How popular is the baby name Polaris 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 Polaris.

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Popularity of the baby name Polaris


Posts that mention the name Polaris

Baby name story: Polaris

polaris, boat, north pole, baby name
The Polaris in 1871

The Polaris Expedition (1871-1873) was one of the many ill-fated early attempts to reach the North Pole.

In November of the first year, the ship’s captain, Charles Francis Hall, died — possibly from being poisoned. In October of the second year, the ship’s company accidentally broke up: 19 people were stranded on an ice floe while 14 remained on board.

Among those on the floe were Inuit hunter/interpreter Hans Hendrik (Greenlandic name: Suersaq), his wife Mergut, and their four children — including a newborn. The baby boy had arrived in August of 1871, while the family was still aboard the ship.

No doubt his parents gave him a Greenlandic name, but all the accounts of the expedition only mention the baby’s English name: Charlie Polaris. “Charlie” was for the late captain, and “Polaris” was for the ship.

Baby Charlie and the others were finally rescued in April of 1973 off the coast of Newfoundland, having drifted some 1,500 miles.

Sources:

P.S. The ship’s original name was Periwinkle, and it was part of the Potomac Flotilla during the final months of the Civil War.

The top girl-name debuts of 2010

lotus bud

Below are the girl name debuts of 2010.

What do I mean by “girl name debuts”? I mean girl names that never appeared on the Social Security Administration’s baby name list before 2010. That is, girl names that were never given to more than 5 baby girls in any single year on record (1880-2009).

  1. Tynlee, 42 baby girls – based on Tenley, inspired by Bachelor contestant Tenley Molzahn (thanks Brandy & Angela!)
  2. Khloei, 21
  3. Peyson, 18 – based on Payson, inspired by Make It or Break It character Payson (h/t SkyeRhyly)
  4. Tensley, 18
  5. Rossibell, 17 – from Nuestra Belleza Latina
  6. Solanch, 17
  7. Malillany, 16 – from actress Malillany Marín (h/t Angela)
  8. Emonii, 15
  9. Neytiri, 15 – the Avatar baby name!
  10. Ryden, 15
  11. Jazae, 14
  12. Winry, 14 – from anime character Winry Rockbell (h/t Angela)
  13. Addalynne, 13
  14. Alhia, 13
  15. Armonii, 13
  16. Emmelina, 13
  17. Geleah, 13
  18. Tenli, 13
  19. Bethenny, 12 – thanks to Bethenny Frankel
  20. Kenzly, 12
  21. Kynzlie, 12
  22. Naleigh, 12 – Katherine Heigl’s daughter’s nickname (Nancy + Leigh)
  23. Paisyn, 12
  24. Elyzah, 11
  25. Imar, 11
  26. Koraline, 11
  27. Olyviah, 11
  28. Reighlynn, 11
  29. Tynleigh, 11
  30. Anberlyn, 10
  31. Ariabella, 10
  32. Avaiyah, 10
  33. Chrissette, 10 – based on Chrisette, inspired by Chrisette Michele
  34. Collyns, 10
  35. Fatimazahra, 10
  36. Haydenn, 10
  37. Mahrosh, 10
  38. Naleia, 10
  39. Paycen, 10
  40. Reemas, 10
  41. Sookie, 10 – from True Blood barmaid Sookie Stackhouse (nice job Jamie & Amanda!)
  42. Vaya, 10

Given to 9 baby girls:
Celiana, Emelynn, Evelet, Hartleigh, Javeyah, Jazayah, Josenid, Juiliana, Juleena, Kailaya, Kanylah, Kollins, Maielle, Mayukha, Millani, Mishika, Phinley, Rayanah, Rozalie, Ryleighann, Sui, Sukhleen, Tinslee, Yahvi, Zaydie, Zaylyn

Given to 8 baby girls:
Agrima, Ahriyah, Aliiyah, Azula, Baiya, Bentlea, Breyelle, Ceriyah, Cymphony, Dieynaba, Dynver, Ellody, Emiliya, Emuna, Enajiah, Hailo, Harloe, Heldana, Honestii, Insiya, Jamilyah, Janielys, Kadira, Karmynn, Kiralee, Koli, Lilyah, Mahlaya, Malinalli, Mckinsley, Muniba, Naiyla, Paysli, Phallyn, Sahanna, Saraji, Sopheya, Success, Tarijah, Tinzley, Vedanshi, Veya, Vung, Yaara, Yaila, Zaliya, Zhuri, Zylee

