How popular is the baby name Geraldine 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 Geraldine.

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Popularity of the baby name Geraldine


Posts that mention the name Geraldine

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 3

Baby names with a numerological value of 3

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 3, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 3-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “threes” 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 Tyson correspond to the numbers 20, 25, 19, 15, and 14. The sum of these numbers is 93. The digits of 93 added together equal 12, and the digits of 12 added together equal 3 — the numerological value of Tyson.

Baby names with a value of 3

Below you’ll find the most popular 3-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.

3 via 12

The letters in the following baby names add up to 12, which reduces to three (1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 12)Boy names (3 via 12)
Aja, Fae, Bia, Abi, BeeGad, Jb, Abed

3 via 21

The letters in the following baby names add up to 21, which reduces to three (2+1=3).

Girl names (3 via 21)Boy names (3 via 21)
Kai, Asa, Gala, Jaia, CleaKai, Kade, Asa, Alec, Ben, Beck, Cale

3 via 30

The letters in the following baby names add up to 30, which reduces to three (3+0=3).

Girl names (3 via 30)Boy names (3 via 30)
Ella, Alice, Anna, Jane, Noa, Bianca, Abby, Bria, Celia, Liah, Kalea, Dafne, Asia, Tia, Lela, Bree, Caeli, Jean, Ilah, Bobbi, Aaira, LacieJoe, Noa, Jean, Rafe, Taha, Eesa, Bodi, Tai, Ken, Abir, Zac, Asai

3 via 39

The letters in the following baby names add up to 39, which reduces to three (3+9=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 39)Boy names (3 via 39)
Camila, Ayla, Sara, Gemma, Amy, Leila, Mya, Kira, Allie, Angel, Amber, Clare, Kodi, May, Janie, Alya, Diya, Kari, Dalila, Deanna, Ellia, Laya, Ameena, Adora, Jackie, Iona, Joie, Kaleia, Deasia, Avana, Asra, GoldaAngel, Declan, Kash, Sean, Drake, Jon, Jakob, Asaiah, Lev, Emil, Tahj, Kodi, Keagan, Judd, Sanad, Amadeo, Kree, Edric, Breck, Aero, Jawad, Jackie, Jaeden, Galen, Jakhi, Khaleb

3 via 48

The letters in the following baby names add up to 48, which reduces to three (4+8=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 48)Boy names (3 via 48)
Luna, Nora, Claire, Isabel, Daphne, Teagan, Adriana, Celine, Alayah, Amora, Kalani, Sarai, Briar, Sasha, Zelda, Siena, Aviana, Aliya, Kairi, Ainhoa, Ellen, Meghan, Ariadna, Miya, Dariana, Rita, Faigy, Maite, Kalina, Sahara, Liza, Nyah, Saira, Anabella, Donna, Aiyla, Pamela, Jannah, James, Joni, Kiari, Ofelia, Amyah, Carlie, Issa, Mayah, Aayat, Levi, Malaika, Katana, Merci, Siara, Abilene, Edyn, Lou, Kenedi, BrandiJames, Levi, Ethan, Theo, Jonah, Graham, Malakai, Jasiah, Leland, Johan, Kamden, Amos, Zakai, Aron, Briar, Jagger, Rey, Blaise, Jakobi, Semaj, Noble, Teagan, Aksel, Roan, Kahari, Eamon, Armaan, Kailo, Issa, Keelan, Niall, Gracen, Malachai, Miko, Marek, Izaak, Lou, Luan, Efren, Hosea, Zahid, Aycen, Farhan, Rye, Tom, Aadvik, Brave, Faisal, Oshea, Aceyn, Uri, Vidal, Jhoan, Kairi, Jaceon, Dekari, Kailan, Sasha, Pearce, Aasir, Thane

