How popular is the baby name Truxton 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 Truxton.

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Popularity of the baby name Truxton


Posts that mention the name Truxton

Popular and unique baby names in Iowa, 2019

Flag of Iowa
Flag of Iowa

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the most popular baby names in the state in 2019 were Charlotte and Oliver.

Here are Iowa’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2019:

Girl Names

  1. Charlotte, 179 baby girls
  2. Emma, 174
  3. Evelyn, 156
  4. Harper, 154
  5. Olivia, 134
  6. Amelia, 129
  7. Ava, 127
  8. Avery, 98
  9. Nora, 96
  10. Violet, 94

Boy Names

  1. Oliver, 236 baby boys
  2. Henry, 189
  3. Liam, 188
  4. William, 154
  5. Lincoln, 141
  6. Noah, 138
  7. Owen, 136
  8. Jack, 127
  9. Jackson, 124
  10. Maverick, 116

In the girls’ top 10, Avery and Violet replaced Sophia and Isabella.

In the boys’ top 10, Jack and Maverick replaced Wyatt and Hudson.

(The SSA’s 2019 name data for Iowa is different in several ways. On the girls’ side, Avery/Hazel/Nora are in a 3-way tie for 8th/9th/10th. On the boys’ side, Henry and Liam have switched spots, and Theodore is in 10th.)

Getting back to Iowa’s own data, here are some of the baby names that were bestowed just once in the state in 2019:

Unique Girl NamesUnique Boy Names
Aglaia, Aoibhgreine, Belvida, Cinqi, Corazone, Coyla, Dazzilynn, Demi-Dimitria, Eclipse, Eileithyia, Eilish, Ellanoire, Fetra, Garnet, Hattilyn, Hexli, Indica, Jasecret, Jotaniel, Kaelyx, Katibeth, Kisra Sifa, Lagertha, Lilith-Xitlali, Likely, Marthadelina, Mervedie, Nancina, Nectar, Offranel, Orinthia, Oteena, Penaflor, Piercely, Quertina, Renzley, Rivauna, Semsem, Sevlea, Spinlee, Telphina, Teiola, Tuyetlan, Umutoni, Victoria Chrysolite, Vrutti, Webbigail, Xio, Yukiko, Zingtha, ZlanwaiAmenadiel, Artorias, Bement, Capable, Chripp, Danger, Dawkins, Dylan Hendrix, Eiji, Elandale, Eljadai, Fitzonder, Grain, Guster, Hamilton, Hiroyuki, Iron, Jorisson, Judahmiah, Kaladin, Kershaw, Khal-El, Khepri, Lawt, Littoree, Millennial, Meek, Naphaterion, Nessiah, Ole Gunnar, OllieAndre, Paradox, Provider, Quadier, Ralthio, Rezric, Roanoke, Salpine, Seven-Seville, Stoic, Tandon, Triomphe, Truxton King, Uciel, Vainqueur, Vennis, Windzton, Xiden, Yossarian, Zimajay, Zuice

Thoughts on some of the above…

  • Amenadiel – a character on the show Lucifer
  • Aoibhgreine – Irish for “radiance of the sun, ray of sunshine”
  • Artorias – a character in the video game Dark Souls
  • Eileithyia – the Greek goddess of childbirth
  • Indica – a type of cannabis
  • Kaladin – a character from the book series Stormlight Archive
  • Khal-El – looks like Kal-El with a Game of Thrones twist :)
  • Penaflor – a place name (Peñaflor) used in both Spain and Chile
  • Roanoke – the Lost Colony; the word ultimately comes from the Roanoke people
  • Triomphe – French for “triumph”
  • Truxton King – a character from the 1909 book Truxton King
  • Vainqueur – French for “winner” (was also used in Quebec!)
  • Victoria Chrysolite – “chrysolite” is another word for peridot
  • Yossarian – a character in the book Catch-22

Finally, in 2018, the top two names in Iowa were Evelyn and Oliver.

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Flag of Iowa (public domain)

How did George Barr McCutcheon influence baby names?

