How popular is the baby name Melissa 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 Melissa.

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Popularity of the baby name Melissa


Posts that mention the name Melissa

Popular baby names in Switzerland, 2022

Flag of Switzerland
Flag of Switzerland

Mountainous, landlocked Switzerland is located in the middle of Europe and surrounded by five other countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, and France.

Last year, Switzerland welcomed 82,371 babies. What were the most popular names among these babies? Emma and Noah.

Here are Switzerland’s top 50+ girl names and top 50+ boy names of 2022:

Girl Names

  1. Emma, 361 baby girls
  2. Mia, 356
  3. Sofia, 318
  4. Emilia, 292
  5. Lina, 289
  6. Elena, 280
  7. Mila, 267
  8. Nora, 258
  9. Malea, 249
  10. Lia, 230 (tie)
  11. Olivia, 230 (tie)
  12. Ella, 222
  13. Anna, 219 (tie)
  14. Giulia, 219 (tie)
  15. Alice, 218 (tie)
  16. Lea, 218 (tie)
  17. Alina, 212 (tie)
  18. Lena, 212 (tie)
  19. Nina, 210
  20. Chiara, 208 (tie)
  21. Lara, 208 (tie)
  22. Luna, 195
  23. Leonie, 194
  24. Elina, 193
  25. Sophia, 192
  26. Yara, 186
  27. Julia, 185
  28. Laura, 182
  29. Elin, 178
  30. Valentina, 176
  31. Sara, 175
  32. Emily, 170
  33. Aurora, 168
  34. Amelia, 167
  35. Luana, 166
  36. Sophie, 165
  37. Livia, 151
  38. Elisa, 143
  39. Eva, 141 (tie)
  40. Juna, 141 (tie)
  41. Zoé, 138
  42. Mara, 133
  43. Victoria, 131
  44. Jana, 129
  45. Ronja, 128
  46. Lou, 127 (tie)
  47. Maria, 127 (tie)
  48. Ava, 126
  49. Charlotte, 124
  50. Alma, 123 (tie)
  51. Malia, 123 (tie)

Boy Names

  1. Noah, 540 boy names
  2. Liam, 428
  3. Matteo, 353
  4. Leon, 293
  5. Luca, 291
  6. Gabriel, 286
  7. Elias, 281
  8. Leo, 256
  9. Louis, 251
  10. Leano, 242
  11. Lio, 233
  12. Leonardo, 224
  13. Lian, 210
  14. Nino, 208
  15. Elio, 205
  16. Julian, 201
  17. Aaron, 199
  18. Nico, 197
  19. Elia, 196 (tie)
  20. Levi, 196 (tie)
  21. Samuel, 191
  22. Finn, 184
  23. Malik, 177
  24. Luan, 176
  25. David, 174 (tie)
  26. Leandro, 174 (tie)
  27. Mattia, 169
  28. Diego, 168 (tie)
  29. Milo, 168 (tie)
  30. Adam, 157
  31. Ben, 156
  32. Levin, 155
  33. Dario, 152 (tie)
  34. Nael, 152 (tie)
  35. Arthur, 151 (tie)
  36. Noé, 151 (tie)
  37. Jonas, 150 (tie)
  38. Lenny, 150 (tie)
  39. Mateo, 149
  40. Livio, 148
  41. Lucas, 145
  42. Robin, 144
  43. Enea, 138
  44. Nathan, 137
  45. Kian, 136
  46. Nelio, 134
  47. Mael, 128
  48. Tim, 127
  49. Theo, 126
  50. Enzo, 123 (tie)
  51. Laurin, 123 (tie)

The name Malea has risen significantly (among German-speakers almost exclusively) over the last twenty years. Malea debuted in the Swiss data in 2003, vaulted from outside the girls’ top 1,000 all the way to 261st in 2009, rose to the top 100 a few years later, and finally entered the top 10 in 2022. No doubt this rise was fueled by the trendiness of Mia, Emilia, and Mila. (Mia has ranked either #1 or #2 in Switzerland ever since 2011.)

The girls’ top 100 included Yuna (59th), Dua (66th), Melissa (84th), and Ida (97th).

The boys’ top 100 included Nevio (55th), Fabio (71st), Romeo (85th), and Timo (94th).

