How popular is the baby name Wentworth 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 Wentworth.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Wentworth


Posts that Mention the Name Wentworth

Top Baby Names in Nova Scotia, 1914

Speaking of popular baby names Nova Scotia…did you know that the province’s Open Data site includes birth registration records from the mid-1800s and from the early 1900s? I isolated the records from 1914 — the most recent year in the data — and came up with baby name rankings for about a century ago:

Top Girl Names, 1914
1. Mary (close to 700 girls)
2. Margaret
3. Annie
4. Marie
5. Helen
6. Dorothy
7. Florence
8. Elizabeth
9. Catherine (over 100 girls)
10. Alice

Top Boy Names, 1914
1. John (close to 600 boys)
2. Joseph
3. James
4. William
5. George
6. Charles
7. Robert
8. Arthur
9. Donald
10. Edward (over 100 boys)

The rankings represent about about 6,700 baby girls and about 6,800 baby boys born in Nova Scotia in 1914. I’m not sure how many babies were born that year overall, but it looks like the province’s total population in 1914 was roughly 500,000 people.

Hundreds of the names were used just once. Here are some examples:

Unique Girl namesUnique Boy names
Adalta, Adayala, Ailsa, Amilene, Anarina, Aniela, Attavilla, Birdina, Buema, Burance, Caletta, Cattine, Celesta, Claviettee, Deltina, Elta, Erdina, Ethelda, Eudavilla, Evhausine, Fauleen, Genneffa, Gennesta, Heuldia, Hughenia, Iselda, Ivenho, Lanza, Lebina, Lelerta, Loa, Lougreta, Manattie, Meloa, Milnina, Minira, Namoia, Naza, Neitha, Neruda, Olava, Oressa, Prenetta, Ramza, Ruzena, Sophique, Stanislawa, Taudulta, Udorah, Velena, Vola, Vonia, Waldtraut, Willina, YuddisAlbenie, Alpine, Alywin, Alyre, Armenious, Bayzil, Bernthorne, Briercliffe, Carefield, Cicero, Colomba, Craigen, Desire, DeWilton, Docithee, Edly, Enzile, Ethelberth, Ewart, Exivir, Fernwood, Firth, Florincon, Glidden, Gureen, Haliberton, Haslam, Hibberts, Irad, Kertland, Kinsman, Kitchener, Langille, Lemerchan, Lockie, Lubins, Meurland, Murl, Neddy, Nevaus, Niron, Odillon, Olding, Phine, Rexfrid, Roseville, Saber, Sifroi, Sprat, Stannage, Venanties, Waitstill, Wardlo, Wentworth, Wibbert

I also spotted one boy with the first and middle names Earl Gray, and another with the first and middle names “Kermit Roosevelt” (the name of one of Theodore Roosevelt’s six children).

Sources: Open Data Nova Scotia (specifically, Birth Registrations 1864-1877, 1908-1914), Nova Scotia – Population urban and rural, by province and territory

Names from Central Burying Ground in Boston

Boston’s Central Burying Ground was established in 1756, so it’s newer than the other Boston cemeteries I’ve blogged about (King’s Chapel, Granary, and Copp’s Hill). Nevertheless, it still contains some pretty interesting names:

  • A: Aderline, Alford, Alona, Alpheus, Alsendorf, Annjulett, Antice, Anstice, Arodi, Artemis, Asadel
  • B: Barstow, Barzillia, Belcher, Benaset
  • C: Calista, Christeena, Clarena, Clarentine, Cumming
  • D: Dolley
  • E: Ede, Elbridge, Elhanah, Eliakim, Emely
  • F: Fletcher, Freelove
  • G: Giles, Gilman, Gustavus
  • H: Hannahretta, Hawkes, Hepzibah, Hermione, Hezekiah, Hitty
  • I: Ichabod, Ignatius, Iphigenia
  • J: Jaazaniah, Jennet
  • K: Keziah
  • L: Lendall, Llewlwyn, Loms, Lot, Lyman
  • M: Manasseh, Mansfred, Marayanna, Marston, Mayday, Mehitable, Micajah, Milla, Mindwell, Minerva
  • N: Nabby, Nahum
  • O: Orvilla
  • P: Pamelia, Percival, Phebee, Philander, Pliny
  • R: Rodolth, Rosalinda, Rosamund, Ruhamah
  • S: Sally, Salome, Seiba, Shubael, Shubel, Sibley, Silence, Silvanus, Sophronia, Sukey, Sylvanus
  • T: Tamer, Ternon, Theophilus, Tristam, Tryphena
  • V: Vivia
  • W: Waverly, Wentworth, Worham, Winthrop
  • Z: Zabiah, Zebiah, Zeal, Zephaniah, Zilpah

I bet Vivia would appeal to modern parents looking for an alternative to Olivia and/or Vivian.

