How popular is the baby name Marcella 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 Marcella.
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Avast! Did you know that today is Talk Like a Pirate Day?
“Arrr” itself doesn’t make a great name — even for pirates — but here’s the next best thing: over 120 names that feature the “ar”-sound.
Which of the “ar”-names above do you like best? Did I miss any good ones?
Additions, 9/20:
A while ago I found a book called “A Collection of Original Acrostics on Ladies’ Christian Names” that was published in Toronto in 1888.
I won’t post any of the poems, which are all pretty cheesy, but author George J. Howson does include an intriguing selection of names. He notes that he wrote acrostics for “all the most popular feminine christian names of the day, and many more that, while not in common use, are known to exist in actual life.”
Here’s the list:
| Abigail Ada Adelaide Adelle Adeline Addie Aggie Agnes Alberta Alecia Aletha Alfretta Alice Allie Alma Almeda Almira Alta Althea Alvira Alzina Amanda Amelia Amy Ann Anna Annabell Annas Annette Angelia Angeline Annie Athaliah Athelia Augusta Aura Avis Barbara Beatrice Bell Bella Berdie Bertha Bertie Bessie Beulah Blanche Bridget Calista Carrie Carlotta Cassie Catherine Cecilia Cela Celia Celicia Celis Charlotte Chloe Christie Christine Clara Clarissa Cleanthe Clementina Constance Cora | Cordelia Corinne Cornelia Cynthia Cyrena Debbie Delia Della Diana Diantha Dinah Dollie Dora Dorcas Dorinda Dorothy Edith Edna Effie Ella Eleanor Eleanora Electa Ellen Elfie Eliza Elma Elsie Emma Emmeline Emily Ena Erma Estelle Esther Ethel Ethelind Ettie Eugenie Eula Eunice Euphemia Euretta Eva Evalina Eveline Evelyn Fannie Felicia Flora Florence Floss Frances Frank Gay Georgie Georgina Geraldine Gertie Gracie Hagar Hannah Harriet Hattie Helen Helena Henrietta Hulda | Ida Irene Isabel Isabella Isadora Jane Janet Janie Jeannette Jemima Jennet Jennie Jessie Jerusha Joanna Josephine Josie Julia Kate Kathleen Katie Keziah Lany Laura Leah Leila Lena Lera Lettie Levina Levinia Libbie Lida Lilian Lillie Lizzie Lola Lora Lorretta Lottie Lou Louisa Louise Lucinda Lucretia Lucy Luella Lula Lulu Lydia Mabel Madelaine Maggie Malvina Mamie Marcella Margaret Maria Marilla Marion Mary Marsena Martha Mattie Maud Maudie May Melinda | Mellissa Mercy Mertie Mildred Millie Mina Minerva Minnie Mintha Miranda Mollie Muriel Myra Myrtle Nancy Naomi Nellie Nettie Nina Nora Ollie Olive Olivia Ormanda Ophelia Pauline Pearl Phoebe Phyllis Priscilla Prudence Rachel Rebecca Rhoda Robena Rosa Rosabel Rosalie Rosalind Rosamond Rose Ruby Ruth Sabina Sadie Sally Samantha Sarah Selina Sophia Sophronia Stella Susanna Susie Sybil Teresa Theodocia Theresa Tillie Una Verna Victoria Vida Viola Violet Wilhelmina Winifred Zuba |
Have any favorites?
Hulda/Huldah is one I like. It’s one of those names that I always see on old New England gravestones but never come across in real life. Wonder when that one will become stylish again.
BTW, has anyone ever seen a good name acrostic? Like, one that’s actually well-written and/or thought-provoking? Because I don’t think I ever have.
Source: A Collection of Original Acrostics on Ladies’ Christian Names by George J. Howson
Vicki Betts, a librarian at the University of Texas, put together an interesting list of female names using the 1860 census records for Smith County, Texas.
Here’s some background information, per Vicki:
Ninety per cent of the people had emigrated to the county within the preceding ten years, 95.8% born in the states of the future Confederacy, 1.8% in the border states, 1.6% in northern states, and 0.8% in foreign countries. Therefore, these name should be fairly representative of Southern female names in general, with the exception of Alamo, Texas, Texana, etc.
