How popular is the baby name Swayze 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 Swayze.

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Popularity of the baby name Swayze


Posts that mention the name Swayze

Where did the baby name Georgemichael come from?

George Michael's album "Faith" (1987)
George Michael album

Singer George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou) released his first solo album in late 1987.

Four of the singles from Faith reached the #1 spot on the Billboard charts in 1988 — “Faith” in January, “Father Figure” in February, “One More Try” in May, and “Monkey” in August.

In 1989, Faith won a Grammy for Album of the Year. “Father Figure” was also nominated a Grammy, but lost to Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Also in 1989, we see the compound name Georgemichael sneak onto the U.S. baby name charts for the very first time:

  • 1991: 6 baby boys named Georgemichael
  • 1990: unlisted
  • 1989: 6 baby boys named Georgemichael [debut]
  • 1988: unlisted
  • 1987: unlisted

The SSA omits spaces and hyphens, so no doubt some of these Georgemichaels were actually named “George Michael” or “George-Michael.”

U.S. parents gave name one more try in 1997, when it briefly popped back onto the charts, but it hasn’t appeared in the data since then.

The sitcom Arrested Development (2003-2006) featured a character called George Michael, but the character wasn’t able to revive the name. (A character named Maeby, however, did manage to influence the charts…)

Distinctive baby names, state by state

Which baby names are the most disproportionately popular in each U.S. state?

Name blog Republic of Names has your answer — a bunch of cool lists of the most distinctive baby names by state. Here are some highlights for about half of the states.

In Alabama:

  • Crimson – Crimson Tide is the University of Alabama football team.
  • Krimson

In Alaska:

  • Aurora
  • Denali – Denali (Mount McKinley) in Alaska is North America’s highest peak.
  • McKinley

In Arizona:

  • Ariza
  • Helios
  • Nizhoni – Nizhóní is a Navajo word meaning “it/he/she is pretty/beautiful.”
  • Sedona – Sedona is a city in Arizona.

In California:

  • Eztli – Eztli is a Nahuatl (Aztec) word meaning “blood.”
  • Sissi

In Colorado:

  • Matix
  • Story
  • Trindon – Trindon Holliday played pro football in Colorado.
  • Zeppelin

In Florida:

  • Kervens
  • Woodley

In Idaho:

  • Ammon
  • Brigham
  • Hyrum

In Indiana:

  • Jolisa

In Iowa:

  • Kinnick – Kinnick Stadium is where the Iowa Hawkeyes football team plays.

In Kansas:

  • Creighton
  • Ignatius

In Louisiana:

  • Beaux
  • Jacques
  • Marigny – Foubourg Marigny is a New Orleans neighborhood.
  • Montreal

In Maine:

  • Baxter – Baxter is a state park in Maine.
  • Libby

In Mississippi:

  • Swayze

In Missouri:

  • Chancellor
  • Messiah

In Montana:

  • Tuff

In Nevada:

  • Berenice
  • Halo
  • Love

In North Carolina:

  • Chatham

In North Dakota:

  • Briggs
  • McCoy

In Oklahoma:

  • Gentry
  • Jentri
  • Jentry
  • Kutter
  • Tuck
  • Tuff

In Oregon:

  • Alder
  • Autzen – Autzen Stadium is where the Oregon Ducks football team plays.
  • Avenir – Avenir is a French word meaning “future.” It’s also on the Washington state list below. In fact, nearly two-thirds of last year’s Avenirs were born on the west coast: 10 in Washington, 7 in California, 5 in Oregon. Anyone know why?
  • Cedar
  • Forest
  • Maple
  • Opal
  • Pepper
  • Sequoia
  • Sol

In Tennessee:

In Texas:

  • Brazos – Brazos is a Spanish word meaning “arms.” The Brazos River in Texas was originally called Rio de los Brazos de Dios, or “River of the Arms of God.”

In Utah:

  • Korver – Kyle Korver played pro basketball in Utah.
  • Lesieli
  • Navy
  • Parley
  • Viliami

In Vermont:

  • Arlo
  • Juniper

In Washington, D.C.:

  • Egypt
  • Harlem

In Washington (state):

  • Avenir – see Oregon
  • Rio
  • Valkyrie
  • Zephyr

In West Virginia:

  • Remington

In Wisconsin:

  • Charisma
  • Croix
  • Ruthann

In Wyoming:

  • Temperance

See the original post for the rest. You might also be interested in checking out the “most regional” baby names in the US.

Update, 5/31/2018: Figured out Avenir!

Keeping an eye on the name Swayze

Actor Patrick Swayze in the movie "Ghost" (1991)
Patrick Swayze in “Ghost

The late ’80s and early ’90s were good to Patrick Swayze (pronounced SWAY-zee). In 1987 he was in the movie Dirty Dancing. In 1990 he was in the movie Ghost. In 1991, he was in the movie Point Break and also declared the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine.

Not surprisingly, it was during this period the name Swayze started popping up in the U.S. baby name data:

  • 1992: unlisted
  • 1991: 7 baby boys named Swayze
  • 1990: unlisted
  • 1989: 5 girls named Swayze [debut]
  • 1988: unlisted

But only twice. Then nothing…for more than a decade.

Swayze reappeared on the list in the mid-2000s, along with the spelling variant Swayzee:

  • 2008: unlisted
  • 2007: 5 baby girls names Swayzee [debut]
  • 2006: unlisted
  • 2005: 5 baby girls named Swayze
  • 2004: 6 baby girls named Swayze
  • 2003: unlisted

But things didn’t really heat up until a few years later.

Starting in 2009 — the year Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer, sadly — we start to see more and more babies with the names Swayze, Swayzee, Swayzie and Swayzi:

  • 2012:
    • 52 baby girls and 13 baby boys named Swayze
    • 20 baby girls named Swayzee
    • 20 baby girls named Swayzie
    • 7 baby girls named Swayzi [debut]
  • 2011:
    • 26 baby girls and 6 baby boys named Swayze
    • 14 baby girls named Swayzie
    • 13 baby girls named Swayzee
  • 2010:
    • 17 baby girls and 7 baby boys named Swayze
    • 6 baby girls named Swayzie [debut]
  • 2009:
    • 5 baby boys named Swayze
    • 5 baby girls named Swayzee

If we condense the above, that’s 10 babies in 2009, 30 in 2010, 53 in 2011, and 112 in 2012. So, the number of babies with a Swayze-inspired name has been doubling every year.

Why the mini-explosion of Swayzes? I think it has to do with style. The name Swayze is reminiscent of Hollywood/celebrity (like Brando, Harlow, Monroe, Travolta) and it sounds very modern, especially with that kicky “zee” ending (like trendy Mackenzie).

Do you like Swayze as a baby name?

How popular do you think Swayze names will get?

P.S. Here’s one last Swayze-inspired name for you: Orry. It debuted in 1985 and was inspired by a Patrick Swayze’s character Orry Main from the TV miniseries North and South.

Source: SSA

Image: Screenshot of Ghost