Which of the above do you like best? How about least?

Source: Gravestone Inscriptions and Records of Tomb Burials in the Central Burying Ground (1917) by Ogden Codman

Rare Names in Early Boston (1630-1805)

Embroidered by Rooksby Creese
Embroidered by Rooksby Creese, 1700s

Yesterday we looked at popular baby names in early Boston, so today let’s check out some rare names.

Those two books I discovered with the early Boston birth records also included lists of Boston baptisms, marriages and deaths. I scanned all of these lists to come up with the names below:

A: Admonition, Aftar, America, Amiable, Amorel/Amorill, Androse, Aniball, Angola, Annice, Anstis, Apfier, Archdale, Arimnel, Atterlanta, Avery, Avise, Azor

  • America, full name America House, was born in 1660. Could she have been the very first New World baby named America? I can’t find anything earlier…
  • Avery was a baby girl born in 1645. This could be the earliest girl-Avery I know of.

B: Bagwell, Bagworth, Bant, Barbary, Belcher, Benaniwell, Betteris, Bezaliell, Bickford, Blish, Bossenger, Boylston, Bozoun/Bozoon/Bozoune/Bozon/Boozone, Brattle, Broughton, Budd, Bulkely, Buny, Buttalph/Buttolph, Byfield

  • Bagworth‘s full name was the Hobbit-like Bagworth Endicutt.
  • One of the Belchers had the unfortunate full name Belcher Noyes.
  • The Bozoun-group refers mainly to one person: Capt. Bozoun Allen (d. 1652), an immigrant from England who was active in early Boston politics.

C: Caylance, Cazneau, Cerston, Chanterlin, Chuzziah, Civil, Cletord, Clorinda, Coneniah, Consider, Constancy, Cord, Crumil, Cumbey/Cumby, Custin/Custine, Cutting

  • Could Chuzziah be a version of Josiah?
  • Cord‘s full name was Cord Cordis.
  • Cutting‘s full name was Cutting Bean.

D: Decline, Delicia, Derlow, Dermin, Desire ye Truth, Dickery, Digory, Dinisha, Dionysia, Dixe, Dosithea, Dowsabell, Drewry

  • Desire ye Truth gave her daughter the exact same name in 1666. The “ye” here would have been pronounced “the,” as the letter y actually represents the letter thorn.
  • Here’s more on the derivation of Digory.
  • Dionysia‘s full name was the very romantic Dionysia Savage Ravenscroft. (Savage was her maiden name; Ravenscroft was her married name.)

E: Electa, Eleshaway, Eliphall/Elliphall, Ellener, Emmin, Emmorold, Estick, Ethlan, Evos, Exercise

  • Exercise‘s full name was Exercise Blackleech.

F: Fairbanck, Fathergone, Faur, Fearnot/Fearnott, Febee, Ffitz-John, Foreland, Fortescue, Fortune, Freeborn, Freegrace, Freelove, Frizzel

  • Here’s the story behind Fathergone.
  • Fearnot is a Puritan name that needs to make a comeback, I think.

G: Gartright, Gatliffe, Gedny, Gee, Gier, Goodith, Grafton, Gravingham, Griffyn, Grimstone, Grindall, Grizzel/Grizzell

  • Gartright could be a version of Gertrude.
  • Goodith is probably Judith.
  • Grimstone! I love any name that features the word “grim.” I remember Grimsley popping up in Idaho a few years back…

H: Habbakuck/Habbakuk, Habbiah, Hananeel, Hanniball, Harborne, Harbottle, Hazelelponi, Hazelpanah, Heiborne, Hennerina, Hopefor/Hoptfor, Huldy, Humilis, Humility, Huxtable

