How popular is the baby name Rosebud 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 Rosebud.

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Popularity of the baby name Rosebud


Posts that mention the name Rosebud

Babies named for the ships they were born on (M to Z)

SS Earl Dalhousie
SS Earl Dalhousie

Back when sea voyages were the only way to reach distant lands, many babies ended up being born aboard ships. And many of these ship-born babies were given names that reflected the circumstances of their birth. A good portion of them, for instance, were named after the ships upon which they were born.

I’ve gathered hundreds of these ship-inspired baby names over the years, and I think it’s finally time to post what I’ve found. You’ll find the second half of the list below. (Here’s the first half.)


M

  • Macduff:
    • Edward Macduff Thompson, born in 1878
  • Magellan:
    • Magellan Carrahlew, born in 1870
  • Malabar:
    • Emma Malabar Young, born in 1865
  • Malta:
    • Thomas Malta McCafferty, born in 1876
  • Manora:
    • Manora Ida Power, born in 1882
  • Maraval:
    • Maraval White, born in 1878
    • Maraval Hay, born in 1878
    • Robert Maraval Schroder, born in 1879
    • Sarah Maraval McKenzie, born in 1879
  • Marcotis:
    • Marcotis Gallia, born in 1882
  • Margaret Galbraith:
    • Annie Galbraith Dawson, born in 1879
  • Marion:
    • Marion Margaret Ramsay, born in 1854
  • Marlborough:
    • Marlborough Stevens, born in 1883
  • Mary Pleasants:
    • Mary Pleasants Robinson, born in 1857
    • Mary Pleasants Poole, born in 1857
  • Mary Shepherd:
    • Margaret Mary Shepherd Crozier, born in 1865
    • Charley Shepherd Piercy, born in 1866
    • Alice Mary Shepherd Dix, born in 1866
    • Mary Shepherd Miner, born in 1873
  • Mataura:
    • Mataura Welsh, born in 1877
  • Matoaka:
    • Matoaka Atlantic Costa, born in 1864
  • May Queen:
    • May Colville Walker, born in 1881
  • Maxima:
    • Albert Maxima Shaddiek, born in 1873
  • Medford:
    • Medford Colling, born in the mid-19th century.
      • He in turn gave his name to Medford, Minnesota, in the 1850s. His father, Englishman William K. Colling, was an early Minnesota settler who “said that he had a son who was born on board the ship Medford, and was named Medford, in honor of the ship, and proposed that the town should be named Medford in honor of the boy.”
  • Medway:
    • Atalanta Medway Hancock, born in 1871
  • Melpomene:
    • Elizabeth Melpomene Hindley, born in 1882
  • Mennock:
    • Louise Mennock Looney, born in 1885
  • Merkara:
    • Alexander Merkara McLeod, born in 1882
    • Alice Mabel Merkara Atkin, born in 1884
    • Mary Ellen Merkara Mathews, born in 1885
    • Merkara Beier, born in 1887
    • Merkara Smith, born in 1887
    • Merkara Cave Bratz, born in 1890
  • Merope:
    • Merope Pentebow, born in 1879
  • Middlesex:
    • Carter Middlesex Mellows, born in 1866
  • Miltiades:
    • Edward Miltiades Taylor, born in 1874
    • Jessie Miltiades Mary Jennings, born in 1874
  • Mirage:
    • Alice Mirage Osgood, born in 1864
  • Mississippi:
    • Mississippi Petrovitch, born in 1885
  • Mizpah:
    • Joseph Mizpah Bagley, born in 1880
  • Montana:
    • Jane Montana McGuiness, born in 1878
    • Henry Montana Rowson, born in 1879
  • Moravian:
    • Thomas Moravian Carter, born in 1868
    • Ellen K. Moravian Warford, born in 1872
    • Thomas Moravian McElraith, born in 1881
  • Morna:
    • Morna Francis, born in 1887
  • Myrtle:
    • James Myrtle Holme Robertson, born in 1877

