How popular is the baby name Mckinley 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 Mckinley.

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Popularity of the baby name Mckinley


Posts that mention the name Mckinley

Popular baby names in College Station (Texas), 2018

Flag of Texas
Flag of Texas

According to the government of College Station, the most popular baby names in the Texas city in 2018 were Emma and James.

Here are College Station’s top 3 girl names and top 3 boy names of 2018:

Girl Names
1. Emma, 20 baby girls
2. Ava, 11
3. Harper, 10

Boy Names
1. James, 14 baby boys
2. Jackson, 13
3. Aaron, 12

In the girls’ top 3, Harper replaced the Camila and Charlotte.

In the boys’ top 3, James and Aaron replaced Jayden, Elijah and Noah.

The most popular middle names were Rose, Grace, and Marie (for girls) and James, Lee, and Alexander (for boys).

Some of the less-common baby names included Militia-Saint, Sackett, Honorable, McKinley, Canyon, Ripp, Trigger, Abel Cain, Kourage Valor, and Brazos Beaux.

In 2017, the top two names in College Station were Ava and Jayden.

(In nearby Houston, the top names last year were Emma and Liam.)

Source: James, Emma CS’s most popular baby names in 2018

Image: Adapted from Flag of Texas (public domain)

What turned Silver into a baby name in 1896?

“Silver Lunatics”

The name Silver — which regularly appears in the U.S. baby name data these days — first popped up way back in the 1890s, when it suddenly debuted with an impressive 10 baby boys:

  • 1898: unlisted
  • 1897: unlisted
  • 1896: 10 baby boys named Silver [debut]
  • 1895: unlisted
  • 1894: unlisted

If we look at the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) data, we see a similar spike in the number of people named Silver in 1896:

  • 1898: 8 people named Silver
  • 1897: 6 people named Silver
  • 1896: 18 people named Silver
  • 1895: 6 people named Silver
  • 1894: 8 people named Silver

Can you guess the cause?

I’ll give you two hints. First, look what happens to the name Bryan that year:

  • 1898: 57 baby boys named Bryan
  • 1897: 97 baby boys named Bryan
  • 1896: 157 baby boys named Bryan
  • 1895: 27 baby boys named Bryan
  • 1894: 9 baby boys named Bryan

Now check out how the name Jennings peaks a year later:

  • 1898: 28 baby boys named Jennings
  • 1897: 50 baby boys named Jennings
  • 1896: 40 baby boys named Jennings
  • 1895: 9 baby boys named Jennings
  • 1894: 5 baby boys named Jennings

No doubt you’ve pieced it together: 1896 was the year William Jennings Bryan ran for president, and the central issue for Democrats that year was Free Silver.

The U.S. was in the middle of a depression, and Free Silver supporters (the “Silverites”) thought the depression could be alleviated via the coinage of silver.

“For true believers,” the Encyclopedia Britannica states, “silver became the symbol of economic justice for the mass of the American people.”

And those “true believers” were very likely the ones naming their kids Silver back in 1896.

But Bryan’s opponent, William McKinley, was able to convince voters that Free Silver was a bad thing — that the resultant inflation would harm the economy — and won the election.

What do you think of the baby name Silver?

Sources: William Jennings Bryan – Wikipedia, Free Silver – Wikipedia, Free Silver Movement – Britannica.com, SSA
Image: A down-hill movement – LOC

P.S. Want to see other money-inspired monikers? Try Legal Tender, Silver Dollar, Free Silver, Gold Standard, and Depression.

How did William McKinley influence baby names?

U.S. President William McKinley (1843-1901)
William McKinley

William McKinley may have lost his mountain namesake, but he still got plenty of human namesakes back in the 1890s and early 1900s.

For instance, the New York Times reported in June of 1896 that Mr. and Mrs. John Karl of South Baltimore had welcomed a son named William McKinley Karl. “It is the first baby in Baltimore, so far as is known, to be named for the popular statesman, and the parents are proud of the fact.”

