How popular is the baby name Eleanor 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 Eleanor.

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Popularity of the baby name Eleanor


Posts that mention the name Eleanor

Where did the baby name Pollyanna come from in the 1910s?

The book "Pollyanna" (1913) by Eleanor H. Porter
“Pollyanna” (1913)

Has anyone ever called you a “Pollyanna”? That person may have meant it pejoratively, but take it as a compliment! Because, for over a century now, the name has been used as a vocabulary word to refer to “an excessively cheerful or optimistic person.”

So how did this compound name come to have that specific meaning?

It all started with a popular book from the 1910s.

Pollyanna (1913) by Eleanor H. Porter was the first in a series of books about Pollyanna Whittier, one of the famous optimistic orphans of literature. (Think Anne of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, etc.) Pollyanna Whittier, though, “a girl who preaches the gospel of Gladness,” was the most optimistic of them all:

After her father’s death, the orphan moves to Beldingsville, Vt. In the next hundred pages, this juvenile social worker persuades the whole town to play the Glad Game. Cranky Mr. Pendleton, the bedridden Mrs. Snow, the dispirited Reverend Ford, the forlorn Dr. Chilton, a loose woman contemplating divorce and (finally) her sclerotic aunt succumb to the power of positive thinking and begin to hunt for and find things to be glad about.

The original Pollyanna book was the 8th-bestselling book of 1913 and the 2nd-bestselling book of 1914. It was so successful that the author turned it into a series, starting with the sequel Pollyanna Grows Up (1915), which ranked 4th on the bestseller list in 1915.

As one critic explained in 1947, “The publication of the story in 1913 was only less influential than the World War. White Mountain cabins, Colorado teahouses, Texas babies, Indiana apartment houses, and a brand of milk were immediately named for the new character.”

The critic mentioned Texas specifically because a Texas baby named for the character (Pollyanna Houston, born in Waco) was in the news in 1915. But babies elsewhere got the name as well. According to the U.S. baby name data, dozens of baby girls across the country were named Pollyanna during the 1910s:

  • 1919: 15 baby girls named Pollyanna
  • 1918: 13 baby girls named Pollyanna
  • 1917: 21 baby girls named Pollyanna
  • 1916: 20 baby girls named Pollyanna
  • 1915: 12 baby girls named Pollyanna
  • 1914: 6 baby girls named Pollyanna [debut]
  • 1913: unlisted
  • 1912: unlisted

Here’s the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) data for the same window of time:

  • 1919: 10 Pollyannas
  • 1918: 9 Pollyannas
  • 1917: 15 Pollyannas
  • 1916: 18 Pollyannas
  • 1915: 11 Pollyannas
  • 1914: 3 Pollyannas
  • 1913: 6 Pollyannas
  • 1912: 2 Pollyannas

The name saw an uptick in usage in 1920, when the book was turned in to a very successful silent film starring Mary Pickford.

Lobby card for the movie "Pollyanna" (1920).
“Pollyanna” (1920) lobby card

Better known to us, though, is Disney’s 1960 movie adaptation of Pollyanna (which explains the peak usage of the baby name Pollyanna during the 1960s)…but we’ll talk more about that (and the name Hayley!) tomorrow.

Until then, why not leave me a comment with your thoughts on the baby name Pollyanna? Do you think it’s usable these days?

Sources:

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 7

Baby names with a numerological value of 7

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 7, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 7-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “sevens” 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 Victoria correspond to the numbers 22, 9, 3, 20, 15, 18, 9, and 1. The sum of these numbers is 97. The digits of 97 added together equal 16, and the digits of 16 added together equal 7 — the numerological value of Victoria.

Baby names with a value of 7

Below you’ll find the most popular 7-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.

7 via 16

The letters in the following baby names add up to 16, which reduces to seven (1+6=7).

Girl names (7 via 16)Boy names (7 via 16)
Ana, Jada, Alba, Adaia, FiaCal, Chad, Jae, Dak, Efe

7 via 25

The letters in the following baby names add up to 25, which reduces to seven (2+5=7).

Girl names (7 via 25)Boy names (7 via 25)
Cali, Amaia, Adara, Naia, Baila, Danae, Jaida, Ahana, AniaJack, Gael, Mecca, Asad, Ahaan, Jan, Abbas, Aedan, Ike, Kam, Saad, Aahan

7 via 34

The letters in the following baby names add up to 34, which reduces to seven (3+4=7).