N

  • Nackato:
    • Frederick Nackato Dickens, born in 1875
    • Ruth Nackato Bowick, born in 1875
  • Neckar:
    • Petrine Jeanette Hugo Neckar Walls, born in 1887
  • Nemesis:
    • Nemesis Louise Catherine Dupont, born in 1877
  • Nestor:
    • Nestorina Misonsnile, born in 1889
  • Nestorian:
    • Mary Nestorian Cowan, born in 1890
  • Netherby:
    • Netherby Victoria Louisa Cubbin, born in 1866.
      • Technically, she was born on land two days after the Netherby ran aground. But I feel this is close enough to include…
  • Neva:
    • Alice Neva Landham, born in 1886
  • Nevada:
    • Elizabeth Nevada West, born in 1872
    • William Nevada Webster, born in 1873
    • Nevada Atlantic Larsen, born in 1878
    • Mary Nevada Berry, born in 1881
    • Victoria Nevada Johnson, born in 1881
    • Marie Nevada McPhie, born in 1884
    • Nevada Christensen, born in 1887
  • Neville:
    • Gerald Neville Hemsworth, born in 1869
  • Niagara:
    • Fanny Elizabeth Niagara Pickard, 1875
  • Nile:
    • Nilena Thompson, born in 1866
    • Michelina Nilina Derosty, born in 1877
  • Nineveh:
    • Amelia Tabitha Nineveh Johns Adams, born in 1877
    • Nineveh Sydney, born in 1879
  • Norfolk:
    • Lilian Norfolk Beeching, born in 1880
  • Noronha:
    • Alice Noronha Yealland, born in 1878
  • Norseman:
    • Emily Norseman Stepp, born in 1866
  • North:
    • Adelaide North Hossack, born in 1875
  • Northam:
    • John Northam Davies, born in 1876
  • Northampton:
    • James Northampton Maughan, born in 1880
    • Ethel Northampton Jeffrey, born in 1882
    • William Northampton Irvine, born in 1882
  • Northumberland:
    • James Northumberland Byrne, born in 1873
  • Nourmahal:
    • Ellen Nourmahal Morrison, born in 1874
  • Nova Scotian:
    • Charles Nova Scotian Kuseley, born in 1860
    • Sarah Nova Scotia Keating, born in 1858
  • Nubian:
    • Edith Nubian Benwell Wootten, born in 1882
    • Nubian Jane Fisher, born in 1882
  • Nugget:
    • William Nugget Morant, born in 1860
    • Frederick Nugget Hurricks, born in 1860
  • Nyanza:
    • James Fisher Nyanza Allt, born in 1873

O

  • Oaklands:
    • Ivo Oaklands Rowe, born in 1877
    • George Oaklands Southam, born in 1877
    • John Fuller Oaklands Munn, born in 1877
    • Geneva Oaklands Perry, born in 1877
    • Beatrice Sarah Oaklands Simons, born in 1877
  • Oceanic:
    • Catherine Oceanica Bernter, born in 1874
  • Octavia:
    • William Octavius Foster, born in 1857
  • Olago:
    • Olago William Holliday, born in 1883
  • Olbers:
    • Kate Mary Olbers Scott, born in 1878
    • Francisco Olbers Ferera, born in 1879
    • Mary Louisa Olbers Mansell, born in 1884
  • Lady Olive:
    • Eliza Olive Frazer, born in 1881
  • Olympia:
    • Mary Anne Olympia Sullivan, born in 1872
    • Olympia Sanna, born in 1880
    • Olympia Cataneza, born in 1886
  • Lake Ontario:
    • Jennie Ontario Bottomley, born in 1888
  • Opawa:
    • Caroline Opawa Langford, born in 1878
    • George Frederick Opawa Whittlestone, born in 1879
  • Orari:
    • Annie Orari Mosey Andrews Kelly, born in 1876
    • Albert Orari Smith, born in 1876
    • Robert Cotton Orari Garratt, born in 1878
    • Mary Orari Kenney, born in 1879
  • Oregon:
    • James Oregon Tansley, born in 1887
    • Anna Oregonia Larsen, born in 1887
  • Orient:
    • Orient Elizabeth Searle, born in 1871
    • Annie Orient Smith, born in 1889
  • Orizaba:
    • William Orizaba Brown, born in 1887
    • May Orizoba Curtiss, born in 1891
  • Orotava:
    • Ethel Orotavia Morris, born in 1891
  • Oroya:
    • Oroya Fletcher, born in 1889
  • Otago:
    • Otago J. Shearer, born in 1882
    • Otago William Holliday, born in 1883
    • Andrew Otago McCulloch, born in 1884
  • Oxford:
    • William Cuthbert Oxford Morse, born in 1876
    • John William Ackerman Oxford Booth, born in 1877
    • Charles Oxford Stubbs, born in 1881

P

  • Pacific Ocean:
    • Pacific Pearl Myrick, born in 1848
  • Palamcotta:
    • Emily Sarah Palamcotta Russell, born in 1890
  • Palestine:
    • Charles Owen Palestine Harte, born in 1873
  • Palgrave:
    • Edward Palgrave Thomas, born in 1886
  • Parthia:
    • Honora Parthia Moynahan, born in 1877
    • Parthia John George Wills, born in 1882
  • Pathan:
    • James Pathan Laurie, born in 1883
  • Peeress:
    • Elizabeth Peeress Brown, born in 1874
  • Penelope:
    • Penelope Ribeiro, born in 1857
  • Pennsylvania:
    • Pennsylvania Hall Gilman, born in 1869
  • Percy:
    • Percy George Cooper White, born in 1869
    • Thomas Percy Chenney, born in 1870
  • Pericles:
    • Alfred Pericles Maxfield, born in 1877
    • Ernest Pericles Waite, born in 1878
    • James Pericles Greig, born in 1878
    • Alfred Pericles Fletcher, born in 1883
    • Fanny Pericles Craven, born in 1883
    • Elizabeth Pericles Hutchins, born in 1883
    • Kate Pericles Jewell, born in 1883
  • Persia:
    • Henry Persia Mallet, born in 1854
  • Peruvian:
    • Maria Peruvia Hoxer, born in 1872
    • William Henry Peruvian Foster Davies, born in 1972
    • Peruviana Gudbjorg Krisgansson, born in 1891
  • Peter Denny:
    • Richard Pycroft Denny Gough, born in 1874
  • Peterborough:
    • Peterborough Daniel Brown, born in 1884
  • Pioneer:
    • John William Pioneer Wiles, born in 1858
  • Pleiades:
    • Emily Pleiades Hancock, born in 1872
    • Eveline Pleiades Norris, born in 1873
  • Pleione:
    • Effie Pleione Bunting, born in 1883
  • Pounder:
    • Henry Pounder Glory Levistone, born in 1818
  • Potosi:
    • Charlotte Potosi Botterill, born in 1884
    • Matle (?) Potosi Pogorelsky, born in 1891
  • Priam:
    • George Priam Hay, born in 1871
  • Propontis:
    • Wilhemina Propontis Conolly, born in 1854
  • Prussian:
    • Magdalen Prussian Jones, born in 1882
  • Ptolemy:
    • Ann Ptolemy Dancker, born in 1883