3 via 57

The letters in the following baby names add up to 57, which reduces to three (5+7=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 57)Boy names (3 via 57)
Aaliyah, Rose, Mary, Adalyn, Kailani, Mariana, Hayden, Willa, Amiyah, Myra, Lilian, Nellie, Ellis, Laney, Julie, Layne, Jaylah, Nancy, Sandra, Alaiyah, Alessa, Cecily, Harlem, Kylah, Eunice, Rayla, Zelie, Lux, Aylen, Alizah, Ayvah, Zofia, Katy, Kaileen, Zayda, Niyah, Moon, Jennie, Namaari, Colby, Gisele, Taleen, Leyna, Karol, EvannaOwen, George, Hayden, Ellis, Major, Eithan, Colby, Krew, Layne, Chris, Uriah, Benicio, Franco, Duncan, Eugene, Harlem, Wallace, Lux, Kyng, Eros, Aryeh, Yoel, Edson, Jasir, Xaiden, Aharon, Malcom, Daylan, Javian, Kemari, Arion, Artem, Advait, Burke, Nayel, Brogan, Murad, Abubakar, Kaleth, Nahum, Jaiceon, Golden, Sion, Slate, Bless

3 via 66

The letters in the following baby names add up to 66, which reduces to three (6+6=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 66)Boy names (3 via 66)
Harper, Addison, Ruby, Emery, Sloane, Ximena, Lainey, Delaney, Brooke, Ophelia, Annabelle, Nayeli, Alessia, Frances, Rosie, Jessica, Alejandra, Holland, Jaliyah, Maxine, Elyse, Nathalia, Saanvi, Raylee, Mollie, Tatiana, Jasmin, Shayla, Yaneli, Laynie, Beckett, Charlene, Mckayla, Georgie, Rhyan, Eliany, Citlali, Krisha, Serene, Amyrah, Lulu, Savanah, Colleen, Henny, HaizleeCharles, Beckett, Xander, Zayn, Tobias, Manuel, Romeo, Royce, Esteban, Dalton, Armando, Corey, Dillon, Emery, Edison, Keaton, Ricky, Kaizen, Cassian, Denzel, Zakari, Jerome, Bastian, Booker, Finnick, Harper, Rush, Ilyas, Steele, Holland, Zyan, Mickey, Gibson, Darnell, Mykel, Meyer, Vito, Maksim, Elton, Esdras, Addison, Lyon, Osmar, Vedant, Ronen, Arsalan, Jorden, Ryden, Keshav, Yaqub, Shmiel

3 via 75

The letters in the following baby names add up to 75, which reduces to three (7+5=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 75)Boy names (3 via 75)
Madison, Quinn, Esther, Tatum, Adelynn, Raelyn, Annalise, Rosalia, Bethany, Clover, Kinslee, Aspyn, Rosalee, Simone, Sharon, Rowen, Eliyanah, Avalyn, Geraldine, Mariyah, Hollis, Xolani, Eisley, Katarina, Addalynn, Denisse, Bryanna, Eleanore, Susana, Andromeda, Marianne, Azuri, Emryn, Lucianna, Hayven, Cheyanne, Marielle, Ronnie, Nylani, Annmarie, Maylani, Delainey, Sofiya, Maybelle, MilagroZayden, Marcus, Martin, Tatum, Luciano, Quinn, Jeffrey, Kendrick, Rowen, Zachariah, Kaysen, Gunnar, Maximo, Magnus, Melvin, Leroy, Hollis, Ronnie, Dominik, Yaakov, Jeffery, Norman, Jermaine, Simeon, Slater, Linus, Arrow, Ramses, Wendell, Karmelo, Raylen, Lamont, Roscoe, Damarion, Xavien, Johnnie, Ezriel, Bayron, Mahmoud, Nessiah, Zaedyn, Lynx, Ferris, Jassiel, Sorin, Connell, Heitor, Hershel, Jonatan, Lyrik, Zahmir, Avrum, Vyom

3 via 84

The letters in the following baby names add up to 84, which reduces to three (8+4=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 84)Boy names (3 via 84)
Ryleigh, Londyn, Collins, Jocelyn, Makenzie, Lennox, Violeta, Zaniyah, Mazikeen, Maelynn, Yusra, Lillianna, Madalynn, Austin, Renesmee, Sunday, Caitlyn, Charity, Lindsay, Mahogany, Arizona, Emberleigh, Lennyn, Anneliese, Brinleigh, NormaniAlexander, Leonardo, Austin, Nathaniel, Emmanuel, Barrett, Lennox, Zyaire, Marshall, Lawson, Jaxton, Kyson, Jayson, Atreus, Ryatt, Terrance, Rayyan, Thorin, Alister, Nickolas, Francesco, Luther, Lyndon, Yuvaan, Demarcus, Eastyn, Million, Stiles, Rashawn, Collins, Alexandre, Braxten, Kenyon, Axtyn, Surya, Willis, Sylis, Vinny

