How popular is the baby name Wonder 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 Wonder.

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Popularity of the baby name Wonder


Posts that mention the name Wonder

Baby name story: Wonderful Terrific

Baseball player Wonderful Monds III
Wonderful Monds III

In the late 1920s, Henry and Sallie Monds of Brooks County, Georgia, welcomed a baby boy and named him Wonderful Terrific.

According to Monds family history, Henry had fathered a number of daughters — some sources say 11, others say 12 — and longed for a son. When his wife finally delivered a boy, he was so overjoyed that he exclaimed, “Oh, this is wonderful! This is terrific!” And that’s how the name came about.

Wonderful Monds on 1930 U.S. Census
Wonderful Monds on the 1930 U.S. Census

Years later, when Wonderful Terrific Monds had a son, the unique name was passed down.

Wonderful Terrific “Wonder” Monds, Jr., was born in 1952. A talented athlete, he played football at the University of Nebraska in the mid-1970s. He went on to play professionally for four seasons: three in Canada, and one in the U.S. with the San Francisco 49ers.

When Wonder Monds had a son, the name was passed down again.

Wonderful Terrific Monds III was born in 1973. He played baseball at Tennessee State in the early 1990s. He went on to play in the minor leagues for seven seasons, mostly in the Atlanta Braves farm system. He told reporters in 1996 that he loved his name, and was “happy being Wonderful,” but also noted:

The fans get on you when you’re not playing well and your name is Wonderful. They’ll say, ‘I thought you were wonderful.’ I’ve heard it all.

Ready for the confusing part? Wonder Monds (the football player) also passed the name down a second time.

His fourth son, Wonderful Terrific Monds, was born in 1992 and played college football in the early 2010s. As far as I know, he’s the most recent Wonderful Terrific.

(The second and third sons got the not-as-wonderful names named Devin and Mario.)

What are your thoughts on the name Wonderful? How about just Wonder?

Sources:

Image: Wonderful Monds III trading card

Popular and unique baby names in Quebec (Canada), 2019

Flag of Quebec
Flag of Quebec

According to Retraite Québec, the most popular baby names in Quebec in 2019 were Olivia and Liam.

Here are the province’s top 10 girl names and top 10 11 boy names of 2019:

Girl Names

  1. Olivia, 549 baby girls
  2. Emma, 517
  3. Alice, 513
  4. Charlie, 499
  5. Charlotte, 497
  6. Lea, 465
  7. Florence, 418
  8. Livia, 407
  9. Rosalie, 354
  10. Beatrice, 343

Boy Names

  1. Liam, 695 baby boys
  2. William, 659
  3. Thomas, 648
  4. Leo, 596
  5. Noah, 585
  6. Logan, 561
  7. Nathan, 505
  8. Felix, 492
  9. Raphael, 489
  10. Edouard, 482 (tied)
  11. Emile, 482 (tied)

In the girls’ top 10, Rosalie re-entered and ousted Zoe (now ranked 15th).

In the boys’ top 10, Raphael and Emile replaced Jacob (now ranked 12th).

Here are some of the baby names that were bestowed just once in Quebec last year:

Unique Girl NamesUnique Boy Names
Allegresse, Berangere, Clarity, Daxia, Elixanne, Fenskerly, Flechanne, Gersia, Hugh-Laury, Izalie, Judicia-Wonder, Klermona, Lyriel, Merope, Nelli Nord, Nelsy, Ophelia Gipsy, Pleroma, Qetzia, Ryzlene, Sarassie, Thiziri, Tulugaq, Umi, Virgo, Waapikun, Xochitl Lilou, Yrina, ZackaelleAzai, Bonheur, Chalifix, Chogyal, Delson, Espoir, Fesley, Guerby, Heliodore, Inupak, Jeff-Smart, Kapukutat, Keawolf, Light-Shine, Miami-Liam Zion, Nendley, Ochre, Osric, Pelly, Quintus, Ronnoco, Skysun, Tiki Bolt, Ulrick, Vainqueur, Wibnerley, Xayren, Yalas, Zephyr Meteor

Background and/or possible explanations for some of the above:

  • Allegresse (allégresse) means “elation, joy, gladness” in French.
  • Hugh-Laury…a reference to English actor Hugh Laurie?
  • Merope is one of the seven Pleiades.
  • Tulugaq means “raven” in Inupiaq.
  • Bonhuer means “happiness” in French.
  • Espoir means “hope” in French.
  • Vainqueur means “conqueror” or “victor, winner” in French.

In 2018, the top two names in Quebec were Emma and William.

Sources: List of Baby Names – Retraite Québec, Wiktionary

Image: Adapted from Flag of Quebec (public domain)

Popular baby names in Los Angeles County (California), 2013

Flag of California
Flag of California

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website doesn’t have baby name data for 2016, but it does have data covering 1995 to 2013, so let’s work with that.