Switzerland, which is home to about 8.7 million people, has four national languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Here are the top baby names among the speakers of each of these languages:

Girl NamesBoy Names
German speakers
(62.3% of the population)
1. Emilia, 273
2. Mia, 272
3. Malea, 243
4. Emma, 238 (tie)
5. Lina, 238 (tie)
1. Noah, 353
2. Liam, 266
3. Leon, 264 (tie)
4. Matteo, 264 (tie)
5. Leano, 241
French speakers
(22.8% of pop.)
1. Alice, 125
2. Emma, 107
3. Olivia, 86
4. Eva, 85
5. Sofia, 83
1. Noah, 168
2. Gabriel, 137
3. Liam, 136
4. Arthur, 102
5. Louis, 94
Italian speakers
(8.0% of pop.)
1. Sofia, 30
2. Aurora, 22 (tie)
3. Emily, 22 (tie)
4. Ginevra, 20
5. Nina, 17
1. Leonardo, 44
2. Liam, 26
3. Alessandro, 20
4. Noah, 19
5. Enea, 18
Romansh speakers
(0.5% of pop.)
1. Lia, 3 (tie)
2. Sofia, 3 (tie)
3. Elin, 2
1. Jan, 3 (tie)
2. Mauro, 3 (tie)
3. Andrin, Gian, Joel, Levi, Lino, Lio, 2 each (6-way tie)

And here’s a selection of names from the other end of the spectrum — names that were given to just two babies each in Switzerland in 2022:

Rare Girl Names Rare Boy Names
Airi, Berfin, Catalia, Demiana, Elikia, Franka, Gini, Hevi, Ilirida, Jemina, Kemilly, Lamia, Maluna, Nainika, Ornella, Pema, Qiana, Rhéa, Sinja, Tringa, Ursina, Vinia, Wilda, Xenja, Yanna, ZerinAthos, Bosco, Cuno, Divico, Eleano, Filmon, Gauthier, Hansueli, Ilio, Janic, Kauã, Lirim, Menzo, Nart, Orfeas, Pharell, Qamil, Rexhep, Surafiel, Tamino, Unejs, Vid, Wayne, Xhan, Yori, Zidane

Some definitions/explanations:

  • Hansueli is a Swiss-German combination of Hans (equivalent to John) and Ueli (a diminutive of Ulrich).
  • Lirim is based on the Albanian word liri, meaning “freedom, liberty.”
  • Maluna may have been inspired by a German children’s book series featuring a fairy character named Maluna Mondschein. (Her first name is an elaboration of luna, Latin for “moon,” while her last name is German for “moonshine.”) The six books, written by Andrea Schütze, were published from 2014 to 2019.

Finally, here’s a link to Switzerland’s 2021 rankings, if you’d like to compare last year to the year before.

Sources: First names of newborns – Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland – Wikipedia, Languages of Switzerland – Wikipedia, Behind the Name

Image: Adapted from Flag of Switzerland (public domain)

Popular baby names in the United States, 2022

Flag of the United States
Flag of the United States

The new rankings have arrived!

Earlier today, the SSA released the 2022 U.S. baby name data, revealing that the top names in the nation are Olivia and Liam yet again.

I have a number of analysis posts coming up, but let’s start with the basic rankings — first a quick top 10, then a full top 500.

Girl Names

  1. Olivia, 16,573 baby girls
  2. Emma, 14,435
  3. Charlotte, 12,891
  4. Amelia, 12,333
  5. Sophia, 12,310
  6. Isabella, 11,662
  7. Ava, 11,039
  8. Mia, 11,018
  9. Evelyn, 9,289
  10. Luna, 8,922

Boy Names

  1. Liam, 20,456
  2. Noah, 18,621
  3. Oliver, 15,076
  4. James, 12,028
  5. Elijah, 11,979
  6. William, 11,282
  7. Henry, 11,221
  8. Lucas, 10,909
  9. Benjamin, 10,842
  10. Theodore, 10,754

The boys’ top 10 includes the same 10 names as in 2021.

In the girls’ top 10, Luna replaced Harper.

