How popular is the baby name Pistol 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 Pistol.

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Popularity of the baby name Pistol


Posts that mention the name Pistol

Baby name story: Atom Bomb

The baby boy born on January 1 to Jessica Killian and Randy “Earl” Sain of Gaston County, North Carolina, was unique in several ways:

  • He was the first baby born in the county in 2019,
  • He was born in the passenger seat of a Chevrolet Cruze (that was cruising toward the hospital at the time), and
  • His name is Atom Bomb Sain.

Why “Atom Bomb”? Because the baby’s nickname in utero was “A Bomb,” and the couple ended up “decid[ing] that if the child was a boy, he would be named Atom Bomb.” The mother later confirmed that the baby “really did come out like a bomb.”

That fact aside…”Atom Bomb”?

I can understand why a modern parent might prefer Atom to Adam. But the middle name “Bomb”? That takes the combo to a whole new level. (The pairing is weirdly on-trend, though, given the rise of weaponry baby names like Cannon, Gunner, Pistol, Shooter, Trigger, Rocket, Arrow, etc.)

What are your thoughts on this one?

Source: North Carolina county’s first 2019 baby named ‘Atom Bomb’, born on interstate

The odd names of the Hakki Pikki

Members of the nomadic Hakki Pikki tribe of southern India are known for their unusual names.

According to Dr. K. M. Metry, chairman of the Department of Tribal Studies at Kannada University, the Hakki Pikki people “used to name their children after the river or the mountain that they worshipped. Following the political turmoil and change in regimes, they got dispersed in different regions of South India.”

Traveling, hunting, and begging are a part of the Hakki Pikki way of life, but as these things became criminalized during the 20th century, the Hakki Pikki themselves came to be seen as criminals. So they disguised their identity by giving their children nontraditional names, such as…

  • British, named “during the independence struggle”
  • Coffee
  • Court (male), “born at a camp set up by his nomadic family near a district court”
  • Cycle Rani
  • Deluxe Express
  • English
  • Glucose (female)
  • Government
  • Japan (male)
  • Pistol*
  • Post Office

These actually aren’t much different from the bizarre names of Meghalaya, which include Friday, Moonlight, and Zenith.

*Did you know that Pistol and other gun names (e.g., Caliber, Trigger, Shooter, Gunner) have been on the rise in the U.S. recently?

Sources: Meet Mr Court of the Hakki Pikki tribe, who’s nephew of late Japan, The Hakki Pikki Tales – The Alemaari Trails, The man who lived with the tribes

Popular and unique baby names in Idaho, 2012

Flag of Idaho
Flag of Idaho

According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the state’s top names two years ago were Sophia for girls and Liam for boys.

Here are Idaho’s top 25 girl names and top 25 boy names of 2012:

Girl Names

  1. Sophia (115 baby girls)
  2. Olivia (113)
  3. Emma (100)
  4. Ava (79)
  5. Abigail (76)
  6. Elizabeth (71)
  7. Chloe (69)
  8. Emily (62) – tie
  9. Zoey (62) – tie
  10. Brooklyn (61)
  11. Hannah* (60)
  12. Madison (57)
  13. Ella (56) – tie
  14. Isabella (56) – tie
  15. Lily (56) – tie
  16. Avery (54)
  17. Grace (51)
  18. Amelia (50) – tie
  19. Evelyn (50) – tie
  20. Hailey* (48)
  21. Ellie (46) – tie
  22. Natalie (46) – tie
  23. Charlotte* (45) – tie
  24. Paisley* (45) – tie
  25. Addison (44)

Boy Names

  1. Liam (133 baby boys)
  2. William (94)
  3. Mason (81)
  4. Jacob (79)
  5. Michael* (78) – tie
  6. Samuel (78) – tie
  7. Wyatt (77)
  8. Logan (76)
  9. Ethan (75)
  10. Carter (73)
  11. Hunter (72)
  12. Aiden (71)
  13. Benjamin (69) – tie
  14. Jackson (69) – tie
  15. Gabriel (68)
  16. Andrew (67)
  17. Henry* (66) – tie
  18. Noah (66) – tie
  19. Cooper* (65) – tie
  20. Elijah (65) – tie
  21. David* (64)
  22. Isaac (63)
  23. Alexander* (57) – tie
  24. Jayden (57) – tie
  25. Joseph* (57) – tie
  26. Owen (57) – tie

*New to the top 25 since 2011.

Idaho’s annual report also includes a section called “Selected Unique Baby Names, Yewneek Baybee Spellings,” which is rather awesome.

