How popular is the baby name Brando 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 Brando.

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Popularity of the baby name Brando


Posts that mention the name Brando

How did The Jackson 5 influence baby names in the early 1970s?

The Jackson Five on the cover of Jet magazine (Aug. 6, 1970)
The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5, whose “bubblegum soul” sound made them remarkably successful in the early 1970s, consisted of five musically gifted brothers out of Gary, Indiana. Their names were:

  • Sigmund Esco “Jackie” Jackson, b. 1951
  • Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson, b. 1953
    • Records suggest that Tito’s first name was actually “Tariano,” but the press typically spelled it “Toriano.”
  • Jermaine LaJuane Jackson, b. 1954
  • Marlon David Jackson, b. 1957
  • Michael Joe Jackson, b. 1958

The brothers began performing together in the mid-1960s, but Jacksonmania didn’t hit until 1970, with the success of songs like “I Want You Back” (1969), “ABC” (1970), “The Love You Save” (1970), and “I’ll Be There” (1970) — all four of which hit #1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.

At the height of their fame, the boys even had a Saturday morning cartoon show called “The Jackson 5ive” (1971-1972).

The animated version of the Jackson brothers in the cartoon series "The Jackson 5ive" (1971-1972).
“The Jackson 5ive”

So how did the Jacksons’ celebrity affect U.S. baby names in the early 1970s? Let’s go brother by brother…

Jackie

Jackie Jackson couldn’t stop the name Jackie from trending downward, and he didn’t do much for the unusual name Esco, but the name Sigmund did see a distinct uptick in usage in 1971.

Fun fact: Jackie dated Debraca Foxx during the early ’70s.

Tito

Tito Jackson not only popularized his nickname, Tito, but he boosted both Toriano and Adaryll into the data for the first time. In fact, Toriano was the top debut name of 1970, and it still ranks as one of the top boy-name debuts of all time. (It also likely influenced the car name Torino.) The name Adaryll didn’t surface until 1972.

TitoTorianoAdaryll
197499†61.
197362807
197276135†9*†
19715477.
19703962*.
196933..
*Debut, †Peak

Tito’s first son, Toriano Adaryll “Taj” Jackson, Jr. (b. 1973) — whose nickname was derived from his initials — gave the name Taj a boost. His second son, Taryll (b. 1975), was behind the debut of the name Taryll (also mentioned here).

Jermaine

Jermaine Jackson, the co-lead vocalist of the group (with Michael), brought so much attention to the name Jermaine that it not only entered the top 1,000, but nearly cracked the top 100 as well:

  • 1974: 1,628 baby boys named Jermaine [rank: 151st]
  • 1973: 2,039 baby boys named Jermaine [rank: 127th]
  • 1972: 1,966 baby boys named Jermaine [rank: 135th]
  • 1971: 1,015 baby boys named Jermaine [rank: 233rd]
  • 1970: 171 baby boys named Jermaine [rank: 622nd]
  • 1969: 5 baby boys named Jermaine

Jermaine was the fastest-rising boy name in the U.S. in both 1970 and 1971 — two years in a row, impressively.

Graph of the usage of the baby name Jermaine in the U.S. since 1880.
Usage of the baby name Jermaine

On the heels of Jermaine’s rise, several variant spellings of the name either saw similarly increased usage or appeared for the first time in the boys’ data:

19691970197119721973
Jermaine51711,0151,9662,039†
Germaine.2995157†146
Jermain.13*329494
Jamaine..42*4038
Jarmaine..16*1319
Germain..112721
Jermine.9*1716
Jeremaine..8*714
Jermane..7*2033
Jemaine..7*913
Jermanie..7*78
Jermon..6*812
Jarmain..6*..
Jermayne...17*†17†
Jermone...119
Jerman...8*7
Jamain...8*†5
Jamane...8*†.
Jermyn...7*7
Germane...5*7†
Jermanine...5*.
Germayne...5*†.
Jermiane....8*†
*Debut, †Peak usage

Jermaine’s middle name, LaJuane, also debuted (in 1971).

Jermaine had a total of nine children, one of whom was named (rather infamously) Jermajesty.

Marlon

Marlon Jackson was the main reason that the name Marlon saw peak usage in 1972. (But he had some help from Marlon Brando, whose movie The Godfather came out the same year.)

