How popular is the baby name Omar 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 Omar.

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Popularity of the baby name Omar


Posts that mention the name Omar

What popularized the baby name Lara in the 1960s?

Yesterday we looked at the baby name Laura, which saw a curious dip in usage from 1965 to 1967:

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

You know what was happening at the very same time? A drastic increase in the usage of the very similar name Lara, which suddenly jumped into the top 1,000 in 1966:

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

Here’s the data, side-by-side:

Girls named LauraGirls named Lara
196818,743 (rank: 11th)1,295 (rank: 227th)
196715,817 (rank: 15th)945 (rank: 277th)
196615,549 (rank: 19th)236 (rank: 618th)
196516,213 (rank: 18th)65 (rank: 1,376th)
196418,974 (rank: 14th)57 (rank: 1,512th)

So…what caused Lara to suddenly skyrocket (and thereby steal some of Laura’s thunder)?

Movie poster for Doctor Zhivago (1965)

The film Doctor Zhivago, which was released at the very end of 1965 and which, accounting for inflation, currently ranks as the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S.

Doctor Zhivago, based on the 1957 Boris Pasternak novel of the same name, was a drama set in Russia during the early 1900s — primarily around the time of WWI and the Russian Revolution. The main character was married physician/poet Yuri Zhivago (played by Omar Sharif), who was having an affair with Larisa “Lara” Antipova (played by Julie Christie), the wife of a political activist.

But it was more than just the character — we can’t ignore the influence of the film’s leitmotif “Lara’s Theme.” After Doctor Zhivago came out, it was turned into a Grammy-winning pop song, “Somewhere, My Love,” that name-checked the character in the lyrics:

Lara, my own, think of me now and then
Godspeed, my love, till you are mine again

Renditions of both versions of the song ended up peaking on Billboard‘s “Hot 100” list during the summer of 1966: Ray Conniff’s “Somewhere, My Love” at #9, and Roger Williams’ “Lara’s Theme” at #65.

Ironically, the names Lara and Laura are not related. Laura comes from the Latin name Laurus, meaning “laurel,” whereas the Russian name Lara is a short form of the Greek myth name Larisa, which may have been inspired by the ancient city of Larisa.

The movie also seems to have given a boost to the name Yuri (which had debuted a few years earlier thanks to cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin). And it must be connected somehow to the 1980 debut of the one-hit wonder name Zhivago. (Perhaps it was airing on TV around that time?) “Zhivago” isn’t a Russian surname, incidentally — it’s a Church Slavonic word meaning “the living.”

Getting back to Lara…the name’s popularity declined after the 1960’s, but, so far, it has never dropped out of the top 1,000. (The uptick in usage in 2001-2002 corresponds to the release of the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which starred Angelina Jolie.)

Which name do you prefer, Lara or Laura? Why?

Sources: Doctor Zhivago (film) – Wikipedia, Doctor Zhivago – Orthodox England, Lara’s Theme – Wikipedia, Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films of All Time in the US, Ray Conniff – Billboard, Roger Williams – Billboard, Ray Conniff – Grammy.com, Laura – Behind the Name, Lara – Behind the Name

P.S. A woman named Lara after the Zhivago character was mentioned in Name Quotes #78.

Name quotes #76: Goda, Amice, Leon

From a WWI-era New York Herald article (May 7, 1918) called “Six Get Permission to Change Names”:

Frederick Michael Knopp, an orchestra leader, disliked his Teutonic sounding name and permission was granted him to change it to Blondell.

Another German name was eliminated by the grave of Justice Guy, who permitted Leon Mendelson, a dental student, to call himself Leon Delson.

Believing that Malcolm Sumner sounded better than Malcolm Sundheimer, the latter applied for and received permission to assume the more euphonious name.

From the book Christian Names in Local and Family History (2004) by George Redmonds:

Other regional concentrations worth noting are Edith in Dorset, Felice and Petronille in Staffordshire and Amice in Leicestershire, but a close examination of the evidence reveals significant small ‘clusters’ right down the list. Typical of these are Goda (East Anglia), Godelena (Kent) and Osanne, the last of these found only in Spalding in Lincolnshire. It derives from ‘Hosanna’, a Hebrew word used as an appeal to God for deliverance, which was adopted into Christian worship as a more general expression of praise.

Osanne started being used as a baptismal name during the twelfth century, “possibly to commemorate a birth on Palm Sunday.”

From a 2016 article about “weird” Dominican personal names by Isabelia Herrera:

When my mother was pregnant with me, she and my father read La montaña es algo más que una inmensa estepa verde, Omar Cabezas’ personal account of his time living with Sandinista guerrilla revolutionaries in the Cordillera Isabelia, a mountain range in Nicaragua.