3 via 93

The letters in the following baby names add up to 93, which reduces to three (9+3=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 93)Boy names (3 via 93)
Juniper, Sunny, Elliott, Ashlynn, Yamileth, Majesty, Rhiannon, Novaleigh, Evalynn, Cristina, Britney, Brighton, Rosalinda, Philomena, Railynn, Rosaline, NazarethBryson, Elliott, Justin, Atticus, Cristian, Tyson, Roberto, Arturo, Sunny, Greysen, Brighton, Taysom, Sylvan, Shaurya, Majesty, Jaxsyn

3 via 102

The letters in the following baby names add up to 102, which reduces to three (1+0+2=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 102)Boy names (3 via 102)
Charlotte, Juliette, Wrenley, Whitley, Jazlynn, Kingsley, Kaylynn, Kinzley, Gwyneth, Christiana, Emmerson, Katelynn, Gwenyth, Vanellope, Winnifred, ValentineHarrison, Brixton, Kingsley, Langston, Huxton, Syrus, Iverson, Humberto, Henderson, Yehoshua, Valentine, Zaviyar, Whitley, Abdulaziz, Zorawar, Scotty

3 via 111

The letters in the following baby names add up to 111, which reduces to three (1+1+1=3).

Girl names (3 via 111)Boy names (3 via 111)
Amethyst, Parklynn, Braylynn, Taylynn, Brystol, PromyseRaymundo, Muhammadamin, Briggston, Xzavion, Christos

3 via 120

The letters in the following baby names add up to 120, which reduces to three (1+2+0=3).

Girl names (3 via 120)Boy names (3 via 120)
Skylynn, Yaretzy, Lexington, Greylynn, StarletteMaximiliano, Ulysses, Lexington, Leviticus, Thompson

3 via 129

The letters in the following baby names add up to 129, which reduces to three (1+2+9=12; 1+2=3).

Girl names (3 via 129)Boy names (3 via 129)
Kourtney, Tzipporah, Knoxlynn, Iyinoluwa, TraylynnAugustus, Silvestre, Brookston, Constantin, Trayshawn

Number 3: Significance and associations

What does the number three mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number three. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 3 being described as “creative,” “optimistic,” “friendly,” “outgoing,” and “self-expressive.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are some things that are associated with the number 3:

  • Triple crown (victory in three events)
  • Hat trick (3 goals scored in one game by a single player)
  • Circus (3 rings)
  • Yard (3 feet)
  • Three-act structure (in narrative)
  • Rule of thirds (in photography)
  • Traffic lights
  • Manx flag (3 legs)

What does the number 3 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, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.

Sources: SSA, Numerology – Cafe Astrology, The meaning of the numbers 1 – 9 – World Numerology, 3 – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]

Where did the baby name Oona come from in 1942?

Oona O'Neill in a Woodbury soap advertisement in Life magazine (March, 1943)
Oona O’Neill

The Irish name Oona first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in the 1940s:

  • 1944: 5 baby girls named Oona
  • 1943: 7 baby girls named Oona
  • 1942: 5 baby girls named Oona [debut]
  • 1941: unlisted
  • 1940: unlisted

Why?

It was thanks to Oona O’Neill, daughter of Eugene and Agnes O’Neill, both writers.

Oona was born in Bermuda in 1925, five years after her father won his first Pulitzer Prize.

In the early 1940s, Oona was a teenage socialite with famous friends. And in April of 1942, when the 16-year-old debutante was selected as the top “glamour girl” of New York society at the Stork Club, she became famous.

Oona got offers from film studios, and if she had gone in that direction, her name might have become more popular during the 1940s. Instead, she became the wife of Charlie Chaplin in June of 1943, when she was 18 and he was 54. Not long after that, her name dropped back off the charts.

(Oona and Charlie went on to have eight children, named: Geraldine, Michael, Josephine, Victoria, Eugene, Jane, Annette, and Christopher. Geraldine’s daughter Oona Chaplin played the part of Talisa Maegyr on Game of Thrones a few years ago.)

These days, the name Oona (which is actually a spelling variant of Úna) is relatively close to the U.S. top 1,000:

  • 2017: 93 baby girls named Oona [rank: 2,085th]
  • 2016: 111 baby girls named Oona [rank: 1,856th]
  • 2015: 131 baby girls named Oona [rank: 1,634th]
  • 2014: 63 baby girls named Oona [rank: 2,761st]
  • 2013: 38 baby girls named Oona [rank: 3,977th]

Do you think it will ever get there?