And now the names! Here are the names that appeared most frequently on the 1860 Smith County census:
| Mary, 501 Sarah, 271 Martha, 247 Elizabeth, 218 Jane, 199 Ann, 198 Nancy, 176 Margaret, 98 Susan, 95 Frances, 94 Eliza, 74 Amanda, 65 Louisa, 61 Laura, 52 Lucinda, 50 Rebecca, 50 | Emily, 49 Catherine, 48 Caroline, 41 Julia, 39 Anna, 31 Isabella, 28 Ellen, 26 Josephine, 25 Harriet, 24 Emmer, 22 Lucy, 22 Rachel, 22 Melissa, 18 Adeline, 17 Malinda, 17 Matilda, 16 | Allice, 15 Mariah, 15 Virginia, 15 Minerva, 14 Ella, 13 Eveline, 13 Charlotte, 12 Cynthia, 10 Evaline, 10 Victoria, 10 Emeline, 9 Hannah, 9 Hellen, 9 Theodosia, 9 Angeline, 8 Eudora, 8 | Eugenia, 8 Mahala, 8 Ophelia, 8 Permelia, 8 Dorotha, 7 Fannie, 7 Missouri, 7 Olive, 7 Samantha, 7 Tabitha, 7 Ada, 6 Charity, 6 Delilah, 6 Flora, 6 Georgia, 6 Tennessee, 6 |
Names in the 2-to-5 range:
Finally, names that appeared only once:
| Abbigal Abi Absaly Adah Adalade Adaline Addia Adelade Adella Ader Aimenetta Alamanzer Alamo Alcisty Alis Allethia Almanda Alphine Alsey Althie Alvarado Alvira Amarantha Amarylles Amazor Ameda Americus Amira Ansebell Appy Arabella Arainetta Aramintha Aranda Arcadia Ardalla Armedilla Armel Armelda Arminda Artele Arvezene Arvilla Atha Audella Aurire Azeline Barbary Belzora Bendett Bernessa Bethania Bethany California Callie Camella Camilla Candas Candice Cansandra Carrentha Casandre Castero | Cecily Celistia CerroGordo Christana Cicily Claranda Claricinda Conzada Darcus Deannah Debra Delila Delitha Della Delmar Derinda Deziah Dicey Dilla Dilly Disha Dlia Dola Domaris Dorothea Dovy Drucilla Dulcena Dyca Eddie Edith Editha Elander Eleanor Elisa Ellenor Elmina Elsy Elvy Elwina Elzina Elzona Emaline English Eunis Euphema Euphemia Euratasa Evy Falby Fenette Fillmore Flore Florida Fransina Georgana George Eller Georgiana Harmoner Hazeltine Heepsebeth Heland Hester | Hetty Hilery Hutoka Idella Imogenia Indiana Inez Irine Isabelle Isadora Jeannah Jerusha Jessie Joana Joicy Joly Judah Judith Juliett June Kasandre Kasana Keburah Keturah Lailah Larresa Larrissa Laurena Lavacca Lela Leora Leuella Levega Levina Lewella Lilla Lillian Lilly Lina Livana Livona Lizza Loreey Loreta Lourana Lourena Lourenia Louretta Louvena Louvina Lova Lovena Lucretice Lurana Lurena Lutitia Luvena Lydda Madella Madosa Malabry Mariella Marietta | Marinda Marion Marbre Marcella Marcena Marg Matta McReudry Medarah Melbry Melvina Mercena Milley Millison Minor Missoura Mitty Molly Morinua Mouring Mourmen Mourning Nannett Narcisa Nebraska Neome Neomia Nicy Nina Nisse Occo Octavia Oja Oliva Omino Orpha Oudelia Paralee Paralie Parilee Parolee Parthena Pauline Pemelia Pernetta Pernisia Petrona Phebe Pheby Phereby Philliss Pleasant Pope Prascovia Pricilla Prudence Recella Resalla Reozia Resiah Rhina Rosana Rosanna | Rosena Sabra Sabrina Salina Samaria Saphona Saphrona Sareta Sebrina Sefrone Seleta Selethia Selina Shaby Sharlotti Silena Sina Sirena Sobrina Sofrona Solona Sonora Sophier Stacy Surana Tabetha Taletha Talitha Telpha Teressa Texanah Texanna Theodora Theressa Tranquilla Trephemia Ululie Vanburena Vandalia Varlinda Vashti Vasti Verlinda Vertula Victora Victorier Vina Vinolia Violet Vunavista Wennyford Wilford Wilmouth Wineford Winerfred Winnaford Winnfred Zarilla Zeban Zeleame Zira Zouley |
See any names you like? Any that make you curious?
Here are some thoughts I had:
Source: Female First Names in the 1860 Smith County, Texas, Census (via the Wayback Machine)
I think it’s time for a poem.
Here’s one from the late 1800s called “How They Named the Baby.” It was first published in humor magazine Judge.
They talked of Medora, Aurora and Flora,
Of Mabel and Marcia and Mildred and May;
Debated the question of Helen, Honora,
Clarissa, Camilla, and Phyllis and Fay.They thought of Marcella, Estella, and Bella;
Considered Cecilia, Jeanette, and Pauline;
Alicia, Adela, Annette, Arabella,
And Ethel and Eunice, Hortense and Irene.One liked Theodora, another Leonora;
Some argued for Edith and some for Elaine;
For Madeline, Adeline, Lily and Lora;
And then, after all, they decided on Jane.
Which of the above names do you like most? How about least?
A reader named Klaudia is expecting her fourth child, a baby girl, and she’d like some help brainstorming for a first and a middle name. Here’s what Klaudia says:
We like…unusual names. I mean, not names that sound “made-up” but real names. At least, not trendy, popular names.
Juniper was at the top of their list, but then a friend used it, so now they’re back to the drawing board.
A few more details:
I think Juniper paired with an n-name would have sounded nice, so I tried to come up with a lot of name suggestions that also include the letter n:
|
Acacia Adelaide Adina Allegra Angela Annabelle Belinda Bethany Bettina Bianca |
Cynthia Daniela Dominique Felicia Francesca Genevieve Henriette Honora Juliet Justina |
Lucinda Lydia Marcella Melinda Minerva Miranda Monica Priscilla Ramona Regina |
Sabrina Simona Sunniva Susanna Sylvia Valerie Rosemary Venetia Winifred Yolanda |
None of the above are currently in the top 100.
Now middles. It’s tricky to pick a middle if the first isn’t already in place, but here are some possibilities. Names on the left have a stress on the first syllable, names on the right have a stress on the second syllable.
|
Nina Nita Nola Norah Norma |
Nadine Nanette Nicole Noelle Noreen |
What first names would you suggest for the sibling of Kendra, Carmen and Matteo? What middle names would you pair with those first names?