Q

  • Quetta:
    • Clara Quetta Green, born in 1885
    • John Quetta Eales, born in 1886
    • May Quetta Hollett, born in 1886

R

  • Raglan:
    • George Raglan Wilson, born in 1858
  • Rakaia:
    • Ann Rakaia Hoberfield, born in 1874
    • Albert Rakaia Dillon, born in 1874
  • Rajasthan:
    • Blythe Atkinson Rajasthan Malcahey, born in 1854
    • Lydia Eliza Rajasthan Rogers, born in 1854
  • Ramsey:
    • Florence Ramsey Hickman, born in 1873
    • Stephen Abbott Ramsey Johnson, born in 1873
  • Rathlin:
    • Alexander Rathlin Cunningham, born in 1879
  • Ravensdale:
    • Norman Ravensdale Smith, born in 1887
  • Remington:
    • Jane Remington Moore, born in 1877
  • Renown:
    • Edwin Renown Chillman, born in 1864
  • Restoria:
    • John Restoria Hamilton, born in 1875
  • Rialto:
    • Rialto Strick, born in 1883
  • Rimutaka:
    • Henry Rimutaka Wilson, born in 1886
  • Rinaldo:
    • William Rinaldo Lawn, born in 1869
    • Hewy Arthur Rinaldo Cox, born in 1869
  • Roma:
    • Roma Douglas Titel Ziell, born in 1882
    • Roma Brown, born in 1883
    • May Roma Kirk, born in 1883
    • Bessie Roma Taylor, born in 1883
  • Roman:
    • Annie Roman McNebo, born in 1887
  • Romsdal:
    • William Romsdal Osborn, born in 1883
  • Rooparell:
    • John Rooparell McGahan, born in 1874
    • J. P. Rooperell Fuller, born in 1874
  • Rosebud:
    • Rosebud Collie, born in 1883
  • Roseneath:
    • Janet Roseneath Gibson, born in 1876
  • Royal Charter:
    • Charterina Campbell, born in 1857
    • Royal Charter Bertha Parl, born in 1858

S

  • Samuel Plimsoll:
    • John Braden Plimsoll Eyre, born in 1875
  • Saraca:
    • Alice Saraca Cross, born in 1877
  • Saracen:
    • Kathleen Saracen Leboeuf, born in 1877
  • Sardinian:
    • William Sardinian Gorman, born in 1857
    • Jane Sardinian Sinclair, born in 1877
  • Sarmatian:
    • Minnie Aird Sarmatia Kealey, born in 1876
  • Sarnia:
    • Sophia Sarnia Yeates, born in 1884
  • Scawfell:
    • Thomas Scawfell Appleby, born in 1874
  • Scandia:
    • Scandia Marta Steiner, born in 1892
  • Scotia:
    • Henry Scotia Steer, born in 1875
  • Scottish Admiral:
    • Charles Louis Admiral Brown, born in 1882
    • Admiral John Kerr Stuart, born in 1883
  • Scottish Hero:
    • Thomas Hero Kelly, born in 1876
    • Elizabeth Jane Hero Fram, born in 1879
  • Scythia:
    • Francis Scythia Cogan, 1889
  • Sepia:
    • Sarah Sepia Parrott, born in 1875
  • Servia:
    • Edith Florence Servia Mace, born in 1890
    • Helena Servia Pedersen, born in 1889
  • Shalimar:
    • Anna Shalimar Rose, born in 1863
  • Shannon:
    • Henry Shannon Smith, born in 1865
    • Annie Shannon McMinn, born in 1883
  • Sherwood:
    • Mary Sherwood Brocklebank, born in 1885
  • Siberian:
    • Robert Shaw Siberian Thomson, born in 1885
  • Sierra Colonna:
    • Sierra Colonna Wildridge, born in 1879
  • Simiote:
    • Cleopatra Simiote Constatino, born in 1883
  • Sirius:
    • John Sirius Hallam, born in 1886
  • Sirsa:
    • Sirsa James Attree, born in 1884
  • Smyrna:
    • Smyrna Jane Hollow, born in 1878
  • Sobraon:
    • May Kyle Sobraon Heron, born in 1867
    • Amy Sobraon Petty, born in 1883
  • Somersetshire:
    • Arthur Somerset Hunter, born in 1879
  • Sorata:
    • Sorata Mary Josephine Schabinger, born in 1884
  • Southern Belle:
    • Belle Glenfield, born in 1874
  • Southesk:
    • Jennie Southesk Bell, born in 1878
    • Alexander Southesk McKenzie, born in 1882
  • Spain:
    • William Grace Spain Jackson, born in 1872
    • Grace Spain Bennett, born in 1882
    • Agnes Spain Gacek, born in 1883
  • Star of India:
    • William Star Bohlsen, born in 1877
  • Star Queen:
    • John Star Pritchard, born in 1873
  • State of Alabama:
    • James Alabama Murkussen, born in 1886
  • State of Florida:
    • Florida Wolkow, born in 1882
  • State of Indiana:
    • Sarah Findley Sadler Indiana Fleming, born in 1881
    • Alexandrine Ivan Indiana Schwartz, born in 1890
    • Georgina Klara Indiana Kriskick, born in 1891
  • St. Clair:
    • Robert Nisbet St. Clair Gill, born in 1885
    • Helen St Clair Higgie, born in 1886
  • St. George:
    • Catherine St. George Dobson, born in 1864
  • St. Kilda:
    • Helena Kilda Atkins, born in 1876
  • St. Patrick:
    • John Stephen Sneddon Patrick Dempster, born in 1871
  • Strathleven:
    • Ann Strathleven Proudlock, born in 1879
  • Suffolk:
    • Grace Suffolk Liddendale Hornell, born in 1866
  • Sultana:
    • Marie Sultana Bartram, born in 1859
  • Surrey:
    • Surrey Bloh, born in 1882
  • Sweden:
    • Erick Donald Sweden Jonasson, born in 1870
  • Sydenham:
    • Bernard Sydenham Berry, born in 1881
    • Humphrey Sydenham Heron, born in 1881
    • Sydenham Roberts, born in 1883