What are your thoughts on the baby name Oona?

P.S. “Oona” was back in the baby name data in 1954, the year a character named Oona could be seen on the big screen in the movie Taza, Son of Cochise.

P.P.S. I also mentioned Charlie Chaplin in this post about the name Cherrill.

Sources:

Image: Clipping from Life magazine (March 8, 1943)

North Carolina family with 16 children

kinderfest

Jonathan Jasper “Jack” Sullivan married Bertha Phillips in early 1909. The North Carolina farm couple went on to have sixteen children — nine sons and seven daughters. Their names, in order, were…

  1. Cretta (born in 1910)
  2. Leland (1912)
  3. Rosa (1913)
  4. Woodrow (1916)
  5. Wilmar (1918)
  6. Joseph (1919)
  7. Dorothy (1921)
  8. Virginia (1923)
  9. Irving (1924)
  10. Blanche (1925)
  11. C.D. (1927)
  12. Geraldine (1928)
  13. Marverine (1930)
  14. Billy (1932)
  15. Tom (1934)
  16. Gene (1938)

Here’s more about Gene’s name:

Gene Autry Sullivan, the youngest of the children and the one who organizes the [family] reunion each year, said he was told he was named after legendary cowboy movie star Gene Autry “because his parents had run out of names by then.”

(The Sierra post includes a photo of Gene Autry.)

Source: Barnes, Keith. “The Sullivan family’s 16 children.” Wilson Times [North Carolina] 29 Aug. 2018.

Image: Ein Kinderfest (1868) by Ludwig Knaus

Early recognition of the “Great-Grandparent Rule”

older woman

A baby name becomes trendy for one generation. For the next two generations, while those initial babies are parent-aged and grandparent-aged, you can expect the name to go out of style. But during the third generation, once the cohort reaches great-grandparent age, the name is free to come back into fashion.

Evelyn is a name with a usage pattern that fits this description well.

I’ve seen it described elsewhere as the 100-Year Rule, but I prefer to call it the Great-Grandparent Rule, as it makes more sense to me to frame it in terms of generations.

Essentially, the pattern has to do with a name’s main generational association shifting from “a name that belongs to real-life old people” to “a name that sounds pleasantly old-fashioned.”

I used to think the pattern was one we’d only recently discovered — something we needed the data to see — but it turns out that at least one observant person noticed this trend and wrote about it in The San Francisco Call more than 100 years ago (boldface mine):

Time was — and that not very long ago — when old fashioned names, as old fashioned furniture, crockery and hand embroideries, were declared out of date. The progress of the ages that replaced the slower work of hand by the speed of machines cast a blight on everything that betokened age.

Spinning wheels were stowed away in attics, grandmothers’ gowns were tucked into cedar chests, old porcelain of plain design was replaced by more gaudy utensils and machine made and embroidered dresses and lingerie lined the closets where formerly only handwork was hung.

So with given names. Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, Sarah, Hannah and Anne, one and all, were declared old fashioned and were relegated to past ages to be succeeded by Gladys, Helen, Delphine, Gwendolyn, Geraldine and Lillian and a host of other more showy appellations.

Two generations of these, and woman exercised her time honored privilege and changed her mind.

She woke suddenly to the value of history, hustled from their hiding places the ancient robes and furnishings that were her insignia of culture, discarded the work of the modern machine for the finer output of her own fair hands, and, as a finishing touch, christened her children after their great-grandparents.

Old fashioned names revived with fervor and those once despised are now termed quaint and pretty and “quite the style, my dear.”

Pretty cool that this every-third-generation pattern was already an observable phenomenon three generations ago.

The article went on to list society babies with names like Barbara, Betsy, Bridget, Dorcas (“decidedly Puritan”), Dorothea, Frances, Henrietta, Jane, Josephine, Lucy, Margaret, Mary, Olivia, and Sarah (“much in vogue a century ago”).

Have you see the 100-Year Rule/Great-Grandparent Rule at play in your own family tree? If so, what was the name and what were the birth years?

Source: “Society” [Editorial]. San Francisco Call 17 Aug. 1913: 19.
Image: Frances Marie from Morguefile