How popular is the baby name Holly in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Holly.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Holly


Posts that Mention the Name Holly

Baby names associated with green: Olive, Silvano, Thao

pine trees, green

Looking for baby names that are associated with green — including baby names that mean “green”?

If so, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve collected dozens of options for you in this post.

Before we get to the names, though, let’s take a quick look at what the color green represents…

Symbolism of green

What does the color green signify?

In Western cultures in particular, green can be symbolic of:

  • Nature
  • Growth
  • Wealth
  • Luck
  • Envy
  • Freshness
  • Quality

The overriding association with nature is due to the abundance of green plant life on Earth. Plants contain a green pigment called chlorophyll that allows them to absorb energy from light.

The color can also be associated with safety and permission, thanks to green traffic lights (which signal when it’s safe to proceed).

Top baby names associated with green

Determining the top names in a category isn’t difficult when you’re working with an easily definable category, like PH names. When it comes to names that have a connection to the color green, however, we need to account for the fact that certain names have a stronger connection than others.

With that in mind, here are the top baby names that have an obvious association with the color green:

  1. Ivy
  2. Jade
  3. Olive
  4. Forest
  5. Emerald

Now here are the same five names again, but this time around I’ve added some details (including definitions, rankings, and popularity graphs).

Ivy

The word ivy refers to any of several species of climbing or ground-creeping evergreen plants in the genus Hedera. By extension, it also refers to the deep green color of ivy’s foliage.

Ivy is currently the 49th most popular girl name in the U.S.

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

Jade

The word jade refers to two similar-looking minerals, nephrite and jadeite, that are commonly used as gemstones. By extension, it also refers to the green color of these minerals.

Their common name can be traced back to the 16th-century Spanish term piedra de ijada, meaning “loin stone” (because the stone was thought to help cure loin and kidney ailments).

Jade is currently the 91st most popular girl name in the nation.

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

Olive

The word olive refers to the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea). By extension, it also refers to the dark yellowish-green color of unripened olive fruit. (Ripened olives are black.)

Olive is currently the 182nd most popular girl name in the U.S.

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

Forest

The word forest refers to a dense growth of trees and underbrush that covers a large area of land. It’s based on the Medieval Latin word foresta (or forestis).

The more popular spelling of the name, Forrest, represents transferred usage of the English surname. The surname Forrest originally referred to a person who lived near or worked in a royal forest (that is, a forest owned by the sovereign and used as a hunting ground).

Forest is currently the 715th most popular boy name in the nation. (Forrest ranks 414th.)

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

Emerald

The word emerald refers to a vivid green variety of the mineral beryl. By extension, the word also refers to the green color of these crystals.

The name of the stone can be traced back to the ancient Greek word smaragdos, which referred to any green gemstone (including emerald, beryl, malachite, and jasper).

Emerald is currently the 913th most popular girl name in the U.S.

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

More names associated with green

All the names below are associated with the color green. The names range from common to uncommon, and their associations range from strong to slight.

Those that have been popular enough to appear in the U.S. baby name data are linked to their corresponding popularity graphs.

