How popular is the baby name Angelina in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Angelina.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Angelina


Posts that Mention the Name Angelina

Numerology & Baby Names: Number 9

baby names that add up to 9, numerologically

Here are hundreds of baby names that have a numerological value of “9.”

I’ve sub-categorized them by overall totals, because I think that some of the intermediate numbers could have special significance to people as well.

Within each group, I’ve listed up to ten of the most popular “9” names per gender (according to the current U.S. rankings).

Beneath all the names are some ways you could interpret the numerological value of “9,” including descriptions from two different numerological systems.

9

The following baby names add up to 9.

  • “9” boy names: Ace, Ed

9 via 18

The following baby names add up to 18, which reduces to nine (1+8=9).

  • “18” girl names: Lea, Ela, Gaia, Acacia, Addi, Naba, Bana, Anab, Dacia, Febe
  • “18” boy names: Can, Jag, Bao, Aban, Acie, Edi, Ale

9 via 27

The following baby names add up to 27, which reduces to nine (2+7=9).

  • “27” girl names: Leia, Aleah, Alma, Aya, Chana, Adele, Dalia, Elia, Amal, Emi
  • “27” boy names: Caden, Jake, Ahmad, Eddie, Koa, Cain, Cian, Jeff, Job, Angad

9 via 36

The following baby names add up to 36, which reduces to nine (3+6=9).

  • “36” girl names: Malia, Anika, Angie, Lina, Belle, Kiana, Erica, Halo, Maddie, Darla
  • “36” boy names: Chase, Reid, Caiden, Jay, Reece, Kase, Alden, Lian, Bilal, Kiaan

9 via 45

The following baby names add up to 45, which reduces to nine (4+5=9).

  • “45” girl names: Arya, Ariel, Remi, Fiona, Selah, Helena, Emelia, Kora, Briana, Emmie
  • “45” boy names: Elijah, Daniel, Cohen, Luka, Clark, Ty, Ariel, Enoch, Fox, Tadeo

9 via 54

The following baby names add up to 54, which reduces to nine (5+4=9).

  • “54” girl names: Bailey, Elliana, Alivia, Alayna, Regina, Carmen, Marlee, Zahra, Karina, Ariya
  • “54” boy names: Gabriel, Mateo, Gideon, Angelo, Devin, Gianni, Rocco, Kairo, Izaiah, Musa

9 via 63

The following baby names add up to 63, which reduces to nine (6+3=9).

  • “63” girl names: Brielle, Madeline, Noelle, Angelina, Olive, Miriam, Paris, Zariah, Fernanda, Hattie
  • “63” boy names: Matias, Emilio, Leonel, Nehemiah, Kylan, Roger, Jaziel, Otis, Caspian, Kaiser

9 via 72

The following baby names add up to 72, which reduces to nine (7+2=9).

  • “72” girl names: Aubrey, Sophie, Valerie, River, Magnolia, Mikayla, Jayleen, Holly, Everlee, Charley
  • “72” boy names: Cooper, River, Tanner, Darius, Mohammed, Jordy, Rocky, Dwayne, Kylian, Aubrey

9 via 81

The following baby names add up to 81, which reduces to nine (8+1=9).

  • “81” girl names: Brynlee, Vanessa, Jennifer, Malaysia, Tiffany, Xiomara, Sariyah, Tenley, Aubriella, Elisabeth
  • “81” boy names: Oliver, Hudson, Nicholas, Jamison, Lawrence, Samson, Nikolas, Rodney, Mustafa, Rogelio

9 via 90

The following baby names add up to 90, which reduces to nine (9+0=9).

  • “90” girl names: Autumn, Saylor, Skyler, Leighton, Evangelina, Bridgette, Paxton, Anderson, Kensleigh, Makinley
  • “90” boy names: Sebastian, Matthew, Theodore, Maxwell, Waylon, Paxton, Clayton, Anderson, Raymond, Skyler

9 via 99

The following baby names add up to 99, which reduces to nine (9+9=18; 1+8=9).

  • “99” girl names: Emersyn, Gracelynn, Priscilla, Grayson, Presleigh, Verity, Yoselin, Lillyann, Stormie, Jupiter
  • “99” boy names: Grayson, Cristobal, Rockwell, Kassius, Kingsten, Stuart, Jeronimo, Jupiter, Creighton, Coulson

9 via 108

The following baby names add up to 108, which reduces to nine (1+0+8=9).

  • “108” girl names: Journey, Roselyn, Violette, Rylynn, Emberlynn, Jacquelyn, Ellington, Stephany, Yatziri, Scotlyn
  • “108” boy names: Alessandro, Vincenzo, Cristiano, Journey, Fitzgerald, Truitt, Tyshaun, Courtland, Treshawn, Ellington

9 via 117

The following baby names add up to 117, which reduces to nine (1+1+7=9).

