How popular is the baby name Laquita in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Laquita.

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Popularity of the baby name Laquita


Posts that mention the name Laquita

Unusual baby names in Harris County, TX

snobia, real name, baby name, texas, 1930s
Snobia, born in Texas in 1931

We recently looked at the top baby names in Houston, so today let’s check out some of the unusual baby names that were bestowed in Harris County (where Houston is located) from 1926 to 1934.

Why 1926 to 1934? Because the USGenWeb Archives website for Texas happens to host complete, digitized sets of Harris County birth records for those particular years. :)

For onomastic context: The top five girl names in Texas in 1930 were Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Maria, and Billie; the top five boy names were James, Billy, Robert, John, and Charles.

And now, here are some of the unusual-but-real baby names that were being used in Harris County in the late ’20s and early ’30s…

1926:

  • Girl names: Amfueretta, Autra, Clemmine, Dura, Eldoria, Fayetla, Faylese, Georgesther, Iantha, Inry, Jimize, Joshlie, Martimana, Mervelin, Philogonius, Ruberly, Symova, Veloria, Ventruda, Zenola
  • Boy names: Batrio, Clardy, Clavy, Durward, Fayne, Galvino, Horathel, Jallus, Komello, Lomas, Ludwell, Nonis, Octamis, Searcy, Stayden, Talbert, Thadid, Waldo, Wiltz, Zocheryer

1927:

  • Girl names: Azerlene, Crespina, Davalene, Diluvina, Flumencia, Glissie, Haldora, Hinda, Isiola, Lapia, Mardry, Maxteen, Nicolasa, Orea, Revoydia, Ruvellee, Sidnorry, Versa, Vreenta, Willia & Nillia (twins)
  • Boy names: Alzie, Arno, Buckney, Clovis, Donley, Gasdan, Greensoile, Herndon, Iron, Jappa, Kemper, Kinnie, Mynatt, Narmon, Osby, Risco, Ronickey, Schallie, Tevan, Tollie

1928:

  • Girl names: Alcada, Ayda, Bitovia, Clydine, Flavilla, Glordia, Hisidra, Inola, Juvene, Leonicia, Mattilene, Oresa, Relda, Sinella, Thaylia, Throsula, Valmarie, Willoise, Zelphia, Zolita
  • Boy names: Aninas, Asriah, Calby, Cleophua, Delery, Derwent, Elivorio, Enimuson, Galo, Hartsell, Jurinous, Kermit, Kissel, Lassiter, Mcclare, Monteith, Ole, Pantaleon, Plymton, Surgossa

1929:

  • Girl names: Arthia, Bifiana, Clemensia, Dinazar, Elmorene, Evima, Ferenita, Glennella, Gusstelle, Hughleen, Jaquamina, Lunetta, Mildra, Olilathe, Raydel, Seropia, Starley, Treassa, Yachitl, Ysrosa
  • Boy names: Boysen, Dreabon, Exalton, Hennone, Hulan, Jolari, Kezakiah, Laddie, Melbert, Monsie, Narcief, Primitivo, Renick, Ruffin, Schley, Tagaro, Tawsen, Valdellaro, Vesome, Zannie

1930:

  • Girl names: Arlisia, Azo, Binji, Chavara, Cleoneta, Elzunnette, Faydell, Floryana, Jazzella, Junetenth*, Librada, Marginelle, Nezzell, Olgria, Omandy, Pura, Rahubie, Tanua, Trellis, Wiltessa
  • Boy names: Atenojenes, Beeler, Boza, Charna, Clausiel, Donniehue, Doulthitt, Eluterio, Galvesto, Kirkland, Landrum, Larough, Marvis, Mcclora, Neilo, Oliner, Scherrell, Sunary, Telesmar, Trossie

*In other records, she’s listed as “Juneteena.” As per Ellyn’s comment, the name may actually be “Juneteenth,” in honor of the holiday that celebrates the end of slavery.

1931:

  • Girl names: Artsie, Auba, Cloredia, Docsha, Febuncia, Gladia, Jettie, Lithia, Lorinza, Mozelle, Ocinia, Orfa, Phadalia, Ria, Rovell, Sasvilla, Snobia*, Tala, Teula, Verlia
  • Boy names: Arvel, Cloy, Duffie, Elry, Fitzhugh, Galen, Ingram, Jeptha, Jerah, Khleber, Mirlo, Orlo, Ozell, Roswald, Sebie, Thano, Tosker, Velton, Vyron, Worley

*Snobby-looking Snobia is probably just an altered form of Zenobia.