olives, green
  • Alder trees have green foliage. The word alder is derived from the Old English word for the tree, alor.
  • Aran is a Thai masculine name meaning “forest.”
  • Aranya is a Hindi gender-neutral name based on the Sanskrit word aranya, meaning “forest.”
  • Ash trees have green foliage. The word ash is derived from the Old English word for the tree, æsc.
  • Aspen trees have green foliage. The word aspen is derived from the Old English word for the tree, æspe.
  • Aurora is part of both “aurora borealis” and “aurora australis” — the names of the polar lights, which are predominantly green. The polar lights are caused by solar wind (that is, charged particles emitted by sun) striking the Earth’s magnetic field. The word aurora means “dawn” in Latin.
  • Balsam fir trees have dark green foliage. The name of the tree can be traced back to the Hebrew word basam, meaning “spice, perfume.”
  • Beryl is a mineral that can be green. The name of the stone ultimately comes from the ancient Greek word beryllos. (Green beryl is a paler green than emerald.)
  • Birch trees have green foliage. The word birch is derived from the Old English word for the tree, beorc.
    • Björk is the Icelandic word for “birch.”
  • Blerim is an Albanian masculine name based on the word blerim, meaning “greenness, verdure.”
  • Blerta is an Albanian feminine name based on the word blertë, meaning “green.”
  • Burkni is an Icelandic masculine name meaning “fern.”
  • Cactus plants are typically green. The name of the plant is derived from ancient Greek word kaktos.
  • Cedar trees have dark green foliage. The name of the tree ultimately comes from the ancient Greek word kedros.
  • Celadon is a pale grayish-green color. The name of the shade was inspired by a character named Céladon — a shepherd who wore pale green clothing — in the popular 17th-century French novel L’Astrée by Honoré d’Urfé.
  • Chloe (or Chloë) is derived from the ancient Greek word khloe, which referred to “the first green shoot of plants in spring.”
  • Chloris, based on the ancient Greek word khloros, meaning “pale green” or “greenish-yellow,” was the name of several figures in Greek mythology.
    • Chlora is a variant of Chloris.
  • Clover leaves are green. The word clover is derived from the Old English word for the plant, claefre.
  • Codrin is a Romanian masculine name based on the word codru, meaning “forest.”
  • Cyan is the bluish-green color halfway between green and blue on the visible spectrum. The name of the shade comes from the ancient Greek word kyanos, meaning “dark blue.”
  • Cypress trees have dark green foliage. The word cypress is derived from the ancient Greek word for the tree, kyparissos. (In Greek mythology, a grieving boy named Kyparissos was transformed into a cypress tree.)
  • Douglas is part of Douglas Fir — the name of a species of tree with dark green foliage. The tree was named in honor of Scottish botanist David Douglas.
  • Emeraude is the French word for “emerald.”
  • Esmeralda is the Spanish word for “emerald.”
  • Evergreen trees retain their green foliage year-round.
  • Fern fronds are green. The word fern is derived from the Old English word for the plant, fearn.
ferns, green
  • Giada is the Italian word for “jade.”
  • Green, of course, refers to the color green. :)
  • Greenlee comes from a habitational surname that can be traced back to the Old English words grene, meaning “green,” and leah, meaning “clearing, meadow.”
  • Gretna is part of Gretna Green — the name of the Scottish village that became famous in the late 18th century as an elopement destination for young English couples. The village name originally referred to the “green by Gretna,” with the word Gretna meaning “gravelly hill” (from the Old English elements greot, “grit,” and hoh, “heel” — denoting a hill shaped like the heel of a foot).
  • Haljand is an Estonian masculine name based on the word haljas, meaning “green, verdant.”
  • Holly trees have green foliage. The word holly is derived from the Old English word for the tree, holen.
  • Hunter is a dark yellowish-green color. It was the shade of green worn by hunters during the 19th century.
  • Ivik is a Greenlandic masculine name meaning “(blade of) grass.”
  • Jandi is a Korean feminine name meaning “grass.”
  • Kelly is a bright green color. The Irish surname Kelly can be traced back to the Old Irish personal name Cellach.
  • Khidr (also spelled Khadir) is an Arabic masculine name meaning “green.”
  • Lakhdar is an Arabic masculine name based on al-akhdar, meaning “the green.”
  • Leaf green is the bright yellowish-green color typical of plant leaves (due to the presence of chlorophyll).