Given to 7 baby girls:
Adalayde, Adaleena, Amairah, Analyz, Anjeliett, Armiya, Attalia, Aylynn, Brees, Brennley, Brently, Brindle, Caylinn, Copelyn, Coralyne, Crisette (see above), Daisymae, Dannaly, Daylani, Daymi, Delaili, Dubraska, Ellye, Emrys, Emyiah, Evoleht, Fynn, Giyanna, Guilliana, Hazelynn, Isabelah, Ishwari, Jaxsyn, Jenisys, Kaashvi, Kalashia, Kamella, Kerlin, Keylli, Kinli, Lochlynn, Lunabella, Luxi, Lyliah, Lynli, Macilynn, Makenzii, Makynleigh, Malaun, Malillani, Maliyani, Marayla, Mckenzii, Mehjabeen, Monzeratt, Naledi, Nazari, Nechy, Nesia, No, Noriana, Oluwasemilore, Paetynn, Petal, Phenyx, Portland, Rhyon, Rosealyn, Rylenn, Sajda, Tenlie, Tennley, Tinleigh, Tinzlee, Westyn, Yoona, Yorley, Zriah, Zykayla, Zynah

Given to 6 baby girls:
Aareona, Abela, Adallyn, Adalyna, Addisin, Addysn, Adelayne, Ahnalee, Ahnisty, Aiyani, Akyria, Aleemah, Alianys, Allieanna, Alyka, Amyliah, Aneeqa, Anleigh, Annalin, Architha, Arielyz, Ariyunna, Asiel, Aveleen, Avereigh, Averylynn, Ayati, Aydree, Aydrianna, Ayleigh, Ayvrie, Bellasophia, Benelli, Bixby, Braelie, Breelee, Brithny, Bryndal, Celisse, Chayden, Chesleigh, Coralina, Daeun, Dannaka, Dannely, Daryna, Delajah, Delilha, Denylah, Ealyn, Elaia, Emalyne, Emellia, Emelya, Emmelin, Emmrie, Enalina, Ereny, Esmi, Faya, Garner, Haizley, Haliana, Hartlyn, Haydi, Hazelee, Hikma, Hudsen, Ilhaan, Inci, Innessa, Ivyunna, Ixareli, Jahlissa, Jahziah, Janihya, Japneet, Jasilynn, Jasya, Jaydelyn, Jaylamarie, Jaylanni, Jayliany, Jazari, Jenessis, Jeraldyn, Jerely, Jeriana, Jhourni, Kamiyha, Kamyree, Karizmah, Kawsar, Kayleeanne, Kaymani, Kayzlee, Kealynn, Kemariyah, Kevaeh, Khaelyn, Khaleia, Khloye, Kimyia, Kinzlie, Kiylie, Kollyn, Kylaya, Kynnlie, Kynzley, Laliyah, Layelle, Lazariya, Leilanii, Lev, Lexanie, Lianett, Lillyaunna, Lilyiana, Liylah, Lizsandra, Logynn, Loxley, Lucillia, Luxx, Lyannah, Lyndin, Madilene, Maesie, Mafata, Mahal, Majorie, Makeira, Malinah, Maxim, Maybelin, Mays, Mckynli, Miabelle, Mickaylah, Milaun, Nabella, Nayloni, Nayome, Nayonika, Neomy, Nevaha, Nilani, Nitasha, Nylayah, Oluwaferanmi, Omiyah, Paesyn, Pahal, Paisely, Phoenixx, Prakriti, Pushti, Quinlee, Quinnley, Raiyah, Rajana, Rayleah, Rehan, Reja, Rhylen, Rimya, Ruaa, Ruah, Ruslana, Rylii, Saanvika, Sachika, Sadora, Salea, Sameriah, Samiira, Samriddhi, Sanchi, Sanylah, Savi, Shanvi, Sharleez, Shasmeen, Skilah, Sophiaann, Sukie, Swasti, Swayzie, Tabata, Tamariana, Tarajhi, Tazkia, Tazlyn, Tenly, Tyjanay, Xinyu, Xyliah, Yashaswini, Yaxiry, Zabdy, Zairy, Zaiyah, Zakarah, Zamoni, Zarihya, Zaylen, Ziannah, Zoeylynn, Zurielle, Zynae, Zyriyah, Zyyanna

Given to 5 baby girls (a few highlights from a much longer list):
Abyssinia, Aveda, Corabella, Endsley, Julivette, Misk, Nevaehtnes, Polaris, Shiphrah, Vidula, Wengel, Zealand

(See the top boy name debuts of 2010.)