1932:

  • Girl names: Brenotte, Cesoria, Elydia, Eola, Glennia, Hannora, Idanel, Josener, Laquita, Liligene, Minta, Nelva, Ninfa, Oradola, Ouida, Renoma, Rosarine, Velosa, Willette, Zol
  • Boy names: Bincy, Brozy, Clymer, Cullis, Esker, Ferris, Hurnden, Izria, Kaywood, Latham, Nemensio, Odis, Orville, Ramia, Shedrick, Streeter, Theophilus, Vernest, Wayaland, Zeff

1933:

  • Girl names: Annarene, Bittie, Clista, Darristine, Esobello, Exenia, Genoria, Gwilda, Idella, Jemanne, Kleanthe, Leska, Mattiegene, Mercidee, Reheba, Rocksie, Trudell, Valmia, Velta, Yerula
  • Boy names: Armogene, Artis, Claydorn, Cromwell, Deckman, Envon, Hildo, Judges, Leotis, Linlou, Millus, Ninary, Olinthas, Pelton, Phineas, Rianaldo, Ringling, Thurlo, Trezevant, Verzel

1934:

  • Girl names: Armandina, Athydell, Berklyn, Clois, Cova, Dazerine, Elzie, Enla, Flonia, Hybernia, Isadoranne, Lemabel, Marzie, Mavolen, Oralina, Roxelyn, Sedonia, Thala, Valanie, Zeolia
  • Boy names: Boyce, Bunard, Dolph, Eurshell, Foy, Heyburn, Jessia, Jock, Kermit, Kernin, Lorvell, Melescio, Numa, Rhomey, Rusperto, Sneed, Travino, Treldon, Ulmer, Venard

Have any thoughts about the names above?

Mystery baby names: Open cases

I’m a baby name blogger, but sometimes I feel more like a baby name detective. Because so much of my blogging time is spent doing detective work: trying to figure out where a particular baby name comes from, or why a name saw a sudden jump (or drop) in usage during a particular year.

If a name itself doesn’t make the answer obvious (e.g., Lindbergh) and a simple Google search hasn’t helped, my first bit of detective work involves scanning the baby name charts. I’ve learned that many search-resistant baby names (like Deatra) are merely alternative spellings of more common names (Deirdre).

If that doesn’t do it, I go back to Google for some advanced-level ninja searching, to help me zero in on specific types of historical or pop culture events. This is how I traced Irmalee back to a character in a short story in a very old issue of the once-popular McCall’s Magazine.

But if I haven’t gotten anywhere after a few rounds of ninja searching, I officially give up and turn the mystery baby name over to you guys. Together we’ve cracked a couple of cases (yay!) but, unfortunately, most of the mystery baby names I’ve blogged about are still big fat mysteries.

Here’s the current list of open cases:

  • Wanza, girl name, debuted in 1915.
  • Nerine, girl name, debuted in 1917.
  • Laquita, girl name, debuted in 1930.
  • Norita, girl name, spiked (for the 2nd time) in 1937.
  • Delphine, girl name, spiked in 1958.
  • Leshia, girl name, debuted in 1960.
  • Lavoris, girl name, debuted in 1961.
  • Djuna, girl name, debuted in 1964.
  • Latrenda, girl name, debuted in 1965.
  • Ondina, girl name, debuted in 1968.
  • Khari, boy name, debuted in 1971.
  • Jelani, boy name, debuted in 1973.
  • Toshiba, girl name, debuted in 1974.
  • Brieanna, girl name, debuted in 1979.
  • Sumiko, girl name, spiked in 1980.
  • Tou, boy name, debuted in 1980.
  • Marquita, girl name, spiked in 1983.
  • Caelan, boy name, debuted in 1992.
  • Deyonta, boy name, debuted in 1993.
  • Trayvond, boy name, debuted in 1994.
  • Zeandre, boy name, debuted in 1997.
  • Yatzari, girl name, debuted in 2000.
  • Itzae, boy name, debuted in 2011.

If you enjoy sleuthing, please give some of the above a shot! I’d love to knock one or two off the list before I start adding more mystery names in the coming weeks…

Update, 7/13/16: More still-open cases from the Mystery Monday series last summer: Theta, Memory, Treasure, Clione, Trenace, Bisceglia, Genghis and Temujin.

Top girl-name debuts of all time in the U.S. baby name data (41-50)

lotus bud

For years now I’ve been talking about baby name debuts. But one thing I keep forgetting to blog about is the biggest baby name debuts of all time.

So this week I’m going to fix that oversight.

Well, half of it.

