How popular is the baby name Rosa 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 Rosa.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Rosa


Posts that Mention the Name Rosa

Rare Girl Names from Early Cinema: Letter D

derry thomas, movies, 1920s
Madge Bellamy as Derry Thomas in the movie Summer Bachelors (1926).

Looking for an uncommon D-name for your baby girl? Here’s the next installment of rare female names collected from very old films (1910s to 1940s)…

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Dabby
Dabby was a character played by actress Ruby Dandridge in the film Tap Roots (1948).

Dacia
Dacia was a character played by actress Vivian Tobin in the film The Sign of the Cross (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Dacia.

Dado
Dado Scholl was a character played by actress Gretchen Lederer in the short film The Temptation of Edwin Swayne (1915).

Dagmar
Dagmar was a character name in multiple films, including A Million A Minute (1916) and The Trial of Mary Dugan (1929).

  • Usage of the baby name Dagmar.

Daire
Daire Vincent was a character played by actress Gladys Brockwell in the film Up from the Depths (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Daire.

Dale
Dale Fuller was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in California in 1885. Her birth name was Marie Dale Phillipps. Dale was also a character name in multiple films, including Top Hat (1935) and King of Alcatraz (1938).

  • Usage of the baby name Dale.

Dalla
Dalla was a character played by actress Betty Compson in the film The Female (1924).

Dalle
Dalle Aldis was a character played by actress Ruth Clifford in the film The Lure of Luxury (1918).

Danila
Danila was a character played by actress Kay Sutton in the film Flying Blind (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Danila.

Dany
Dany Robin was an actress who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1960s. She was born in France in 1927. Her birth name was Danielle Robin.

  • Usage of the baby name Dany.

Daphnia
Daphnia was a character played by actress Winifred Greenwood in the short film Daphnia (1914).

Darya
Darya Orlinsky was a character played by actress Viola Dana in the film The Cossack Whip (1916).

  • Usage of the baby name Darya.

Davidina
Davidina was a character played by actress Grace Gordon in the film Spangles (1926).

Dazil
Dazil Mellows was a character played by actress Alice Brady in the film The Redhead (1919).

Dea
Dea was a character name in multiple films, including The Man Who Laughs (1928) and Typhoon (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Dea.

Deanie
Deanie Consadine was a character played by actress Madge Evans in the film The Power and the Glory (1918).

  • Usage of the baby name Deanie.

Decima
Decima Duress was a character played by actress Lois Meredith in the film An Enemy to Society (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Decima.

Dede
Dede Mason was a character played by actress Myrtle Stedman in the film Burning Daylight (1914).

  • Usage of the baby name Dede.

Dee
Dee Foster was a character played by actress Alice White in the film Broadway Babies (1929).

  • Usage of the baby name Dee.

Dee Dee
Dee Dee Dillwood was a character played by actress Joan Fontaine in the film You Gotta Stay Happy (1948).

Deedee
Deedee Doree was a character played by actress Mona Barrie in the film Love, Honor and Oh-Baby! (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Deedee.

Deirdre
Deirdre Drake was a character played by actress Dolores Moran in the film Old Acquaintance (1943).

Delaphine
Delaphine was a character played by actress Gene Gauntier in the short film The Belle of New Orleans (1912).

Delarai
Delarai was a character played by actress Merle Oberon in the film Night in Paradise (1946).

Delatorre
Princess Delatorre was a character played by actress Julia Swayne Gordon in the film Misbehaving Ladies (1931).

Delfina
Delfina Acuña was a character played by actress Barbara Brown in the film You Were Never Lovelier (1942).

Delice
Delice Brixton was a character played by actress Dorothy Phillips in the film The Flashlight (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Delice.

Delicia
Delicia was a character name in multiple films, including The Human Investment (1915) and The Ladder of Fortune (1915).

Delight
Delight was a character name in multiple films, including The Unafraid (short, 1915) and Dangerous Days (1920).

Delima
Delima Turcott was a character played by actress Rosa Rosanova in the film A Woman’s Faith (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Delima.

Deloryce
Deloryce was a character played by actress Betty Compson in the film Woman to Woman (1929).