  • Laurel trees have green foliage. The word laurel is derived from the Latin word for the tree, laurus.
  • Levert comes from the French surname LeVert, which is based on the Old French word vert, meaning “green.”
  • Lin (second tone) is a Chinese name that can mean “valuable jade,” depending upon the character being used to write the name.
  • Linden trees have green foliage. The word linden is derived from the Old English word for the tree, lind.
  • Malachite (pronounced MAL-uh-kiet) is a mineral that is green. The name of the mineral ultimately derives from the ancient Greek word malache, meaning “mallow” — a reference to the resemblance between the color of malachite and the leaves of the mallow plant.
  • Matsu is a Japanese feminine name that can mean “pine tree,” depending upon the kanji being used to write the name.
    • Matsuko is a Japanese name that can include the element Matsu.
    • Matsue is another Japanese name that can include the element Matsu.
  • Midori is a Japanese gender-neutral name that can mean “green, verdure,” depending upon the kanji being used to write the name.
  • Mint leaves are green. Aromatic mint plants are part of the genus Mentha, the name of which derives from the ancient Greek word minthe.
    • Minttu is the Finnish word for “mint.”
    • Mynta is the Swedish word for “mint.”
    • Mynte is the Danish word for “mint.”
  • Moss are small, flowerless plants that grow in dense green mats. The Old English word for “moss” was mos.
  • Myrtle trees have green foliage. The word myrtle is derived from the ancient Greek word for the tree, myrtos.
malachite, green
Malachite
  • Oak trees have green foliage. The word oak is derived from the Old English word for the tree, ac.
  • Oihan is a Basque masculine name meaning “forest.”
    • Oihana is the feminine form of Oihan.
  • Olivine is a mineral that is usually yellowish-green. The name of the mineral can be traced back to the Latin word oliva, meaning “olive.”
  • Oren is a Hebrew masculine name meaning “pine tree.”
    • Orna is the feminine form of Oren.
  • Qorsuk is a Greenlandic masculine name meaning “green, yellowish-green.”
  • Pallav is a Hindi masculine name based on the Sanskrit word pallava, meaning “shoot, sprout, young leaf.”
    • Pallavi is the feminine form of Pallav.
  • Panna is a Hindi feminine name that can mean “emerald” or “leaf.”
  • Peridot, a variety of the mineral olivine, is yellowish-green.
  • Phyllis, the ancient Greek word for “foliage” (based on phyllon, meaning “leaf”) was the name of several figures in Greek mythology.
  • Pilutaq is a Greenlandic gender-neutral name meaning “leaf.”
  • Pine needles are green. The word pine is derived from the Latin word for the tree, pinus.
  • Sage leaves are grayish-green. The name of the sage plant (genus Salvia) can be traced back (via Old French sauge) to the Latin word salvus, meaning “healthy.”
  • Sirkka is a Finnish feminine name that can be derived from the word heinäsirkka, meaning “grasshopper” (many of which are green), or from the word sirkkalehti, meaning “cotyledon” (the embryonic leaf of seed-bearing plants).
  • Silvanus, based on the Latin word silva, meaning “wood, forest,” was the name of the Roman god of forests.
    • Silvano (masculine) and Silvana (feminine) are the modern Italian forms of Silvanus.
    • Sylvain (masculine) and Sylvaine (feminine) are the modern French forms of Silvanus.
  • Silvester is derived from the Latin word silvestris, meaning “forested” or “of the forest.”
  • Silvius was a Roman masculine name based on the Latin word silva, meaning “wood, forest.”
    • Silvio (masculine) and Silvia (feminine) are the modern Italian and Spanish forms of Silvius.
      • Sylvia is a variant of Silvia.
  • Talar (also spelled Dalar) is an Armenian feminine name based on the word talar or dalar, meaning “green, verdant.”
  • Teal is a dark bluish-green color. The shade was named after the Eurasain teal (Anas crecca), a type of duck with a teal-colored stripe on its head.
  • Thao is a Vietnamese gender-neutral name meaning “herbs, grass.”
  • Turquoise (pronounced TUR-koyz) is a mineral that is sometimes bluish-green. The name of the stone can be traced back to the Old French term pierre tourques, meaning “Turkish stone.” Though it was mined in Persia, the stone was introduced to Europe in the 13th century by Turkish traders.
  • Vipin is a Hindi masculine name based on the Sanskrit word vipina, meaning “forest.”
  • Viridian is a bluish-green color. The name of the pigment comes from the Latin word viridis, meaning “green.”
  • Willow trees have green foliage. The word willow is derived from the Old English word for the tree, welig.
  • Zumra is a Turkish feminine name based on the word zümrüt, meaning “emerald.”

