How popular is the baby name Willis 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 Willis.

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Popularity of the baby name Willis


Posts that mention the name Willis

Common Amish names: Jacob, Malinda, Benuel, Naomi

Amish boy in horse-drawn buggy

Which names are the most common among the Amish?

The simplest answer is “Biblical names,” but that’s not the full answer.

Because certain Biblical names are preferred over others, and Biblical names aren’t used exclusively.

Plus, the prevalence of a name could vary depending upon the specific Amish settlement you’re talking about.

I’ve gathered about 100 of the most common Amish names below. Before we get into specifics, though, here’s a bit of background on the Amish…

Who are the Amish?

The Amish are an Anabaptist group that intentionally maintain a degree of separation from the wider world. They wear plain clothing, eschew modern conveniences (like cars), and partake in traditional occupations such as farming, carpentry, blacksmithing, and (for women) homemaking.

The Anabaptist movement began in Europe in the 1520s, at the time of the Protestant Reformation. The Anabaptists were particularly known for the practice of adult baptism. They were also opposed to war, and they believed in the separation of church and state.

Considered radicals, the Anabaptists were widely persecuted.

In 1693, the Swiss branch of the Anabaptist movement (a.k.a., the Swiss Brethren) experienced a schism. Those who followed reformer Jacob Amman came to be known as the Amish, whereas those who did not came to be known as the Mennonites (after Dutchman Menno Simons, one of the original Anabaptist leaders).

In the early 1700s, many Amish (and Mennonites) immigrated to the New World — specifically to the Province of Pennsylvania, which had been founded upon the principle of religious freedom.

Today, over 367,000 Amish live in the U.S., and roughly two-thirds of them reside in three states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

Amish man and sons in horse-drawn wagon

Common Amish names

The most comprehensive source of Amish names I came across was also the oldest, so let’s go through all the sources chronologically.

In 1960, researcher Elmer L. Smith published data on the most common male and female names among the Amish of southeastern Pennsylvania from 1890 to 1956.

The 1,337 Amish males in the study shared a total of just 72 different first names. Over a quarter of the males had one of the top three names (John, Amos, or Jacob), and over 81% had one of the top 20 names.

The 1,356 Amish females in the study shared even fewer first names: only 55. Over a quarter of the females had one of the top three names (Mary, Sarah, or Annie), and over 88% had a top-20 name.

According to Smith’s research, these were the 20 most common names per gender (plus their frequency of usage):

Amish female namesAmish male names
1Mary, 10.0%John, 11.9%
2Sarah, 7.9%Amos, 7.3%
3Annie, 9.1%*Jacob, 6.5%
4Katie, 7.1%David, 6.4%
5Lizzie, 6.4%Samuel, 6.2%
6Rebecca, 6.1%Christian, 6.1%
7Fannie, 5.3%Daniel, 5.5%
8Barbara, 5.1%Benjamin, 3.8%
9Rachel, 5.1%Levi, 3.7%
10Lydia, 4.9%Aaron, 3.1%
11Emma, 3.8%Jonas, 3.0%
12Malinda, 3.5%Elam, 2.8%
13Susie, 3.2%Stephen, 2.8%
14Sadie, 2.5%Isaac, 2.5%
15Leah, 1.9%Henry, 2.4%
16Hannah, 1.5%Jonathan, 1.8%
17Naomi, 1.4%Eli, 1.7%
18Mattie, 1.3%Gideon, 1.6%
19Lavina, 1.1%Moses, 1.5%
20Arie, 1.1%Joseph, 1.1%
*Annie was ranked below Sarah in the research paper, but this seems to be a typo, given the percentages.

Smith also wrote the following:

Other given names for males may reflect the important place the martyred forefathers hold in the minds of the sect members. The given name Menno is frequently found; this honors Menno Simmons [sic] an early leader of the plain sects. Ammon is also quite common, and is traced to Jacob Amman for whom the Amish sect is named; otherwise given names are from the Bible.

(Menno, a form of the Dutch name Meine, can be traced back to the Old High German word magan, meaning “strength.” The occupational surname Amman(n), which was derived from the German word amtmann, originally referred to someone employed as an official or administrator.)

A couple of years after Smith’s study came out, Dr. William Schreiber (a professor at the College of Wooster in Ohio) published a book about the Amish of east-central Ohio. In one paragraph, he mentioned some of the names he’d encountered:

One learns here that the good old biblical names are still common with the Amish but are in competition with modern or more euphonious ones. The names of the children of large families are often a study in contrasts. In one family there are, for example, Benjamin, Samuel, Isaac, Stephen, John, Israel, Christ, Barbara, Mary, Hannah, Annie, Mattie, and Lizzie. Another family has chosen these names for its children: Sarah, Lizzie, Samuel, Benjamin, John, Annie, Marie, Daniel, David, Enos, Sylvia, and Malinda. Then there are three Amish brothers named Isaac, Levi, and Elmer. One wonders how Vesta, Delila, Dena, Saloma, Drusilla, or Verba, or boys’ names like Junie, Venus, or Aquilla came into strict Christian families?