  • “117” girl names: Marguerite, Novalynn, Brookelyn, Zaylynn, Quinnley, Roslynn, Kynzleigh, Prestyn, Augustine, Krystina
  • “117” boy names: Augustine, Yitzchok, Maximillian, Trystan, Stockton, Treyton, Krystian, Prestyn, Shreyansh, Rustyn

9 via 126

The following baby names add up to 126, which reduces to nine (1+2+6=9).

  • “126” girl names: Brooklynn, Quinnlyn, Tennyson, Quinlynn, Stellarose, Marvelous, Veronique, Lillianrose
  • “126” boy names: Tennyson, Johnwilliam, Marvelous, Victoriano, Robertson, Royston, Artavious, Tavarious, Dionysus, Zygmunt

9 via 135

The following baby names add up to 135, which reduces to nine (1+3+5=9).

  • “135” girl names: Symphony, Kenzington, Syrenity, Sojourner
  • “135” boy names: Oluwadamilare, Thurston

9 via 144

The following baby names add up to 144, which reduces to nine (1+4+4=9).

  • “144” girl names: Yuritzy, Harleyquinn
  • “144” boy names: Constantino, Johnanthony, Oluwalonimi

9 via 153

The boy name Quintavius adds up to 153, which reduces to nine (1+5+3=9).

9 via 171

The following baby names add up to 171, which reduces to nine (1+7+1=9).

  • “171” girl names: Oluwatomisin
  • “171” boy names: Konstantinos, Oluwatimilehin

9 via 180

The unisex name Kamsiyochukwu adds up to 180, which reduces to nine (1+8+0=9).

What Does “9” Mean?

First, we’ll look at the significance assigned to “9” by two different numerological sources. Second, and more importantly, ask yourself if “9” or any of the intermediate numbers above have any special significance to you.

Numerological Attributes

“9” (the ennead) according to the Pythagoreans:

  • “It is by no means possible for there to subsist any number beyond the nine elementary numbers. Hence they called it ‘Oceanus’ and ‘horizon,’ because it encompasses both of these locations and has them within itself.”
  • “Because it does not allow the harmony of number to be dissipated beyond itself, but brings numbers together and makes them play in concert, it is called ‘concord’ and ‘limitation,’ and also ‘sun,’ in the sense that it gathers things together.”
  • “They also called it ‘Hyperion,’ because it has gone beyond all the other numbers as regards magnitude”
  • “The ennead is the first square based on an odd number. It too is called ‘that which brings completion,’ and it completes nine-month children, moreover, it is called ‘perfect,’ because it arises out of 3, which is a perfect number.”
  • “It was called ‘assimilation,’ perhaps because it is the first odd square”
  • “They used to call it […] ‘banisher’ because it prevents the voluntary progress of number; and ‘finishing-post’ because it has been organized as the goal and, as it were, turning-point of advancement.”

“9” according to Edgar Cayce:

  • “Nine – the change” (reading 261-14).
  • “Nine indicates strength and power, with a change” (reading 261-15).
  • “Nine making for the completeness in numbers; […] making for that termination in the forces in natural order of things that come as a change imminent in the life” (reading 5751-1).
  • “As to numbers, or numerology: We find that the number nine becomes as the entity’s force or influence, which may be seen in that whatever the entity begins it desires to finish. Everything must be in order. It is manifested in those tendencies for the expressions of orderliness, neatness. To be sure, nine – in its completeness, then – is a portion” (reading 1035-1).
Personal/Cultural Significance

Does “9” — or do any of the other numbers above (e.g., 18, 63, 99, 144) — have any special significance to you?

Think about your own preferences and personal experiences: lucky numbers, birth dates, music, sports, and so on. For example, maybe your favorite sport is golf, which has 18 holes per game.

Also think about associations you may have picked up from your culture, your religion, or society in general.

If you have any interesting insights about the number 9, or any of the other numbers above, please leave a comment!

Source: Theologumena Arithmeticae, attributed to Iamblichus (c.250-c.330).

Rare Girl Names from Early Cinema: F

frediOn the hunt for a rare girl name with a retro feel?

Here’s a long list of uncommon female F-names associated with early cinema (1900s-1940s). Each of the names below is either a character name or an actress name from that era. For those names that have seen enough usage to appear in the SSA data, I’ve included links to the popularity graphs.

*

Fabienne
Fabienne was a character name in multiple films, including Fazil (1928) and The Doctor and the Girl (1949).

  • Usage of the baby name Fabienne (which debuted in the data in 1949).

Fadette
Fadette was a character name in multiple films, including Fanchon, the Cricket (1915) and The Inner Chamber (1915).

Faire
Faire Binney was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in New Jersey in 1900. Her birth name was Frederica Gertrude Binney. Faire was also a character played by actress Frances Dade in the film The She-Wolf (1931).

Falfi
Falfi Tumble was a character played by actress Marjorie Daw in the film Fear-Bound (1925).

Faline
Faline was an animated character in the film Bambi (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Faline (which debuted in the data in 1943).