Numerology: Baby names with a value of 2

Baby names with a numerological value of 2

If you’re on the hunt for baby names with a numerological value of 2, you’re in luck! Because today’s post features hundreds of 2-names.

Before we get to the names, though — how do we know that they’re “twos” 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 Aurora correspond to the numbers 1, 21, 18, 15, 18, and 1. The sum of these numbers is 74. The digits of 74 added together equal 11, and the digits of 11 added together equal 2 — the numerological value of Aurora.

Baby names with a value of 2

Below you’ll find the most popular 2-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.

2 via 11

The letters in the following baby names add up to 11, which reduces to two (1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 11)Boy names (2 via 11)
Adea, Fe, AiaAj, Ja, Cabe

2 via 20

The letters in the following baby names add up to 20, which reduces to two (2+0=2).

Girl names (2 via 20)Boy names (2 via 20)
Jade, Dana, Jia, Deja, Ara, HibaAbel, Adan, Gage, Kace, Jai, Ean, Chace, Jade, Fahad

2 via 29

The letters in the following baby names add up to 29, which reduces to two (2+9=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 29)Boy names (2 via 29)
Aria, Alana, Diana, Nadia, Dania, Ann, Sia, Adina, Calla, Asha, Aira, Isa, Sade, Kacie, Aine, BeauBeau, Aidan, Dax, Khai, Isa, Lake, Eliab, Alek, Sai, Kael, Eian, Abiel, Aman

2 via 38

The letters in the following baby names add up to 38, which reduces to two (3+8=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 38)Boy names (2 via 38)
Sadie, Alaina, Nina, Paige, Amina, Aisha, Cecelia, Hanna, Amani, Chaya, Noah, Analia, Aliana, Aleena, Halle, Jamie, Belen, Ocean, Kaya, Frida, Malka, Kaleah, Malak, Agatha, Naima, Keila, Kaeli, Rena, Dora, Nava, Elli, AlyNoah, Max, Bodhi, Jared, Jaime, Ocean, Jamie, Mike, Jair, Gadiel, Cayde, Deon, Isai, Craig, Asiah, Amare, Eddy, Oden, Amani, Bohdi, Ames, Glen, Aren, Naeem, Alpha, Ameen, Zach, Lipa, Nabil, Asael, Chaz, Kamal, Kaz

2 via 47

The letters in the following baby names add up to 47, which reduces to two (4+7=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 47)Boy names (2 via 47)
Sarah, Kamila, Hallie, Rachel, Alora, Leona, Blaire, Reina, Adley, Capri, Iyla, Galilea, Jream, Birdie, Kaiya, Leanna, Renee, Ivana, Avani, Dalilah, Leilah, Liz, Jalani, Myah, Aylah, Maple, Althea, Khari, Juana, Raine, Cambria, Liya, Nadine, Ayat, Tegan, Macey, Amor, Belinda, Ines, Isra, Taya, Adaleigh, Jolee, Roma, Anjali, Banks, Malika, Amarie, Havana, Vaani, Klani, Legend, Kendal, Azara, Cambree, Adrian, Sahar, Taleah, Dearra, Enola, VaniaJohn, Isaiah, Adrian, Legend, Malachi, Omar, Cody, Banks, Damon, Callen, Shane, Zeke, Dario, Rex, Trace, Wes, Khari, Khaza, Crue, Darian, Ivaan, Gerald, Gus, Malaki, Aslan, Loki, Deklan, Arman, Canon, Avian, Deion, Viaan, Advik, Aris, Kota, Nigel, Jream, Jahari, Zaki, Amor, Kato, Tegan, Jhon, Conan, Hart, Maleek, Judge, Bauer, Caesar, Jamin, Khalan

2 via 56

The letters in the following baby names add up to 56, which reduces to two (5+6=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 56)Boy names (2 via 56)
Ivy, Charlie, Norah, Aliyah, Selena, Elianna, Maisie, Armani, Lyra, Emmy, April, Dylan, Noemi, Marina, Arlet, Azaria, Khalani, Aubrie, Sariah, Nori, Sarahi, Kahlani, Haylee, Marian, Ayanna, Jovi, Cassie, Kenya, Denise, Zella, Blayke, Karlie, Noelia, Namari, Isis, Marwa, Alanis, Graciela, Camellia, Moira, Emoni, Kinlee, Arabelle, Hellen, Ananya, Ryla, Miyah, Ruhi, Amorah, Jailani, Kelis, Teigan, Klaire, Romee, Kyara, AnsleeLucas, Dylan, Nolan, Charlie, Felix, Oscar, Mario, Armani, Omari, Pierce, Zayd, Rohan, Yadiel, Jasiel, Will, Jacoby, Kilian, Malikai, Emmet, Davon, Xavi, Jovi, Wolf, Orin, Jordi, Kaito, Jaycob, Lathan, Orhan, Tahir, Damion, Damoni, Jahsiah, Hardy, Namari, Nyle, Ahron, Kayne, Musab, Abubakr, Dutch, Kayleb, Rion, Alexei, Kailer, Ammon, Walt, Arnav