I: Ibroke, Indego, Ireland, Isanna

J: Jaleham, Jamina, Jarratt, Jeffs, Jehosebath/Johoshabeath/Josabeth/Joshabeth, Jolley, Jolliff, Joylieffe/Joyliffe

K: Kellon, Kinsman, Knight

L: Laomi, Lately, Leech, Lettysse, Lilingston, Love, Lucrana, Lucresia, Ludwick

M: Macartey, Mackworth, Mauditt, Maverick, Maybe, Meddlecot, Mehalaliell/Mahalaleel, Melatiah, Meribah, Metsathiell, Milam, Milcha, Mindwell, Minot, Mordica, Moremercy, Mungo

  • Maverick, born at the end of the 1600s, got his mother’s surname as a first name.

N: Nabby, Nebery, Neezer, Neverson, Newgrace, Niot/Nyott

  • I’m guessing Neezer was derived from Ebenezer.
  • Nyott‘s full name was Nyott Doubt.

O: Onner, Opportunity, Orchard, Oulando, Oxenbridge

  • Opportunity‘s full name was Opportunity Lane.

P: Palfrey, Palsgrove, Palti, Parnell, Parthenia, Pepperrell, Perciful, Perring, Phaline, Phesant, Philadelphia, Philippe/Philippi/Philippy/Phillipee/Phillippi, Pilgrim, Pittie, Pool, Posthumus, Pouning, Preserved, Pyam

  • Perciful looks like Percival under the influence of “merciful.”
  • A number of women had names like Phillippi, which is curious…
  • Posthumus was once kinda trendy.
  • Pilgrim, despite his name, had nothing to do with the Mayflower Pilgrims. (He’s buried at Granary, btw.)

R: Ranis/Ragnis, Recompense, Redemption, Redigon/Redgon/Reddigan/Redigun, Reforme, Rely, Rich-Grace, Ronas, Rooksby/Rooksbey/Rooksbee/Rookby, Roop/Roope, Ryal

  • The Redigon group represents one person (female).
  • The Rooksby group represents several people, all female. You can see embroidered chair seats sewn one of them, Rooksby Creese (1703-1742), at the MFA in Boston.

S: Salmagrave, Salphin, Sarahjah, Satisfaction, Savel/Savell/Savil, Scarborough, Scissilla, Seaborne, Secunda/Secundas, Sendall/Sendell, Shippie, Shoreborne, Shove, Shrimpton, Sibbella/Sibla, Sivil/Sivill, Skinner, Skipper, Smyth, Snell, Spiller, Story, Strange, Sucky, Supply, Sweet

  • Sucky is an regrettable rendering of Sukey, a diminutive of Susanna.

T: Tacey, Teasant, Torshel, Tregoweth, Tremble, Trine, Tristram, Trueworthy, Turfry, Tuttle

  • Tacey has the same root as Tacita: the Latin verb tacere, meaning “to be silent.”
  • Torshel was the twin of Harborne (see above).

U: Union, Unite

V: Verrin, Vigilant, Vsal

W: Waitawhile/Wayte-a-while, Wentworth, Wheelwright, Wigglesworth/Wigleworth, Winborn, Woodbery, Woodmansie, Woodward

  • Waitawhile (female) had the birth name Waitawhile Makepeace. Sounds like a 2-step process for conflict resolution, doesn’t it?

Y: Yelverton

Z: Zerubbabel, Zibiah, Zuriell/Zuryell, Zurishaddai

…So, which of the above names intrigue you the most?

Sources: Boston births, baptisms, marriages and deaths, 1630-1699, Boston births from A.D. 1700 to A.D. 1800

Popular Baby Names in England and Wales, 2013

The top baby names in England and Wales were announced last week.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the most popular baby names last year were Amelia and Oliver.