Fanchette
Fanchette was a character name in multiple films, including A Million a Minute (1916) and The Daring of Diana (1916).

Fanchon
Fanchon was a character name in multiple films, including Fanchon, the Cricket (1915) and The Clown (1927).

Fancy
Fancy was a character name in multiple films, including The Heart Line (1921) and The Fighting O’Flynn (1949).

  • Usage of the baby name Fancy.

Fanette
Fanette was a character name in multiple films, including Money Mad (1918) and A Gamble with Hearts (1923).

Fania
Fania Marinoff was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in Russia (now Ukraine) in 1890. Fania was also a character name in multiple films, including When a Girl Loves (1924) and The Yellow Ticket (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Fania.

Fanina
Fanina was a character played by actress Carmen Phillips in the film The Man Who Turned White (1919).

Fannia
Fannia was a character played by actress Ann Rork in the film The Blonde Saint (1926).

Fantasca
Fantasca was a character played by actress Alice Joyce in the short film Fantasca, the Gipsy (1912).

Fanutza
Fanutza was a character played by actress Margaret Loomis in the film Law of the Lawless (1923).

Farina
Farina was a character played by actress Gloria Swanson in the film The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Farina.

Faun
Faun was a character played by actress Inez Courtney in the film Big City Blues (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Faun.

Fauvette
Fauvette was a character played by actress Elsie Ferguson in the film His Parisian Wife (1919).

Fay
Fay Tincher was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Kansas in 1884. Fay Bainter was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in California in 1893. Fay Wray (of King Kong fame) was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She was born in Canada in 1907. Her birth name was Vina Fay Wray. Fay was also a character name in multiple films, including The Rainbow Trail (1925) and Stage Kisses (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Fay.

Fayaway
Fayaway was a character played by actress Raquel Torres in the film White Shadows in the South Seas (1928).

Fedora
Fedora was a character name in multiple films, including Fedora (1918) and The Woman from Moscow (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Fedora.

Felicitas
Felicitas was a character played by actress Greta Garbo in the film Flesh and the Devil (1926).

Femie
Femie was a character played by actress Neva Gerber in the short film Billie, the Hillbilly (1915).

Fenella
Fenella was a character name in multiple films, including A Man of His Word (1915) and Name the Man (1924).

Ferike
Ferike Boros was an actress who appeared in films in from the 1910s to the 1940s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Romania) in 1880.

Fernande
Fernande was a character played by actress Bodil Rosing in the film Roberta (1935).

Fernie
Fernie Schmidt was a character played by actress Colleen Moore in the film It Must Be Love (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Fernie.

Fernway
Fernway de la Fer was a character played by actress Lena Horne in the film Broadway Rhythm (1944).

Fiammetta
Fiammetta was a character played by actress Marion Leonard in the short film An Awful Moment (1908).

Fidelia
Fidelia was a character played by actress Armida in the film General Crack (1930).

Fieda
Fieda Druse was a character played by actress Ann Little in the film The World for Sale (1918).

Fifi
Fifi D’Orsay was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1960s. She was born in Canada in 1904. Her birth name was Marie-Rose Angelina Yvonne Lussier. Fifi was also a character name in multiple films, including The Blackbird (1926) and While Paris Sleeps (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Fifi.

Filina
Filina was a character played by various actresses (such as Blanche Cornwall and Clara Beyers) in various movies called Mignon, all based on the 1866 opera of the same name.

Filomena
Filomena was a character played by actress Rafaela Ottiano in the film All Men Are Enemies (1934).

Fiora
Fiora Bixby was a character played by actress Barbara Brown in the film Arthur Takes Over (1948).

  • Usage of the baby name Fiora.

Fioretta
Fioretta was a character name in multiple films, including The Conspiracy of the Crazy (1941) and Song of Scheherazade (1947).

Flametta
Flametta was a character played by actress Marion Leonard in the short film The Duke’s Plan (1910).

Flavia
Flavia Arcaro was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Texas in 1876. Flavia was also a character name in multiple films, including Ponjola (1923) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Flavia.

Fleur
Fleur Forsyte was a character played by actress Barbara La Marr in the film The White Monkey (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Fleur.

Fleurette
Fleurette was a character name in multiple films, including Heart’s Desire (1917) and It Happened in New York (1935).

Fleurie
Fleurie was a character played by actress Christiane Yves in the film They Had to See Paris (1929).

Fleurique
Fleurique was a character played by actress Thelma Leeds in the film The Toast of New York (1937).

Flo
Flo was a character name in multiple films, including The Labyrinth (1915) and G. I. Honeymoon (1945).

  • Usage of the baby name Flo.

Florabel
Florabel Thurston was a character played by actress Florence Baker in the short film The Course of True Love (1910).

Florabelle
Florabelle was a character name in multiple films, including The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) and Wives Never Know (1936).

Florella
Florella was a character played by actress Nina Mae McKinney in the film Dark Waters (1944).