Girl names (7 via 34)Boy names (7 via 34)
Grace, Amara, Lila, Thea, Danna, Elle, Amanda, Anne, Della, Bailee, Kalia, Micah, Rebeca, Mika, Farah, Anaiah, Tala, Sama, Kaila, Lua, Asma, Huda, Emaan, Rana, Joi, Hilda, Fabiana, JamiaMicah, Jaden, Chance, Hank, Chaim, Noe, Neo, Canaan, Carl, Amado, Adnan, Kacen, Ayce, Esai, Reef, Joah, Mika

7 via 43

The letters in the following baby names add up to 43, which reduces to seven (4+3=7).

Girl names (7 via 43)Boy names (7 via 43)
Chloe, Ellie, Andrea, Ember, Annie, Gracie, Talia, Alexa, Alanna, Karla, Liv, Raina, Chanel, Barbara, Lilia, Lailah, Debanhi, Kadence, Ameera, Esmae, Milah, Yael, Laken, Grecia, Fern, Inara, Kailee, Klara, Adore, Amaria, Nell, Amaira, Alita, Charm, Theia, Mona, Aditi, Dayla, Arwa, Dianna, Evana, Adaly, Rania, Abbigail, Leya, Samia, Aleigha, Arina, Bayan, Kamiah, Atlee, Anari, Carli, Janiah, Keegan, Emy, KloeFinn, Beckham, Rafael, Mark, Derek, Callan, Iker, Erik, Jaiden, Ford, Ares, Ridge, Keegan, Aarav, Amias, Eliel, Arian, Yael, Kole, Blaine, Hakeem, Hasan, Laken, Jaire, Kreed, Huck, Ewan, Todd, Coy, Riaan, Jamar, Kadence, Rip, Noam, Calder, Azaan, Basil, Kalen, Tre, Dru, Kekoa, Shaan, Masai, Taim, Ahsan, Eoin, Aarin, Makhai, Hawk, Kavi, Amon, Zaccai

7 via 52

The letters in the following baby names add up to 52, which reduces to seven (5+2=7).

Girl names (7 via 52)Boy names (7 via 52)
Hazel, Nova, Naomi, Reese, Arabella, Aubree, Nyla, Dakota, Charlee, Jimena, Michaela, Angelica, Mikaela, Flora, Pearl, Goldie, Alexia, Alianna, Indy, Ariadne, Perla, Karlee, Farrah, Annalee, Kelani, Zya, Khadijah, Aleyah, Indiana, Eimy, Aries, Sinai, Annalia, Ryah, Shania, Kamaya, Alethea, Mayla, Italia, Callahan, Anabelle, Izel, Shaina, Laiken, Kenlee, Mallie, Athalia, Janaya, Cassia, Sabella, Alayla, Kezia, AerisCayden, Dakota, Seth, Jamari, Callahan, Raul, Keanu, Reese, Marcel, Karim, Cason, Ishaan, Aries, Nova, Tiago, Jesiah, Oren, Glenn, Kaladin, Josh, Samar, Richie, Daemon, Beauden, Takoda, Indy, Filip, Indiana, Jahlil, Lyan, Roen, Darell, Efraim, Dillan, Abhiram, Jamere, Nino, Masen, Dakhari, Javen

7 via 61

The letters in the following baby names add up to 61, which reduces to seven (6+1=7).