Delphinie
Delphinie was a character played by actress Lillian Yarbo in the film Boy Friend (1939).

Delsie
Delsie O’Dell was a character played by actress Dorothy Gish in the film The Ghost in the Garret (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Delsie.

Demetra
Demetra was a character played by actress Maud Allan in the film The Rug Maker’s Daughter (1915).

Demetria
Demetria Riffle was a character played by actress Eily Malyon in the film On Borrowed Time (1939).

Dena
Dena Maxwellton was a character played by actress Iris Adrian in the film Swing It Soldier (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Dena.

Dennie
Dennie Moore was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was born in New York in 1902. Her birth name was Florence Moore.

  • Usage of the baby name Dennie.

Derelys
Derelys Perdue was an actress who appeared in films in the 1920s. She was born in Missouri in 1902. Her birth name was Geraldine Perdue. Derelys was also a character played by actress Lilyan Tashman in the film Take Me Home (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Derelys (which debuted in the data in 1924).

Deria
Deria was a character played by actress Julia Dean in the film Experiment Perilous (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Deria.

Derith
Derith was a character played by actress Claire Windsor in the film The Strangers’ Banquet (1922).

  • Usage of the baby name Derith (which debuted in the data the year after The Strangers’ Banquet came out).

Derry
Derry Thomas was a character played by actress Madge Bellamy in the film Summer Bachelors (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Derry.

Desdemona
Desdemona was a character played by actress Julia Swayne Gordon in the film Othello (1908).

Despina
Despina was the 114-year-old woman featured in the short documentary The Weavers (1905), believed to be the first motion picture shot in the Balkans. (There’s no proof of Despina’s year of birth, but if she really was 114 years old, then she’s the earliest-born person ever filmed.)

Dessie
Dessie Arnhalt was a character played by actress Zasu Pitts in the film West of the Water Tower (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Dessie.

Dete
Dete was a character played by actress Mady Christians in the film Heidi (1937).

Devoria
Devoria was a character played by actress Ruby Dandridge in the film Home in Oklahoma (1946).

Dey
Dey Shevlin was a character played by actress Winifred Westover in the film The Fighter (1921).

Diantha
Diantha was a character name in multiple films, including Daughter of Mine (1919) and Cass Timberlane (1947).

Didi
Didi Bonfee was a character played by actress Alice White in the film Secret of the Chateau (1934).

  • Usage of the baby name Didi.

Dierdre
Dierdre Saurin was a character played by actress Claire Windsor in the film The Claw (1927).

Dilys
Dilys was a character played by actress Patricia Roc in the film Jassy (1947).

  • Usage of the baby name Dilys.

Dione
Princess Dione was a character played by actress Claire Du Brey in the film The Reward of the Faithless (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Dione.

Diony
Diony Hall was a character played by actress Eleanor Boardman in the film The Great Meadow (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Diony.

Dita
Dita Parlo was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1960s. She was born in Germany (now Poland) in 1906. Her birth name was Grethe Gerda Kornstädt.

  • Usage of the baby name Dita.

Dixiana
Dixiana Caldwell was a character played by actress Bebe Daniels in the film Dixiana (1930).

  • Usage of the baby name Dixiana (which debuted in the data in 1930).

Dodie
Dodie was a character name in multiple films, including Help Yourself (1932) and And Sudden Death (1936).

  • Usage of the baby name Dodie.

Dodo
Dodo was a character name in multiple films, including Our Little Wife (1918) and Rouge and Riches (1920).

Dolce
Dolce was a character played by actress Bessie Learn in the short film Poisoned by Jealousy (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Dolce.

Dollie
Dollie was a character name in multiple films, including The Adventures of Dollie (1908) and Hero by Proxy (1916).

  • Usage of the baby name Dollie.

Dolly
Dolly Larkin was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in New York in 1889. Her birth name was Margaret Larkin. Dolly was also a character played by actress Cleo Madison in the short film The Ring of Destiny (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Dolly.

Dolores
Dolores del Rio was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was born in Mexico in 1904. Dolores Moran was an actress who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1950s. She was born in California in 1926. Dolores was also a character played by actress Hedy Lamarr in the film Tortilla Flat (1942).