Florelle
Florelle was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in France in 1898. Her birth name was Odette Elisa Joséphine Marguerite Rousseau.

Florentine
Florentine Fair was a character played by actress Cleo Madison in the film The Lure of Youth (1921).

Floretta
Floretta was a character played by actress Ruth Clifford in the short film The Keeper of the Gate (1917).

Florette
Florette was a character name in multiple films, including Indiscreet Corinne (1917) and Lilies of the Field (1924).

Floria
Floria was a character name in multiple films, including The Barbarian (1921) and Breezing Home (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Floria.

Florianne
Florianne was a character played by various actresses (such as Mary Thurman and Genevieve Tobin) in various movies called Zaza, all based on the 1898 play of the same name.

Florida
Florida Kingsley was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Florida in 1867. Florida was also a character played by actress Maude George in the film The Frame-Up (1915).

Florie
Florie Watson was a character played by actress Ona Munson in the film The Cheaters (1945).

  • Usage of the baby name Florie.

Florine
Florine Hanna was an actress who appeared in 1 film in 1916. She was born in Kentucky in 1883. Florine was also a character name in multiple films, including The Rose of Paris (1924) and Broadway Babies (1929).

Florrie
Florrie was a character name in multiple films, including Bells of San Juan (1922) and Murder by an Aristocrat (1936).

Floss
Floss was a character played by actress Madge Kennedy in the film The Blooming Angel (1920).

  • Usage of the baby name Floss.

Flossie
Flossie was a character name in multiple films, including A Deal in Diamonds (short, 1915) and Little Miss Broadway (1938).

Flossy
Flossy was a character played by actress Gwen Lee in the film Sharp Shooters (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Flossy.

Flotilda
Flotilda was a character played by actress Nina Mae McKinney in the film The Power of the Whistler (1945).

Flotilla
Flotilla was a character played by actress Florence Turner in the short film Flotilla the Flirt (1914).

Fola
Fola Dale was a character played by actress Lila Lee in the film A Bit of Heaven (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Fola.

Follette
Follette Marsh was a character played by actress Mary Astor in the film The Lost Squadron (1932).

Fortuna
Fortuna was a character name in multiple films, including The Carpet from Bagdad (1915) and Castles in the Air (1919).

  • Usage of the baby name Fortuna (which debuted in the data in 1915).

Foxey
Foxey Dennison was a character played by actress Joyce Compton in the film Affairs of a Gentleman (1934).

Francelia
Francelia Billington was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Texas in 1895.

Francey
Francey was a character name in multiple films, including Dead End (1937) and Vivacious Lady (1938).

Franchette
Franchette was a character played by actress Helen Dunbar in the short film Mrs. Trenwith Comes Home (1914).

Francie
Francie Callahan was a character played by actress Arline Judge in the film Harvard, Here I Come! (1941).

Francine
Francine was a character name in multiple films, including Francine (short, 1914) and High Pressure (1932).

Franzi
Franzi was a character played by actress Claudette Colbert in the film The Smiling Lieutenant (1931).

Freda
Freda was a character name in multiple films, including Many Waters (1931) and Hard Steel (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Freda.

Freddie
Winifred “Freddie” Jones was a character played by actress Betty Grable in the film The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949).

Frederica
Frederica was a character played by actress Irene Rich in the film Beau Brummel (1924).

Frederika
Frederika was a character name in multiple films, including Confessions of a Queen (1925) and White Hunter (1936).

Fredi
Fredi Washington was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1930s. She was born in Georgia in 1903. Her birth name was Fredericka Carolyn Washington.

  • Usage of the baby name Fredi.

Frieda
Frieda Inescort was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in Scotland in 1901. Frieda was also a character played by actress Evelyn Brent in the film Spy Train (1943).

  • Usage of the baby name Frieda.

Fritzi
Fritzi Massary was an actress who appeared in films from the 1900s to the 1920s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Austria) in 1882. Her birth name was Friederike Massaryk. Fritzi Brunette was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1940s. She was born in Georgia in 1890. Her birth name was Florence Brunet. Fritzi Ridgeway was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Montana in 1898. Fritzi was also a character name in multiple films, including Broadway Arizona (1917) and One Heavenly Night (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Fritzi.

Fulvia
Princess Fulvia was a character played by actress Vola Vale in the film Zollenstein (1917).

Furja
Furja was a character played by actress Blanche Friderici in the film Fleetwing (1928).

…Which of the above F-names do you like best?

Source: IMDb

Popular Baby Names in Switzerland, 2017

According to data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the most popular baby names in Switzerland in 2017 were Emma and Noah.

Here are the country’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2017:

Girl Names
1. Emma, 478 baby girls
2. Mia, 420
3. Sofia, 352
4. Lina, 311
5. Lena, 308
6. Lea, 306
7. Lara, 301
8. Emilia, 300
9. Nina, 287
10. Anna, 286

Boy Names
1. Noah, 490 baby boys
2. Liam, 434
3. Luca, 360
4. Leon, 347
5. Gabriel, 328
6. David, 314
7. Elias, 302
8. Samuel, 294
9. Matteo, 276
10. Ben, 273

In the girls’ top 10, Lina, Lea, and Nina replace Elena, Laura, and Mila.