And here are the top 500 baby names in the U.S., per gender, for 2022…

RankGirl NamesBoy Names
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
Olivia
Emma
Charlotte
Amelia
Sophia
Isabella
Ava
Mia
Evelyn
Luna
Harper
Camila
Sofia
Scarlett
Elizabeth
Eleanor
Emily
Chloe
Mila
Violet
Penelope
Gianna
Aria
Abigail
Ella
Avery
Hazel
Nora
Layla
Lily
Aurora
Nova
Ellie
Madison
Grace
Isla
Willow
Zoe
Riley
Stella
Eliana
Ivy
Victoria
Emilia
Zoey
Naomi
Hannah
Lucy
Elena
Lillian
Maya
Leah
Paisley
Addison
Natalie
Valentina
Everly
Delilah
Leilani
Madelyn
Kinsley
Ruby
Sophie
Alice
Genesis
Claire
Audrey
Sadie
Aaliyah
Josephine
Autumn
Brooklyn
Quinn
Kennedy
Cora
Savannah
Caroline
Athena
Natalia
Hailey
Aubrey
Emery
Anna
Iris
Bella
Eloise
Skylar
Jade
Gabriella
Ariana
Maria
Adeline
Lydia
Sarah
Nevaeh
Serenity
Liliana
Ayla
Everleigh
Raelynn
Allison
Madeline
Vivian
Maeve
Lyla
Samantha
Rylee
Eva
Melody
Clara
Hadley
Julia
Piper
Juniper
Parker
Brielle
Eden
Remi
Josie
Rose
Arya
Eliza
Charlie
Peyton
Daisy
Lucia
Millie
Margaret
Freya
Melanie
Elliana
Adalynn
Alina
Emersyn
Sienna
Mary
Isabelle
Alaia
Esther
Sloane
Mackenzie
Amara
Ximena
Sage
Cecilia
Valeria
Reagan
Valerie
Catalina
River
Magnolia
Kehlani
Summer
Ashley
Andrea
Isabel
Oakley
Olive
Oaklynn
Ember
Kaylee
Georgia
Juliette
Anastasia
Genevieve
Katherine
Blakely
Reese
Amaya
Emerson
Brianna
June
Alani
Lainey
Arianna
Rosalie
Sara
Jasmine
Ruth
Adalyn
Ada
Bailey
Ariella
Wren
Myla
Khloe
Callie
Elsie
Alexandra
Ryleigh
Faith
Norah
Margot
Zuri
Journee
Aspen
Gemma
Kylie
Molly
Blake
Zara
Alaina
Alana
Brynlee
Amy
Annie
Saylor
Ana
Amira
Kimberly
Noelle
Kamila
Morgan
Phoebe
Harmony
Sutton
Taylor
Finley
Lilah
Juliana
Lila
Londyn
Kailani
Vera
Kaia
Angela
Hallie
Diana
Lennon
Presley
Arabella
Aliyah
Lilly
Milani
Jordyn
Camille
Ariel
Aubree
Selena
Sawyer
Nyla
Delaney
Mariana
Rachel
Adaline
Leila
Collins
Lia
Octavia
Kali
Lena
Kiara
Kaylani
Elaina
Daniela
Leia
Gracie
Dakota
Elise
Hope
Harlow
Lola
Stevie
Malia
Miriam
Alora
Gia
Evangeline
Brooke
Lilith
Sydney
Ophelia
Alayna
Tatum
Evie
Rowan
Marley
Daphne
Kayla
Dahlia
Lucille
Blair
Adelaide
Wrenley
Haven
Teagan
Adelyn
Alyssa
Payton
Jane
Mckenna
Celeste
Juliet
Palmer
Maggie
Rebecca
London
Noa
Samara
Thea
Kendall
Mya
Talia
Winter
Angelina
Vivienne
Esme
Laila
Nina
Trinity
Vanessa
Mabel
Camilla
Jocelyn
Journey
Paige
Phoenix
Amina