Here are England and Wales’ top 20 girl names and top 20 boy names of 2013:

Girl Names

  1. Amelia, 5570 baby girls
  2. Olivia, 4598
  3. Emily, 4049
  4. Ava, 3575
  5. Isla, 3526
  6. Jessica, 3507
  7. Poppy, 3422
  8. Isabella, 3246
  9. Sophie, 3013
  10. Mia, 2993
  11. Ruby, 2948
  12. Lily, 2883
  13. Grace, 2799
  14. Evie, 2767
  15. Sophia, 2764
  16. Ella, 2722
  17. Scarlett, 2643
  18. Chloe, 2401
  19. Isabelle, 2287
  20. Freya, 2266

Boy Names

  1. Oliver, 6,949 baby boys
  2. Jack, 6,212
  3. Harry, 5,888
  4. Jacob, 5,126
  5. Charlie 5,039
  6. Thomas, 4,591
  7. Oscar, 4,511
  8. William, 4,268
  9. James, 4,236
  10. George, 4,202
  11. Alfie, 4,138
  12. Joshua, 3,973
  13. Noah, 3,830
  14. Ethan, 3,572
  15. Muhammad, 3,499
  16. Archie, 3,265
  17. Leo, 3,264
  18. Henry, 3,248
  19. Joseph, 3,225
  20. Samuel, 3,188

There were some big moves on the boys’ side: Oscar rose from 17th to 7th, while Riley plummeted from 8th to 21st. (Here are the biggest moves overall for boy names and girl names.)

New to the top 20 are Scarlett, Archie, Henry and Joseph. They replaced Charlotte, Riley, Daniel and Max.

One thing I found interesting? Freya wasn’t on the England top 20. It also wasn’t on the Wales top 20. And yet still it managed to rank 20th on the combined top 20. Very sneaky, Freya.

Here are some of last year’s rare baby names, each given to between 3 and 10 babies (inclusive):

Rare Girl NamesRare Boy Names
Akvile, Alaska, Alphonsa, Andromeda, Arena, Arizona, Atlantis, Belinay, Bellatrix, Blousey, Boadicea, Boglarka, Bonnie-Blue, Boo, Boux, Charm, Cressida, Crystal-Rose, Daenerys, Delphie, Disney, Duru, Edwina, Ellery, Eloghosa, Enfys, Enlli*, Eos, Ernestine, Esila, Evan, Frayer, Freshta, Fausta, Garance, Gelila, Gemini, Gerda, Glorious, Halo, Honour, Io, Iole, Ionie, Iseult, Isla-Belle, Izna, Lava, Lleucu, Llinos, Llio, Loveday, Loxy, Mafalda, Man, Maple, Miami, Migle, Milda, Misk, Mirabella, Mirren, Myfi, Myrtle, Nandi, Nephele, Nma, Ottoline, Pebbles, Popi, Purity, Quorra, Quratulain, Rory, Ruby-Tuesday, Salsabeel, Sehrish, Sequoia, Sibel, Sobia, Solveig, Sundus, Tiggi, Tiggy, Tirion, Tulsi, Vespa, Vogue, YiyiAlaric, Bramwell, Cavalli, Ceirion, Denley, Diesel, Diggory, Drin, Eesaa, Eyoel, Fiachra, Finlo, Fyfe, Ghyll, Greatness, Gruff, Hanzala, Haoyu, Heathcliff, Henley-John, Ho, Hocine, Innis, Iori, J, Jai-Jai, Jay-J, Jaygo, Johnboy, Jonjoe, Kebba, Kelly, Khizr, King-David, Klevis, Lebron, Liutaruas, Llyr, Lochie, Messi, Mortimer, Nebi, Nimrod, Noman, Olti, Omarion, Orpheus, Osgar, Oska, Perseus, Ptolemy, Qi, Rhythm, Rozh, Rhon, Sandor, Shady, Shaquille, Sheriff, Shko, Soul, Swayley, T, Tiger, Tirath, Tobenna, Toprak, Tuguldur, Tylah, Tyrion, Ugnius, Viggo, Wentworth, Winter, Wolf, Wolfgang, Wren, Yanky, Yug, Zeus, Zsombor

*Enlli, which debuted last year, comes from the name of the Welsh island Ynys Enlli (called Bardsey Island in English). The island name is usually translated as “island of the current,” with ynys meaning “island,” and enlli meaning “current.” You can hear the proper pronunciation of Ynys Enlli at Forvo.

Finally, all of my previous posts on the popular (and unique) baby names in England and Wales: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.