Dolorita
Dolorita was a dancer who appeared in films in the 1890s and 1900s. Her first film, The Dolorita Passion Dance (1897), was the first motion picture to be banned in the United States. (It was banned in Atlantic City specifically.)

Dolorosa
Dolorosa was a character name in multiple films, including Mockery (1912) and Strangling Threads (1923).

Dominga
Dominga was a character played by actress Armida in the film Border Cafe (1937).

Domini
Domini was a character played by various actresses (such as Helen Ware and Marlene Dietrich) in various movies called The Garden of Allah, all based on the 1904 novel of the same name by Robert Smythe Hichens.

  • Usage of the baby name Domini.

Dominica
Dominica was a character played by actress Nell Craig in multiple short films in 1915, such as The Rajah’s Tunic (1915).

Donia
Donia Bussey was an actress who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1950s. She was born in Ohio in 1899. Donia was also a character played by actress Edith Storey in the short film The Chains of an Oath (1913).

  • Usage of the baby name Donia.

Donivee
Donivee Purkey was an actress who appeared in films in the 1940s. She was born in Oklahoma in 1922.

  • Usage of the baby name Donivee (which debuted in the data in 1942).

Doraldina
Doraldina was a mononymous dancer/actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in California in 1888. Her birth name was Dora Saunders.

Dorcas
Dorcas was a character name in multiple films, including Brought Home (1915) and Straight Is the Way (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Dorcas.

Doree
Doree Macy was a character played by actress Bebe Daniels in the film My Past (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Doree.

Doreen
Doreen Stockwell was a character played by actress Julie London in the film Nabonga (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Doreen.

Doric
Doric Blint was a character played by actress Julia Faye in the film Venus in the East (1919).

Dorina
Dorina was a character played by actress Pina Menichelli in the Italian film La trilogia di Dorina (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Dorina.

Dorinda
Dorinda Clifton was an actress who appeared in films in the 1940s and 1950s. She was born in California in 1928. Dorinda was also a character name in multiple films, including Rosemary, That’s for Remembrance (1914) and The Farmer’s Daughter (1940).

Dorinea
Dorinea Shirley was an actress who appeared in films in the 1920s. She was born in England in 1902.

Dorinne
Dorinne Adams was a character played by actress Wanda Hawley in the film Fires of Fate (1923).

Dorita
Dorita was a character played by actress Carmen Miranda in the film The Gang’s All Here (1943).

  • Usage of the baby name Dorita.

Dorothea
Dorothea Kent was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1940s. She was born in Missouri in 1916. Dorothea was also a character name in multiple films, including The Heart of a Child (1915) and Broken in the Wars (1919).

Dorris
Dorris Dare was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in 1899.

  • Usage of the baby name Dorris.

Dorrit
Dorrit Weixler was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Germany in 1892.

  • Usage of the baby name Dorrit.

Dot
Dot was a character name in multiple films, including Kid Millions (1934) and The Law in Her Hands (1936).

  • Usage of the baby name Dot.

Dottie
Dottie was a character name in multiple films, including Victorine (1915) and Telephone Operator (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Dottie.

Dotty
Dotty Donald was a character played by actress Velma Whitman in the film Some Boy (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Dotty.

Douglamana
Douglamana was a character played by actress Laska Winter in the film Frozen Justice (1929).

Draguisha
Draguisha was a character played by actress Valerie Hobson in the film Continental Express (1939).

Dreena
Dreena was a character played by actress Nell Shipman in the films White Water (1926) and The Light on Lookout Mountain (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Dreena.

Dreka
Dreka Langley was a character played by actress Rosemary Theby in the film Pagan Passions (1924).

Dria
Dria Paola was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1940s. She was born in Italy in 1909. Her birth name was Etra Pitteo.

Drina
Drina was a character name in multiple films, including Marie, Ltd. (1919) and Dead End (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Drina.

Drowzina
Drowzina was a character played by actress Gwen Lee in the short film Candid Cameramaniacs (1937).

Drucilla
Drucilla was a character name in multiple films, including Pretty Mrs. Smith (1915) and Grim Justice (1916).

Drusilla
Drusilla was a character name in multiple films, including The Forest on the Hill (1919) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942).