Speaking of east-central Ohio, Barbara Yoder Hall — who was born in 1940 and grew up with ten siblings in the Amish community of Holmes County — recalled in her book Born Amish (1980) the following first names:

First names for girls are usually Cora, Mattie, Annie, Lizzie, Barbara, Fannie, Katie, Mary, Naomi, Emma, Jemima, Ella, Sarah, Levina and Mandy.

First names for boys are John, Mose, Ferdinand, Dannie, Sam, Amos, Albert, Emanual, Levi, Rudy, Enos, Eli, Jacob and Joseph.

Amish kitchen

Now for a pair of sources from the digital age…

The website Amish America, run by Erik Wesner (who is not Amish, but has visited Amish communities in 15 different states), lists the following names as being common among the Amish. He found many of the male names in Raber’s Almanac, which “contains a listing of Amish church ministers,” while many of the female names came from various church directories.

Common Amish female namesCommon Amish male names
Elizabeth
Emma
Fannie
Hannah
Katie
Linda
Lizzie
Lovina/Lavina
Martha
Mary
Miriam
Naomi
Rebecca
Ruby
Ruth
Sadie
Sarah
Waneta
Abram
Amos
Atlee
Eli
Elmer
Harley
Isaac
Jacob
John
Lavern
Leroy
Mark
Melvin
Mervin
Samuel
Vernon
Wayne
Willis

Some of Erik’s commentary…

  • Eli: “You see a lot of Elis among Amish, but not many Elijahs.”
  • Leroy: “Seems to be more common in Midwestern communities.”
  • Lizzie: “Lizzie is a popular form in some Pennsylvania communities.”
  • Naomi: “Amish, at least in Lancaster County, pronounce this ‘Nay-oh-mah.'”
  • Ruby: “Quite a few Rubies in northern Indiana.”
  • Vernon: “[P]retty common in places like northern Indiana and Holmes County, Ohio.”

Finally, according to the blog Amish Heritage, written by a woman named Anna (who grew up Amish in Pennsylvania), common Amish names include…

Common Amish female namesCommon Amish male names
Amanda
Anna/Annie
Barbara
Betty
Clara
Edna
Elizabeth
Esther
Fannie
Hannah
Lavina
Lena
Lydia
Malinda
Martha
Mary
Miriam
Naomi
Priscilla
Rachel
Rebecca
Ruth
Sadie
Sarah
Susie
Aaron
Abner
Abram
Amos
Benuel
Christian/Christ
Daniel
David
Eli
Elmer
Emmanuel
Henry
Isaac
Jacob
John
Jonas
Leroy
Lloyd
Mark
Melvin
Mervin
Moses
Omar
Paul
Samuel
Steven/Stephen
Vernon

Both websites noted that some Amish communities (particularly New Order Amish communities) have recently started giving their children less traditional first names.


So how do these lists square with what we’ve observed in the U.S. baby name data?

It’s hard to tell with historically popular names like Mary and John, but we can see some interesting things when we focus on relatively rare names.

For instance, the names Atlee, Benuel, Delila, Dena, Lavina, Menno, Saloma, and Willis have all been mentioned recently in my posts about names with a high degree of state specificity (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021). As you’d expect, they were associated with the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and/or Indiana. (Benuel, in fact, has only ever appeared in the Pennsylvania data — going all the way back to the 1940s.)

Several of the other names — including Amos, Elam, Fannie, Malinda, and Mervin — saw higher usage in Pennsylvania than in any other state in 2021.

I was surprised that none of my sources listed the name Barbie. Most of them mentioned Barbara (one of them was even named Barbara), and all of them included nicknames (like Lizzie). But Barbara’s diminutive form was curiously absent — even though most of its usage occurs in Pennsylvania:

Girls named Barbie, U.S.Girls named Barbie, Penn.
20213722 (59%)
20202617 (65%)
20193320 (61%)
20182113 (62%)
20172916 (55%)
20162814 (50%)

Rhoda and Mahlon are two more names that I somewhat expected to see.

Ammon is a very interesting case, because the name also has significance to an entirely different religious group: the Mormons. (The Book of Mormon features two prominent figures named Ammon.) From the 1910s to the 1960s, the name Ammon — much like Benuel — only appeared in the Pennsylvania data. Since the 1980s, though, the state with the largest number of baby boys named Ammon has been Utah.


What are your thoughts on the first names used by the Amish? Which of the above do you like the most?