Michael

Michael Jackson — who was still a decade away from releasing his massively popular solo album Thriller — couldn’t ultimately reverse the decline of the name Michael. But the combined influence of Michael Jackson and other famous Michaels (like basketball star Michael Jordan, and TV star Michael Landon) did help the name’s usage level out somewhat during the 1970s and ’80s.

Graph of the usage of the baby name Michael in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Michael

Which Jackson 5 name is your favorite? (And, if you were around during Jacksonmania: Which group member was your favorite?)

While you ponder these questions, check out the group’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in December of 1969:

Sources:

Images: © 1970 Jet, © 1971 Videocraft International Limited

Popular and unique baby names in Scotland (UK), 2015

Flag of the United Kingdom
Flag of the United Kingdom

According to data from National Records of Scotland (NRS), the most popular baby names in Scotland in 2015 were Emily and Jack.

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

Girl NamesBoy Names
1. Emily, 497 baby girls
2. Sophie, 468
3. Olivia, 452
4. Isla, 419
5. Jessica, 357
6. Ava, 354
7. Amelia, 352
8. Ella, 341
9. Lucy, 317
10. Lily, 279
1. Jack, 565 baby boys
2. Oliver, 448
3. James, 416
4. Lewis, 371
5. Alexander, 349
6. Charlie, 342
7. Lucas, 316
8. Logan, 311
9. Harris, 306
10. Daniel, 282

Some of the fastest-climbing names within the top 50 were Leo, Brodie, Harrison, Georgia, and Rosie.

And now for the fun part! Here are some of the baby names that were bestowed just once last year in Scotland. Ladies first:

  • Aara
  • Aerith
  • Albatool
  • Aneu
  • Aragon
  • Aria-Denver
  • Arracah
  • Avana-Solaris
  • Awesome
  • Beatrix-Gwendoline
  • Bebe-Rose
  • Bexlie
  • Caledonia – Caledonia was what the ancient Romans called the region that became Scotland. It’s now used as a poetic name for Scotland.
  • Calypso
  • Christine-Smart – I’ve seen “smart” used as a name before, but all the examples I know of are historical.
  • Ciorstaidh
  • Csenge
  • Debsther
  • Duoduo
  • Dzeiviana
  • Elenaria
  • Ersjola
  • Esme-May
  • Ginijane
  • Glencora
  • Iphigenia
  • Izzy-Mary-Bel
  • Juveria
  • Lithisha
  • Littlest
  • Lohasna
  • Midelle
  • Mirrany
  • Ndack
  • Nettle
  • Peryl
  • Piali
  • Ptarmigan – A bird name I almost never see used as a baby name. Ironically, the word “ptarmigan” happens to be based on a Scottish Gaelic word (tàrmachan).
  • Renae-Esmae
  • Roux-Jane
  • Splendor
  • Styliani
  • Tjitske
  • Twylabelle – Another -belle name to add to the list of -bella and -belle names.
  • Xrysoula
  • Zazilia
  • Zephyra
  • Zerfin
  • Zymal

And now the gents:

  • Albany
  • Aodee
  • Bonus
  • Bowie
  • Brando
  • Bucci
  • Bully
  • Charlieboy
  • Chrisvin
  • Claigh
  • Cobain
  • Coist
  • Corryvreckan – The Gulf of Corryvreckan (from the Gaelic Coire Bhreacain) is a narrow strait off Scotland’s west coast famous for its large whirlpool. Corryvreckan’s father, a whisky expert, also admits that “we may have joked with the name while I was sipping on some of the peat-astic Ardbeg Corryvreckan.” (Source: Why Corryvreckan is a dram fine name for my baby says whisky expert Andy Bell)
  • Csoma
  • Firth
  • Feynman
  • Frankie-Boy
  • Gruffydd
  • Harrison’jai
  • Highlande
  • Innes-Ross
  • Jesuferanmi
  • Jevgenijs
  • Jotvingis
  • Lansana
  • Leonce
  • Oomo – Reminds me of Omoo.
  • Panache
  • Roux
  • Roxus
  • Sonnyboy
  • Stuarttie
  • Taighearnach
  • Turki
  • Tybalt
  • Ythan
  • Zaff
  • Zanemvula
  • Zeteny
  • Zion-Antoine

Finally, here are Scotland’s top baby names of 2014, if you’d like to compare.