Alivia
Amari
Joanna
Nicole
Annabelle
Raegan
Aitana
Julianna
Lauren
Catherine
Adriana
Madilyn
Harley
Tessa
Evelynn
Elianna
Rory
Dream
Nayeli
Poppy
Gabriela
Jayla
Cataleya
Celine
Hayden
Shiloh
Mariah
Charlee
Maisie
Regina
Adelynn
Briella
Giselle
Fatima
Danna
Alessia
Mckenzie
Wynter
Fiona
Brooklynn
Gracelynn
Luciana
Alexis
Everlee
Laura
Selah
Reign
Alayah
Rosemary
Lilliana
Ariyah
Heidi
Esmeralda
Logan
Amora
Kalani
Leighton
Cali
Melissa
Aniyah
Izabella
Michelle
Raelyn
Alessandra
Viviana
Madeleine
Arielle
Serena
Francesca
Brynn
Gwendolyn
Kira
Destiny
Elle
Makayla
Alaya
Malani
Willa
Saige
Makenna
Remington
Demi
Adelina
Raya
Astrid
Azalea
Veronica
Meadow
Anaya
Elisa
Raven
Alexandria
Hattie
Alicia
Sabrina
Gracelyn
Matilda
Skye
Annalise
Frances
Miracle
Maia
Helen
Lana
Daleyza
Rosie
Charli
Bianca
Royalty
Sarai
Amiyah
Nylah
Aylin
Maryam
Scarlet
Antonella
Sylvia
Sylvie
Nadia
Ari
Lexi
Mylah
Julieta
Lorelei
Avianna
Armani
Camryn
Emely
Rylie
Colette
Daniella
Liana
Brinley
Kate
Salem
Marlee
Alison
Carmen
Felicity
Fernanda
Holly
Ariah
Aisha
Kora
Amanda
Ailani
Elaine
Emory
Joy
Oaklee
Lyric
Madelynn
Haisley
Allie
Helena
Danielle
Katalina
Carolina
Zariah
Navy
Cassidy
Lorelai
Stephanie
Alma
Mira
Legacy
Jolene
Anya
Dorothy
Paris
Yaretzi
Aurelia
Maddison
Renata
Jimena
Xiomara
Itzel
Heaven
Lyra
Estella
Gabrielle
Maren
Liam
Noah
Oliver
James
Elijah
William
Henry
Lucas
Benjamin
Theodore
Mateo
Levi
Sebastian
Daniel
Jack
Michael
Alexander
Owen
Asher
Samuel
Ethan
Leo
Jackson
Mason
Ezra
John
Hudson
Luca
Aiden
Joseph
David
Jacob
Logan
Luke
Julian
Gabriel
Grayson
Wyatt
Matthew
Maverick
Dylan
Isaac
Elias
Anthony
Thomas
Jayden
Carter
Santiago
Ezekiel
Charles
Josiah
Caleb
Cooper
Lincoln
Miles
Christopher
Nathan
Isaiah
Kai
Joshua
Andrew
Angel
Adrian
Cameron
Nolan
Waylon
Jaxon
Roman
Eli
Wesley
Aaron
Ian
Christian
Ryan
Leonardo
Brooks
Axel
Walker
Jonathan
Easton
Everett
Weston
Bennett
Robert
Jameson
Landon
Silas
Jose
Beau
Micah
Colton
Jordan
Jeremiah
Parker
Greyson
Rowan
Adam
Nicholas
Theo
Xavier
Hunter
Dominic
Jace
Gael
River
Thiago
Kayden
Damian
August
Carson
Austin
Myles
Amir
Declan
Emmett
Ryder
Luka
Connor
Jaxson
Milo
Enzo
Giovanni
Vincent
Diego
Luis
Archer
Harrison
Kingston
Atlas
Jasper
Sawyer
Legend
Lorenzo
Evan
Jonah
Chase
Bryson
Adriel
Nathaniel
Arthur
Juan
George
Cole
Zion
Jason
Ashton
Carlos
Calvin
Brayden
Elliot