Can you think of any other names that have a connection to the color green?

Sources:

Images by Tony Mucci from Unsplash, forumkrakow from Pixabay, minka2507 from Pixabay, and adapted from Malachite by Didier Descouens under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Name quotes #114: Aubrey, Stamford, Kyuss

double quotation mark

Here’s a batch of quotes for the final month of 2022!

From an article about Dutch soccer player Denzel Dumfries, who helped the Netherlands knock the U.S. out of the World Cup tournament over the weekend:

[Denzel Dumfries] was named after none other than no-nonsense movie icon Denzel Washington, star of films such as “Remember The Titans,” “Training Day” and “Courage Under Fire.”

“I don’t have [any] connection with the United States, but, yes, I was named after Denzel Washington,” Dumfries said. “My parents gave me that name. I am incredibly proud of it, because Denzel Washington is a really strong personality who voices his views on certain issues, and I am incredibly proud to be named after someone like that.”

From an interview with Australian surfer Kyuss King in Stab Magazine:

Yeah, music is definitely a massive part of my life, from listening to it to playing it! And metal is 100% at the top of my genre — there’s nothing like headbanging to some chunky riffs. Yeah, I was named after the band Kyuss. It was my dad’s favorite band through the ’90s. Funny story, my dad actually had the song Green Machine blasting in the hospital while my mum was in labor with me haha. I guess I kinda came into the world to that kind of music.

From an article about political candidate Krystal Ball, who was asked about her name while campaigning in 2010:

The answer: Her father has a doctorate in physics and did his dissertation on crystals.

So after her mother named older sisters Heidi and Holly, it was dad’s turn.

Ball said she doesn’t mind the questions, though, or the jokes.

And she’ll certainly be hoping a lot of people remember that name now that she’s running for Congress.

A name-change story (contributed by a Missouri woman named Nancy) from a Washington Post article about changing babies’ names:

We named our daughter Joan because we imagined that she would be serious and studious, and this name seemed to encapsulate the proverbial bookworm. Both my husband and I are academicians, so a bookworm daughter didn’t seem a stretch.

[…]

Within the first six weeks, Joan proved not only to be a lusty eater but a very social and cuddly baby who loved long warm baths, in other words, a hedonist in the making.

One night, the credits for Masterpiece Theater were playing and the name of Aubrey rolled across the screen, which happened to be the title of one of our favorite songs from high school. My husband and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, “She’s an Aubrey.” We submitted the paperwork for her name change the next day.

[This source also made an appearance in quotes #112.]

From an article about the trendiness of giving human names to pets in The Atlantic:

Long, long ago — five years, to be precise — Jeff Owens accepted that his calls to the vet would tax his fortitude. When the person on the other end asks his name, Owens, a test scorer in Albuquerque, says, “Jeff.” When they ask for his cat’s name, he has to tell them, “Baby Jeff.” The black exotic shorthair, a wheezy female with a squashed face and soulful orange eyes, is named for Owens, says his partner, Brittany Means, whose tweet about Jeff and Baby Jeff went viral this past spring. The whole thing started as a joke several years ago, when Means started calling every newcomer to their home — the car, the couch — “Baby Jeff.” Faced with blank adoption paperwork in 2017, the couple realized that only one name would do.