T

  • Tamar:
    • Carlotta Tamar Estevez, born in 1891
  • Tanjire:
    • Charles Tanjire Mylne, born in 1865
  • Taranaki (likely named for Mount Taranaki):
    • Fred William Taranaki Ward, born in 1883
  • Tarifa:
    • Elizabeth Tarifa Wood, born in 1867
    • Tarifa Swish, born in 1870
  • Taroba:
    • Rose Taroba Reid, born in 1888
  • Tasmania:
    • Sarah Edith Tasmania Baines, born in 1881
  • Taymouth Castle:
    • William Adreph Taymouth Schuhardt, born in 1877
  • Temple Bar:
    • Benjamin Temple Vaughan, born in 1887
  • Trefusis:
    • John Trefusis Lamont, born in 1877
  • Trevelyan:
    • Trevelyan Wood, born in 1880
    • Edward Trevelyan Martin, born in 1880
    • Trevelyan Edwardina Roberts Boardman, born in 1883
  • Trinacria:
    • Ann Trinacria Boyle, born in 1872
    • Concetta Trinacria Ermina Filice, born in 1886
  • Trinidad:
    • Maria Trinidad Baz, born in 1866
    • Martha Trinidad Wallace, born in 1883
  • Tripoli:
    • Thomas Tripoli McMahon, born in 1866
  • Trojan:
    • Charles George Trojan Glass, born in 1881
  • Tweed:
    • Tweed Ann Gardner, born in 1870
  • Tyne:
    • Charlotte Tyne Hastler, born in 1857

U

  • Umbria:
    • Umbria Alva Marie Lindh, born in 1889
  • Utopia:
    • Daniel Utopia Thomson Sullivan, born in 1874

V

  • Valetta:
    • Maggie Valetta Riddock, born in 1887
  • Valiant:
    • Valiant (surname unknown), born in 1980
  • Varuna:
    • Varuna Rowe Kennedy, born in 1874
  • Venture:
    • Avis Cygnet Venture Hilliard, born in 1892
  • Verum:
    • Mary Verum Parry, born in 1863
  • Victory:
    • Victoria Gibbon Baird, born in 1863
    • Jane Frances Victoria Mosley, born in 1883
    • Victory Elcoate Dowle, born in 1884
  • Viscata:
    • Elizabeth Sofia Viscata Drummond, born in 1865
  • Voltaic:
    • Elizabeth Moore Voltaic Boyle, born in 1889