2 via 65

The letters in the following baby names add up to 65, which reduces to two (6+5=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 65)Boy names (2 via 65)
Eloise, Rylee, Isabelle, Palmer, Alondra, Carter, Freyja, Vienna, Bridget, Kelly, Zayla, Chandler, Lenora, Desiree, Marcella, Salome, Lorena, Emberlee, Heather, Carmella, Brinlee, Elissa, Damaris, Aracely, Ashly, Daylin, Alessi, Avalon, Rihanna, Shyla, Addelyn, Calista, Jahzara, Mildred, Dailyn, Raeleigh, Elanor, Avaleigh, Ayzal, Aiyanna, Annabeth, Kenzi, Doris, Jaclyn, Seven, Haylen, Mindy, Devora, Kathy, Saraya, Alyza, Mayeli, Sanvi, Adilyn, Astraea, Larkin, Emorie, Jozie, Kirby, AinsleeCarter, Andrew, Javier, Prince, Collin, Uriel, Shawn, Conor, Chandler, Mylo, Dennis, Eliseo, Loyal, Seven, Lochlan, Reuben, Fisher, Ermias, Henrik, Stefan, Brett, Davion, Palmer, Benito, Kolby, Krish, Gannon, Tariq, Kelly, Rylee, Cosmo, Paulo, Radley, Mylan, Advaith, Dinero, Federico, Korben, Kaeson, Shlok, Daylin, Rivaan, Subhan, Demario, Hayze, Parks, Joniel, Jahsir, Dansby, Deondre, Rainer, Kirby, Ziyad

2 via 74

The letters in the following baby names add up to 74, which reduces to two (7+4=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 74)Boy names (2 via 74)
Aurora, Madelyn, Audrey, Melody, Margot, Zuri, Lennon, Marley, Lucille, London, Daleyza, Camryn, Estella, Winnie, Zaylee, Penny, Paulina, Novalee, Giuliana, Lilyana, Laylani, Raquel, Landry, Elowen, Susan, Antonia, Robyn, Sailor, Lucero, Aryanna, Zamora, Sonya, Maylin, Natalya, Katrina, Acelynn, Maizy, Josey, Zalayah, Emelyn, SahilyJoshua, Easton, Myles, Jesus, Matteo, Messiah, Muhammad, Desmond, Axton, Lennon, Ryland, Tony, Larry, Byron, Cartier, London, Ramiro, Landry, Marley, Wiley, Rylen, Ziggy, Juelz, Agastya, Yakov, Fredrick, Deshawn, Wylie, Kysen, Camryn, Isidro, Gavriel, Nehemias, Mavrik, Jaxyn, Finnigan, Conley, Cross, Orrin, Lucifer, Korey, Demetri, Grayden, Oswald, Vikram, Willem, Jaysen, Sailor, Remmy, Yadriel, Ayush, Dhruva, Elwood

2 via 83

The letters in the following baby names add up to 83, which reduces to two (8+3=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 83)Boy names (2 via 83)
Evelyn, Violet, Margaret, Catherine, Valery, Emmalyn, Giovanna, Addilynn, Memphis, Yuliana, Bentley, Kinsey, Jehilyn, Sury, Harmonie, Berkeley, Klover, Averly, WisdomJonathan, Jaxson, Bentley, Memphis, Alonzo, Shepherd, Forest, Judson, Coleson, Thatcher, Branson, Foster, Mattias, Markus, Milton, Zaylen, Brysen, Stephan, Roderick, Jetson, Stellan, Riggins, Kyron, Wisdom, Hershy

2 via 92

The letters in the following baby names add up to 92, which reduces to two (9+2=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 92)Boy names (2 via 92)
Oaklynn, Sydney, Sylvie, Madilynn, Kaitlyn, Mckinley, Estrella, Marilyn, Sapphire, Everley, Heavenly, Rilynn, Vivianna, Lorraine, Journei, Journie, Rosalind, Kollins, Litzy, Rooney, Harlynn, Porter, Collette, Charlette, Aniston, OzzyJulius, Santino, Porter, Yusuf, Ozzy, Wilson, Salvador, Watson, Zakariya, Khyson, Tyrell, Avrohom, Morris, Lisandro, Jennings, Jarrett, Hamilton, Tyrese, Calloway, Leviathan, Juanpablo, Mckinley, Marvens, Tyron

2 via 101

The letters in the following baby names add up to 101, which reduces to two (1+0+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 101)Boy names (2 via 101)
Josephine, Murphy, Christina, Brynley, Wrenleigh, Kristina, Sherlyn, Jaylynn, Everlyn, Lynette, AllissonChristian, Tristan, Forrest, Murphy, Kristian, Garrison, Brentley, Jovanny, Binyomin, Rustin, Marquez

2 via 110

The letters in the following baby names add up to 110, which reduces to two (1+1+0=2).

