How popular is the baby name Monica 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 Monica.

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Popularity of the baby name Monica


Posts that mention the name Monica

How did “The Matrix” influence baby names?

The character Trinity from the movie "The Matrix" (1999)
Trinity from “The Matrix“

The Matrix — widely considered to be one of the greatest science-fiction movies of all time — was released in March of 1999. It was the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year, and went on to win four Oscars (including Best Visual Effects) in early 2000.

In The Matrix, the majority of humanity is unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality created by sentient machines. This simulation is called “the Matrix” by the (relatively few) humans who live outside of it.

At the start of the story, a man living inside the simulation — a computer programmer named Thomas Anderson (who is also a hacker known as “Neo”) — becomes vaguely aware of the Matrix.

Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) is soon contacted by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) — two resistance fighters who have been freed from the Matrix. They offer him a chance to escape the simulation and join them in the war against the machines.

The character Neo from the movie "The Matrix" (1999)
Neo from “The Matrix“

So, how did The Matrix impact U.S. baby names?

Neo

After returning to U.S. baby name data in 1999, the name Neo more than quadrupled in usage in 2000:

  • 2001: 111 baby boys named Neo
  • 2000: 116 baby boys named Neo
  • 1999: 24 baby boys named Neo
  • 1998: unlisted
  • 1997: unlisted

Neo’s name is not only a match to the Greek prefix neo-, meaning “new,” but also an anagram of the word one, which is significant because Morpheus believes Neo is “the One” — the person who, according to prophecy, will destroy the Matrix and liberate mankind.

Morpheus

The rare name Morpheus debuted in the data in 2000:

  • 2001: unlisted
  • 2000: 5 baby boys named Morpheus
  • 1999: unlisted
  • 1998: unlisted
  • 1997: unlisted

The character’s name comes from the mythological figure of Morpheus, one of the dream-shaping sons of the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos. According to Ovid, Morpheus’ specialty was appearing in dreams as a human. (His bothers specialized in taking other forms.)

Trinity

Already being given to hundreds of baby girls per year, the name Trinity more than tripled in usage in 1999, then nearly tripled again (jumping straight into the girls’ top 100) in 2000:

  • 2001: 4,481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 67th]
  • 2000: 4,284 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 74th]
  • 1999: 1,481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 209th]
  • 1998: 481 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 525th]
  • 1997: 437 baby girls named Trinity [rank: 543rd]

The word trinity, which refers to a group of three, is strongly associated with the concept of the Holy Trinity in Christian theology.

(Another name based on a religious concept, Nevaeh, became trendy around the same time.)

Matrix

Like Neo, the name Matrix returned to the data in 1999:

  • 2001: unlisted
  • 2000: 6 baby boys named Matrix
  • 1999: 12 baby boys named Matrix (peak usage)
  • 1998: unlisted
  • 1997: unlisted

The word matrix refers to a place where something originates or takes form. Before the mid-16th century, it meant “uterus” specifically. In ancient Rome, the word referred to “a female animal kept for breeding.” It ultimately derives from mater, the Latin word for “mother.”

The character Niobe from the movie "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003)
Niobe from “The Matrix Reloaded“

The Matrix was followed by three sequels — not to mention three video games, several comic books, and more.

The first sequel, The Matrix Reloaded, and the first video game, Enter the Matrix, both came out in May of 2003. The second sequel, The Matrix Revolutions, was released six months later, in November.

Reloaded and Revolutions became the third- and the eighth-highest-grossing films of the year, respectively, and they (along with the game) featured a number of new characters, including…

Niobe

Noibe (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) was a Zion-born resistance fighter who captained the hovercraft Logos.

The name Niobe debuted in the data in 2003:

  • 2005: 20 baby girls named Niobe
  • 2004: 33 baby girls named Niobe
  • 2003: 21 baby girls named Niobe [debut]
  • 2002: unlisted
  • 2001: unlisted

The character’s name comes from the Greek mythological figure of Niobe, who was punished by the gods for her hubris.

Persephone

Persephone (played by Monica Bellucci) was a human-like computer program living inside the Matrix with her husband, the Merovingian.

Usage of the name Persephone more than doubled in 2003:

  • 2005: 47 baby girls named Persephone
  • 2004: 43 baby girls named Persephone
  • 2003: 45 baby girls named Persephone
  • 2002: 19 baby girls named Persephone
  • 2001: 22 baby girls named Persephone

The character’s name comes from the Greek mythological figure of Persephone, the wife of Hades and (thereby) the queen of the underworld.