Girl names (7 via 61)Boy names (7 via 61)
Isabella, Lucy, Catalina, Adelyn, Mckenna, Luciana, Meadow, Miracle, Aylin, Jolene, Ivanna, Remy, Hadassah, Keilani, Sloan, Martha, Jovie, Samira, Rivka, Malayah, Amaris, Maylee, Ingrid, Yuna, Arely, Dalary, Aranza, Ivey, Ailyn, Arwen, Tabitha, Safiya, Ziya, Kasey, Addalyn, Alissa, Kelsie, Emry, Elsy, Rochel, Rumi, Maddox, Analise, Eloisa, Anylah, Azula, Norma, Maliya, Maddyn, Jakayla, Samarah, Delany, Aerith, Hollie, Naiomi, Desirae, Avigail, Azora, Riyah, Sanaya, Vianna, Haidyn, Eulalia, Tanya, Mulan, Daelyn, ItzaeRoman, Luis, Calvin, Maddox, Kevin, Andres, Richard, Remy, Nasir, Corbin, Raphael, Dorian, Cannon, Alfredo, Ramon, Brayan, Abdullah, Yahir, Anders, Cory, Daylen, Kaius, Edmund, Khamari, Eliot, Kasey, Clarence, Avion, Haziel, Armon, Amaris, Tamir, Oslo, Donnie, Jibreel, Sloan, Riker, Caison, Thor, Psalm, Evans, Itzae, Arley, Naveen, Flint, Javari, Elyjah, Mendy, Sameer, Ibraheem, Rumi, Fitz, Wolfe, Steel, Zayde, Aramis, Layden, Nivaan, Emry, Galileo, Darion, Ibrahima

7 via 70

The letters in the following baby names add up to 70, which reduces to seven (7+0=7).

Girl names (7 via 70)Boy names (7 via 70)
Eleanor, Ashley, Lilly, Lilith, Alexis, Lilliana, Francesca, Alison, Kenzie, Sierra, Melany, Romina, Khaleesi, Yareli, Bellamy, Rylan, Madalyn, Essence, Nathalie, Devyn, Ryder, Adrienne, Maelyn, Carson, Walker, Alyvia, Cherish, Noelani, Marion, Honor, Armoni, Sheyla, Santana, Remedy, Channing, Yailin, Aziyah, Ellyana, Laniyah, Francine, Havyn, Landyn, Zyra, Malayiah, Francis, Isley, Avonlea, Finleigh, Rhys, Emalyn, Naliyah, Jermani, AniylahHenry, Walker, Carson, Ryder, Simon, Josue, Otto, Rylan, Ronin, Rhys, Finnegan, Alexis, Francis, Philip, Bruno, Bellamy, Yosef, Santana, Harry, Jimmy, Landyn, Mathew, Atharv, Maurice, Reginald, Granger, Ephraim, Ozias, Willie, Lenox, Benton, Darrell, Lenny, Kaizer, Honor, Channing, Massiah, Rylo, Armoni, Quadir, Dashiell, Izayah, Kasyn, Kasper, Tevin, Kurt, Manolo, Rishaan, Dashawn, Keyon, Kallum, Yariel, Abdullahi, Devyn, Marion, Copeland, Terence, Pinchas, Josiel, Kaydon, Marwan

7 via 79

The letters in the following baby names add up to 79, which reduces to seven (7+9=16; 1+6=7).

Girl names (7 via 79)Boy names (7 via 79)
Rosalie, Haisley, Maddison, Cheyenne, Ashlyn, Marigold, Soraya, Harriet, Evalyn, Beatrix, Kyndall, Renley, Annette, Katerina, Adilynn, Annelise, Larissa, Lincoln, Nirvana, Rynlee, Raizy, Josefina, Azeneth, Chesney, Kayley, Mayzie, Evolet, Janelly, Roberta, Harmonee, Leonor, Auriella, EmmeryWilliam, Lincoln, Colton, Xavier, Connor, Walter, Warren, Gunner, Harvey, Leonidas, Tripp, Frederick, Zyair, Nelson, Orlando, Douglas, Zechariah, Dayton, Kashmir, Rolando, Marcello, Braydon, Warner, Irving, Maverik, Yeshua, Leopold, Zaidyn, Kenton, Kaisyn, Lester, Jarvis, Ronaldo, Clifton, Buckley, Champion, Nirvaan, Larson, Laurence, Carmello, Fritz, Demarion, Renley, Graeson, Nymir

7 via 88

The letters in the following baby names add up to 88, which reduces to seven (8+8=16; 1+6=7).