Rhett
Emiliano
Ace
Jayce
Graham
Max
Braxton
Leon
Ivan
Hayden
Jude
Malachi
Dean
Tyler
Jesus
Zachary
Kaiden
Elliott
Arlo
Emmanuel
Ayden
Bentley
Maxwell
Amari
Ryker
Finn
Antonio
Charlie
Maddox
Justin
Judah
Kevin
Dawson
Matteo
Miguel
Zayden
Camden
Messiah
Alan
Alex
Nicolas
Felix
Alejandro
Jesse
Beckett
Matias
Tucker
Emilio
Xander
Knox
Oscar
Beckham
Timothy
Abraham
Andres
Gavin
Brody
Barrett
Hayes
Jett
Brandon
Joel
Victor
Peter
Abel
Edward
Karter
Patrick
Richard
Grant
Avery
King
Caden
Adonis
Riley
Tristan
Kyrie
Blake
Eric
Griffin
Malakai
Rafael
Israel
Tate
Lukas
Nico
Marcus
Stetson
Javier
Colt
Omar
Simon
Kash
Remington
Jeremy
Louis
Mark
Lennox
Callum
Kairo
Nash
Kyler
Dallas
Crew
Preston
Paxton
Steven
Zane
Kaleb
Lane
Phoenix
Paul
Cash
Kenneth
Bryce
Ronan
Kaden
Maximiliano
Walter
Maximus
Emerson
Hendrix
Jax
Atticus
Zayn
Tobias
Cohen
Aziel
Kayson
Rory
Brady
Finley
Holden
Jorge
Malcolm
Clayton
Niko
Francisco
Josue
Brian
Bryan
Cade
Colin
Andre
Cayden
Aidan
Muhammad
Derek
Ali
Elian
Bodhi
Cody
Jensen
Damien
Martin
Cairo
Ellis
Khalil
Otto
Zander
Dante
Ismael
Angelo
Brantley
Manuel
Colson
Cruz
Tatum
Jaylen
Jaden
Erick
Cristian
Romeo
Milan
Reid
Cyrus
Leonel
Joaquin
Ari
Odin
Orion
Ezequiel
Gideon
Daxton
Warren
Casey
Anderson
Spencer
Karson
Eduardo
Chance
Fernando
Raymond
Bradley
Cesar
Wade
Prince
Julius
Dakota
Kade
Koa
Raiden
Callan
Hector
Onyx
Remy
Ricardo
Edwin
Stephen
Kane
Saint
Titus
Desmond
Killian
Sullivan
Mario
Jay
Kamari
Luciano
Royal
Zyaire
Marco
Wilder
Russell
Nasir
Rylan
Archie
Jared
Gianni
Kashton
Kobe
Sergio
Travis
Marshall
Iker
Briggs
Gunner
Apollo
Bowen
Baylor
Sage
Tyson
Kyle
Oakley
Malik
Mathias
Sean
Armani
Hugo
Johnny
Sterling
Forrest
Harvey
Banks
Grady
Kameron
Jake
Franklin
Lawson
Tanner
Eden
Jaziel
Pablo
Reed
Pedro
Zayne
Royce
Edgar
Ibrahim
Winston
Ronin
Leonidas
Devin
Damon
Noel
Rhys
Clark
Corbin
Sonny
Colter
Esteban
Erik
Baker
Adan
Dariel
Kylo
Tripp
Caiden
Frank
Solomon
Major
Memphis
Quinn
Dax
Hank
Donovan
Finnegan
Nehemiah
Andy
Camilo
Asa
Jeffrey
Santino
Isaias
Jaiden
Kian
Fabian
Callen
Ruben
Alexis
Emanuel
Francis
Garrett
Kendrick
Matthias
Wells
Augustus
Jasiah
Alijah
Alonzo
Koda
Collin
Ford
Frederick
Jaxton
Kohen
Troy
Kason
Seth
Denver
Kyson
Ares
Raphael
Bodie
Sylas
Uriel
Zaiden
Shiloh
Lewis
Kieran
Marcos
Bo
Shepherd
Philip
Zaire
Gregory
Princeton
Roberto
Leland
Eithan