In the boys’ top 10, Matteo and Ben replace Louis and Julian.

Here are the top baby names per gender within each of Switzerland’s main language groups:

  • German speakers (63% of the population)
    • Top 3 girl names: Mia, Emma, Emilia
    • Top 3 boy names: Noah, Leon, Luca
  • French speakers (23%)
    • Top 3 girl names: Emma, Lea, Chloe
    • Top 3 boy names: Gabriel, Liam, Noah
  • Italian speakers (8%)
    • Top 3 girl names: Sofia, Emma, Giulia
    • Top 3 boy names: Leonardo, Noah, Gabriel
  • Romansh speakers (less than 1%)
    • Top girl name: Angelina/Arina/Lina (3-way tie)
    • Top boy name: Gian/Laurin/Lio (3-way tie)

In 2016, the top names in the country overall were Mia and Noah.

Sources: Here are the most popular baby names in Switzerland, Vornamen der Neugeborenen

Name Quotes #45 – Traxton, Sadi, Yeimary

Ready for more name quotes?

From an essay by Hans Fiene about BuzzFeed’s criticism of Chip And Joanna Gaines’ church:

“People who give their kids weird names are unsophisticated morons,” I thought to myself when I was 23 years old and busy substitute-teaching a class full of kids named Brysalynn and Traxton.

[…]

Then, a few years later, one of my closest friends had a kid and named him something dumb. At the moment of said dumb-named kid’s entrance into this world, two options stood before me. Option A: I was wrong about baby names, and it was, in fact, possible to be an interesting, intelligent person while also being sweet on absurd baby monikers. Option B: Despite having a mountain of evidence that my friend was interesting and intelligent, this was all a ruse and he had been a moron the entire time.

From The Toast, an in-depth look at “ship names” — short for relationship names, i.e., name blends that represent fan-created relationships between fictional characters:

Onset conservation is also why we get Drarry (Draco/Harry), Dramione (Draco/Hermione), Klaroline (Klause/Caroline), Sterek (Stiles/Derek), Stydia (Stiles/Lydia), Clex (Clark Kent/Lex Luthor), Chlex (Chloe/Lex), Phrack (Phryne/Jack), Cherik (Charles/Erik), CroWen (Cristina/Owen), Bedward (Bella/Edward), Brucas (Brooke/Lucas), Brangelina (Brad/Angelina), and so on.

(“Olicity Is Real” was trending on Twitter recently…I wonder how long it’ll be before we start seeing ship names on birth certificates.)

From the 2007 New York Times obituary of The Mod Squad actor Tige Andrews (whose name was one of the top debut names of 1969):

Tiger Andrews was born on March 19, 1920, in Brooklyn; he was named after a strong animal to ensure good health, following a Syrian custom.

From a footnote in a 1986 translation of the book Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire (1824) by French scientist Nicolas-Léonard “Sadi” Carnot:

Sadi was named after the thirteenth-century Persian poet and naturalist, Saadi Musharif ed Din, whose poems, most notably the Gulistan (or Rose Garden), were popular in Europe in the late eighteenth century. It seems likely that Lazare [Sadi’s father] chose the name to commemorate his association, in the 1780s, with the Société des Rosati, an informal literary society in Arras in which a recurring theme was the celebration of the beauty of roses in poetry.

From Ed Sikov’s 2007 book Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis (spotted while doing research for the Stanley Ann post):

Manly names for women were all the rage [in Hollywood movies] in 1941: Hedy Lamarr was a Johnny and a Marvin that year, and the eponymous heroines of Frank Borzage’s Seven Sweethearts were called Victor, Albert, Reggie, Peter, Billie, George, and most outrageous of all, Cornelius.

Speaking of Cornelius…some comedy from John Oliver‘s 2008 special Terrifying Times:

[A] friend of mine emailed me and he said that someone had created a Wikipedia entry about me. I didn’t realize this was true, so I looked it up. And like most Wikipedia entries, it came with some flamboyant surprises, not least amongst them my name. Because in it it said my name was John Cornelius Oliver. Now my middle name is not Cornelius because I did not die in 1752. But obviously, I want it to be. Cornelius is an incredible name. And that’s when it hit me — the way the world is now, fiction has become more attractive than fact. That is why Wikipedia is such a vital resource. It’s a way of us completely rewriting our history to give our children and our children’s children a much better history to grow up with.

From Piper Laurie‘s 2011 memoir Learning to Live Out Loud:

It never occurred to me that I didn’t have to change my name. For the last twenty or thirty years, I’ve admired and envied all the performers who have proudly used their real names. The longer and harder to pronounce, the better.