Two highlights from a recent study of American Jewish names by Sarah Bunin Benor and Alicia B. Chandler. The first:

Over the decades, American Jews became more and more likely to give their children names of Jewish origin (English or Hebrew Biblical, Modern Hebrew, etc.), with a major uptick after the 1960s. 14% of Jews in the oldest age group have names of Jewish origin, compared to 63% in the youngest group. The top 10 names for Jewish girls and boys in each decade reflect these changes, such as Ellen and Robert in the 1950s, Rebecca and Joshua in the 1970s, and Noa and Ari in the 2010s.

…and the second:

Jews with distinctively Jewish names are much more likely to sometimes use a “Starbucks name” than Jews with names that are not distinctively Jewish. But some Jews with common American names take on a more Jewish name as their Starbucks name, and some have an “Aroma name” for service encounters in Israel.

From a Yahoo News UK article about a mother and son named Chelsea and Stamford after the football club and the club’s stadium, respectively:

Football fanatic Chelsea Bottomley, 32, an administrator from Paddington, London, said she hopes more blind football games will be made available for her son Stamford.

[…]

Named after the London club’s Stamford Bridge stadium, Stamford has cerebral palsy which, according to the NHS, affects movement and coordination — and impaired vision is common for children with the lifelong condition.

[…]

She added: “My mum had named me Chelsea after the club and, when my boy was born, my mum was such a strong support for me that I named him Stamford for her.”

And, finally, a line from a New York Post story about a baby born aboard an airplane in September:

Skylen Kavon-Air Francis, who was named after his airborne arrival, was carried off the plane as everyone clapped and welcomed the new passenger.

For more quotes about names, check out the name quotes category.

Popular baby names in Queensland (Australia), 2020

According to Queensland Government, the most popular baby names in the Australian state in 2020 were Charlotte and Oliver.

Here are Queensland’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2020:

Girl Names

  1. Charlotte, 359 baby girls
  2. Olivia, 320
  3. Isla, 319
  4. Amelia, 295
  5. Mia, 256
  6. Ava, 247
  7. Harper, 227
  8. Willow, 226
  9. Grace, 222
  10. Sophie, 206

Boy Names

  1. Oliver, 525 baby boys
  2. Noah, 383
  3. Jack, 324
  4. William, 322
  5. Henry, 307
  6. Theodore, 283
  7. Elijah, 273
  8. Leo, 267
  9. Thomas, 266
  10. Hudson, 263

In the girls’ top 10, Sophie replaced Matilda.

In the boys’ top 10, Theodore replaced Harrison.

Notably, the name Maverick entered the top 100 for the first time last year, jumping from 169th in 2019 to 84th in 2020.

The other big movers among boys’ names were Luka (154th most popular to 95th most popular) and Gabriel (No.139 to No.96).

And there were three girls’ names that made similar leaps – Holly (No.139 to No.79), Billie (No.109 to No.52) and Hallie (No.137 to No.88).

In 2019, the top two baby names in Queensland were Olivia and Oliver.

Sources: Top 100 Baby Names – Queensland Government, Charlotte and Oliver are the new David and Michelle

Numerology & baby names: Number 9

Baby names with a numerological value of 9

Here are hundreds of baby names that have a numerological value of “9.”

I’ve sub-categorized them by overall totals, because I think that some of the intermediate numbers could have special significance to people as well.

Within each group, I’ve listed up to ten of the most popular “9” names per gender (according to the current U.S. rankings).

Beneath all the names are some ways you could interpret the numerological value of “9,” including descriptions from two different numerological systems.

9

The following baby names add up to 9.

  • “9” boy names: Ace, Ed

9 via 18

The following baby names add up to 18, which reduces to nine (1+8=9).

  • “18” girl names: Lea, Ela, Gaia, Acacia, Addi, Naba, Bana, Anab, Dacia, Febe
  • “18” boy names: Can, Jag, Bao, Aban, Acie, Edi, Ale

9 via 27

The following baby names add up to 27, which reduces to nine (2+7=9).