Girl names (7 via 88)Boy names (7 via 88)
Elizabeth, Penelope, Journee, Poppy, Sylvia, Madelynn, Jazlyn, Zariyah, Karsyn, Kassidy, Katelyn, Guadalupe, Winifred, Carolyn, Kassandra, Lindsey, Lilyanna, Hensley, Gisselle, Yazmin, Margarita, Maritza, Elliette, Dolores, Kaylyn, Ryver, Clarity, MarlenyAntonio, Francisco, Kashton, Jaxxon, Santos, Karsyn, Immanuel, Terrence, Gilberto, Vernon, Zephaniah, Osvaldo, Ryver, Vladimir, Brenton, Everardo, Tenzin, Crawford, Fulton, Knoxx, Daxtyn, Kayvon, Exodus, Pearson

7 via 97

The letters in the following baby names add up to 97, which reduces to seven (9+7=16; 1+6=7).

Girl names (7 via 97)Boy names (7 via 97)
Victoria, Evelynn, Stephanie, Jacqueline, Kathryn, Itzayana, Emmalynn, Wrenly, Yvette, Story, Millicent, Josephina, Jenevieve, Arianelly, Irelynn, Emmanuella, KenzleighAnthony, Brantley, Valentin, Bronson, Kentrell, Tyrone, Jonathon, Johnpaul, Stephon, Yuvraj, Marshawn, Zamarion

7 via 106

The letters in the following baby names add up to 106, which reduces to seven (1+0+6=7).

Girl names (7 via 106)Boy names (7 via 106)
Waverly, Guinevere, Honesty, Anniston, Wilhelmina, Krystal, Ellowyn, Precious, Skarlett, Kaitlynn, YulissaRussell, Trenton, Westyn, Aurelius, Hendrixx, Miguelangel, Tayvion, Keyshawn

7 via 115

The letters in the following baby names add up to 115, which reduces to seven (1+1+5=7).

Girl names (7 via 115)Boy names (7 via 115)
Serenity, Trinity, Remington, Winslow, Everlynn, CharlestonRemington, Trayvon, Triston, Winslow, Charleston

7 via 124

The letters in the following baby names add up to 124, which reduces to seven (1+2+4=7).

Girl names (7 via 124)Boy names (7 via 124)
Gwynevere, Yatziry, Rozlynn, Symphonie, BrynlynnPrincetyn, Winchester, Harrington, Maxximus, Johnkerry

7 via 133

The letters in the following baby names add up to 133, which reduces to seven (1+3+3=7).

Girl names (7 via 133)Boy names (7 via 133)
Gwendolynn, Sunflower, Juwayriya, Sigourney, TonantzinTheophilus, Princeston, Stevenson, Rutherford, Treyshawn

Number 7: Significance and associations

What does the number seven mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number seven. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 7 being described as “truth-seeking,” “introspective,” “intellectual,” “reserved,” and “unusual.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are some things that are associated with the number 7:

  • Rainbow (7 colors)
  • Continents
  • Week (7 days)
  • Major scale in music (7 notes)
  • Seven Wonders of the World
  • Pleiades (7 sister-nymphs of Greek mythology)
  • Classical planets (sun, moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn)
  • Metals of antiquity (gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, iron, mercury)

What does the number 7 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, three, four, five, six, eight, and nine.

Sources: SSA, Numerology – Cafe Astrology, The meaning of the numbers 1 – 9 – World Numerology, 7 – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]

Some place-names from the Western U.S.

jackpot, idaho, place name

In late December, not long after a short stay in New Orleans, my husband and I took a road trip through several states. Along the way I spotted some interesting place-names, mostly in Utah:

  • Little America, Wyoming – named after a local hotel whose name was inspired by the “Little America” exploration base in Antarctica.
  • Jackpot, Nevada – a casino town cleverly named to attract business.
  • Pahranagat Valley, Nevada – named for the local Native American tribe. Theories about the meaning include: “watermelon,” “squash,” “people of the marshy spring,” “put their feet in the water.”
  • Hurricane, Utah – named by an early settler whose buggy-top was blown off by a gust of wind. Locals pronounce it hurrakin.
  • Browse, Utah – possibly named for a 1930s Forest Service research study of local plants used as food by browsing animals.
  • Kolob Canyons, Utah – named after LDS star/planet Kolob.
  • Kanarraville, Utah – named after Piute chief Canarrah (or Quanarrah).
  • Farr West, Utah – named after Mormon pioneers Lorin Farr and Chauncey West. It was also reminiscent of the name of an earlier Mormon town: Far West, Missouri.
  • Elsinore, Utah – named after Helsingør, Denmark (known as Elsinore in English).
  • Loa, Utah – named after Mauna Loa, the volcano in Hawaii.