Source: Baby Names, England and Wales, 2013 – ONS

Long List of Unusual Names

I took a few dozen of my oldest “unusual names” lists and combined them here:

  • Abolhassan Bani-Sadr (born in 1933) – First president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  • Adonijah Strong Welch (born in 1821) – U.S. Senator from Florida.
  • Aeriwentha Faggs “Mae” Starr (1932-2000) – American athlete.
  • Anning Smith Prall (1870-1937) – U.S. Representative from New York.
  • Apichatpong Weerasethakul (born in 1970) – Thai film director.
  • Arphaxed Loomis (1798-1885) – U.S. Representative from New York.
  • Atoosa Rubenstein (born in Iran in 1972) – Former editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine.
  • Baskerville Holmes (born in 1964) – American basketball player named for The Hound of the Baskervilles.
  • Batman bin Suparman (b. 1990) – Singaporean man of Javanese descent whose ID card was posted at Language Log. (Thanks to Nancy F. for this one!)
  • Bird Segle Mcguire (1865-1930) – U.S. Delegate and representative from Oklahoma.
  • Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper (1896-1971) – U.S. Senator from Iowa. (Previously the Governor of Iowa.)
  • Brazilla Carroll Reece (1889-1961) – U.S. Representative from Tennessee.
  • Bunnatine “Bunny” Greenhouse (born circa 1944) – Halliburton whistleblower.
  • Burrhus Frederic “B.F.” Skinner (born in 1904) – American psychologist, author and inventor.
  • Canvass White (1790-1834) – American civil engineer.
  • Cedella “Ciddy” Marley Booker (born in 1926) – mother of Bob Marley.
  • Chamintney Stovall Thomas (born in 1899) – Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame inductee.
  • Chase Going Woodhouse (1890-1984) – U.S. Representative from Connecticut.
  • Cherubusco Newton (1848-1910) – U.S. Representative from Louisiana.
  • Cleanth Brooks (born in 1906) – Literary critic and Yale professor.
  • Cree Summer Francks (born in 1969) – Actress and musician. (Her brother is Rainbow, below.)
  • Cydnor Tompkins (1810-1862) – U.S. Representative from Ohio.
  • Delloreese Patricia Early (b. 1931) – American actress (stage name Della Reese).
  • Devra Lee Davis (born in 1946) – Professor of Epidemiology and director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh.
  • Donelson Caffery (1835-1906) – U.S. Senator from Louisiana.
  • Dunkinfield Henry Scott (born in 1854) – English paleobotanist who established the class Pteridospermeae.
  • Elbridge Thomas Gerry (born in 1744) – Fifth Vice President of the United States.
  • Elgin Gay Baylor (born in 1934) – NBA Hall-of-Famer who was named after the Elgin National Watch Company.
  • Eliphalet Dyer (1721-1807) – U.S. Delegate from Connecticut.
  • Epiphanny Prince (born in the 1980s) – Set the U.S. high school girls’ basketball record by scoring 113 points in a single game on February 1, 2006.
  • Espy Van Horne (1795-1829) – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
  • Eudald Carbonell i Roura (born in 1953) – Spanish archaeologist, anthropologist and paleontologist.
  • Falconer Madan (born in 1851) – Librarian of the Bodleian Library of Oxford University. (His granddaughter was Venetia Burney, below.)
  • Felissa Rose Esposito (born in 1969) – Actress.
  • Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (1882-1947) – U.S. Representative from New York. (Later the Mayor of New York.)
  • Foxhall A. Parker (born 1821) – U.S. Navy officer during the American Civil War. (His father was also a Foxhall, and he had a brother named Dangerfield.)
  • Ginery Twichell (1811-1883) – U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.
  • Godlove Stein Orth (1817-1882) – U.S. Representative from Indiana.
  • Gouverneur Morris (1752-1816) – U.S. Senator from New York. (Previously a Delegate from Pennsylvania.)
  • Green Berry Raum (1829-1909) – U.S. Representative from Illinois.
  • Gumersindo Laverde Ruiz (born in 1835) – Spanish writer.
  • Harlow Shapley (born in 1885) – American astronomer.
  • Harmanus Peek (1782-1838) – U.S. Representative from New York.
  • Heartsill Ragon (1885-1940) – U.S. Representative from Arkansas.