Sources: Jack and Emily are Scotland’s top baby names, Jack and Emily are Scotland’s top baby names

Image: Adapted from Flag of the United Kingdom (public domain)

Keeping an eye on the name Swayze

Actor Patrick Swayze in the movie "Ghost" (1991)
Patrick Swayze in “Ghost

The late ’80s and early ’90s were good to Patrick Swayze (pronounced SWAY-zee). In 1987 he was in the movie Dirty Dancing. In 1990 he was in the movie Ghost. In 1991, he was in the movie Point Break and also declared the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine.

Not surprisingly, it was during this period the name Swayze started popping up in the U.S. baby name data:

  • 1992: unlisted
  • 1991: 7 baby boys named Swayze
  • 1990: unlisted
  • 1989: 5 girls named Swayze [debut]
  • 1988: unlisted

But only twice. Then nothing…for more than a decade.

Swayze reappeared on the list in the mid-2000s, along with the spelling variant Swayzee:

  • 2008: unlisted
  • 2007: 5 baby girls names Swayzee [debut]
  • 2006: unlisted
  • 2005: 5 baby girls named Swayze
  • 2004: 6 baby girls named Swayze
  • 2003: unlisted

But things didn’t really heat up until a few years later.

Starting in 2009 — the year Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer, sadly — we start to see more and more babies with the names Swayze, Swayzee, Swayzie and Swayzi:

  • 2012:
    • 52 baby girls and 13 baby boys named Swayze
    • 20 baby girls named Swayzee
    • 20 baby girls named Swayzie
    • 7 baby girls named Swayzi [debut]
  • 2011:
    • 26 baby girls and 6 baby boys named Swayze
    • 14 baby girls named Swayzie
    • 13 baby girls named Swayzee
  • 2010:
    • 17 baby girls and 7 baby boys named Swayze
    • 6 baby girls named Swayzie [debut]
  • 2009:
    • 5 baby boys named Swayze
    • 5 baby girls named Swayzee

If we condense the above, that’s 10 babies in 2009, 30 in 2010, 53 in 2011, and 112 in 2012. So, the number of babies with a Swayze-inspired name has been doubling every year.

Why the mini-explosion of Swayzes? I think it has to do with style. The name Swayze is reminiscent of Hollywood/celebrity (like Brando, Harlow, Monroe, Travolta) and it sounds very modern, especially with that kicky “zee” ending (like trendy Mackenzie).

Do you like Swayze as a baby name?

How popular do you think Swayze names will get?

P.S. Here’s one last Swayze-inspired name for you: Orry. It debuted in 1985 and was inspired by a Patrick Swayze’s character Orry Main from the TV miniseries North and South.

Source: SSA

Image: Screenshot of Ghost

Where did the baby name Jorel come from in 1979?

The character Jor-El (played by Marlon Brando) in the movie "Superman" (1978)
Jor-El in “Superman

The name Jorel first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1979:

  • 1981: 27 baby boys named Jorel
  • 1980: 10 baby boys named Jorel
  • 1979: 22 baby boys named Jorel [debut]
  • 1978: unlisted
  • 1977: unlisted

It was highest-debuting boy name of the year, in fact.

Where did it come from?

The movie Superman, which, despite being released in mid-December of 1978, was the second-highest-grossing film of the year. (The highest-grossing film, Grease, came out in June.)

Superman’s father, Kryptonian scientist Jor-El (played by Marlon Brando), wasn’t on-screen long before the planet Krypton was destroyed. Still, he made enough of an impression that nearly two dozen babies were named in his honor.

(The SSA strips hyphens out of the data, so there’s no telling just how many of these baby Jorels were actually named “Jor-El.”)

Interestingly, the name has been in the data every year since:

Graph of the usage of the baby name Jorel in the U.S. since 1880.
Usage of the baby name Jorel

Usage peaked in the mid-1980s, then started petering out…until the early 2000s, when it bounced back. Why? Perhaps the combined influence of the TV show Smallville (2001-2011) and the film Superman Returns (2006).

The name saw it’s second-highest year of usage in 2014, following the release of the movie Man of Steel (2013), in which Jor-El was played by Russell Crowe.

What’s your opinion of the name Jor-El?

Sources: Superman (1978 film) – Wikipedia, SSA

Image: Screenshot of Superman