Elsinore caught my eye because it seemed like a mashup of the names Elsie and Eleanor. Even though it’s never appeared in the SSA data, records suggest that several hundred people in the U.S. have been named Elsinore. (Here are the graves of various Elsinores buried in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Washington, Minnesota, and, yes, Utah.) The usage might be attributable to Shakespeare, who set Hamlet in a castle in Elsinore.

Source: Carlson, Helen S. Nevada Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1974.

Popular baby names in Alaska, 2017-2021

Flag of Alaska
Flag of Alaska

According to Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services, and to the U.S. Social Security Administration, these were the most popular baby names in the state of Alaska from 2017 to 2021.

Girl Names

Alaska’s dataSSA’s data
20211. Amelia, 46 babies
2. Ava/Hazel/Olivia, 32 each
3. Charlotte, 31
4. Emma/Evelyn, 28 each
5. Aurora/Eleanor, 27 each		1. Amelia, 42 babies
2. Hazel, 32
3. Olivia, 31
4. Ava/Charlotte, 30 each
5. Emma, 28
20201. Charlotte, 44
2. Amelia, 43
3. Olivia, 38
4. Sophia, 36
5. Aurora, 35		1. Amelia, 43
2. Charlotte, 41
3. Olivia, 37
4. Sophia, 35
5. Aurora/Ava, 33 each
20191. Emma, 42
2. Evelyn, 41
3. Amelia/Ava/Olivia, 40 each
4. Aurora, 35
5. Charlotte, 31		1. Emma/Evelyn, 41 each
2. Amelia/Ava, 40 each
3. Olivia, 38
4. Aurora, 34
5. Charlotte, 31
20181. Olivia, 48
2. Amelia, 46
3. Aurora/Charlotte, 45 each
4. Emma, 44
5. Sophia, 42		1. Aurora, 46
2. Amelia, 45
3. Charlotte, 44
4. Olivia, 43
5. Sophia, 41
20171. Emma, 58
2. Olivia, 57
3. Aurora, 41
4. Isabella, 39
5. Evelyn/Sophia, 35 each		1. Emma, 57
2. Olivia, 56
3. Aurora, 40
4. Isabella, 39
5. Sophia, 35

Boy Names

Alaska’s dataSSA’s data
20211. Noah/Oliver, 42 babies each
2. Wyatt, 38
3. Liam, 36
4. James, 35
5. Lucas/William, 33 each		1. Noah, 42 babies
2. Oliver, 40
3. Liam/William/Wyatt, 34 each
4. James/Lucas, 31 each
5. Theodore, 29
20201. Liam/Oliver, 46 each
2. Elijah, 42
3. Theodore, 41
4. William, 38
5. Noah, 36		1. Liam, 44
2. Oliver, 43
3. Elijah, 42
4. Theodore, 40
5. William, 36
20191. Liam, 54
2. Oliver, 46
3. Henry/James, 41 each
4. Noah, 38
5. William, 34		1. Liam, 53
2. Oliver, 46
3. Henry/James, 41 each
4. Noah, 38
5. William, 34
20181. Oliver, 55
2. Logan, 44
3. Liam, 43
4. Elijah/Michael, 41 each
5. Benjamin, 39		1. Oliver, 54
2. Logan, 44
3. Liam, 42
4. Elijah/Michael, 41 each
5. Benjamin, 39
20171. James, 48
2. Liam, 46
3. Wyatt, 40
4. William, 39
5. Noah/Oliver, 38 each		1. James, 47
2. Liam, 46
3. Wyatt, 41
4. Oliver/William, 38 each
5. Noah, 37

According to the SSA data, Alaska is the only state (so far) in which Aurora — one of the fastest-rising girl names in the nation during the mid-to-late 2010s (e.g., 2015, 2017) — has been a top-5 name.

Aurora is also popular in Italy, where it’s been a top-3 name since 2013, though it has yet to reach the #1 spot. (Here are Italy’s rankings for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.)

Sources: Alaska Vital Statistics – 2021 Annual Report (PDF), Popular Names by State – SSA, How Many Babies Are Named…? – Istat

Image: Adapted from Flag of Alaska (public domain)

[Latest update: May 2023]