Turns out there were at least two earlier Baltimore babies named William McKinley, though. One was William McKinley Tilghman, born in October of 1895.

William McKinley’s election in 1896 had no discernible influence on the already-popular baby name William, but it did give the name McKinley a boost nationally:

  • 1898: 79 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1897: 115 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1896: 121 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1895: 34 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1894: 19 baby boys named McKinley

His re-election in 1900 gave the surname another boost:

  • 1901: 77 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1900: 133 baby boys named McKinley
  • 1899: 72 baby boys named McKinley

These days, though, most parents who bestow this name are giving it to girls as opposed to boys.

What are your thoughts on the name McKinley?

Sources:

Image: LOC

Distinctive baby names, state by state

Which baby names are the most disproportionately popular in each U.S. state?

Name blog Republic of Names has your answer — a bunch of cool lists of the most distinctive baby names by state. Here are some highlights for about half of the states.

In Alabama:

  • Crimson – Crimson Tide is the University of Alabama football team.
  • Krimson

In Alaska:

  • Aurora
  • Denali – Denali (Mount McKinley) in Alaska is North America’s highest peak.
  • McKinley

In Arizona:

  • Ariza
  • Helios
  • Nizhoni – Nizhóní is a Navajo word meaning “it/he/she is pretty/beautiful.”
  • Sedona – Sedona is a city in Arizona.

In California:

  • Eztli – Eztli is a Nahuatl (Aztec) word meaning “blood.”
  • Sissi

In Colorado:

  • Matix
  • Story
  • Trindon – Trindon Holliday played pro football in Colorado.
  • Zeppelin

In Florida:

  • Kervens
  • Woodley

In Idaho:

  • Ammon
  • Brigham
  • Hyrum

In Indiana:

  • Jolisa

In Iowa:

  • Kinnick – Kinnick Stadium is where the Iowa Hawkeyes football team plays.

In Kansas:

  • Creighton
  • Ignatius

In Louisiana:

  • Beaux
  • Jacques
  • Marigny – Foubourg Marigny is a New Orleans neighborhood.
  • Montreal

In Maine:

  • Baxter – Baxter is a state park in Maine.
  • Libby

In Mississippi:

  • Swayze

In Missouri:

  • Chancellor
  • Messiah

In Montana:

  • Tuff

In Nevada:

  • Berenice
  • Halo
  • Love

In North Carolina:

  • Chatham

In North Dakota:

  • Briggs
  • McCoy

In Oklahoma:

  • Gentry
  • Jentri
  • Jentry
  • Kutter
  • Tuck
  • Tuff

In Oregon:

  • Alder
  • Autzen – Autzen Stadium is where the Oregon Ducks football team plays.
  • Avenir – Avenir is a French word meaning “future.” It’s also on the Washington state list below. In fact, nearly two-thirds of last year’s Avenirs were born on the west coast: 10 in Washington, 7 in California, 5 in Oregon. Anyone know why?
  • Cedar
  • Forest
  • Maple
  • Opal
  • Pepper
  • Sequoia
  • Sol

In Tennessee:

In Texas:

  • Brazos – Brazos is a Spanish word meaning “arms.” The Brazos River in Texas was originally called Rio de los Brazos de Dios, or “River of the Arms of God.”

In Utah:

  • Korver – Kyle Korver played pro basketball in Utah.
  • Lesieli
  • Navy
  • Parley
  • Viliami

In Vermont:

  • Arlo
  • Juniper

In Washington, D.C.:

  • Egypt
  • Harlem

In Washington (state):

  • Avenir – see Oregon
  • Rio
  • Valkyrie
  • Zephyr

In West Virginia:

  • Remington

In Wisconsin:

  • Charisma
  • Croix
  • Ruthann

In Wyoming:

  • Temperance

See the original post for the rest. You might also be interested in checking out the “most regional” baby names in the US.

Update, 5/31/2018: Figured out Avenir!