  • “27” girl names: Leia, Aleah, Alma, Aya, Chana, Adele, Dalia, Elia, Amal, Emi
  • “27” boy names: Caden, Jake, Ahmad, Eddie, Koa, Cain, Cian, Jeff, Job, Angad

9 via 36

The following baby names add up to 36, which reduces to nine (3+6=9).

  • “36” girl names: Malia, Anika, Angie, Lina, Belle, Kiana, Erica, Halo, Maddie, Darla
  • “36” boy names: Chase, Reid, Caiden, Jay, Reece, Kase, Alden, Lian, Bilal, Kiaan

9 via 45

The following baby names add up to 45, which reduces to nine (4+5=9).

  • “45” girl names: Arya, Ariel, Remi, Fiona, Selah, Helena, Emelia, Kora, Briana, Emmie
  • “45” boy names: Elijah, Daniel, Cohen, Luka, Clark, Ty, Ariel, Enoch, Fox, Tadeo

9 via 54

The following baby names add up to 54, which reduces to nine (5+4=9).

  • “54” girl names: Bailey, Elliana, Alivia, Alayna, Regina, Carmen, Marlee, Zahra, Karina, Ariya
  • “54” boy names: Gabriel, Mateo, Gideon, Angelo, Devin, Gianni, Rocco, Kairo, Izaiah, Musa

9 via 63

The following baby names add up to 63, which reduces to nine (6+3=9).

  • “63” girl names: Brielle, Madeline, Noelle, Angelina, Olive, Miriam, Paris, Zariah, Fernanda, Hattie
  • “63” boy names: Matias, Emilio, Leonel, Nehemiah, Kylan, Roger, Jaziel, Otis, Caspian, Kaiser

9 via 72

The following baby names add up to 72, which reduces to nine (7+2=9).

  • “72” girl names: Aubrey, Sophie, Valerie, River, Magnolia, Mikayla, Jayleen, Holly, Everlee, Charley
  • “72” boy names: Cooper, River, Tanner, Darius, Mohammed, Jordy, Rocky, Dwayne, Kylian, Aubrey

9 via 81

The following baby names add up to 81, which reduces to nine (8+1=9).

  • “81” girl names: Brynlee, Vanessa, Jennifer, Malaysia, Tiffany, Xiomara, Sariyah, Tenley, Aubriella, Elisabeth
  • “81” boy names: Oliver, Hudson, Nicholas, Jamison, Lawrence, Samson, Nikolas, Rodney, Mustafa, Rogelio

9 via 90

The following baby names add up to 90, which reduces to nine (9+0=9).

  • “90” girl names: Autumn, Saylor, Skyler, Leighton, Evangelina, Bridgette, Paxton, Anderson, Kensleigh, Makinley
  • “90” boy names: Sebastian, Matthew, Theodore, Maxwell, Waylon, Paxton, Clayton, Anderson, Raymond, Skyler

9 via 99

The following baby names add up to 99, which reduces to nine (9+9=18; 1+8=9).

  • “99” girl names: Emersyn, Gracelynn, Priscilla, Grayson, Presleigh, Verity, Yoselin, Lillyann, Stormie, Jupiter
  • “99” boy names: Grayson, Cristobal, Rockwell, Kassius, Kingsten, Stuart, Jeronimo, Jupiter, Creighton, Coulson

9 via 108

The following baby names add up to 108, which reduces to nine (1+0+8=9).

  • “108” girl names: Journey, Roselyn, Violette, Rylynn, Emberlynn, Jacquelyn, Ellington, Stephany, Yatziri, Scotlyn
  • “108” boy names: Alessandro, Vincenzo, Cristiano, Journey, Fitzgerald, Truitt, Tyshaun, Courtland, Treshawn, Ellington

9 via 117

The following baby names add up to 117, which reduces to nine (1+1+7=9).