Link

Link (played by Harold Perrineau) was the Zion-born operator of Morpheus’ hovercraft, the Nebuchadnezzar.

The name Link saw slightly elevated usage in 2003:

  • 2005: 7 baby boys named Link
  • 2004: 15 baby boys named Link
  • 2003: 13 baby boys named Link
  • 2002: 8 baby boys named Link
  • 2001: 6 baby boys named Link

Sati

Sati (played by Tanveer K. Atwal) was, like Persephone, a sentient computer program. Introduced in the second sequel, Sati was a little girl whose parents (also programs) had created her without a purpose, putting her at risk of deletion.

The rare name Sati returned to the data briefly in 2004:

  • 2006: unlisted
  • 2005: unlisted
  • 2004: 7 baby girls named Sati
  • 2003: unlisted
  • 2002: unlisted

The character’s name comes from the Hindu goddess Sati, whose name means “truthful” or “virtuous” in Sanskrit.

Zion

Zion wasn’t a character, but a place — the last human settlement on planet Earth. The vast underground city was depicted onscreen in both Reloaded and Revolutions (after having been only mentioned in the original film).

Usage of the name Zion, which had been declining for several years, began increasing again in 2003:

Boys named ZionGirls named Zion
20051,120 (rank: 293rd)248 (rank: 988th)
20041,008 (rank: 311th)212
2003879 (rank: 329th)137
2002828 (rank: 333rd)125
2001867 (rank: 324th)143

Of all the Matrix-related names above, which one would you be most likely to use in real life?

P.S. Blade Runner, Star Wars, and 2001: A Space Odyssey are also considered to be among the greatest science-fiction movies of all time.

Sources:

Images: Screenshots of The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded

What happened to the baby name Monica in the late 1990s?

White House intern Monica Lewinsky
Monica Lewinsky

After ranking among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. for more than three decades, the name Monica suddenly dropped out of the top 100 in 1998:

  • 2001: 1796 baby girls named Monica [rank: 182nd]
  • 2000: 1,992 baby girls named Monica [rank: 167th]
  • 1999: 2,134 baby girls named Monica [rank: 151st]
  • 1998: 3,229 baby girls named Monica [rank: 105th]
  • 1997: 4,223 baby girls named Monica [rank: 79th]
  • 1996: 4,326 baby girls named Monica [rank: 82nd]

The name’s decline in usage was even steeper the following year (-34% in 1999 vs. -24% in 1998). Here’s a visual:

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

What was negatively influencing the name Monica in the late 1990s?

White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

U.S. President Bill Clinton, who’d been married to Hillary Clinton since 1975, began an affair with Lewinsky during his first term in office. They had a total of ten sexual encounters over the course of sixteen months (from late 1995 to early 1997).

News of the affair broke in January of 1998.

Clinton initially denied the relationship (under oath). It wasn’t until August that he finally acknowledged that he’d had “inappropriate intimate contact” with Lewinsky.

President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky (in Feb. 1997)
Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky

Ongoing coverage of the “Monica Lewinsky scandal” (as it was called) dominated the headlines during 1998 and, in October, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about Lewinsky’s impact on other women named Monica:

It’s as if the reputations of Monicas everywhere have been stained by the notorious Lewinsky. “Before this, everyone would say, ‘Monica — what a pretty name,'” Monica Gardner, a 34-year-old bond buyer from Arlington, Va., recalls wistfully. “Now, it’s embarrassing.”

Bill Clinton was impeached (for committing perjury and obstructing justice) in December. He was acquitted of the charges in February of 1999.

The following month, an impressive 70 million people tuned in to watch Barbara Walters interview Monica Lewinsky on 20/20. A poll conducted the next day “found that 72% of [respondents] still have a generally unfavorable impression of [Lewinsky], down just slightly from a high of 78% in September.”

Two weeks later, Lewinsky was on the cover of Time magazine. When the Time interviewer stated, “You’re probably the most famous woman in the world right now,” Lewinsky responded, “Unfortunately.”

What are your thoughts on the name Monica?

P.S. The name’s decline might have been even steeper if not for several less-controversial ’90s associations, such as fictional character Monica Geller (from Friends), tennis player Monica Seles, and mononymous R&B singer Monica (whose duet with Brandy, “The Boy Is Mine,” topped Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart for 13 weeks straight in mid-1998).