Girl names (2 via 110)Boy names (2 via 110)
Loyalty, Stormy, Sullivan, Amaryllis, SparrowTimothy, Sullivan, Quinton, Youssef, Justus, Tristian, Alexzander, Octavius, Tyshawn, Joseluis

2 via 119

The letters in the following baby names add up to 119, which reduces to two (1+1+9=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 119)Boy names (2 via 119)
Gwendolyn, Josselyn, Suttyn, Lovelynn, CarringtonKingstyn, Treyvon, Aristotle, Theodoros, Carrington

2 via 128

The letters in the following baby names add up to 128, which reduces to two (1+2+8=11; 1+1=2).

Girl names (2 via 128)Boy names (2 via 128)
Kensington, Scottlyn, Jazzlynn, Yuritzi, CourtlynVittorio, Remmington, Huckleberry, Quintrell, Florentino

Number 2: Significance and associations

What does the number two mean in numerology?

There’s no definitive answer, unfortunately, because various numerological systems exist, and each one has its own interpretation of the number two. That said, if we look at a couple of modern numerology/astrology websites, we see 2 being described as “diplomatic,” “cooperative,” “peaceful,” “gentle,” and “understanding.”

We can also look at associations, which are a bit more concrete. Here are some things that are associated with the number 2:

  • Hands
  • Feet
  • Eyes
  • Ears
  • Lungs
  • Chopsticks
  • Knitting needles
  • Complementary pairings (e.g., pen and paper, bow and arrow, peanut butter and jelly)
  • Dualities (e.g., day and night, yin and yang, war and peace)
  • Boxing (2 competitors; 2 fists)
  • Partner dancing
  • DNA double helix

What does the number 2 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, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.

Sources: SSA, Numerology – Cafe Astrology, The meaning of the numbers 1 – 9 – World Numerology, 2 – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Jan. 2024]

Baby names from Pullman cars: Edith, Otis, Kenia, Jathniel

Pullman car

Years ago I posted about Livonia, a baby both born on and named after a Pullman car. Recently I wondered: What other Pullman car names would have made good baby names?

So I downloaded a big spreadsheet of over 12,000 Pullman car names from The Pullman Project and was slightly surprised to see that thousands of them could have been baby names, if we allow for the splitting of compound car names (like Fort Miley, Glen Norman, Meredith College, and West Willow).

Here are a handful of examples. On the left are relatively common/familiar names, and on the right are some unexpected choices.

Alana, Archer, ArnoldAdriatha, Arundel, Arvonia
Baxter, Becket, BradleyBantry, Bellonia, Besco
Calvin, Catalina, ClydeCadesia, Clarnie, Clymer
Dana, Deborah, DwightDarlow, Dathema, Dodona
Edith, Eileen, ElmoEdminster, Emalinda, Etherley
Finley, Flavia, FloydFithian, Flaxton, Florilla
Gary, Georgette, GraysonGavarnie, Gilia, Gloxinia
Harper, Harriet, HectorHarista, Humela, Hythe
Iona, Isabella, IvanIrvona, Isleta, Ixion
Jessica, Jordan, JuliaJacelia, Jathniel, Justitia
Kara, Keith, KennethKeinath, Kenia, Kittson
Laurel, Lewis, LindenLauveta, Leolyn, Lysander
Madison, Marco, MaudeMardonia, Mayence, Morganza
Nicola, Noel, NoraNarinda, Nasby, Norlina
Olivia, Omar, OtisOaklyn, Olanda, Oxus
Parker, Perry, PhilippaPenlyn, Pipila, Pixley
QuincyQuarren
Rebecca, Riley, RonaldRexis, Risley, Ruxton
Sarah, Scott, SusanneSalphrona, Sarver, Sibley
Thora, Tracy, TylerTascott, Tilden, Tisonia
Vanessa, Vernon, VictoriaVarick, Vinora, Vivita
Wesley, Wilson, WrenWelby, Wescott, Wexford

Which of the names above do you like best?

Image: Adapted from Pullman car exterior (public domain)