More coming soon — stay tuned!

Sources: Popular Baby Names – SSA, Olivia and Liam Remain Most Popular Baby Names for 2022 – SSA

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

What gave the baby name Clarissa a boost in the early 1990s?

The character Clarissa Darling from the TV series "Clarissa Explains It All" (1991-1994)
Clarissa Darling from “Clarissa Explains It All

The baby name Clarissa had already been on the rise for several decades when, in 1992, usage increased more sharply than usual. Several years later, the name reached peak popularity:

  • 1997: 1,091 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 266th]
  • 1996: 1,157 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 241st]
  • 1995: 1,201 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 239th] – peak usage
  • 1994: 1,185 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 237th] – peak ranking
  • 1993: 1,074 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 258th]
  • 1992: 1,141 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 244th]
  • 1991: 909 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 305th]
  • 1990: 853 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 322nd]
  • 1989: 759 baby girls named Clarissa [rank: 335th]

Here’s a visual:

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

What accounts for this?

My guess is the TV series Clarissa Explains it All, which aired on Nickelodeon from early 1991 to late 1994.

The show’s main character was witty teenager Clarissa Darling (played by Melissa Joan Hart), who frequently broke the fourth wall — speaking directly to viewers about the things that were going on in her life and how she felt about them.

Two other memorable characters were Clarissa’s obnoxious younger brother Ferguson (who was a Republican, just like Alex P. Keaton of Family Ties) and her best friend Sam (who always climbed a ladder up to Clarissa’s second-story bedroom window).

Interestingly, Clarissa introduces herself in the very first episode of the series with some commentary about her name:

Hi, I’m Clarissa. Clarissa Darling. Ok, I didn’t choose the name. I wanted Jade. But by that time, it was too late already.

Anything without a last name would be better, like, Martika. Or Madonna would have been great. But no one asked me.

The name Clarissa is based on the name Clara, which is derived from the Latin word clarus, meaning “bright, clear.”

What are your thoughts on Clarissa?

(And, if we pretend for a second that the sitcom never happened, do you think the usage of Clarissa would have kept rising past the mid-1990s? If so, how high do you think the name could have climbed in the rankings?)

Sources: Clarissa Explains It All – Wikipedia, Clara – Wiktionary, SSA

P.S. Another early ’90s prime-time TV show that featured a quirky teenage girl (with an equally quirky sense of fashion) was Blossom.

Name needed: Baby girl, initially named Lumi, needs to be renamed

I was contacted recently by a reader who needs to find a new name for a baby girl. The baby was formerly called Lumi.

The reader sent me a lot of helpful information about the situation, so I’m simply going to quote the bulk of what was written below. I’ve boldfaced all the first names mentioned, for easier scanning.

Here’s the request:

Basically, without getting into too much detail, we are going to be renaming our child. What happened is that we chose the name Lumi, which I have loved since the moment I heard it, since I think the sound is beautiful and uplifting, it’s unique, but not so out there as to be hard to understand, and we also thought of it as short for luminescent or luminous–something that brings light, which I love. Also, we often call her Lulu, and liked that Lumi seemed a bit more interesting and maybe even more formal (at least to us!) for when she is in school or at a job. But, after choosing that name, we were informed that the word lumi actually is slang for prostitute in Spanish. If Spanish were a very uncommon language, we might have just accepted it, but seeing as we have some Spanish speaking family and both of us already speak some Spanish and live in a place with a lot of Spanish speakers, it seemed impossible to keep the name. So we changed it. The change was awful for me, since I was not happy with the new name, but couldn’t think of another and thought I would grow to like it. But I haven’t. I will not tell you the “new” name or how long it has been, since I don’t think it matters as we will be changing it no matter what. What matters most to me is that we find another name that suits her, doesn’t mean prostitute (or anything like it) in any language, and isn’t tied to so much negativity and stress. And, just to say, we do currently still call her Lulu, so variations on that (so long as they fit other criteria) are welcome! 

Ideally, we would like the name to be unique, but also easy to relate to an existing word so that we can easily anchor people when we introduce her, since we know how complicated having a “unique” name can be for introductions, spellings, pronunciation, etc. So, for example, one name I also really liked was Deli, since I like that someone could say, “Deli, like delight.” Or even “Deli, like delicatessen.” The problem there, of course, is that when you say “Deli,” people will hear the city in India, so that was off the list, since neither of us have any connection to that place. We also liked the name Euphie, as in euphoria, but I found out that that’s the name of a vacuum, so I wasn’t sure if that might be a mistake to choose that one. We also like Jovie (for jovial?), but this is also a bit too popular at the moment. But, if this makes sense, we’d like something unique that can even sound like a nickname, but it would be a short version of an existing word that is easy to understand and helps people quickly make the connection and has a positive meaning–or relates in some way to food (for example, Romy, for rosemary). I hope this is clear, isn’t too much to ask, and also gives you some ideas of the kind of thing we are after.
 