Sources:

Images: Adapted from Monica Lewinsky (US DOD) and Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky on February 28, 1997 (White House)

Girl names that end with a K-sound

Girl names that end with a K-sound

In the U.S., most of the names given to baby girls end with a vowel sound. And many of the remaining names end with an N-sound.

So, what about girl names that end with other sounds?

Below is a selection of girl names that end with a K-sound, regardless of last letter. The names are ordered by current popularity.

Blake
From the English surname, which is derived from either of two Old English words (one meaning “black,” the other meaning “pale”). Here’s the popularity graph for Blake.

Brooke
A variant of the English surname Brook, which originally referred to a person who lived by a brook. Here’s the popularity graph for Brooke.

Lyric
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Lyric.

Angelique
The French form of Angelica, which is derived from the Latin word angelicus, meaning “angelic.” Here’s the popularity graph for Angelique.

Clarke
A variant of the English surname Clark, which originally referred to a cleric. Here’s the popularity graph for Clarke.

Malak
An Arabic word meaning “angel.” Here’s the popularity graph for Malak.

Unique
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Unique.

Dominique
The French form of Dominic, which is derived from the Roman name Dominicus, meaning “of the lord.” Here’s the popularity graph for Dominique.

Lark
From the type of songbird. Here’s the popularity graph for Lark.

Lake
From the English vocabulary word that refers to a body of water. Here’s the popularity graph for Lake.

Monique
The French form of Monica, which is of unknown meaning. Here’s the popularity graph for Monique.

Misk
From a Quranic word that refers to musk (or perfume). Here’s the popularity graph for Misk.

Manelyk
Might be based on the Catalan name Manelich, which can be traced back to Emmanuel. Here’s the popularity graph for Manelyk.

Lilac
From the type of woody plant that produces fragrant flowers. Here’s the popularity graph for Lilac.

Anouk
A Dutch and French diminutive of Anna. Here’s the popularity graph for Anouk.

Less-common girl names that end with a K-sound include Veronique, Oak, Falak, Mystic, Skylark, Dilek, and Björk.

Which of the above do you like most? What others can you think of?

P.S. Here are lists of girl names that end with D-, L-, M-, R-, S-, T-, V-, and Z-sounds.

Sources: SSA, Behind the Name, Misk – Quranic Names

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 1

Baby names with a numerological value of 1

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 1, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 1-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “ones” 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 Taylor correspond to the numbers 20, 1, 25, 12, 15, and 18. The sum of these numbers is 91. The digits of 91 added together equal 10, and the digits of 10 added together equal 1 — the numerological value of Taylor.

Baby names with a value of 1

Below you’ll find the most popular 1-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.

1 via 10

The letters in the following baby names add up to 10, which reduces to one (1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 10)Boy name (1 via 10)
Eda, Dea, Ebba, Adda, AdeAde

1 via 19

The letters in the following baby names add up to 19, which reduces to one (1+9=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 19)Boy names (1 via 19)
Mae, Ema, Abbie, Alea, AelaAdam, Jace, Dan, Jed, Jah

1 via 28

The letters in the following baby names add up to 28, which reduces to one (2+8=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 28)Boy names (1 via 28)
Eva, Eden, Lana, Ari, Adalee, Dani, Andi, Nala, Vada, Aleia, Dina, Ira, Jael, Adalia, Ria, Ciana, FiadhAlan, Ari, Eden, Mack, Case, Ira, Ash, Jael, Deen, Adin, Cy, Om

1 via 37

The letters in the following baby names add up to 37, which reduces to one (3+7=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 37)Boy names (1 via 37)
Elena, Cora, Alina, Alani, Rebecca, Liana, Kate, Ariah, Faye, Amalia, Mina, India, Elsa, Leena, Kya, Elara, Isha, Aiza, Naila, Iman, Jaleah, Legaci, Nami, Anali, Shai, Alanah, Baker, Laina, Ilana, Ren, Jaya, Luca, Manha, Kobi, Adelaida, Aleen, Gabby, Aveah, BlimaLuca, Baker, Axl, Van, Coen, Shai, Jamal, Ren, Azai, Shia, Nick, Niam, Eiden, Amin, Ajay, Iman, Naim, Kobi, Brice, Enoc, Maceo, Alain, Buck, Abhay