W

  • Waikato:
    • Ruth Waikato Eswick, born in 1875
  • Waimate:
    • Annie Rose Waimate James, born in 1874
  • Wainsfell:
    • Eliza Wainsfell Trescoth, born in 1863
    • Hugh Wainsfell Garbride, born in 1863
  • Wairoa:
    • William Wairoa Joss Diffey, born in 1877
    • Joseph Wairoa Hill, born in 1879
  • Waitangi:
    • Alexander Waitangi Danks, born in 1876
    • William George Waitangi Connelly, born in 1877
    • Priscilla Waitangi Rundle, born in 1878
  • Waitara:
    • Emily Waitara Morgan, born in 1876
    • James Waitara Jenkins, born in 1877
    • Anne Waitara Adcock, born in 1879
    • Waitara Sarah Clark, born in 1879
  • Walmer Castle:
    • Charles Walmer Bud, born in 1859
    • Jane Walmer Fergusson, born in 1880
  • Waroonga:
    • Mary Waroonga Cook, born in 1883
    • Rose Waroonga Buchanan, born in 1883
    • Alice Waroonga Poffley, born in 1883
    • Elizabeth Waroonga Brown, born in 1883
    • Margaret Waroonga McLaughlin, born in 1885
    • Emily Waroonga Griffiths, born in 1887
    • Emily Waroonga Finlay, born in 1887
    • David Waroonga Griffiths, born in 1887
  • Warren Hastings:
    • Taylor Hedley Warren Hastings Henley, born in 1863
  • Warwick:
    • Ellen Mary Warwick Bourke, born in 1874
    • Warwick Temperley Skinner, born in 1874
    • Warwick Sexton Clifford Timmins, born in 1879
    • James Warwick Davis, born in 1879
    • Annie Warwick Chappell, born in 1884
    • Warwickina Shields, born in 1884
  • Wellesley:
    • Charles James Wellesey Taylor, born in 1858
  • Wellington:
    • David Cowan Wellington McColl, born in 1876
    • George Edward Wellington Duncan, born in 1878
    • Harry Cowan Wellington Haworth, born in 1879
    • William Wellington Chaplin, born in 1882
    • Ida Wellington Cowan, born in 1884
  • Western Monarch:
    • Thomas Western Radcliffe, born in 1876
  • Westmeath:
    • May Westmeath Wright, born in 1884
  • Westminister:
    • Mary Westminster Lucas, born in 1956
  • Wimmera:
    • George Wimmera Bennett, born in 1874
  • Windsor Castle:
    • Bertha Windsor Schultz, born in 1881
  • Winifred:
    • Winifred Hascher, born in 1881
  • Wisconsin:
    • Francis Owen Wisconsin O’Donald, born in 1879
    • Sarah Wisconsin Whitehead, born in 1879
    • Wisconsin Beardall, born in 1880
    • Jennie Wisconsin Cottrell, born in 1882
    • Wisconsin Ward, born in 1883
    • Wisconsin Wolfer, born in 1886
    • Elizabeth Wisconsin Hanlon, born in 1886
    • James Wisconsin Goodall, born in 1886
    • Johanna Wisconsin Cunningham, born in 1887
    • Edward Wisconsin Cothom, born in 1887
  • Wistow:
    • Wistow Tapp, born in 1885
  • W. J. Pirrie (now part of a marine sanctuary):
    • Nora Pirrie Duckworth, born in 1886
  • Wyoming:
    • Wyoming Grainger, born in 1880
    • Wyoming Liddle, born in 1883

Y

  • Yeoman:
    • Elizabeth Victoria Yeoman Goddard, born in 1887
  • York:
    • Christopher York Gurten, born in 1862
    • John York Lillis, born in 1862
  • Young England:
    • Young England Coleman, born in 1865

Z

  • Zamora:
    • Julia Zamora Fitzgerald, born in 1877
    • Agnes Maria Zamora Gabaluseke, born in 1881
    • Zamora Jane Walker, born in 1881
    • Edward Zamora Bently, born in 1882
    • Joseph Zamora Daly, born in 1882
  • Zeno:
    • Annie Zeno Babin, born in 1876
  • Zealandia:
    • Zealandia Helena Harvey, born in 1875
  • Zephyr:
    • Edith Anjer Zephyr Watson, born in 1878

Do you think any of the ship names above work particularly well as human names?

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Earl Dalhousie (public domain)

[Latest update: Jan. 2025]

Quotes about names from television

The character Phoebe Buffay from the TV series "Friends" (1994-2004)
Phoebe Buffay (temporarily “Princess Consuela”)

From a season 10 episode [vid] of the TV show Friends, a quote from character Phoebe Buffay, who had just legally changed her name:

Apparently you can change it to anything you want, so I thought, all right, here’s an opportunity to be creative. So, meet Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock.

From a Graham Norton Show episode [vid] that aired in October, 2014, in which comedian Stephen Fry gives actor Robert Downey, Jr., a baby name suggestion:

Could you, just as a favor, cause I know that, you know, some stars like to give unusual names, could you call him or her Uppy? Uppy Downey?

(Downey and his wife Susan welcomed a baby girl that November. But they didn’t name her “Uppy.” Her full name is Avri Roel Downey.)

Real Housewives of Potomac cast member Wendy Osefo told the story behind her name in an episode from late 2020:

For Wendy Osefo, being named after a popular fast food restaurant chain is a constant reminder of her family’s hard work and success. 

“My parents came to this country with nothing. My dad worked at a fast food restaurant and one day he found out that he was being promoted to manager,” Wendy recalled on The Real Housewives of Potomac‘s November 8 episode. “He was so happy that to thank this country for giving him the opportunity to be a manager, he named his second daughter after that restaurant: Wendy.”

She added, “I am literally the embodiment of the American dream.”

From a Good Morning America article about the ’90s sitcom Saved by the Bell:

The names of characters came from people [executive producer Peter] Engel knew growing up.