And, for anyone out there with close ties to an Amish family/community: What other names would you add to this list?

P.S. This post is dedicated to my delightful commenters alex and Andrea. :)

Sources:

Images (horse-drawn buggy, horse-drawn wagon, farmhouse kitchen) from Library of Congress

Popular and unique baby names in each U.S. state, 2020

USA topographic map

Which baby names were the most popular in each U.S. state in 2020? And which names only popped up in the data for a single state in 2020? Here are the answers! (Any unique name that also appeared in last year’s post is in boldface.)

Alabama

  • Alabama’s top girl name: Ava
  • Alabama’s top boy name: William
  • Alabama’s 7 unique girl names: Emoree, Khylie, Petrona, Annalynn, Jailee, Kaloni, Loxley
  • Alabama’s 7 unique boy names: Kyser, Mills, Johnluke, Kamar, Kendarius, Saylor, Xzavion

Alaska

  • Alaska’s top girl name: Amelia
  • Alaska’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Arizona

  • Arizona’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Arizona’s top boy name: Liam
  • Arizona’s 3 unique girl names: Zo, Ariza, Payson
  • Arizona’s 2 unique boy names: Iram, Quill

Arkansas

  • Arkansas’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Arkansas’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names
  • No unique boy names.

California

  • California’s top girl name: Olivia
  • California’s top boy name: Noah
  • California’s top 10 unique girl names: Sequoia, Emiko, Rey, Melrose, Roxanna, Shaila, Briseida, Ara, Cathy, Koa (total of 551)
  • California’s top 10 unique boy names: Slater, Curren, Armen, Fateh, Agam, Angad, Gurbaaz, Subhan, Yash, Ojas (total of 394)

Colorado

  • Colorado’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Colorado’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Connecticut

  • Connecticut’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Connecticut’s top boy name: Noah
  • No unique girl names.
  • Connecticut’s 1 unique boy name: Henrique

Delaware

  • Delaware’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Delaware’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

District of Columbia

  • D.C.’s top girl name: Olivia
  • D.C.’s top boy name: William
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Florida

  • Florida’s top girl name: Emma
  • Florida’s top boy name: Liam
  • Florida’s top 10 unique girl names: Abigaelle, Harbor, Allana, Breeze, Forever, Jaziyah, Railyn, Aniyla, Arielis, Dalani (total of 81)
  • Florida’s top 10 unique boy names: Aramis, Jaheim, Javaris, Maleek, Caio, Jahleel, Jeriel, Kamir, Marvens, Amyr (total of 81)

Georgia

  • Georgia’s top girl name: Ava
  • Georgia’s top boy name: Liam
  • Georgia’s top 10 unique girl names: Harmonii, Emmagrace, Kaior, Kiersten, Maebry, Makiya, Aloni, Jersi, Allura, Amalie (total of 25)
  • Georgia’s top 10 unique boy names: Antwon, Kiari, Woods, Elnathan, Jalil, Javontae, Keigan, Londyn, Mansa, Rhylan (total of 30)

Hawaii

  • Hawaii’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Hawaii’s top boy name: Liam
  • Hawaii’s 6 unique girl names: Halia, Anela Mahealani, Ilihia, Malie, Maile
  • Hawaii’s 6 unique boy names: Kainalu, Kahiau, Kamahao, Keawe, Alika, Kaikoa

Idaho

  • Idaho’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Idaho’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Illinois

  • Illinois’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Illinois’s top boy name: Noah
  • Illinois’s top 10 unique girl names: Zuzanna, Pola, Aniela, Eleen, Daliyah, Calia, Daniya, Destini, Eleonora, Esha (total of 18)
  • Illinois’s top 10 unique boy names: Krystian, Teodor, Jovon, Petar, Syair, Vuk, Akshar, Jameer, Kiyaan, Lashawn (total of 24)

Indiana

  • Indiana’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Indiana’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Indiana’s 2 unique girl names: Aayla, Renlee
  • Indiana’s 8 unique boy names: Maciah, Axtyn, Buckley, Emmerson, Javonni, Kashten, Lavon, Layken

Iowa

  • Iowa’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Iowa’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • Iowa’s 1 unique boy name: Kinnick
    • Kinnick is the name of the University of Iowa’s football stadium.

Kansas

  • Kansas’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Kansas’s top boy name: Liam
  • Kansas’s 2 unique girl names: Brecken, Atley
  • No unique boy names.