(Was Mädchen Amick one of the performers she had in mind? They worked together on Twin Peaks in the early 1990s…)

From a New York Times interview with Lisa Spira of Ethnic Technologies, a company that uses personal names to predict ethnicity:

Can you give an example of how your company’s software works?

Let’s hypothetically take the name of an American: Yeimary Moran. We see the common name Mary inside her first name, but unlike the name Rosemary, for example, we know that the letter string “eimary” is Hispanic. Her surname could be Irish or Hispanic. So then we look at where our Yeimary Moran lives, which is Miami. From our software, we discover that her neighborhood is more Hispanic than Irish. Customer testing and feedback show that our software is over 90 percent accurate in most ethnicities, so we can safely deduce that this Yeimary Moran is Hispanic.

From Duncan McLaren’s Evelyn Waugh website, an interesting fact about the English writer and his first wife, also named Evelyn:

Although I call the couple he- and she-Evelyn in my book, Alexander [Evelyn Waugh’s grandson] has mentioned that at the time [late 1920s] they were called Hevelyn and Shevelyn.

(Evelyn Waugh’s first name was pronounced EEV-lyn, so I imagine “Hevelyn” was HEEV-lyn and “Shevelyn” SHEEV-lyn.)

Want more name-related quotes? Here is the name quotes category.

The Earliest Celebrity Baby Name Debuts

When a major celebrity chooses an uncommon baby name, there’s a good chance that name will become trendy.

Seems like this might be a modern phenomenon, right? Maybe tied to the rise of the Internet?

Nope. In fact, I bet you’ll be surprised at just how far back it goes.

Let’s take a look at celebrity baby names through the decades, focusing on those that inspired debuts on the SSA’s baby name list. (To debut, a rare names needs to be given to at least 5 babies of one gender or the other in a single year.)

1940s

Jerilyn Jessel
Lois Andrews and baby Jerilyn
Which baby name was the very first to debut on the charts thanks to a celebrity baby?

The answer depends on how strict you want to be about spelling.

If exact-spelling debuts are what you want, the first I know of doesn’t appear until the late ’40s.

If variant-spelling debuts are okay, though, there’s a celebrity baby name from the early ’40s that inspired a whopping six of them:

Jerilyn

In October of 1941, actor/comedian George Jessel (43 years old) and showgirl Lois Andrews (17) welcomed a baby girl named Jerilyn.

The name Jerilyn itself had already been on the list for a few years, but usage rose significantly in both 1941 and 1942:

  • 1943: 182 baby girls named Jerilyn [rank: 558th]
  • 1942: 325 baby girls named Jerilyn [rank: 397th]
  • 1941: 135 baby girls named Jerilyn [rank: 608th]
  • 1940: 10 baby girls named Jerilyn

The popularity of similar names like Jerrilyn and Jerelyn also increased, and six other variants appeared on the national list for the very first time in either 1941 or 1942 (asterisks denote debuts):

Name 1940 1941 1942 1943
Jerilynn x 56* 162 58
Jerrilynn x 9* 38 19
Gerilyn x x 15* 5
Jerilynne x x 7* x
Jarilyn x x 6* x
Geralynn x x 5* x

In fact, Jerilynn and Gerilyn were the top baby name debuts of 1941 and 1942, respectively.

I was skeptical about this one for a while, as I’d never heard of George Jessel before. Was he really high-profile enough for his baby to have that sort influence? Turns out he was indeed a popular entertainer from the ’20s until at least the ’50s. He’s the one responsible for the “Garland” part of Judy Garland’s stage name, and some sources even claim he invented the Bloody Mary.

Even more variants of Jerilyn (e.g., Gerilynn) debuted during the ’40s and early ’50s, when young Jerilyn was being mentioned in newspaper articles and appearing on TV and in films with her father. Here’s a fundraising film from 1953, for instance, featuring both George and Jerilyn.

Jerilyn Jessel’s influence on the U.S baby names was impressive, but, technically speaking, she didn’t put “Jerilyn” on the map.

Yasmin

The first exact-spelling celebrity baby name debut was Yasmin, which appeared on the list in 1949.

In December of 1949, actor Rita Hayworth and her husband Prince Aly Khan welcomed a baby girl named Yasmin. The same year, the baby name Yasmin appeared on the SSA’s list for the very first time.

(The name Yasmin was late addition to the post. Thank you, Becca!)

1950s

Elizabeth Taylor and daughter Liza on the cover of LIFE in 1957
Liz & Liza in 1957 © LIFE

At least four of the baby names that debuted during the 1950s were inspired by celebrity babies:

Romina

In October of 1951, actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian welcomed their first baby, Romina, who was named after the church in Italy (Santa Francesca Romana) where they had married in 1949. The same year, the baby name Romina appeared on the SSA’s list for the very first time.

Taryn

In September of 1953, Power and Christian welcomed their second baby girl, Taryn, whose name was likely inspired by “Tyrone.” The same year, the baby name Taryn debuted on the list.