“I knew a guy named Screech Washington. He was a producer. I said I’m not going to hire him, but I’m going to steal your name,” he said. “Slater was a kid who was in my son’s kindergarten class, Zack was named after my dear, dear friend, John DeLorean. […] His son’s name was Zack. Lisa Turtle was a girl I knew and Mr. Belding, Richard Belding, had been my cranky editor when I worked at Universal.”

From a season 1 episode of The Mindy Project:

Mindy: I want kids, four kids. Madison, Jayden, Bree and the little one’s Piper.

Danny: Are you kidding me with those names? You want a bunch of girls who work at the mall?

BBC interviewee Guy Goma
Guy Goma

From a 2006 article recounting how BBC News mistook one guy named Guy for another guy named Guy:

The BBC interviewed the wrong Guy.

The network has apologized to its viewers for a studio mixup that resulted in a mystery man appearing on live television as Guy Kewney – an expert on Internet music downloads.

In fact the mystery man was Guy Goma, a Congolese man applying for a technology-related job with the British Broadcasting Corp., who followed an employee to the studio after a mistake at a reception desk, the corporation said late Monday.

From a blog post about an episode of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress:

Duvae, a 19-year-old bride from Utah, explained to consultant JB that her namesake is “duvet” because her parents knew she’d be a comforter in their lives.

From a 2009 episode of the The Rachel Maddow Show:

[T]he single, least important but most amazing thing about covering the life and times of Buddy Cianci for me was always the name of his wife. Buddy Cianci was married to a woman named Nancy Ann. Here name is Nancy Ann Cianci. Nancy Ann Cianci — the single, most awesome name in all of the names tangentially related to American political scandal ever. Nancy Ann Cianci.

From an interview with Emilia Clarke, following the Game of Thrones finale:

Q: I would guess that [the parents who] named [their daughters] Khaleesi in the spirit of empowerment. And yet the character has taken this rather dark turn.

A: I know! It doesn’t take away from her strength, though — it doesn’t take away from her being an empowered woman.

I think that, when you see the final episode, they’ll see there is a beginning and a middle and an end to her as a character. I think that there are people that will agree with her, because she’s a human being.

And Khaleesi is a beautiful name. [Laughs] It’ll all be forgotten in a minute! You know, and people will just go, “Oh, what an unusual name, how fabulous,” and the child will say, “Yes, yes. My parents just really liked the name.”

From a letter written by Mr. Rogers to a fan named Jason in 1987:

You asked me what my middle name is. When you care about people, you want to know more about them. My middle name is McFeely. I was named after my Grandfather McFeely. That’s the name we decided to use for the man who does the deliveries on our television visits.

Actress Jameela Jamil intentionally mislabeled "Kamilah Al-Jamil" by E! News
Jameela Jamil mislabeled “Kamilah Al-Jamil”

The red carpet prank pulled on actress Jameela Jamil at the Golden Globes back in January:

Jameela Jamil’s name was spelled wrong on E! News during the red carpet show before the 76th annual Golden Globes.

In place of The Good Place star’s name, the network referenced a plot point from the show — that Jamil’s character, Tahani, is always outshined by her sister, Kamilah Al-Jamil.

Jamil herself was more than a good sport about the misnaming at the Globes. “This is legit the funniest thing I have ever seen,” the actress tweeted. “Tahani would DIE!”

From a season 12 episode of The Simpsons, in which Lisa meets a boy named Thelonious:

Thelonious: My name’s Thelonious.
Lisa Simpson: As in Monk?
Thelonious: Yes. The esoteric appeal is worth the beatings.

From an article about the name Brenton being trendy in Adelaide in the 1980s:

No doubt the popularity of the name Brenton interstate and in the US is down to the paddleboat TV drama All the Rivers Run, which starred John Waters as captain Brenton Edwards and Sigrid Thornton as Philadelphia Gordon.

The miniseries first ran on Australian television in October 1983 and was later broadcast on the American channel HBO in January 1984.

(Indeed, the name Brenton saw peak usage in the U.S. in 1984, and the name Philadelphia debuted the same year.)

From comedian John Oliver‘s 2008 TV special Terrifying Times:

[A] friend of mine emailed me and he said that someone had created a Wikipedia entry about me. I didn’t realize this was true, so I looked it up. And like most Wikipedia entries, it came with some flamboyant surprises, not least amongst them my name. Because in it it said my name was John Cornelius Oliver. Now my middle name is not Cornelius because I did not die in 1752. But obviously, I want it to be. Cornelius is an incredible name. And that’s when it hit me — the way the world is now, fiction has become more attractive than fact. That is why Wikipedia is such a vital resource. It’s a way of us completely rewriting our history to give our children and our children’s children a much better history to grow up with.

From a 2020 episode [vid] of the competition show Penn & Teller: Fool Us:

You gave me this pen. And you gave me the pen with a joke — a joke about my name. You said, “Here’s a pen, Penn.”

When I was in grade school, it would be, “Hey Penn, got a pencil?” “Hey Penn, how’s pencil?” I should have an index of all those pen jokes that were told to me. I’d have over fifty, maybe more than that. It was amazing.