Kentucky

  • Kentucky’s top girl name: Amelia
  • Kentucky’s top boy name: Liam
  • Kentucky’s 2 unique girl names: Larkyn, Karson
  • Kentucky’s 1 unique boy name: Brentlee

Louisiana

  • Louisiana’s top girl name: Ava
  • Louisiana’s top boy name: Liam
  • Louisiana’s 8 unique girl names: Kaislee, Rylen, Harlym, Riyah, Cecile, Damiya, Jrue, Rhemi
  • Louisiana’s 6 unique boy names: Baylen, Daxx, Jansen, Tylin, Hutson, Tyrin

Maine

  • Maine’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Maine’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Maryland

  • Maryland’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Maryland’s top boy name: Liam
  • Maryland’s 7 unique girl names: Dynver, Oakland, Brailyn, Chidera, Gelila, Kaylei, Shekinah
  • Maryland’s 3 unique boy names: Yafet, Jordon, Karon

Massachusetts

  • Massachusetts’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Massachusetts’s top boy name: Noah
  • Massachusetts’s 8 unique girl names: Aylla, Manuella, Eloah, Nelle, Clarisse, Emilly, Heloisa, Malu
  • Massachusetts’s 8 unique boy names: Heitor, Tadhg, Joaopedro, Noriel, Walden, Dana, Enzogabriel, Jordany

Michigan

  • Michigan’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Michigan’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Michigan’s top 10 unique girl names: Zahraa, Cashmere, Ellouise, Manar, Breslyn, Cobi, Hala, Raneem, Arla, Avacyn (total of 22)
  • Michigan’s top 10 unique boy names: Blair, Ayham, Coltyn, Nicklas, Daijon, Alastair, Deante, Haidar, Kodah, Mohsen (total of 13)

Minnesota

  • Minnesota’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Minnesota’s top boy name: Henry
  • Minnesota’s top 10 unique girl names: Maida, Rayan, Nawal, Adna, Ahlam, Ikhlas, Ayan, Britta, Mumtaz, Munira (total of 28)
  • Minnesota’s top 10 unique boy names: Muad, Muhsin, Yaqub, Sudais, Abdulahi, Mohamedamin, Masud, Liban, Mikko, Yonis (total of 23)

Mississippi

  • Mississippi’s top girl name: Ava
  • Mississippi’s top boy name: James
  • Mississippi’s 3 unique girl names: Harlei, Mattilyn, Rivers
  • Mississippi’s 6 unique boy names: Ashtin, Devonta, Aycen, Jakayden, Keondre, Landan

Missouri

  • Missouri’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Missouri’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Missouri’s 8 unique girl names: Kelce, Esma, Kamori, Quinley, Blu, Jhream, Kendyl, Mavery
  • Missouri’s 5 unique boy names: Travon, Bryton, Darrion, Sutter, Whitley

Montana

  • Montana’s top girl name: Charlotte & Olivia (tie)
  • Montana’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Nebraska

  • Nebraska’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Nebraska’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Nebraska’s 1 unique girl name: Breckyn
  • Nebraska’s 1 unique boy name: Eh

Nevada

  • Nevada’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Nevada’s top boy name: Liam
  • Nevada’s 1 unique girl name: Unity
  • No unique boy names.

New Hampshire

  • New Hampshire’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • New Hampshire’s top boy name: Lucas
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

New Jersey

  • New Jersey’s top girl name: Olivia
  • New Jersey’s top boy name: Liam
  • New Jersey’s top 10 unique girl names: Bluma, Ruchama, Leba, Avigayil, Jadelyn, Alianny, Arna, Bina, Ita, Maahi (total of 13)
  • New Jersey’s top 10 unique boy names: Boruch, Shraga, Gershon, Shaul, Avigdor, Naksh, Abeer, Nesanel, Refoel, Yerachmiel (total of 19)

New Mexico

  • New Mexico’s top girl name: Olivia
  • New Mexico’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

New York

  • New York’s top girl name: Olivia
  • New York’s top boy name: Liam
  • New York’s top 10 unique girl names: Gitty, Yitty, Raizy, Sury, Esty, Goldy, Idy, Henny, Yides, Hinda (total of 174)
    • Esty came up in the 2020 Pop Culture Baby Name Game because of the Netflix mini-series Unorthodox, which features an ultra-Orthodox Jewish main character named Esty from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC. Of the 67 baby girls named Esty last year, 59 were born in New York specifically.
  • New York’s top 10 unique boy names: Lipa, Yechiel, Hershel, Pinchas, Avrum, Lazer, Md, Nachman, Berl, Muhammadyusuf (total of 157)

North Carolina

  • North Carolina’s top girl name: Olivia
  • North Carolina’s top boy name: Liam
  • North Carolina’s 8 unique girl names: Wrenn, Katara, Beckley, Embree, Kaileigh, Promyse, Reigna, Twyla
  • North Carolina’s top 10 unique boy names: Nolyn, Calihan, Aysen, Bladen, Damarcus, Dempsey, Hilton, Jahmere, Kaedyn, Kamdon (total of 16)

North Dakota

  • North Dakota’s top girl name: Amelia & Olivia
  • North Dakota’s top boy name: Oliver
  • North Dakota’s 1 unique girl name: Girl (…still probably just a place-holder)
  • No unique boy names.