Source: SSA

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

Baby names needed: “Whimsical, weird” names for quadruplets

Estelle wrote to me recently with a tall order:

I’m having quads (!!!) in 4 weeks and I need names! I’m having one boy and three girls. My 4 year old son’s name is Cosmo. My husband and I like spacey, whimsical and weird names.

In fact, they “don’t have any limits on how weird a name can be.”

One girl name they’re considering is Ione, which is a family name.

The combination of Cosmo and the adjective “spacey” made me think of star and constellation names right off the bat:

Adhara
Aldebaran
Altair
Aludra
Antares
Antlia
Aquarius
Aquila
Aries
Auriga
Azha
Carina
Corvus
Cygnus
Deneb
Denebola
Hamal
Kastra
Lacerta
Libra
Lyra
Meissa
Musca
Nashira
Norma
Orion
Pavo
Polaris
Rana
Rigel
Shaula
Sheratan
Sirius
Sirrah
Suhail
Taurus
Thuban
Vega
Vela

One nice thing about these is that several together probably wouldn’t scream “star names” to the average person. Unlike, say, a group of flower names. (Though I’m sure stargazers would catch on pretty quickly.)

And here’s what we have for non-galactic suggestions:

Allegra
Althea
Apollonia
Artemis
Aurora
Briony
Calypso
Clio
Danae
Demetria
Echo
Eulalia
Freya
Hestia
Imelda
Imogen
Isis
Lucasta
Luna
Jonquil
Minerva
Olympia
Rhea
Sapphira
Severina
Ursula
Vita
Xanthe
Zelda
Zenobia

Those were the girl names, these are the boy names:

Agni
Aldous
Barnaby
Casper
Cyril
Elan
Evander
Erasmus
Fabio
Gideon
Horatio
Ignatius
Isidore
Jethro
Leander
Loki
Magnus
Milo
Nigel
Odin
Pascal
Peregrine
Reuben
Rémy
Silas
Taliesin
Theron
Tycho
Ulysses
Zenon

What other whimsical names can you come up with for Estelle? And, can you put together any good combinations of 1 boy and 3 girl names?

Update: The babies have arrived! Scroll down to see what names Estelle selected.

Baby names of Antarctica: Solveig, Emilio, Juan, Gisella

Only a handful of babies have been born on Antarctica. Ever wonder what their names are?

Me too. So I looked them up.

First I should mention Solveig Gunbjørg Jacobsen, a Norwegian baby girl who was born on South Georgia Island on October 8, 1913. She wasn’t the first baby born on Antarctica itself, but she was the first baby born in the southern polar region.

The first true Antarctican baby was Emilio Marcos de Palma, born at Argentine research station Esperanza Base in Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica, on January 7, 1978.

Silvia Morella de Palma, the wife of Esperanza’s station leader, was flown in when she was seven months pregnant. The idea was to claim sovereignty by giving birth to the first native-born Antarctican.

Over the next five years, seven more babies were born at Esperanza Base, but I haven’t had any luck tracking down their names.

But — given the “historical rivalry between Chile and Argentina” — you can bet that Chile wasn’t going to be far behind on this. The only other civilian settlement in Antarctica, Villa Las Estrellas, located on a Chilean military base on King George Island, welcomed its first baby, Juan Pablo Camacho, in 1984.

Nicknaming him “the penguin,” [military officials in General Pinochet’s government] contended that he was the first baby conceived and born in Antarctica, drawing a contrast to Argentines born to mothers who might have given birth in Antarctica but became pregnant elsewhere.

Two more babies (one named Gisella) have since been born at Villa Las Estrellas.

If you happen to know the names/nationalities of any of the other Antarctican babies, please leave a comment!

P.S. Babies born on the other side of the world — in the Arctic — include Charlie Polaris, Marie Ahnighito, and Karina.

Sources:

Image: Argentinian station Esperanza by Samuel Blanc under CC BY-SA 3.0.