I’ll be counting down the 50 most popular girl name debuts in five posts, from today until Friday. (The boys’ list I’ll do another week.)

You’d think this would be 50 names, right? But I decided not to break ties, so the list actually contains 67 names.

I came up with explanations for as many names as I could, though a number of them are still mysteries to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these.

So here’s 50 to 41:

Yatzari, #50

  • Yatzari debuted with 65 baby girls in 2000.
    I’m not sure what inspired it.

Brieanna, Fanta & Kherington, 3-way tie for #49

  • Brieanna debuted with 66 baby girls in 1979.
    I’m not sure what inspired it.
  • Fanta debuted with 66 baby girls in 1977.
    I’m not sure what inspired it. Inspired by Fanta, a character on the TV miniseries Roots.
  • Kherington debuted with 66 baby girls in 2008.
    Inspired by Kherington Payne, a contestant on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

Chantay, Charde & Laryssa, 3-way tie for #48

  • Chantay debuted with 67 baby girls in 1960.
    Inspired by Chantay, a character on the TV western Lawman.
  • Charde debuted with 67 baby girls in 1985.
    Inspired by singer Sade [shah-DAY].
  • Laryssa debuted with 67 baby girls in 1968.
    Inspired by Laryssa Lauret, an actress on the soap opera The Doctors.

Jennavecia & Laquita, 2-way tie for #47

  • Jennavecia debuted with 68 baby girls in 2008.
    Inspired by Jennavecia Russo, a cast member on the reality TV show The Bad Girls Club.
  • Laquita debuted with 68 baby girls in 1930.
    Inspired by…I’m not sure what.

Zhane, #46

  • Zhane debuted with 69 baby girls in 1993.
    Inspired by the R&B duo Zhané.

Kaydence, Phaedra & Shalawn, 3-way tie for #45

  • Kaydence debuted with 70 baby girls in 2002.
    I’m not sure what inspired it. Inspired by Cadence, a character from the movie Shallow Hal. (Thank you Angela!)
  • Phaedra debuted with 70 baby girls in 1963.
    Inspired by Phaedra, a character in the movie Phaedra.
  • Shalawn debuted with 70 baby girls in 1974.
    Inspired by Shalawn (b. 1974), baby of O’Jays singer Walter Williams.

Tyechia, #44

  • Tyechia debuted with 71 baby girls in 1982.
    Inspired by orphaned toddler named Tyechia who had been in the news.

Adilene, #43

  • Adilene debuted with 72 baby girls in 1987.
    Inspired by the song “Adilene” by Los Yonics.

Leshia & Riann, 2-way tie for #42

  • Leshia debuted with 76 baby girls in 1960.
    I’m not sure what inspired it. Inspired by Lisha Steele, a character on the soap opera Young Doctor Malone. (Thank you m4yb3_daijirou!)
  • Riann debuted with 76 baby girls in 1977.
    Inspired by the song “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac.

Jalesa, #41

  • Jalesa debuted with 77 baby girls in 1988.
    Inspired by Jaleesa Vinson, a character on the TV sitcom A Different World.

Do you have any ideas about where Kaydence, Fanta, Brieanna, or Yatzari might have come from?

More of the top 50 baby name debuts for girls: 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11, 10-1

Image: Adapted from LotusBud0048a (public domain) by Frank “Fg2” Gualtieri

[Latest update: 7/2021]

Mystery baby name: Adilene (Solved!)

Graph of the usage of the baby name Adilene in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Adilene

In 1987, the most impressive debut name for girls was Jaleesa.

The next-most impressive debut? The name Adilene:

  • 1990: 166 baby girls named Adilene
  • 1989: 158 baby girls named Adilene
  • 1988: 133 baby girls named Adilene
  • 1987: 72 baby girls named Adilene [debut]
  • 1986: not listed

The name Adilene has managed to stay within the 100-to-200 babies-per-year range all the way to 2010, in fact.

Where did it come from?

…I don’t know. (Argh.)

The other mystery names I’ve written about so far — Wanza (1915), Nerine (1917), Laquita (1930), Djuna (1964) — have been older. I didn’t feel too bad asking for help on these.

But Adilene is relatively recent. I’m frustrated that I can’t come up with an explanation for this one.

What I do know is this: most of the 1987 Adilenes have Spanish surnames. So the inspiration could have been something Spanish-language. Perhaps an obscure 1986/1987 telenovela…?

Do you know the answer?

UPDATE: I think the mystery is solved! Looks like Adilene was inspired by “Adilene,” a song by Los Yonics. Big thank you to Laura and Adi for helping me out!