Ohio

  • Ohio’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Ohio’s top boy name: Liam
  • Ohio’s top 10 unique girl names: Damyla, Jozie, Delainey, Delila, Dorcas, Joselynn, Maisley, Maizey, Marcia, Bexleigh (total of 22)
  • Ohio’s top 10 unique boy names: Willis, Larkin, Jashawn, Abdallah, Bennet, Bexley, Buck, Cylus, Freeman, Graeme (total of 26)

Oklahoma

  • Oklahoma’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Oklahoma’s top boy name: Liam
  • Oklahoma’s 4 unique girl names: Brenlee, Jentri, Lun, Man
  • Oklahoma’s 5 unique boy names: Pau, Creek, Mung, Cale, Dayson

Oregon

  • Oregon’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Oregon’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • Oregon’s 1 unique boy name: Rogue

Pennsylvania

  • Pennsylvania’s top girl name: Emma
  • Pennsylvania’s top boy name: Noah
  • Pennsylvania’s top 10 unique girl names: Barbie, Suhaylah, Lavina, Verna, Surah, Erma, Adalind, Azara, Saloma, Aasiyah (total of 28)
  • Pennsylvania’s top 10 unique boy names: Mahlon, Benuel, Ayyub, Aasim, Lavern, Baxter, Carmen, Muadh, Ahzir, Asir (total of 32)

Rhode Island

  • Rhode Island’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Rhode Island’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

South Carolina

  • South Carolina’s top girl name: Ava
  • South Carolina’s top boy name: William
  • South Carolina’s 3 unique girl names: Kaniya, Ellory, Indya
  • South Carolina’s 3 unique boy names: Drayton, Bowman, Collins

South Dakota

  • South Dakota’s top girl name: Harper
  • South Dakota’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Tennessee

  • Tennessee’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Tennessee’s top boy name: Liam
  • Tennessee’s top 10 unique girl names: Anslee, Callaway, Henleigh, Mallie, Amellia, Blakley, Chloee, Crimson, Emersynn, Ivyanna (total of 14)
  • Tennessee’s top 10 unique boy names: Neyland, Martavious, Holston, Ladarius, Mckinley, Ripken, Conley, Crockett, Kimoni, Ryman (total of 11)
    • Neyland is the name of the University of Tennessee’s football stadium.
    • Holston is the name of a river in Tennessee.
    • Ryman is the name of the Nashville auditorium that was the home of the Grand Ole Opry (1943-’74).

Texas

  • Texas’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Texas’s top boy name: Liam
  • Texas’s top 10 unique girl names: Elida, Kymber, Roberta, Xaria, Debanhi, Karyme, Abilene, Kirby, Analeigh, Bryar (total of 452)
    • Abilene is the name of a city in Texas.
  • Texas’s top 10 unique boy names: Crawford, Homero, Guadalupe, Eliazar, Abiel, Clemente, Javi, Koe, Javen, Kutter (total of 276)

Utah

  • Utah’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Utah’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Utah’s 5 unique girl names: Alta, Scottlyn, Cozette, Auburn, Swayzie
  • Utah’s 6 unique boy names: Kaladin, Taggart, Thayne, Trapper, Alma, Quaid
    • Kaladin is the name of a character in the Stormlight Archive book series by Utah author Brandon Sanderson.

Vermont

  • Vermont’s top girl name: Amelia
  • Vermont’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Virginia

  • Virginia’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Virginia’s top boy name: Liam
  • Virginia’s 6 unique girl names: Soliana, Soliyana, Cornelia, Harlan, Makenzi, Yanet
  • Virginia’s 6 unique boy names: Yuvin, Berkley, Keandre, Nayel, Nyzir, Sarim

Washington

  • Washington’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Washington’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Washington’s 6 unique girl names: Ellinor, Jasper, Freja, Korah, Ravenna, Robbie
    • Ravenna is the name of a neighborhood in Seattle.
  • Washington’s 7 unique boy names: Finlay, Amnen, Finnan, Lochlann, Peregrine, Echo, Jettson

West Virginia

  • West Virginia’s top girl name: Harper
  • West Virginia’s top boy name: Liam
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin’s top girl name: Charlotte
  • Wisconsin’s top boy name: Oliver
  • Wisconsin’s 1 unique girl name: Marietta
  • Wisconsin’s 2 unique boy names: Chet, Everhett

Wyoming

  • Wyoming’s top girl name: Olivia
  • Wyoming’s top boy name: Oliver
  • No unique girl names.
  • No unique boy names.