Seneca

In November of 1956, boxer Floyd Patterson and his wife Sandra welcomed a baby girl named Seneca. The same year, the traditionally male name Seneca debuted on the list as a female name. Patterson said the name was inspired by a street in Brooklyn.

Monsita

In October of 1958, singer/actor Rosemary Clooney and actor José Ferrer welcomed a baby girl named Monsita — their fourth child. The same year, Monsita debuted. It fell off the list the very next year, though, making it a one-hit wonder.

Honorable mentions from the ’50s include:

  • Liza, which became more popular after Liz Taylor named her daughter Liza in 1957.
  • Tyrone, which became more popular after Tyrone Power named his third child Tyrone in 1959. The increased usage could also have been influenced by the death of the actor himself the same year, though.

1960s

Casey & Timolin Cole in 1963
Casey & Timolin Cole in 1963 © Ebony

At least four of the baby names that debuted during the 1960s were inspired by celebrity babies:

Timolin

In September of 1961, singer of Nat King Cole and his wife Maria welcomed identical twin baby girls named Timolin and Casey. The same year, the baby name Timolin debuted on the list.

Xan

In September of 1965, actor/director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands welcomed a baby girl named Alexandra “Xan” Cassavetes. The same year, the baby name Xan debuted on the list.

Joely

In October of 1967, singer Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens welcomed a baby girl named Joely. The same year, the baby name Joely debuted on the list.

Maryum

In June of 1968, boxer Muhammad Ali and his wife Belinda welcomed a baby girl named Maryum. The same year, the baby name Maryum debuted on the list.

Chastity

In March of 1969, singers Cher and Sonny Bono, welcomed a baby girl named Chastity. The same year, the baby name Chastity debuted on the list. In May of 2010, Chastity legally changed genders and adopted the name Chaz.

Honorable mentions from the ’60s include:

  • Dodd, which became more popular after Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee named their son Dodd in late 1961.

1970s

Rasheda & Jamillah Ali in 1971
The Alis and babies Rasheda & Jamillah in 1971 © Ebony

At least eight of the baby names that debuted during the 1970s were inspired by celebrity babies:

Rasheda

In August of 1970, boxer Muhammad Ali and his wife Belinda welcomed twin baby girls named Rasheda and Jamillah. The same year, the baby name Rasheda debuted on the list.

(An Ebony article from 1971 misspelled her name “Reeshemah.” The same year, there was a spike in the usage of Reeshemah and a dip in the usage of Rasheda.)

Ayanna

In 1971, comedian/activist Dick Gregory and his wife Lillian welcomed a baby girl named Ayanna. The same year, the baby name Ayanna debuted on the list.

Yohance

In July of 1973, Dick Gregory and Lillian welcomed a baby boy named Yohance. The same year, the baby name Yohance debuted on the list.

(I wrote more about baby names in the Gregory family a few years ago.)

Kidada

In March of 1974, musician/producer Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton welcomed a baby girl named Kidada. The same year, the baby name Kidada debuted on the list.

Taryll

In August of 1975, singer Tito Jackson (of The Jackson 5) and his wife Dee Dee welcomed a baby boy named Taryll. The same year, the baby name Taryll debuted on the list.

Turkessa

In April of 1975, singer Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) and her husband Pedro welcomed a baby girl named Turkessa. The same year, the baby name Turkessa debuted on the list. Turkessa was just 3 babies away from being the top baby name debut of the year. Here’s how Mary came up with the name:

Pedro brought me a beautiful plant. I asked him was it was called. “Turquesa,” he replied, “Spanish for turquoise.” So we named our daughter Turkessa.

Chudney

In November of 1975, singer Diana Ross (also of The Supremes) and her husband Robert welcomed a baby girl named Chudney. The next year, the baby name Chudney debuted on the list. Here’s how Diana came up with the name:

Friends kept suggesting popular names like Courtney, but so many girl babies were getting that. I suddenly thought of something I liked very much — chutney. Only I didn’t know how to spell it — I put a ‘d’ where the ‘t’ should have been on the birth certificate. And that’s how my little girl became Chudney!

Katiria

In 1978, Puerto Rican dancer/singer Iris Chacón and her husband Junno welcomed a baby girl named Katiria. The same year, the baby name Katiria debuted on the list. Most of these babies were born in New York.

1980s

Condola Rashad in 1987
The Rashads and baby Condola
© Ebony
At least three of the baby names that debuted during the 1980s were inspired by celebrity babies, and at least one was inspired by a celebrity grandbaby:

Rishawn

In September of 1984, singer Gladys Knight didn’t have a baby, but her son James (b. 1962) and his wife Michelene did. They welcomed a boy named Rishawn. The next year, the baby name Rishawn debuted on the list. It was one of the top debut names of 1985, in fact.

Shakari

In November of 1986, football player Willie Gault and his wife Dainnese welcomed a baby girl named Shakari. The next year, the baby name Shakari debuted on the list.