  • Hoagland Howard “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899-1981) – American composer, singer, actor, and band leader.
  • Holiday Reinhorn (born in 1964) – fiction writer and wife of Rainn Wilson (see below).
  • Hubbard Hinde Kavanaugh (born in 1802) – Methodist Episcopal bishop.
  • Huw Wheldon (born in 1916) – Welsh broadcaster and Royal Television Society president. (Huw is the Welsh version of Hugh.)
  • Idawalley Zorada “Ida” Lewis (1842-1911) – American lighthouse keeper.
  • Isambard Kingdom Brunel (born in 1806) – English engineer who created the Great Western Railway, along with a number of steamships, bridges and tunnels.
  • Ithamar Conkey Sloan (1822-1898) – U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.
  • Itimous Thaddeus Valentine (born in 1926) – U.S. Representative from North Carolina.
  • Jacquetta Hawkes (born in 1910) – British archaeologist and writer.
  • Jagadish Chandra Bose (born in 1858) – Bengali physicist and science fiction writer.
  • Jascha Heifetz (born in 1901 in Lithuania) – Violinist.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru (born in 1889) – First Prime Minister of India. Served for 4 terms, from 1947 until 1964.
  • Jeduthun Wilcox (1768-1838) – U.S. Representative from New Hampshire.
  • Jetur Rose Riggs (1809-1869) – U.S. Representative from New Jersey.
  • Kirkpatrick Macmillan (1813-1878) – Scottish blacksmith who invented the pedal bicycle (circa 1840).
  • Kirtland Irving Perky (1867-1939) – U.S. Senator from Idaho.
  • Kittredge Haskins (1836-1916) – U.S. Representative from Vermont.
  • Le Gage Pratt (1852-1911) – U.S. Representative from New Jersey.
  • Lilialyce Akers (born in 1927) – first female professor at the University of Louisville.
  • Loammi Baldwin (born in 1744) – Engineer, politician, and American Revolutionary War soldier.
  • Lodowicke Muggleton (born in 1609) – English religious thinker.
  • Loleatta Holloway (born in 1946) – American singer.
  • Lystra Gretter (born in 1858) – Nurse and public health care innovator.
  • Magloire Pélage (born in 1769 in Martinique) – Soldier and leader of the resistance movement against the English.
  • Mamphela Aletta Ramphele (born in 1947) – South African doctor and activist.
  • Marshevet Hooker (born in 1984) – American sprinter.
  • Mattiwilda Dobbs (born in 1925) – American opera singer.
  • Marmaduke Williams (1774-1850) – U.S. Representative from North Carolina.
  • Melquiades R. Martinez (born in 1946) – U.S. Senator from Florida.
  • Middleton Barrow (1839-1903) – U.S. Senator from Georgia.
  • Milward Lee Simpson (1897-1993) – U.S. Senator from Wyoming. (Previously the Governor of Wyoming.)
  • Miquita Oliver (born in 1984) – British TV presenter and actress.
  • Nanaline Holt Inman Duke (born in 1871) – Mother of Doris Duke.
  • Naphtali Daggett (born in 1727) – Pastor, professor, and Yale’s second president.
  • Narsworthy Hunter (c1802) – U.S. Delegate from Mississippi Territory.
  • Nelleke Noordervliet (born in 1945) – Dutch novelist.
  • Nunnally Hunter Johnson (born in 1897) – American filmmaker.
  • O’Brien Smith (born ca. 1756) – Irish-American politician.
  • Odalys García (born in 1975) – Cuban actress and singer.
  • Orrice Abram Murdock, Jr. (1893-1979) – U.S. Senator from Utah. (Previously a U.S. Representative from Utah.)
  • Ossian Ray (1835-1892) – U.S. Representative from New Hampshire.
  • Ottorino Respighi (born in 1879) – Italian composer, musicologist and musician.
  • Outerbridge Horsey (1777-1842) – U.S. Senator from Delaware. (Previously the Attorney General of Delaware.)
  • Owsley Brown Frazier (born in 1935) – businessman and philanthropist.
  • Pantazi Ghica (born in 1831) – Wallachian-born Romanian politician, lawyer and writer.
  • Pelatiah Webster (born in 1726) – political economist and writer.
  • Phanor Breazeale (1858-1934) – U.S. Representative from Louisiana.
  • Philadelph Van Trump (1810-1874) – U.S. Representative from Ohio.
  • Phyllida Law (born in 1932) – Scottish actress. Also the mother of actress Emma Thompson.
  • Pierpont Edwards (1750-1826) – U.S. Delegate from Connecticut.