  • “117” girl names: Marguerite, Novalynn, Brookelyn, Zaylynn, Quinnley, Roslynn, Kynzleigh, Prestyn, Augustine, Krystina
  • “117” boy names: Augustine, Yitzchok, Maximillian, Trystan, Stockton, Treyton, Krystian, Prestyn, Shreyansh, Rustyn

9 via 126

The following baby names add up to 126, which reduces to nine (1+2+6=9).

  • “126” girl names: Brooklynn, Quinnlyn, Tennyson, Quinlynn, Stellarose, Marvelous, Veronique, Lillianrose
  • “126” boy names: Tennyson, Johnwilliam, Marvelous, Victoriano, Robertson, Royston, Artavious, Tavarious, Dionysus, Zygmunt

9 via 135

The following baby names add up to 135, which reduces to nine (1+3+5=9).

  • “135” girl names: Symphony, Kenzington, Syrenity, Sojourner
  • “135” boy names: Oluwadamilare, Thurston

9 via 144

The following baby names add up to 144, which reduces to nine (1+4+4=9).

  • “144” girl names: Yuritzy, Harleyquinn
  • “144” boy names: Constantino, Johnanthony, Oluwalonimi

9 via 153

The boy name Quintavius adds up to 153, which reduces to nine (1+5+3=9).

9 via 171

The following baby names add up to 171, which reduces to nine (1+7+1=9).

  • “171” girl names: Oluwatomisin
  • “171” boy names: Konstantinos, Oluwatimilehin

9 via 180

The unisex name Kamsiyochukwu adds up to 180, which reduces to nine (1+8+0=9).

What Does “9” Mean?

First, we’ll look at the significance assigned to “9” by two different numerological sources. Second, and more importantly, ask yourself if “9” or any of the intermediate numbers above have any special significance to you.

Numerological Attributes

“9” (the ennead) according to the Pythagoreans:

  • “It is by no means possible for there to subsist any number beyond the nine elementary numbers. Hence they called it ‘Oceanus’ and ‘horizon,’ because it encompasses both of these locations and has them within itself.”
  • “Because it does not allow the harmony of number to be dissipated beyond itself, but brings numbers together and makes them play in concert, it is called ‘concord’ and ‘limitation,’ and also ‘sun,’ in the sense that it gathers things together.”
  • “They also called it ‘Hyperion,’ because it has gone beyond all the other numbers as regards magnitude”
  • “The ennead is the first square based on an odd number. It too is called ‘that which brings completion,’ and it completes nine-month children, moreover, it is called ‘perfect,’ because it arises out of 3, which is a perfect number.”
  • “It was called ‘assimilation,’ perhaps because it is the first odd square”
  • “They used to call it […] ‘banisher’ because it prevents the voluntary progress of number; and ‘finishing-post’ because it has been organized as the goal and, as it were, turning-point of advancement.”

“9” according to Edgar Cayce:

  • “Nine – the change” (reading 261-14).
  • “Nine indicates strength and power, with a change” (reading 261-15).
  • “Nine making for the completeness in numbers; […] making for that termination in the forces in natural order of things that come as a change imminent in the life” (reading 5751-1).
  • “As to numbers, or numerology: We find that the number nine becomes as the entity’s force or influence, which may be seen in that whatever the entity begins it desires to finish. Everything must be in order. It is manifested in those tendencies for the expressions of orderliness, neatness. To be sure, nine – in its completeness, then – is a portion” (reading 1035-1).
Personal/Cultural Significance

Does “9” — or do any of the other numbers above (e.g., 18, 63, 99, 144) — have any special significance to you?

Think about your own preferences and personal experiences: lucky numbers, birth dates, music, sports, and so on. For example, maybe your favorite sport is golf, which has 18 holes per game.

Also think about associations you may have picked up from your culture, your religion, or society in general.

If you have any interesting insights about the number 9, or any of the other numbers above, please leave a comment!

Source: Theologumena Arithmeticae, attributed to Iamblichus (c.250-c.330).