been in the top 1000 a few times (the last year was 2009). Only 38 boys were named Trevin in 2016, and based on the name’s fast downward trajectory I wouldn’t be surprised if parents stop using it altogether within a few years.
  • Cavan (middle or high school age). Cavan is rare but fairly steady. Last year, 44 boys were given this name.
  • Taimiar (unknown)

Miscellaneous/Elsewhere:

  • Tiernan (2 years old). Only 35 American boys were named Tiernan in 2016, down from 46 in 2015 when this one was born. 5 girls were also given this Irish name in both of those years.
  • Beckwith (unknown age and gender). Beckwith is usually a surname, and associates with some fantastic first names like Abijah, Asahel, Athelstan, and Corydon.

What do you think of these names? Have you spotted any rare names lately that you’re dying to discuss? Let me know in the comments! 

*I also collected my March/April name sightings in an earlier post. Already started paying attention for August and or September!