Condola

I wrote about Condola a few months ago, but here’s a recap: In December of 1986, actress Phylicia Rashad and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad welcomed a baby girl named Condola. The next year, the baby name Condola debuted on the list.

Satchel

In December of 1987, filmmaker/actor Woody Allen and actress Mia Farrow welcomed a baby boy named Satchel. The next year, the baby name Satchel debuted on the list. He now goes by Ronan, and rumor has it that he is *possibly* the biological son of Frank Sinatra.

1990s

Demi, pre-Scout, on cover of Vanity Fair, August 1991
Demi Moore and baby Scout (kinda)
© Vanity Fair
At least three of the baby names the debuted during the 1990s were inspired by celebrity babies:

Scout

In July of 1991, actors Demi Moore and Bruce Willis welcomed a baby girl named Scout. (And in August, that famous image of 7-months-pregnant Demi ran on the cover of Vanity Fair.) The next year, the baby name Scout debuted on the list, for both genders.

Aquinnah

In February of 1995, actor Michael J. Fox and his wife Tracy welcomed twin baby girls named Aquinnah and Schuyler. The same year, the baby name Aquinnah debuted on the list. (I wrote more about the name Aquinnah a few years ago.)

Sailor

In July of 1998, model Christie Brinkley and her husband Peter welcomed a baby girl named Sailor. The same year, the baby name Sailor debuted on the list as a girl name. It had debuted as a boy name the year before.

Honorable mentions from the ’90s include:

  • Seven, which became more popular after Erykah Badu named her son Seven in 1997.
  • Zion, which became more popular after Lauryn Hill named her son Zion in 1997.
  • Selah, which became more popular after Lauryn Hill named her daughter Selah in 1998.

2000s

Angelina and Maddox Jolie in 2002
Angelina Jolie and baby Maddox
© People
At least five of the baby names that debuted during the 2000s (the decade) were inspired by celebrity babies:

Eja

In August of 2001, singer Shania Twain and her husband Robert welcomed a baby boy named Eja. The same year, the baby name Eja debuted on the list (as a girl name).

Xen

In August of 2001, actors Tisha Campbell-Martin and Duane Martin welcomed a baby boy named Xen. The same year, the baby name Xen debuted on the list.

Diezel

In March of 2003, singer Toni Braxton and musician Keri Lewis welcomed a baby boy named Diezel. The same year, the baby name Diezel debuted on the list.

Moxie

In June of 2005, magician Penn Jillette and his wife Emily welcomed a baby girl named Moxie (middle name CrimeFighter). The next year, the baby name Moxie debuted on the list.

Dannielynn

In September of 2006, model Anna Nicole Smith and her partner Larry Birkhead welcomed a baby girl named Dannielynn. The next year, the baby name Dannielynn debuted on the list.

Honorable mentions from the ’00s include:

  • Massai, which became more popular after Nia Long named her son Massai in 2000.
  • Rocco, which became more popular after Madonna and Guy Ritchie named their son Rocco in 2000.
  • Denim, which became more popular after Toni Braxton named her son Denim in 2001.
  • Maddox, which became more popular after Angelina Jolie named her adopted son Maddox in 2002.
  • Carys, which became more popular after Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas named their daughter Carys in 2003.
  • Stellan, which became more popular after Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany named their son Stellan in 2003.
  • Apple, which became more popular after Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their daughter Apple in 2004.
  • Coco, which became more popular after Courtney Cox and David Arquette named their daughter Coco in 2004.
  • Zahara, which became more popular after Angelina Jolie named her adopted daughter Zahara in 2005.
  • Moses, which became more popular after Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their son Moses in 2006.
  • Kingston, which became more popular after Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale named their son Kingston in 2006.
  • Suri, which became more popular after Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes named their daughter Suri in 2006.
  • Shiloh, which became more popular after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named their daughter Shiloh in 2006.
  • Pax, which became more popular after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named their adopted son Pax in 2007.
  • Harlow, which became more popular after Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their daughter Harlow in 2008.
  • Knox & Vivienne, which became more popular after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named their twins Knox and Vivienne in 2008.
  • Honor, which became more popular after Jessica Alba named her daughter Honor in 2008.
  • Nahla, which became more popular after Halle Berry named her daughter Nahla in 2008.
  • Bronx, which became more popular after Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz named their son Bronx in 2008.

*

The 2010s are only half over and already we’ve seen more celebrity baby-inspired debuts than in any other decade — Naleigh, Aleph (for boys), Locklyn, Aaradhya, Sebella, Sparrow (for boys), Viaan, Naiovy, Eisele, and no doubt others I’ve missed. Follow along as we uncover more year by year in the Pop Culture Baby Names 2010s category.

Sources:

  • Manners, Dorothy. “Off the Grapevine.” Toledo Blade 14 Feb. 1977: P-3.
  • Wilson, Mary and Patricia Romanowski. Supreme Faith. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.