The characters Rob, Ritchie, and Laura from the TV series "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966)
Rob explains “Rosebud” to Ritchie

From a 1962 episode [vid] of The Dick Van Dyke Show, a conversation between main character Rob Petrie and his son, Ritchie Rosebud Petrie:

Rob: …and there’s no reason to look so sad, your middle name isn’t really Rosebud.
Ritchie: Yes it is, my birth certificate says it’s Rosebud.
Rob: Yes it does, but do you know why?
Ritchie: No, but I wish it was ‘Jim.’
Rob: Ritch, we have really a wonderful family. When they all found out that Mom and I were gonna have a baby, they all wanted to name you after somebody they loved very much.

(He then lists and explains all seven suggested names.)

Rob: So you see, Ritch, actually, your middle name is Robert, Oscar, Sam, Edward, Benjamin, Ulysses, David. And, the initials to all of your middle names spells…
Ritchie: Rosebud!

The above scene is referenced in an article about the 2019 Mad About You reboot:

On the original show, Theresa was portrayed by Burnett as a bit overbearing. But, she always brought extra love…and helped them name their daughter Mabel. When Jamie and Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser) couldn’t decide on a name for their baby, Theresa proclaimed that “Mothers Always Bring Extra Love,” an homage to The Dick Van Dyke Show where Rob and Laura explain Ritchie’s middle name. The Buchman’s decide to call their daughter Mabel.

From a season 3 episode of the TV show Friends, a quote from character Chandler Bing:

You know, I can handle it. Handle’s my middle name. Actually it’s the, uh…the middle part of my first name.

From an early 2016 episode [vid] of The Graham Norton Show in which comedian Kevin Hart talks about baby names following a discussion between Graham and Ice Cube about Cube’s birth name (O’Shea Jackson):

Lemme educate you on something. Black people are notorious for picking things that they saw one day and saying, “That’s my baby name.” That’s all that was. That’s all that was, Graham. It was nothing — there was no amazing story behind it. We’d love to tell you, yes, it actually came from a Irish forefather that did this…that’s not the case. His mother was reading the paper, and she was eating some cereal, and somebody in back said, “O’Shea!” She said, “That’d be a good name for the baby.” That’s it. That’s how it happened.

(Quotes about the names of musicians includes a quote from O’Shea himself.)

From an interview with Chrishell Stause of the reality show Selling Sunset at Vulture.com:

I was not born in a Shell station. I hate to disappoint people that think I was. My mom was getting car work done, and an attendant at the station was helping her and keeping her calm. Obviously she couldn’t drive to the hospital then, so the ambulance came. I made it to the hospital, but she wanted to name me after him. He worked at the Shell station, so she just thought “Chris, shell” — let’s stick them together. And you know, Chrishell was born, quite literally.

The characters Larry, Darryl, and Darryl from the TV series "Newhart" (1982-1990)
Larry, Darryl, and Darryl (right to left)

From multiple episodes of the ’80s sitcom Newhart:

“I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl.”

From a mid-2013 episode [vid] of the TV show This Morning, in which British reality TV star Katie Hopkins argued in favor of judging children by their names:

  • “A name for me is a shortcut, it’s an efficient way of working out what class that child comes from. Do I want my children to play with them?”
  • “I tend to think children that have intelligent names tend to have fairly intelligent parents and they make much better play dates, therefore, for my children.”
  • “I don’t judge people on their surnames but certainly I do make a very quick decision based on their first names and there’s a whole bunch of first names that I don’t like. I don’t like footballers’ names, I don’t like names after seasons of the year, I don’t like geographical location names, celebrity names, things like Apple.”

(Ironically, one of Katie’s three children is named India.)

From comedian Ali Wong’s 2016 stand-up special Ali Wong: Baby Cobra [vid]:

I’m just waiting for the right moment to, like, become a housewife, financially, you know? I want my husband to get us to, like, a certain point financially. I wanna get to the point as a couple where I can comfortably afford sliced mango. Know what I’m talking about? I’m talking about that Whole Foods mango. That $10-a-box Whole Foods mango that was sliced by white people. That’s the kind of income bracket I’m striving for. That’s when you know you’ve made it, when you’re eating mango that was sliced by a dude named Noah. I want Noah mango, Rebecca kiwi, Danielle pineapple.

From a season 3 episode [vid] of the sitcom Black-ish:

Bow: You’re not serious about naming our kid DeVante, are you?
Dre: Yes!
Bow: No.
Dre: What exactly is your problem with that name?
Bow: It’s unconventional, Dre. I grew up as Rainbow, ok? Rainbow. That was not easy.
Dre: Yeah that’s because Rainbow is the name that white people give cocker spaniels. DeVante is a great name, it has cultural significance.
Bow: DeVante is the name of the least important member of Jodeci.
Dre: No, the least important member of Jodeci was Mr. Dalvin and you know that.

From a 2012 episode of The X-Factor USA:

Simon Powell: Why were you called Panda?

Panda Ross: My mom, well, she was kinda, you know, in jail when she had me, and her cellmate was a white lady, she was black, and so, they just kinda came up with the name.

Images: Screenshots of Friends, BBC News, E! News, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Newhart

[Latest update: Mar. 2024]

How did “What’s My Line?” influence baby names?

Title of the TV game show "What's My Line?"

What’s My Line? (1950-1967) was one of the longest-running game shows on television — not to mention one of the earliest.