The most popular baby names in Los Angeles County in 2013 were Sophia and Jacob. Here are L.A.’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2013:

Girl Names
1. Sophia, 984 baby girls
2. Isabella, 777
3. Mia, 762
4. Emily, 688
5. Emma, 609
6. Sofia, 550
7. Olivia, 473
8. Samantha, 458
9. Victoria, 410
10. Camila, 405

Boy Names
1. Jacob, 948 baby boys
2. Jayden, 926
3. Matthew, 895
4. Ethan, 829
5. Daniel, 784
6. Nathan, 761
7. Noah, 657
8. Anthony, 633
9. Alexander, 617
10. David, 600

And here are some of the baby names that were apparently used just once in L.A. from 1995 to 2013:

Unique Girl NamesUnique Boy Names
Aijia, Bobbierose, Coakley, Dashley, Ella-Lily, Fallen Star, Georgedith, Haydeline, Ilynne, Jatalia, Khando, Luna Sol, Mexeen, Nonoka, Ofri, Purple, Qiqi, Rhofanie, Sloka, Ting, Ulani, Vixi, Wonder, Xanterra, Yudibeth, ZayleenAbbos, Banksy, Clifford, Dro, Exsol, Foxton, Guster, Holtzen, Iniesta, Jayden-Dreden, Kayd, Leviathan, Mondrick, Noaz, Ordisi, Pocky, Querbin, Rundy, Snayther, Tarzis, Uyedon, Verwyn, Westgene, Xinran, Yitzchack, Zander Ray

Want to see more California baby names? Here are Sonoma’s rankings for 2015 and San Diego’s rankings for 2016.

Source: Find a Baby Name – L.A. County Public Health

Image: Adapted from Flag of California (public domain)

Popular and unique baby names in Quebec (Canada), 2015

Flag of Quebec
Flag of Quebec

According to data from Retraite Québec, the most popular baby names in Quebec in 2015 were Emma and Thomas/William (tied).

Here are the province’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2015:

Girl NamesBoy Names
1. Emma, 615 baby girls
2. Léa, 535
3. Olivia, 475
4. Alice, 471
5. Florence, 460
6. Zoe, 429
7. Chloe, 398
8. Beatrice, 390
9. Charlotte, 381
10. Rosalie, 350
1. Thomas, 754 baby boys
2. William, 754 baby boys
3. Jacob, 663
4. Liam, 661
5. Félix, 638
6. Nathan, 630
7. Samuel, 583
8. Logan, 576
9. Alexis, 554
10. Noah, 537

In 2015, Emma replaced Lea as the top girl name, William joined Thomas as the top boy name, Beatrice replaced Charlie in the girls’ top 10, and Noah replaced Olivier in the boy’s top 10. (Here are the 2014 rankings.)

[UPDATE, May 2017 – The Quebec rankings for 2015 have since been updated and it looks like William has pulled ahead of Thomas to become the sole #1 name.]

Of all 9,096 girl names on Quebec’s list in 2015, 74.5% of them were used a single time. Here are some of the unique girl names:

  • Allegresse – the French word allégresse means “joy, elation.”
  • Angelhephzibah
  • Brightness
  • Cathalaya-Skuessi
  • Clerilda
  • Confiance – the French word confiance means “confidence, trust.”
  • Doxalyah
  • Etky
  • Eubenice
  • Evlly
  • Exaucee – the French verb exaucer means “to grant a wish.”
  • Flory Comfort
  • Garance – the French word garance refers to a shade of red created from the root of the madder plant.
  • Glad Marie
  • Glody
  • Graytchelle Mayssa – a Gretchen + Rachel smoosh?
  • Greasy-Elizabeth
  • Happy Moussoni
  • Janiphee
  • Kalliah
  • Kzy
  • Luneve – reminds me of Leneve.
  • M Mah Bourgeois
  • Mingolou Oracle-Kidj
  • Nebraska
  • Nina-Symone
  • Nomad
  • Paphaelle
  • Poema
  • Praise Peter
  • Protegee
  • Relilah
  • Shamash-Cleodaine
  • Skodrina
  • Symphony Melody
  • Uqittuk
  • Uri Wonder
  • Winola – this one reminds me of early 20th-century America.
  • Zoalie
  • Zhya

Of all 7,920 boy names on Quebec’s list in 2015, 76.5% of them were bestowed just once. Here are some of the unique boy names:

  • Anakyn
  • Appamatta – the Pali word appamatta means “diligent, careful.”
  • Aunix
  • Axeliam
  • Bleart
  • Bradley Prague
  • Brady Bullet – this one reminds me of modern America (e.g. Shooter, Trigger).
  • Cedrick Wolynsky
  • Chrysolithe – a type of gem (a.k.a. peridot).
  • Cirrus
  • Dejgaard
  • Diamond-Heliodor – two more gems.
  • Drake Luke
  • Dublin
  • Dugaillekens
  • Elliottt – the only triple T’s in the U.S. data so far are Mattthew and Britttany. Probably typos, but you never know.
  • Eviee
  • Exauce – the masculine form of Exaucee.
  • Ezzeldeen
  • Garnet – another gem.
  • Glovacky
  • Gningnery Yoshua
  • Hervenslaire
  • Icky Neymar
  • Iola Stevie
  • Jimmy Johnny
  • Jyceton
  • Jyfr
  • Kbees
  • Keylord
  • Ludo-Vyck
  • Mathis-Adorable
  • Messy
  • Michael Antares – reminds me of an earlier Antares.
  • Napesis – the Cree word napesis means “boy” or “little boy.”
  • Nyquist
  • Perlcy
  • Rowdy Chance
  • Skogen
  • Sosereyvatanack
  • Tysaiah Jay
  • Whidjley Densly
  • Woobs Therly
  • Zogan

Source: List of Baby Names – Retraite Québec

Image: Adapted from Flag of Quebec (public domain)