Duane
Duane Thompson was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1930s. She was born in Iowa in 1903.

  • Usage of the baby name Duane.

Duenna
Duenna was a character played by actress Carrie Clark Ward in the film Thundering Hoofs (1924).

Dulcey
Dulcey Lee was a character played by actress Zasu Pitts in the film The Lady’s from Kentucky (1939).

  • Usage of the baby name Dulcey.

Dulcie
Dulcie was a character name in multiple films, including The Masqueraders (1915) and Miss Dulcie from Dixie (1919).

  • Usage of the baby name Dulcie.

Dulcinea
Dulcinea was a character played by actress Fay Tincher in the film Don Quixote (1915).

Dulcy
Dulcy was a character name in multiple films, including Not So Dumb (1930) and Dulcy (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Dulcy.

Duna
Duna was a character played by actress Sarah Padden in the film Rasputin and the Empress (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Duna.

Durgan
Durgan was a character played by Bodil Rosing in the film Broadway Babies (1929).

Dusa
Dusa was a character played by actress Helen Gardner in the short film A Daughter of Pan (1913).

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Which of the above D-names do you like best?

Source: IMDb

Numerology & Baby Names: Number 8

baby names that add up to 8, numerologically

Here are hundreds of baby names that have a numerological value of “8.”

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 “8” names per gender (according to the current U.S. rankings).

Beneath all the names are some ways you could interpret the numerological value of “8,” including descriptions from two different numerological systems.

8

The following baby names add up to 8.

  • “8” girl names: Bea
  • “8” boy names: Abe

8 via 17

The following baby names add up to 17, which reduces to eight (1+7=8).

  • “17” girl names: Gia, Bo, Afia, Abida, Aana, Adiba, Cala, Kada, Beia
  • “17” boy names: Bo, Mac, Cam, Md, Jeb, Adeeb, Ibaad, Abie, Aabid, Ege

8 via 26

The following baby names add up to 26, which reduces to eight (2+6=8).

  • “26” girl names: Leah, Maci, Jana, Pia, Aahana, Brea, Dua, Gema, Cami, Anja
  • “26” boy names: Eli, Bode, Bear, Obed, Eben, Adil, Asaad, Mica, Baer, Mega

8 via 35

The following baby names add up to 35, which reduces to eight (3+5=8).

  • “35” girl names: Mila, Clara, Laila, Heidi, Alicia, Dahlia, Cadence, Hadlee, Carla, Cleo
  • “35” boy names: Liam, Cole, Eric, Jax, Kaden, Edgar, Jase, Abram, Kian, Makai

8 via 44

The following baby names add up to 44, which reduces to eight (4+4=8).

  • “44” girl names: Ariana, Faith, Hope, Keira, Helen, Jenna, Opal, Anais, Kiera, Erika
  • “44” boy names: Kaiden, Jayce, Abraham, Judah, Brian, Dante, Andy, Allen, Braden, Ray

8 via 53

The following baby names add up to 53, which reduces to eight (5+3=8).

  • “53” girl names: Julia, Eliza, Samara, Laura, Chelsea, Kendra, Reign, Rosa, Livia, Kori
  • “53” boy names: Gavin, Bryce, Kyle, Archer, Colin, Atlas, Khalil, Keith, Saul, Kamari

8 via 62

The following baby names add up to 62, which reduces to eight (6+2=8).

  • “62” girl names: Natalie, Leilani, Kylie, Sienna, Georgia, Arielle, Ariyah, Jordan, Danielle, Serena
  • “62” boy names: Mason, Josiah, Jordan, Ronan, Adonis, Callum, Briggs, Randy, Talon, Hassan

8 via 71

The following baby names add up to 71, which reduces to eight (7+1=8).

  • “71” girl names: Avery, Zoey, Adalynn, Jasmine, Finley, Lauren, Rowan, Gabrielle, Shelby, Octavia
  • “71” boy names: Samuel, Rowan, Rhett, Avery, Finley, Orion, Kyler, Mathias, Zayne, Emanuel

8 via 80

The following baby names add up to 80, which reduces to eight (8+0=8).

