The name Bix first bounced into the U.S. baby name data in 1957:
- 1959: unlisted
- 1958: unlisted
- 1957: 6 baby boys named Bix [debut]
- 1956: unlisted
- 1955: unlisted
What gave it a boost that year?
A minor character from the comic strip Little Annie Rooney (1927-1966), which was itself a knock-off of the strip Little Orphan Annie.
The storyline was called “Bix and Maizie,” and it ran from Dec. 1956 to Feb. 1957 in most U.S. newspapers. Bixby, or “Bix,” and his wife Maizie were criminals who tried (unsuccessfully) to pass themselves off as Annie Rooney’s parents in order to steal money from the businessman who was acting as Annie’s caretaker.
What do you think of the name Bix? Do you think it works by itself, or is it better as a nickname?