How popular is the baby name Audie 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 Audie.

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Popularity of the baby name Audie


Posts that mention the name Audie

The 11 siblings of Audie Murphy

Audie Murphy and sister Nadine
Audie Murphy and sister Nadine

Did you know that Audie Murphy — the soldier-turned-actor mentioned in yesterday’s post on Destry — was one of a dozen siblings? All 12 of the Murphy children were born in Texas. Here are their first and middle names:

  1. Elizabeth Corine, b. 1910
  2. Charles Emmett, b. 1912
  3. Vernon C., b. 1916
  4. Ariel June, b. 1919
  5. Virginia Oneta, b. 1918
  6. J.W. (stillborn), b. 1920
  7. Audie Leon, b. 1925
  8. Richard Houston, b. 1926
  9. Eugene Porter, b. 1928
  10. Reta Fay, b. 1931 – later known as Verda Nadine (see pic)
  11. Willa Beatrice, b. 1933
  12. Joe Preston, b. 1935

Which of these combinations do you like best?

Sources:

Image: Clipping from Life magazine (16 Jul. 1945)

Where did the baby name Destry come from?

The character Tom Destry from the movie "Destry" (1954)
Tom Destry from “Destry“

The book Destry Rides Again (1930) written by Frederick Schiller Faust (under the pseudonym Max Brand) was set in Texas circa 1900. It followed main character Harrison Destry as he sought revenge against the jurors who wrongfully convicted him of robbery.

The book was adapted to film three times (1932, 1939,* and 1954), made into a musical (1959), and turned into a short-lived television series (that aired in 1964, from February to May).

Both the third film and the TV show — neither of which were much like the original novel — had an impact on American baby names. Check out the usage of Destry during the ’50s and ’60s:

  • 1967: 34 baby boys named Destry
  • 1966: 43 baby boys named Destry
  • 1965: 50 baby boys and 7 baby girls named Destry
  • 1964: 149 baby boys and 5 baby girls named Destry [rank: 636th]
  • 1963: unlisted
  • 1962: unlisted
  • 1961: unlisted
  • 1960: unlisted
  • 1959: unlisted
  • 1958: 5 baby boys named Destry
  • 1957: 6 baby boys named Destry
  • 1956: 10 baby boys named Destry
  • 1955: 8 baby boys named Destry [debut]
  • 1954: unlisted
  • 1953: unlisted

The third movie, starring Audie Murphy — who was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of WWII before becoming an actor — is what put Destry on the map. (The name Audie was also on the rise during the early ’50s. Peak usage was in 1956.)

The TV show gave Destry such a big boost in 1964 that it reached the top 1,000 rather impressively that year. (The name Stormy also saw an uptick in usage, thanks to the Destry episode “Stormy Is a Lady,” which featured a young girl name Stormy.)

Some sources suggest the surname Destry is related to the medieval English word destrier, which referred to a war horse, but I haven’t been able to confirm this.

What do you think of the name Destry?

*In the 1939 movie, Destry Rides Again, the primary female character was played by Marlene Dietrich.

Sources: Destry Rides Again (novel) – Wikipedia, SSA

Image: Screenshot of Destry (1954)