The word “line” in the title didn’t refer to a line of script, but to a line of work. Essentially, the show consisted of four celebrity panelists trying to guess a contestant’s occupation — typically something unexpected, e.g., “lipstick demonstrator,” “makes kilts,” “vaccinates chickens.”

Given the popularity of the show, and the fact that contestants’ names were emphasized (each one signed in on a chalkboard at the start of his/her segment), it’s not surprising that some of the more unusual contestant names ended up influencing U.S. baby names. For example…

Rondi
Contestant Rondi Stratton, whose job was demonstrating mattresses in store windows, was on the show in October of 1952. The baby name Rondi saw increased usage in 1952-1953.

Barbi
Contestant Barbi Nierenberg, who was a maternity dress buyer, was on the show in November of 1952. The baby name Barbi debuted in the data in 1953. (Barbie dolls weren’t launched until 1959.)

Wynelle
Contestant Wynelle Davis, who was a fireworks seller, was on the show in June of 1953. The baby name Wynelle saw an uptick in usage the same year.

Contestant Sunee Parker (men's barber) from the TV game show "What's My Line?" (1950-1967).
Sunee Parker, men’s barber

Sunee
Contestant Sunee Parker, who was a men’s barber, was on the show in October of 1953. The baby name Sunee debuted in the data the same year.

television, 1950s, game show, whats my line
Rozana Ruehrmund, bill collector

Rozana
Contestant Rozana Ruehrmund, who was a bill collector, was on the show in August of 1954. The baby name Rozana debuted in the data the same year.

Zana
Contestant Zana Stanley, who handled bad checks at a District Attorney’s office, was on the show in November of 1954. The baby name Zana saw an uptick in usage the same year.

Lili
Contestant Lili Lisande Wieland, who was a Christmas shopper at Saks Fifth Avenue, was on the show in December of 1954. The baby name Lili saw increased usage the same year.

Thor
Contestant Thor Thors, who was the Icelandic ambassador to the United States, was on the show in November of 1955. The baby name Thor saw an uptick in usage the same year.

Evonne
Contestant Evonne Gaines, who owned a dog grooming salon, was on the show in March of 1957. The baby name Evonne saw increased usage the same year.

Bunny
Contestant Bunny Yeager, who was a “cheesecake photographer,” was on the show in July of 1957. The baby name Bunny saw increased usage the same year. (Bunny Yeager, born Linnea Eleanor Yeager, was a former pin-up model herself.)

Darris
Contestant Darris Miller (f), who made one-piece pajamas for dogs, was on the show in August of 1959. The baby name Darris saw an uptick in usage the same year.

Perian
Contestant Perian Conerly, who wrote a football column for newspapers, was on the show in December of 1959. The baby name Perian debuted in the data the next year. (Her growing visibility as a columnist may have been an influence here as well.)

Sherrylyn
Contestant Sherrylyn Patecell, who was a Rockette — not to mention the recently elected Miss New York City — was on the show in July of 1960. The baby name Sherrylyn debuted in the data the same year. (Her pageant win may be a confounding factor here.)

LaVelda
Contestant LaVelda Rowe and her identical twin sister LaVona Rowe, both news photographers, were on the show in July of 1960. The baby name LaVelda was a one-hit wonder in the data the same year.

television, 1950s, game show, whats my line
Sita Arora, English teacher

Sita
Contestant Sita Arora, who was a high school English teacher originally from Bombay, was on the show in September of 1960. The baby name Sita debuted in the data the same year.

Dorinda
Contestant Dorinda Nicholson, who taught hula dancing, was on the show in August of 1962. The baby name Dorinda saw an uptick in usage the same year.

Candi
Contestant Candi Brasovan, who was a salami seller, was on the show in January of 1963. The baby name Candi saw increased usage the same year.

Sheva
Contestant Sheva Rapoport, who was a dentist, was on the show in February of 1966. The baby name Sheva debuted in the data the same year.

…And here are some other interesting What’s My Line? contestant names. These didn’t influence the data, but they caught my eye nonetheless.

  • 1952: Regife
  • 1953: Rosebud
  • 1954: An’a, Gudny, Jun, Tala
  • 1955: Edle (pron. “ed-lee”), Kirpal, Relly, Sheréé, Sylvette, Vari, Zarine
  • 1956: Heloisa, Martica, Trema
  • 1957: Benna, Felisa, Gundega, Jolie, Mirella, Reimar, Vondon
  • 1958: Kinlock, Rildia*
  • 1959: Jorunn, Mirja, Rood, Roswitha
  • 1960: Gedney, Jo-ag-quis-ho (Onondaga for “the sun making tracks in the snow”)
  • 1961: Alfena
  • 1962: Alansa
  • 1963: Inter, Meeg
  • 1964: Sura
  • 1965: Brackett, Sua
  • 1966: Rosmare

*Piano teacher Rildia Cliburn was the mother of pianist Harvey Lavan “Van” Cliburn. Her own mother was named Sirrildia.

Other game shows that influenced American baby names include Card Sharks, Jeopardy!, and American Gladiators.

Sources: What’s My Line? – TV.com, What’s My Line? – Wikipedia