  • “80” girl names: Savannah, Alexandra, Cassidy, Emberly, Colette, Monroe, Cassandra, Stevie, Ensley, Cynthia
  • “80” boy names: Tyler, Bennett, Brooks, Alejandro, Spencer, Moises, Emmitt, Bryant, Jeremias, Giancarlo

8 via 89

The following baby names add up to 89, which reduces to eight (8+9=17; 1+7=8).

  • “89” girl names: Raelynn, Emerson, Summer, Alexandria, Felicity, Winter, Virginia, Ivory, Avalynn, August
  • “89” boy names: Wyatt, Wesley, August, Emerson, Titus, Travis, Garrett, Enrique, Mauricio, Quincy

8 via 98

The following baby names add up to 98, which reduces to eight (9+8=17; 1+7=8).

  • “98” girl names: Scarlett, Valentina, Allyson, Crystal, Jocelynn, Londynn, Kenzley, Julietta, Kynzlee, Justine
  • “98” boy names: Trevor, Jefferson, Marquis, Lazarus, Klayton, Zephyr, Britton, Giuseppe, Brexton, Kurtis

8 via 107

The following baby names add up to 107, which reduces to eight (1+0+7=8).

  • “107” girl names: Treasure, Dominique, Phoenyx, Charolette, Jourdyn, Winsley, Journeigh, Chrisette, Shukrona, Lynnley
  • “107” boy names: Preston, Dominique, Giovanny, Yousuf, Shourya, Phoenyx, Prosper, Norberto, Rayshaun, Ruston

8 via 116

The following baby names add up to 116, which reduces to eight (1+1+6=8).

  • “116” girl names: Royalty, Annistyn, Eternity, Suzette, Christianna, Graylynn, Ruqayyah, Jozlynn, Rhylynn, Christyn
  • “116” boy names: Cornelius, Stryker, Treyson, Royalty, Christiano, Prescott, Dimitrios, Burhanuddin, Maxemiliano, Josemiguel

8 via 125

The following baby names add up to 125, which reduces to eight (1+2+5=8).

  • “125” girl names: Tristyn, Rozalynn, Anjolaoluwa, Remingtyn, Skyelynn, Oliviarose, Sophiarose, Quintessa, Skylynne, Charlestyn
  • “125” boy names: Kyngston, Tristyn, Octavious, Oluwademilade, Trystin, Dontavius, Vishruth, Johnrobert, Johnpatrick, Prinston

8 via 134

The following baby names add up to 134, which reduces to eight (1+3+4=8).

  • “134” girl names: Willoughby
  • “134” boy names: Constantine, Massimiliano, Christensen, Juanantonio, Willoughby, Muhammadibrahim, Muzzammil

8 via 143

The following baby names add up to 143, which reduces to eight (1+4+3=8).

  • “143” girl names: Montserrat, Skylarrose, Monserratt, Oluwafifehanmi
  • “143” boy names: Kaitochukwu

8 via 161

The girl name Prosperity adds up to 161, which reduces to eight (1+6+1=8).

8 via 170

The boy name Josephanthony adds up to 170, which reduces to eight (1+7+0=8).

8 via 197

The girl name Moyosoreoluwa adds up to 197, which reduces to eight (1+9+7=17; 1+7=8).

What Does “8” Mean?

First, we’ll look at the significance assigned to “8” by two different numerological sources. Second, and more importantly, ask yourself if “8” or any of the intermediate numbers above have any special significance to you.

Numerological Attributes

“8” (the octad) according to the Pythagoreans:

  • “They used to call the ogdoad [group of eight] ’embracer of all harmonies’ because of this marvellous attunement, or because it is the first to have been attuned and multiplied so as to be equal-times-equal-times-equal, which is a most lawful generation. So when they call it ‘Cadmean,’ they should be understood to be referring to the fact that, as all historians tell us, Harmonia was the wife of Cadmus.”
  • “The number 8 is the source of the musical ratios”
  • “All the ways in which it is put together are excellent and equilibrated tunings.”
  • “The ogdoad is called ‘safety’ and ‘foundation,’ since it is a leader, because two is a leader: the seed of the ogdoad is the first even number.”
  • “They used to call the ogdoad ‘mother, ‘ perhaps [because] even number is female”
  • “The eighth sphere encompasses the whole ‘ hence the saying ‘All is eight.'”