1 via 46

The letters in the following baby names add up to 46, which reduces to one (4+6=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 46)Boy names (1 via 46)
Gianna, Zoe, Hannah, Maeve, Lucia, Reagan, Zara, Vera, Adaline, Daniela, Raegan, Aitana, Adelina, Azalea, Elisa, Ailani, Elaine, Imani, Edith, Dayana, Katie, Marie, Dior, Erin, Aileen, Sol, Iliana, Lacey, Salma, Araya, Etta, Aminah, Agnes, Colbie, Aarya, Noel, Ariela, Carina, Navi, Isela, Jamila, Cienna, Lenna, Lula, Melek, Arlo, Zena, Dove, Avalee, Sabina, Malena, Tate, Analiah, Ily, Lainee, Adleigh, Raelee, Azra, Kiya, Reva, Meira, Avni, Anvi, Orla, Randi, Cairo, FabiolaElias, Juan, Leon, Ivan, Arlo, Tate, Zane, Damien, Cairo, Erick, Cesar, Malik, Pablo, Noel, Blaze, Dior, Alfred, Damari, Mekhi, Decker, Bobby, Dereck, Link, Elon, Azaiah, Isael, Sol, Ender, Reagan, Isiah, Ammar, Jahir, Boyd, Jacobo, Sir, Ciaran, Lando, Hero, Demian, Devan, Asiel, Locke, Branch, Dandre, Jaheim, Neev, Pete, Ward, Emari, Jedediah, Deluca, Kayde, Imani, Navi, Esau, Rehan

1 via 55

The letters in the following baby names add up to 55, which reduces to one (5+5=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 55)Boy names (1 via 55)
Iris, Nevaeh, Hadley, Freya, Aspen, Camille, Joanna, Gabriela, Heaven, Mariam, Emerie, Leyla, Kyra, Sky, Monica, Zaria, Averi, Lexie, Kamilah, Neriah, Jewel, Zahara, Zoie, Zaira, Neveah, Azari, Asiya, Joey, Melania, Kapri, Linnea, Romi, Breanna, Lois, Aviva, Arlene, Maven, Samadhi, Marin, Cindy, Izabel, Maelani, Iylah, Lumi, Liora, Junia, Jayne, Miabella, Shira, Joella, Analaya, Grey, Kaiyah, Liyah, Nashla, LilliaJett, Edward, Jorge, Edwin, Grady, Conrad, Davis, Grey, Kellan, Joey, Vihaan, Imran, Aspen, Aizen, Danilo, Kody, Ralph, Malakhi, Krue, Kallen, Rogan, Ezio, Aariz, Sky, Azari, Holt, Miran, Armin, Edmond, Zaine, Maddix, Jaziah, Jaydan, Caelum, Mohamad, Josef, Namir, Haris, Jariel, Kadyn, Mikail, Blaize, Cloud, Kanon, Tafari, Amadou, Saleem

1 via 64

The letters in the following baby names add up to 64, which reduces to one (6+4=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 64)Boy names (1 via 64)
Emily, Piper, Tessa, Makayla, Sabrina, Frankie, Azariah, Arleth, Mavis, Miley, Mercy, Natasha, Emiliana, Zyla, True, Jubilee, Campbell, Moriah, Emmarie, Iyanna, Zion, Cirilla, Abrielle, Angely, Evalina, Lucinda, Lindy, Marbella, Carley, Loren, Chosen, Posie, Marlena, Cailyn, Yohana, Catalaya, Israel, MayteJaxon, Zion, Knox, Brody, Peter, Israel, Lukas, Ronald, Arjun, Roland, Azariah, Kyree, Yehuda, Avyaan, Titan, Chosen, Campbell, Frankie, Lucien, True, Avraham, Draven, Oskar, Anton, Barry, Arnold, Evren, Kaidyn, Levy, Zohan, Jaquan, Klaus, Vander, Arvin, Camron, Ryu, Kyair, Amadeus, Bryar, Lavon, Marcell, Safwan, Loren, Riggin, Jakoby, Nikita, Amenadiel, Bradyn, Bruin, Ayoub, Deontae, Kendric, Milano, Keyden