We really want a name that has a positive meaning or is related to food or cooking in some way. The best name in terms of meanings that I can think of is Beatrice, which, as you know, means brings joy, since that’s how we feel about our sweet girl. She is an absolute ray of sunshine, always smiling, and brings us all joy. Of course, Beatrice itself is too popular for our tastes, but if you can think of another name that means brings joy (or peace or some such) but that is much less common or a “made up” name that seems to fit this, we’d love to hear it! Otherwise, names that mean things that are positive, uplifting, or peaceful are all great. Also, we are a food-loving family, so something that has a relationship to food or cooking would also be great, especially something like an edible plant or something on the healthier or more natural side. Another name that was at the top of our lists at some point was Romy (which, again, works as short for rosemary and easy to say/spell, but it is currently much too popular for our liking).

And, finally, the name must not translate to something negative or offensive in another language (especially Spanish!). 

As for last names, to protect our privacy, I will just say her last name is Rose, which is almost exactly her actual last name and will help with those looking to create alliterations, which are fine with us. We actually considered Rosie and, as I mentioned, Romy, but they’re both a bit too popular.

I’ll start with a few quick thoughts, then move on to the names.

First, I can’t imagine the stress of trying to re-name a baby a second time. I’m so sorry that the first two names didn’t work out.

Second, regarding baby names that happen to be brand names (like Euphie/Eufy): I think this is just the new norm. So many start-ups are being given human names (e.g., Casper, Cora, Oscar, Clio, Albert, Roman, Dave) that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a name that is not also a brand. So this doesn’t necessarily have to be a deal-breaker.

Third, for those who want to comment with name suggestions, here are the names that were mentioned as being “too popular” above and where they currently sit in the girls’ rankings, just for reference:

  • Jovie ranks 763rd
  • Beatrice ranks 565th
  • Romy ranks 1,452nd (given to 147 baby girls in 2021)
  • Rosie ranks 461st

Name Ideas

Saffy

  • Saffy is a nickname for Saffron, a noun-name inspired by the name of the spice (which is made from crocus flowers).
  • Recent usage: Saffy has never appeared in the data.

Tashi (tah-shee)

  • Tashi is a Tibetan word (and personal name) meaning “auspicious.” Tashi delek, often translated as “blessings and good luck,” is a common greeting in Tibet. Tashi could also be a nickname for Natasha.
  • Recent usage: Tashi is given to a handful of babies (both genders) per year.

Meli (meh-lee)

  • Meli corresponds to the ancient Greek word méli, meaning “honey” — and, by extension, anything sweet. It could also be a nickname for the related name Melissa (“honeybee”).
  • Recent usage: Meli is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Revi

  • Revi is reminiscent of the words revelry (“merrymaking”) and reverie (“daydream”). It also corresponds to the Esperanto verb revi, which similarly means “to daydream.”
  • Recent usage: Revi has appeared in the data just twice so far.

Ceres (see-reez)

  • Ceres was the Roman goddess of agriculture and grain crops (e.g., wheat, barley). Her name is the root of the word cereal. Ceres is a homophone of series, and also sounds similar to Siri (which could be a pro or a con, depending).
  • Recent usage: Ceres has appeared in the data five times so far.

Hebe (hee-bee)

  • Hebe was the Greek goddess of youth (hebe meant “youth” in ancient Greek). More importantly, she was the cup-bearer for the gods of Mount Olympus. She served them both nectar and ambrosia — so, food as well as drink. Hebe rhymes with Phoebe.
  • Recent usage: Hebe is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Minta

  • Minta is a nickname for Araminta, an English name of obscure origin. Minta sounds similar to the word mint (which refers to edible plants in the genus Mentha).
  • Recent usage: Minta hasn’t appeared in the data since the 1990s.

Rilla

  • Speaking of mint…Rilla could be short for Perilla, a genus of edible plants also in the mint family (Lamiaceae).
  • Recent usage: Rilla is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Liati

  • Liati is a vaguely Italian-sounding acronym that stands for the phrase: “Love is all there is.” (I discovered Liati in a news article several years ago.)
  • Recent usage: Liati has never appeared in the data.

Ovi

  • Ovi is reminiscent of two food-related Latin words: ovum, meaning “egg,” and ovis, meaning “sheep.”
  • Recent usage: Ovi is given to a handful of babies, mostly girls, per year.