“8” according to Edgar Cayce:

  • “Eight – a money number” (reading 261-14).
  • “Eight indicates the commercial change” (reading 261-15).
  • “This brings eight as a vibration for the entity that means an awakening within the inner self to the new possibilities, the new opportunities within self that may make for not only carrying with it the abilities but the obligations of same as well. For to whom much is given in any manifested form, of him much is required” (reading 707-1).
Personal/Cultural Significance

Does “8” — or do any of the other numbers above (e.g., 35, 44, 71, 143) — have any special significance to you?

Think about your own preferences and personal experiences: lucky numbers, birth dates, music, sports, and so on. Maybe you like how “35” (i.e., 35 mm format) reminds you of photography and film, for example.

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 8, or any of the other numbers above, please leave a comment!

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

Name Quotes #66: Brenton, Jacob, Gene Autry

It’s the last batch of name quotes for 2018!

Let’s start with a line from the Blake Shelton country song “I’ll Name The Dogs”:

You name the babies and I’ll name the dogs

From an article about dog names in New Orleans:

New Orleans dogs are often the namesakes of the cuisine (Gumbo, Roux, Beignet, Po-Boy, Boudin); the Saints (Brees, Payton, Deuce); music (Toussaint, Jazz, Satchmo); streets (Clio, Tchoupitoulas, Calliope); neighborhoods (Pearl, Touro, Gert) and Mardi Gras krewes (Zulu, Rex, Bacchus).

From an article about the names of Scottish salt trucks (“gritters”):

At any given moment, the trucks are working away to keep Scotland’s roads safe, with their progress available for all to see on an online map [the Trunk Road Gritter Tracker], which updates in real time. But a closer look at this map, with its jaunty yellow vehicles, reveals something still more charming: An awful lot of these salt trucks have very, very good names. Gritty Gritty Bang Bang is putting in the hard yards near Aberuthven. Dynamic duo Ice Buster and Ice Destroyer are making themselves useful near Glasgow and Loch Lomond. Three trucks apparently hold knighthoods–Sir Salter Scott, Sir Andy Flurry, Sir Grits-a-Lot. At least two (Ice Queen and Mrs. McGritter) are female. Every one is excellent.

(Some of the other gritter names are: For Your Ice Only, Grits-n-Pieces, Grittalica, Grittie McVittie, Luke Snowalker, Plougher O’ Scotland, Ready Spready Go, Salty Tom, and Sprinkles.)

From an article about the name Brenton being trendy in Adelaide in the 1980s (found via Clare of Name News):

No doubt the popularity of the name Brenton interstate and in the US is down to the paddleboat TV drama All the Rivers Run, which starred John Waters as captain Brenton Edwards and Sigrid Thornton as Philadelphia Gordon.

The miniseries first ran on Australian television in October 1983 and was later broadcast on the American channel HBO in January 1984.

(Indeed, the name Brenton saw peak usage in the U.S. in 1984, and the name Philadelphia debuted the same year.)

From an article about baby-naming in New South Wales:

Once upon a time the list of top 100 names in a year used to capture nearly 90 per cent of the boys born, and three-quarters of girls. Now it’s less than half of either gender.

The reason is an explosion in variety, with multiculturalism and parents’ desire for individuality seeing the pool of baby names grow from 4252 in 1957 to 16,676 today. That’s 300% more names for only 30% more babies being born.

Professor Jo Lindsay from Monash University has researched naming practices in Australia and said parents today had more freedom and fewer family expectations than previous generations.

From an article about the 16-child Sullivan family of North Carolina:

They were, in order, Cretta in 1910, Leland in 1912, Rosa in 1913, Woodrow in 1916, Wilmar in 1918, Joseph in 1919, Dorothy in 1921 and Virginia in 1923.

The second wave included Irving in 1924, Blanche in 1925, C.D. in 1927, Geraldine in 1928, Marverine in 1930, Billy in 1932, Tom in 1934 and Gene in 1938.

[…]

Gene Autry Sullivan, the youngest of the children and the one who organizes the reunion each year, said he was told he was named after legendary cowboy movie star Gene Autry “because his parents had run out of names by then.”