1 via 73

The letters in the following baby names add up to 73, which reduces to one (7+3=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 73)Boy names (1 via 73)
Kaylani, Brynn, Carolina, Calliope, Jazmin, Marleigh, Elliot, Baylor, Karter, Bexley, Egypt, Nataly, Kailany, Patience, Lesly, Yuri, Zinnia, Serafina, Elinor, Jurnee, Kayleen, Dottie, Rhylee, Devorah, Ridley, Lynlee, Roxana, Susie, Kyomi, Mirabella, Stacey, ZaylahJackson, Joseph, Ezekiel, Elliot, Nicolas, Karter, Sergio, Baylor, Colter, Sincere, Jayceon, Hezekiah, Alberto, Ambrose, Jiraiya, Kelvin, Gordon, Stone, Marlon, Dhruv, Josias, Bronx, Vaughn, Harris, Giannis, Gilbert, Clifford, Kyren, Tyree, Kymani, Uziel, Lazaro, Zavian, Yuri, Egypt, Ridley, Kairos, Xayden, Jaxsen, Devansh, Antwan, Antoni, Eythan, Cruze, Dmitri, Zuko, Saxon, Ripken, Vedansh, Astro, Kingdom, Tidus, Weldon

1 via 82

The letters in the following baby names add up to 82, which reduces to one (8+2=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 82)Boy names (1 via 82)
Allison, Julianna, Kamryn, Meredith, Wrenlee, Zhuri, Kaisley, Clarissa, Lizbeth, Arisbeth, Addyson, Kiyomi, Jersey, Kaelynn, Letty, Sunnie, Marlow, Blakelyn, Lillith, Perry, Kinzlee, Maverick, Arianny, Eowyn, Yasmeen, Charlize, Yasmina, Minerva, Harlowe, Karmyn, Zaliyah, Rosanna, Hendrix, Kynnedi, Maddilyn, Sonora, ReverieMaverick, Zachary, Hendrix, Phillip, Thaddeus, Mitchell, Kartier, Alfonso, Kamryn, Crosby, Dimitri, Kross, Shlomo, Perry, Kamarion, Quest, Jersey, Zenith, Jayvian, Marlow, Sholom, Yannis

1 via 91

The letters in the following baby names add up to 91, which reduces to one (9+1=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 91)Boy names (1 via 91)
Everleigh, Katherine, Taylor, Sawyer, Payton, Phoenix, Braelynn, Kensley, Liberty, Loretta, Angelique, Scottie, Lauryn, Julissa, Seraphina, Xochitl, Roxanne, Zeynep, Kynslee, Daenerys, Madyson, Yehudis, Taelynn, Mariajose, Lovely, Olympia, Kynleigh, Brexley, HudsynGiovanni, Sawyer, Phoenix, Matthias, Johnathan, Cassius, Taylor, Yousef, Agustin, Zymir, Payton, Uzziah, Hussain, Hudsyn, Rivers, Nestor, Zuriel, Kaiyzen, Leyton, Patricio, Siddharth, Witten, Llewyn, Scottie, Zyheir, Chozyn

1 via 100

The letters in the following baby names add up to 100, which reduces to one (1+0+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 100)Boy names (1 via 100)
Presley, Vivienne, Clementine, Brynleigh, Taytum, Austyn, Yaritza, Joselyn, Paulette, Jordynn, Temperance, Wednesday, Collyns, Henrietta, LillyannaMaximus, Ezequiel, Quentin, Presley, Zaxton, Everette, Shivansh, Yunus, Quinten, Ignatius, Austyn, Avyukt, Taytum, Heriberto

1 via 109

The letters in the following baby names add up to 109, which reduces to one (1+0+9=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 109)Boy names (1 via 109)
Sutton, Brittany, Raylynn, Zipporah, Sunshine, Hennessy, JoslynnKingston, Sutton, Westley, Rigoberto, Khristian, Tristin, Rayshawn

1 via 118

The letters in the following baby names add up to 118, which reduces to one (1+1+8=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 118)Boy names (1 via 118)
Rosalynn, Shaylynn, Westlyn, Sharlotte, KynzleyDemitrius, Anastasios, Barrington, Jatavious, Quinntin

1 via 127

The letters in the following baby names add up to 127, which reduces to one (1+2+7=10; 1+0=1).

Girl names (1 via 127)Boy names (1 via 127)
Quetzaly, Karrington, Lillyrose, Rosselyn, RoselynneStratton, Odysseus, Maksymilian, Muhammadumar, Chukwuebuka

Number 1: Significance and associations

What does the number one mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number one. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 1 being described as “leader,” “independent,” “determined,” “creative,” and “self-assured.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are a few things that are associated with the number 1:

  • Unity
  • Uniqueness
  • First place (as in sports)
  • Unicorn
  • Monolith

I kept the list short because you can associate the number 1 with just about anything. It’s universal, you might say. (See what I did there?)

What does the number 1 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 two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.

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

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]