  • Pitcairn Morrison (1795-1887) – American army officer.
  • Porochista Khakpour (born in 1978) – Iranian-American writer.
  • Powhatan Ellis (1790-1863) – Senator from Mississippi.
  • Quirinus Kuhlmann (1651-1689) – German Baroque poet and mystic.
  • Rainn Wilson (born in 1966) – actor and husband of Holiday Reinhorn (see above).
  • Rainbow Sun Francks (born in 1979) – Canadian actor and songwriter. (His sister is Cree, below.)
  • Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. (1764-1825) – U.S. Senator from Ohio. (Later, the Governor of Ohio. Later still, Postmaster General.)
  • Rienzi Melville Johnston (1849-1926) – U.S. Senator from Texas.
  • Rousseau Owen Crump (1843-1901) – U.S. Representative from Michigan. (Previously the Mayor of West Bay City.)
  • Rulon Gardner (b. 1971) – American Greco-Roman wrestler.
  • Rychacviana Coffie (unknown birth year) – Miss Curaçao 2005.
  • Sacheverell Sitwell (1897-1988) – English poet and art critic.
  • Shirin Ebadi (born in 1947) – Iranian lawyer and human rights activist. First Iranian and first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (in 2003).
  • Smedley Darlington Butler (born in 1881) – at one time, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. (Grandson of Smedley Darlington.)
  • Smoloff Palace Love (born in 1826) – Soldier, teacher, and lawyer from Kentucky.
  • Sobieski Ross (1828-1877) – U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
  • Spessard Lindsey Holland (1892-1971) – U.S. Senator from Florida. (Previously the Governor of Florida.)
  • Spruille Braden (born in 1894) – Diplomat and businessman with an interest in Latin America.
  • Stanyarne Wilson (1860-1928) – U.S. Representative from South Carolina.
  • Stevenson Magloire (born in 1963) – Haitian painter named after U.S. politician Adlai Stevenson.
  • Sunshine Hillygus (born ca. 1976) – associate professor at Harvard.
  • Tapping Reeve (born in 1744) – law professor, jurist and writer. Opened the first law school in the United States.
  • Tench Coxe (1755-1824) – U.S. Delegate from Pennsylvania.
  • Tilghman Mayfield Tucker (1802-1859) – U.S. Representative from Mississippi. (Previously the Governor of Mississippi.)
  • Tomlinson Fort (born in 1787) – U.S. Representative from Georgia.
  • Trevenen Huxley (born in 1889) – Huxley brother (born after Julian, but before Aldous).
  • Turbutt Wright (1741-1783) – U.S. Delegate from Maryland.
  • Tzovfit Grant (born in 1964) – Israeli actress and TV show host. (Her first name is sometimes spelled Tzufit.)
  • Urhines Kendall Icy Eight Special K (born in 2003) – baby boy from Topeka, Kansas.
  • Uzodinma Iweala (born 1982) – American novelist with Nigerian roots.
  • Venetia Phair (née Burney, born in England in 1919) – Suggested the name for the planet Pluto when she was 11 years old. (Her grandfather was Falconer Madan, above.)
  • Vespasian Warner (1842-1925) – U.S. Representative from Illinois.
  • Victory Birdseye (1782-1853) – U.S. Representative from New York.
  • Voltairine de Cleyre (born in 1866) – Anarchist and feminist.
  • Wallingford Constantine Riegger (born in 1885) – American composer.
  • Wangari Muta Maathai (born in 1940 in Kenya) – Doctor, environmental and political activist, and the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Wealthy Babcock (born in 1895) – professor at the University of Kansas.
  • Wentworth Miller (born in 1972) – American actor.
  • Wigbolt Ripperda (born around 1535) – Governor of Haarlem (in the Netherlands) while the city was under siege by the Spanish army during the Eighty Years’ War.
  • Wilmot Redd (died 1692) – one of the (female) victims of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
  • Wolfdietrich Schnurre (born in 1920) – German writer.
  • Yellow Light Breen (born in the 1970s) – lawyer and senior VP of Bangor Savings Bank.
  • Zadock Pratt (1790-1871) – U.S. Representative from New York.

Here are the rest of the original lists:

And here’s a more recent one you might like:

Have you encountered any unusual or rare names lately? (In the phone book? In the paper? On TV?) If so, let me know!