Here are the handpicked oddballs of 2012:

Unique Girl NamesUnique Boy Names
Alixathymia, Aunastasha, Beloved, Blessing, Britannica, Burdyn, Challyss, Echkoe, Exodus, Harlequinn, Idalyz, Killary, Lulubell, Lyrica, Mercy, Miracle, Mystic, Noble, Oasis, Pearadice, Savvy, Secret, Sunshyne, Theory, VersaillesAdamant, Arsin, Awesome, Cactus, Captain, Chipper, Cross, Denym, Dually, Dynamic, Falchion, Glacier, Kasteel, Kazys, Krozlee, Lock, Mehdiullah, Mogley, Natavious, Nyte, Peregrin, Pilot, Torque, Truce, Wild

Thoughts:

  • Alixathymia – Part name, part medical condition.
  • Adamant – Synonym for stubborn. Or an Adam Ant reference. Or both.
  • Burdyn – “Burden”? Really?
  • Cactus – A nature name I’ve never seen before.
  • Dually – Rosamund Pike should pick this for kid #2. (Her firstborn is “Solo.”)
  • Falchion – A type of sword. (Do they talk about falchions on Game of Thrones?)
  • Glacier – There’s a Glacier in Quebec as well.
  • Killary – This would make a great roller derby name! So would Hellga the American Gladiator name.
  • Truce – Nice to see a name that promotes cooperation/peace instead of conflict/anger (like Rebel, Fury, Rage, Rowdy, Savage, and so on). Truce reminds me of Armistice. Speaking of armistice…
  • Versailles – It’s a pretty word, but what percentage of Americans can spell it correctly? Or even pronounce it?

And, since I never wrote about the Idaho baby names of 2011, I’ll throw in the unique names from that year as well:

Unique Girl Names (2011)Unique Boy Names (2011)
Asma, Ajla, Bandana, Birdie, Candelaria, Cinderella, Courage, Disney-Gin, Elphaba, Jerzi, Kaymin, Khryztale, Kyraeveryn, November, Rainbow, Rockee, Rogue, Ropeer, Satchel, Soliscity, Temperenz, Thunder, Trypzee, Winter, XxoieAdakiss, Aegis Orion, Beauxdarin, Bluesky, Cinch, Coyote, Dagr, Deevo, Diggory, Doc, Eighthin, Flint, Gator, General, Iron, Jayger, John-Wayne, Khryztian, Maverik, Pistol, Pragedis, Rifle, Riot, Slate, Wilderness

Thoughts:

  • Adakiss – A unique take on Atticus
  • Dagr, Pistol, Rifle, Riot – More weaponry & violence. Lovely.
  • Deevo – Inspired by Devo? Perhaps. Two references to ’80s music in a single post? Yup. You must whip it

Finally, here are earlier lists of Idaho’s unique baby names (2006 through 2010).

Source: Idaho Vital Statistics

Image: Adapted from Flag of Idaho (public domain)

The top girl-name debuts of 2013

lotus bud

Vanellope, the name of the feisty Wreck-It Ralph character, was the top debut name of 2013.

Of all the girl names appearing for the very first time on a Social Security Administration baby name list in 2013, the following were the most popular:

1. Vanellope, 63 baby girls
2. Delayza, 24
3. Adalind, 23
4. Jonylah, 22
5. Daleiza, 19
6. Daleisa, 18
7. Dalayza, 17
8. Daleyssa, 16
9. Ariebella, 15
10. Jennicka, 15
11. Stassi, 14
12. Jayceona, 13
13. Dalexa, 12
14. Graceleigh, 12
15. Kemely, 12
16. Lennan, 12
17. Pihu, 12
18. Spruha, 12
19. Hypatia, 11
20. Idalie, 11
21. Jessalee, 11
22. Mayalen, 11
23. Mirola, 11
24. Riyaan, 11
25. Sansa, 11

And a selection from the 10-and-under group: Aleciram (Maricela backwards), Jayceon, Oswin, Zaleigha, Azealia, Eribella, Jayceonna, Kahleesi, Malala, Pistol, Pragati, Vanelope, Venelope, Wrenly, Faraday, Happiness, Pemberley, Wrenley, Epic, Prim, Rarity, Briggs, Charlemagne, Kinzington, Bow, Essined (Denisse backwards), Gunner, Lwren (L’Wren), Moxxi, Quora, Sierraleone, Thisbe, Versavia, Zeppelin.

Where do these names come from? Here are some explanations:

  • Vanellope, Vanelope, Venelope – from Vanellope von Schweetz, a character in the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph (2012). Her name is a portmanteau of “vanilla” and “Penelope.”
  • Delayza, Daleiza, Daleisa, Dalayza, Daleyssa, Dalexa – from Daleyza Hernandez, a character on the Spanish-language TV show “Larrymania.”
  • Adalind – from Adalind Schade, a character on the TV show “Grimm.”
  • Jonylah – from Jonylah Watkins, the 6-month-old Chicago baby who was fatally shot back in March.
  • Stassi – from Stassi Schroeder (birth name Nastassia) of the Bravo reality TV show “Vanderpump Rules.”
  • Jayceona, Jayceon, Jayceonna – from Jayceon Taylor (a.k.a. The Game) of the VH1 reality TV show “Marrying The Game.”
  • Pihu – from Pihu Kapoor, a character on the Indian TV show “Bade Achhe Lagte Hain.”
  • Spruha – from Indian actress Spruha Joshi?
  • Hypatia – from the film Agora (2009)?
  • Sansa – from Sansa Stark, a character on the TV show “Game of Thrones.”
  • Malala – from Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani activist.

Can you come up with explanations for any of the others?

P.S. Here are the girl name debuts for 2012, 2011 and 2010.

U.S. Baby Names 2013: Most popular names, Top girl-name debuts, Top boy-name debuts, Biggest girl-name changes, Biggest boy-name changes, Top first letters, Top lengths, Top girl names by letter, Top boy names by letter

Source: SSA

Image: Adapted from LotusBud0048a (public domain) by Frank “Fg2” Gualtieri