Ridi (ree-dee)

  • Ridi corresponds to the Esperanto verb ridi, meaning “to laugh.” (The idea of the baby “always smiling” made me want to include at least one option linked to smiling/laughing.) Ridi rhymes with reedy.
  • Recent usage: Ridi has never appeared in the data.

Pomi

  • Pomi is a form of the Latin word pomus, meaning “fruit” or “fruit tree.” Pomona was the Roman goddess of fruit trees.
  • Recent usage: Pomi has never appeared in the data.

Suvi (soo-vee)

  • Suvi is a Finnish word (and personal name) meaning “summer.” It sounds a lot like the French term sous vide (“under vacuum”), which refers to a cooking technique. That said, a start-up with a similar name (Suvie) does exist.
  • Recent usage: Suvi is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Kezi

  • Kezi is a short form of the Hebrew name Keziah, meaning “cassia tree.” The bark of the cassia tree (Cinnamomum cassia) is one of the sources of cinnamon.
  • Recent usage: Kezi has never appeared in the data.

Ravi

  • Ravi corresponds to both the Esperanto verb ravi, meaning “to delight,” and the French adjective ravi, meaning “thrilled, ravished.” It’s also a Hindi male name meaning “sun” (which reminded me of the baby being a “ray of sunshine”).
  • Recent usage: Ravi is given to a moderate number of baby boys per year, but has appeared in the data as a girl name just once so far.

Rava

  • Rava corresponds to the Esperanto word rava, meaning “delightful, ravishing.” It’s the adjectival form of ravi.
  • Recent usage: Rava has appeared in the data just twice so far.

Libi (lee-bee)

  • Libi is a modern Hebrew name based on the word libbi, meaning “my heart.” It also happens to be a form of the Latin word libum, which referred to a type of cake in ancient Rome.
  • Recent usage: Libi is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Pemma

  • Pemma corresponds to the ancient Greek word pemma, which referred to a type of cake in ancient Greece. It’s similar to both Emma and Pema (the Tibetan form of Padma, meaning “lotus”).
  • Recent usage: Pemma has never appeared in the data.

(Just wanted to note: Ancient cakes were made with ingredients like fruits, nuts, eggs, cheese, honey, flour, and olive oil. They were often prepared as offerings to the gods.)

Juni

  • Juni is a nickname for Juniper, a noun-name inspired by the coniferous plant, which produces “berries” (actually seed cones) that are used as a spice. It also means “June” in several European languages, and corresponds to the Esperanto verb juni (yoo-nee), meaning “to be young.”
  • Recent usage: Juni is given to a couple dozen babies, mostly girls, per year.

Rafi (rah-fee)

  • Rafi corresponds to the Sámi word ráfi, meaning “peace.” It’s also a nickname for the Spanish name Rafaela.
  • Recent usage: Rafi is given to a couple dozen baby boys per year, but has appeared in the data as a girl name just once so far.

Baya (bay-uh)

  • Baya is reminiscent of the word bay, as in the bay leaf (which comes from the bay laurel and is used in cooking). It also happens to correspond to the Spanish noun baya (pronounced bah-yah), meaning “berry.”
  • Recent usage: Baya is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Tilia (til-ee-uh)

  • Tilia corresponds to the Latin word tilia, meaning “linden tree.” Most linden trees (genus Tilia) have multiple edible parts (e.g., leaves, flowers). Tilia is also a short form of Ottilia.
  • Recent usage: Tilia is given to a handful of baby girls per year.

Yumi (yoo-mee)

  • Yumi is a Japanese name that rhymes with Lumi and happens to contain the word yum. :) It has various potential definitions, including “archery bow.”
  • Recent usage: Yumi is given to a moderate number of baby girls per year.

Because so many of these are informal/invented, the spellings aren’t set in stone. Saffy could be Saffi, Juni could be Junie, Revi could be Revy, etc. Likewise, the names themselves are malleable: Pomi could be changed to Poma, Tilia could be shortened to Tili, Ovi could be lengthened Ovia (almost like a condensed Olivia?).

(Also, in case anyone was wondering: Esperanto is a man-made language that dates back to the 1880s.)

Now it’s your turn. Do you like any of the above suggestions? What other baby names would you suggest to this reader?