Have any info/theories on any of the unique names above? If so, please leave a comment!

Source: Popular Names by State – SSA

Image (USATopographicalMap) by NOAA

What gave the baby name Aleeta a boost in 1933?

Aleeta & Mertis Fleming, 1933

In 1933, the relatively rare baby name Aleeta saw an isolated spike in usage:

  • 1935: unlisted
  • 1934: unlisted
  • 1933: 17 baby girls named Aleeta [peak]
  • 1932: unlisted
  • 1931: unlisted

What gave it a boost that year?

Aleeta Fleming, a 28-year-old “farm wife” from northeastern Ohio who was in the news starting on August 6th. A physician had recently determined that her 4-month-old son, Mertis, Jr., had died of strangulation. Following that revelation, Aleeta “glibly” confessed to the murder of not just Mertis, Jr., but also to the murder of an earlier son, Willis, who she’d poisoned as a baby in January of 1932.

The next day, she repudiated her confession and instead blamed her 55-year-old husband Mertis, who “disliked boy babies,” for the deaths:

Mrs. Fleming said her husband gave all his affection to their 3-year-old daughter, Beatrice, and complained to her that the boys fretted too much…[She] was quoted by the sheriff as asserting her husband threatened to kill her unless she made away with the boy babies.

Both parents ended up pleading guilty to second degree murder. In early November, both were sentenced to life in prison.

Interestingly, the spelling “Aleeta” seems to be a newspaper typo. In all the records I’ve seen (e.g., Willis’s death certificate, Mertis’s death certificate, the 1930 U.S. Census, the 1940 U.S. Census) the name is spelled “Alleta.”

Do you like the name Aleeta?

P.S. Beatrice, who spent her childhood in an orphanage, “worked as a foster parent with Indian children out west” as an adult.

Sources:

  • “Admits the Killing of her Infant Sons.” Lincoln Star 6 Aug. 1933: 17.
  • “Held in Slaying of two Children.” Evening Independent [Massillon, Ohio] 7 Aug. 1933: 1.
  • “Mother Admits Poisoning Babies.” Defiance Crescent 7 Aug. 1933: 1.
  • “Parents Who Killed 2 Children Sentenced.” Nevada State Journal 3 Nov. 1933: 4.
  • Beatrice M. Fleming obituary

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 3

Baby names with a numerological value of 3

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 3, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 3-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “threes” in numerology?

Turning names into numbers

Here’s how to calculate the numerological value of a name.

First, for each letter, come up with a number to represent that letter’s position in the alphabet. (Letter A would be number 1, letter B would be number 2, and so forth.) Then, add all the numbers together. If the sum has two or more digits, add the digits together recursively until the result is a single digit. That single digit is the name’s numerological value.

For instance, the letters in the name Tyson correspond to the numbers 20, 25, 19, 15, and 14. The sum of these numbers is 93. The digits of 93 added together equal 12, and the digits of 12 added together equal 3 — the numerological value of Tyson.

Baby names with a value of 3

Below you’ll find the most popular 3-names per gender, according to the latest U.S. baby name data. I’ve further sub-categorized them by total sums — just in case any of those larger numbers are significant to anyone.

3 via 12

The letters in the following baby names add up to 12, which reduces to three (1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 12)Boy names (3 via 12)
Aja, Fae, Bia, Abi, BeeGad, Jb, Abed

3 via 21

The letters in the following baby names add up to 21, which reduces to three (2+1=3).

Girl names (3 via 21)Boy names (3 via 21)
Kai, Asa, Gala, Jaia, CleaKai, Kade, Asa, Alec, Ben, Beck, Cale

3 via 30

The letters in the following baby names add up to 30, which reduces to three (3+0=3).

Girl names (3 via 30)Boy names (3 via 30)
Ella, Alice, Anna, Jane, Noa, Bianca, Abby, Bria, Celia, Liah, Kalea, Dafne, Asia, Tia, Lela, Bree, Caeli, Jean, Ilah, Bobbi, Aaira, LacieJoe, Noa, Jean, Rafe, Taha, Eesa, Bodi, Tai, Ken, Abir, Zac, Asai

3 via 39

The letters in the following baby names add up to 39, which reduces to three (3+9=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 39)Boy names (3 via 39)
Camila, Ayla, Sara, Gemma, Amy, Leila, Mya, Kira, Allie, Angel, Amber, Clare, Kodi, May, Janie, Alya, Diya, Kari, Dalila, Deanna, Ellia, Laya, Ameena, Adora, Jackie, Iona, Joie, Kaleia, Deasia, Avana, Asra, GoldaAngel, Declan, Kash, Sean, Drake, Jon, Jakob, Asaiah, Lev, Emil, Tahj, Kodi, Keagan, Judd, Sanad, Amadeo, Kree, Edric, Breck, Aero, Jawad, Jackie, Jaeden, Galen, Jakhi, Khaleb