(The post about Sierra includes a photo of Gene Autry.)

From an article about the challenges of growing up with an unfamiliar name:

Recently I was asked to give a talk to students at a mostly white school. I’d been in back-and-forth email contact with one of the teachers for ages. My full name, Bilal Harry Khan, comes up in email communication. I’d signed off all our emails as Bilal and introduced myself to him that way too. He had been addressing me as Bilal in these emails the entire time. But as he got up to introduce me to a whole assembly hall of teachers and students, he suddenly said, “Everyone, this is Harry.”

From an article about a college football team full of Jacobs (Jacob was the #1 name in the US from 1999 to 2012):

Preparing for the fall season, the offensive coordinator for University of Washington’s football team realized his team had a small problem. It went by the name Jacob.

The Pac-12 Huskies had four quarterbacks named Jacob or Jake (plus a linebacker named Jake and a tight end named Jacob).

From an article about Sweden’s even-stricter baby-naming laws:

The number of baby names rejected by Swedish authorities has risen since last summer, when the regulations were tightened.

The new law made it easier to go through a legal name change in some ways, including by lifting a ban on double-barrelled surnames, but regulations around permitted first names were tightened.

Some of the restrictions include names that are misleading (such as titles), have “extreme spelling”, or resemble a surname.

To see more quotes about names, check out the name quotes category.

Classics on the Decline: Rebecca, Carol, Susan

girl names falling out of fashion

In last week’s “lowest ever” boy names post, I mentioned that reader Caitlin had shared her research on downward-trending baby names with me recently. While many girl names hit relative lows in 2017, for instance…

  • Sarah, now ranked 62nd — lowest ranking since 1970.
  • Rachel, now ranked 195th — lowest ranking since 1960.
  • Melissa, now ranked 273rd — lowest ranking since 1949.

…a couple of the names on her list, Rebecca and Catherine, hit their “lowest ever” rankings last year. (Plus there was Katherine, a borderline case of a lowest-ever tie.)

So I set out to find other “lowest ever” girl names.

Many of the names I checked (like Clare, Lea, and Bridget) hit a low in 2017, but it wasn’t their all-time low. Many others (like Pauline, Sara, and Mary) hit a low recently, but not as recently as 2017. Still others (like Yvonne) had to be disqualified because, even though they hit their lowest ranking on record in 2017, they didn’t appear in the data for all 138 years (1880-2017)…an issue I didn’t encounter with any of the boy names.

In the end, I was able to add a dozen thirteen names to the list:

  • Ann. Ranked 1,023rd in 2017; peak was 28th in the 1930s.
  • Barbara. Ranked 908th in 2017; peak was 2nd in the 1930s/1940s.
  • Carol. Ranked 1,814th in 2017; peak was 4th in the 1940s.
  • Catherine. Ranked 198th in 2017; peak was 18th in the 1910s.
  • Celia. Ranked 857th in 2017; peak was 141st in the 1880s.
  • Cynthia. Ranked 637th in 2017; peak was 7th in the 1950s.
  • Elisabeth. Ranked 775th in 2017; peak was 286th in the 2000s.
  • Katherine. Ranked 105th in 2017 + 1938; peak 25th in the 1990s.
  • Kathleen. Ranked 871st in 2017; peak was 9th in the 1940s. (Late addition–thanks Kelly!)
  • Linda. Ranked 708th in 2017; peak was 1st in 1940s/1950s.
  • Priscilla. Ranked 527th in 2017; peak was 127th in the 1940s.
  • Rebecca. Ranked 216th in 2017; peak was 10th in the 1970s.
  • Rosa. Ranked 672nd in 2017; peak was 52nd in the 1880s.
  • Susan. Ranked 963rd in 2017; peak was 2nd in the 1950s/1960s.
  • Teresa. Ranked 720th in 2017; peak was 18th in the 1960s.
  • Tressa. Ranked 9242nd in 2017; peak was 761st in the 1960s.

That makes 15 (or 16, if you count Katherine). I certainly could have missed a few, though, so if you can think of a good candidate, please let me know in the comments and I’ll take a look.