3 via 48

The letters in the following baby names add up to 48, which reduces to three (4+8=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 48)Boy names (3 via 48)
Luna, Nora, Claire, Isabel, Daphne, Teagan, Adriana, Celine, Alayah, Amora, Kalani, Sarai, Briar, Sasha, Zelda, Siena, Aviana, Aliya, Kairi, Ainhoa, Ellen, Meghan, Ariadna, Miya, Dariana, Rita, Faigy, Maite, Kalina, Sahara, Liza, Nyah, Saira, Anabella, Donna, Aiyla, Pamela, Jannah, James, Joni, Kiari, Ofelia, Amyah, Carlie, Issa, Mayah, Aayat, Levi, Malaika, Katana, Merci, Siara, Abilene, Edyn, Lou, Kenedi, BrandiJames, Levi, Ethan, Theo, Jonah, Graham, Malakai, Jasiah, Leland, Johan, Kamden, Amos, Zakai, Aron, Briar, Jagger, Rey, Blaise, Jakobi, Semaj, Noble, Teagan, Aksel, Roan, Kahari, Eamon, Armaan, Kailo, Issa, Keelan, Niall, Gracen, Malachai, Miko, Marek, Izaak, Lou, Luan, Efren, Hosea, Zahid, Aycen, Farhan, Rye, Tom, Aadvik, Brave, Faisal, Oshea, Aceyn, Uri, Vidal, Jhoan, Kairi, Jaceon, Dekari, Kailan, Sasha, Pearce, Aasir, Thane

3 via 57

The letters in the following baby names add up to 57, which reduces to three (5+7=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 57)Boy names (3 via 57)
Aaliyah, Rose, Mary, Adalyn, Kailani, Mariana, Hayden, Willa, Amiyah, Myra, Lilian, Nellie, Ellis, Laney, Julie, Layne, Jaylah, Nancy, Sandra, Alaiyah, Alessa, Cecily, Harlem, Kylah, Eunice, Rayla, Zelie, Lux, Aylen, Alizah, Ayvah, Zofia, Katy, Kaileen, Zayda, Niyah, Moon, Jennie, Namaari, Colby, Gisele, Taleen, Leyna, Karol, EvannaOwen, George, Hayden, Ellis, Major, Eithan, Colby, Krew, Layne, Chris, Uriah, Benicio, Franco, Duncan, Eugene, Harlem, Wallace, Lux, Kyng, Eros, Aryeh, Yoel, Edson, Jasir, Xaiden, Aharon, Malcom, Daylan, Javian, Kemari, Arion, Artem, Advait, Burke, Nayel, Brogan, Murad, Abubakar, Kaleth, Nahum, Jaiceon, Golden, Sion, Slate, Bless

3 via 66

The letters in the following baby names add up to 66, which reduces to three (6+6=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 66)Boy names (3 via 66)
Harper, Addison, Ruby, Emery, Sloane, Ximena, Lainey, Delaney, Brooke, Ophelia, Annabelle, Nayeli, Alessia, Frances, Rosie, Jessica, Alejandra, Holland, Jaliyah, Maxine, Elyse, Nathalia, Saanvi, Raylee, Mollie, Tatiana, Jasmin, Shayla, Yaneli, Laynie, Beckett, Charlene, Mckayla, Georgie, Rhyan, Eliany, Citlali, Krisha, Serene, Amyrah, Lulu, Savanah, Colleen, Henny, HaizleeCharles, Beckett, Xander, Zayn, Tobias, Manuel, Romeo, Royce, Esteban, Dalton, Armando, Corey, Dillon, Emery, Edison, Keaton, Ricky, Kaizen, Cassian, Denzel, Zakari, Jerome, Bastian, Booker, Finnick, Harper, Rush, Ilyas, Steele, Holland, Zyan, Mickey, Gibson, Darnell, Mykel, Meyer, Vito, Maksim, Elton, Esdras, Addison, Lyon, Osmar, Vedant, Ronen, Arsalan, Jorden, Ryden, Keshav, Yaqub, Shmiel

3 via 75

The letters in the following baby names add up to 75, which reduces to three (7+5=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 75)Boy names (3 via 75)
Madison, Quinn, Esther, Tatum, Adelynn, Raelyn, Annalise, Rosalia, Bethany, Clover, Kinslee, Aspyn, Rosalee, Simone, Sharon, Rowen, Eliyanah, Avalyn, Geraldine, Mariyah, Hollis, Xolani, Eisley, Katarina, Addalynn, Denisse, Bryanna, Eleanore, Susana, Andromeda, Marianne, Azuri, Emryn, Lucianna, Hayven, Cheyanne, Marielle, Ronnie, Nylani, Annmarie, Maylani, Delainey, Sofiya, Maybelle, MilagroZayden, Marcus, Martin, Tatum, Luciano, Quinn, Jeffrey, Kendrick, Rowen, Zachariah, Kaysen, Gunnar, Maximo, Magnus, Melvin, Leroy, Hollis, Ronnie, Dominik, Yaakov, Jeffery, Norman, Jermaine, Simeon, Slater, Linus, Arrow, Ramses, Wendell, Karmelo, Raylen, Lamont, Roscoe, Damarion, Xavien, Johnnie, Ezriel, Bayron, Mahmoud, Nessiah, Zaedyn, Lynx, Ferris, Jassiel, Sorin, Connell, Heitor, Hershel, Jonatan, Lyrik, Zahmir, Avrum, Vyom

3 via 84

The letters in the following baby names add up to 84, which reduces to three (8+4=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 84)Boy names (3 via 84)
Ryleigh, Londyn, Collins, Jocelyn, Makenzie, Lennox, Violeta, Zaniyah, Mazikeen, Maelynn, Yusra, Lillianna, Madalynn, Austin, Renesmee, Sunday, Caitlyn, Charity, Lindsay, Mahogany, Arizona, Emberleigh, Lennyn, Anneliese, Brinleigh, NormaniAlexander, Leonardo, Austin, Nathaniel, Emmanuel, Barrett, Lennox, Zyaire, Marshall, Lawson, Jaxton, Kyson, Jayson, Atreus, Ryatt, Terrance, Rayyan, Thorin, Alister, Nickolas, Francesco, Luther, Lyndon, Yuvaan, Demarcus, Eastyn, Million, Stiles, Rashawn, Collins, Alexandre, Braxten, Kenyon, Axtyn, Surya, Willis, Sylis, Vinny

3 via 93

The letters in the following baby names add up to 93, which reduces to three (9+3=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 93)Boy names (3 via 93)
Juniper, Sunny, Elliott, Ashlynn, Yamileth, Majesty, Rhiannon, Novaleigh, Evalynn, Cristina, Britney, Brighton, Rosalinda, Philomena, Railynn, Rosaline, NazarethBryson, Elliott, Justin, Atticus, Cristian, Tyson, Roberto, Arturo, Sunny, Greysen, Brighton, Taysom, Sylvan, Shaurya, Majesty, Jaxsyn

3 via 102

The letters in the following baby names add up to 102, which reduces to three (1+0+2=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 102)Boy names (3 via 102)
Charlotte, Juliette, Wrenley, Whitley, Jazlynn, Kingsley, Kaylynn, Kinzley, Gwyneth, Christiana, Emmerson, Katelynn, Gwenyth, Vanellope, Winnifred, ValentineHarrison, Brixton, Kingsley, Langston, Huxton, Syrus, Iverson, Humberto, Henderson, Yehoshua, Valentine, Zaviyar, Whitley, Abdulaziz, Zorawar, Scotty

3 via 111

The letters in the following baby names add up to 111, which reduces to three (1+1+1=3).

Girl names (3 via 111)Boy names (3 via 111)
Amethyst, Parklynn, Braylynn, Taylynn, Brystol, PromyseRaymundo, Muhammadamin, Briggston, Xzavion, Christos

3 via 120

The letters in the following baby names add up to 120, which reduces to three (1+2+0=3).

Girl names (3 via 120)Boy names (3 via 120)
Skylynn, Yaretzy, Lexington, Greylynn, StarletteMaximiliano, Ulysses, Lexington, Leviticus, Thompson

3 via 129

The letters in the following baby names add up to 129, which reduces to three (1+2+9=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 129)Boy names (3 via 129)
Kourtney, Tzipporah, Knoxlynn, Iyinoluwa, TraylynnAugustus, Silvestre, Brookston, Constantin, Trayshawn

Number 3: Significance and associations

What does the number three mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number three. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 3 being described as “creative,” “optimistic,” “friendly,” “outgoing,” and “self-expressive.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are some things that are associated with the number 3:

  • Triple crown (victory in three events)
  • Hat trick (3 goals scored in one game by a single player)
  • Circus (3 rings)
  • Yard (3 feet)
  • Three-act structure (in narrative)
  • Rule of thirds (in photography)
  • Traffic lights
  • Manx flag (3 legs)

What does the number 3 mean to you? What are your strongest associations with the number?

P.S. To see names with other numerological values, check out the posts for the numbers one, two, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.

Sources: SSA, Numerology – Cafe Astrology, The meaning of the numbers 1 – 9 – World Numerology, 3 – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]