The book "Beverly of Graustark" (1904) by George Barr McCutcheon.
“Beverly of Graustark”

The name “George Barr McCutcheon” probably doesn’t mean anything to you. But the name has become pretty familiar to me over the years, because George Barr McCutcheon — who wrote dozens of novels in the early 1900s — put several brand new baby names on the map in the early 20th century.

The Indiana-born writer lived from 1866 to 1928, and many of his books became bestsellers. Today, his best-remembered story is Brewster’s Millions, which has been adapted into a movie several times. The most memorable adaptation was the 1985 version starring comedians Richard Pryor (as protagonist Montgomery Brewster) and John Candy.

So which baby names did McCutcheon introduce/influence?

Nedra

McCutcheon’s novel Nedra (1905) was the 5th best-selling book of 1905. Though there’s a lady on the front cover, “Nedra” isn’t a female character, but the name of an island on which several of the characters are shipwrecked.

The next year, the name Nedra debuted on the U.S. baby name charts. In fact, it was the top debut name of 1906.

  • 1909: 14 baby girls named Nedra
  • 1908: 18 baby girls named Nedra
  • 1907: 10 baby girls named Nedra
  • 1906: 11 baby girls named Nedra [debut]
  • 1905: unlisted

Data from the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) confirms that the name Nedra saw noticeably higher usage after the book was released.

One of these baby Nedras grew up to become actress Nedra Volz (b. 1908).

The book "Nedra" (1905) by George Barr McCutcheon.
“Nedra”

Yetive, Truxton, Gerane, Beverly

McCutcheon wrote six novels about the fictional Eastern European country of Graustark:

  • Graustark (1901) – the 9th best-selling book of 1901
  • Beverly of Graustark (1904) – the 6th best-selling book of 1904
  • Truxton King (1909) – the 6th best-selling book of 1909
  • The Prince of Graustark (1914) – the 10th best-selling book of 1914
  • East of the Setting Sun (1924)
  • The Inn of the Hawk and Raven (1927)

Several of these books were later made into movies and plays. The three Graustarkian names I’ve noticed on the charts are:

  • Yetive (debuted in 1911), inspired by Princess Yetive, a character in the first two books.
  • Truxton (deb. 1912), inspired by Truxton King, a character in the 3rd book.
  • Gerane (deb. 1928), inspired by Gerane Davos, a character in the final book. (The variant spelling “Geraine” was a one-hit wonder the same year.)

Plus there’s Beverly, which was used for a female character in Beverly of Graustark. The novel, along with a 1926 film adaptation, helped pull the once-gender-neutral name onto the girls’ side definitively. (Ironically, the actress who played Princess Yetive in a 1915 film adaptation of Graustark used the stage name Beverly Bayne.)

Here are some of Graustarkian names that did not make the charts: Ganlook, Grenfall, Dantan, Dannox, Marlanx, Bevra (the daughter of Beverly), Hedrik, and Pendennis.

Doraine

McCutcheon’s novel West Wind Drift (1920) is like his earlier book Nedra in that both stories involve a shipwreck and an island. In Nedra, “Nedra” is the name of the island; in West Wind Drift, “Doraine” is the name of the ship.

The year West Wind Drift came out, the name Doraine debuted in the baby name data.

  • 1923: 5 baby girls named Doraine
  • 1922: unlisted
  • 1921: 6 baby girls named Doraine
  • 1920: 11 baby girls named Doraine [debut]
  • 1919: unlisted

It was tied for 2nd-highest debut name that year. (#1 was Dardanella.)

Coincidentally, the shipwrecked characters in West Wind Drift have a debate at one point about using “Doraine” as baby name. They argue over whether or not they should give the name to an orphaned baby girl who had been born aboard the ship. Here’s the opinion of character Michael Malone: “We can’t do better than to name her after her birthplace. That’s her name. Doraine Cruise. It sounds Irish. Got music in it.”

*

Have you ever a George Barr McCutcheon book? If so, do you remember any unusual character names? (If not, and you’d like to check him out, here are dozens of George Barr McCutcheon novels archived at Project Gutenberg.)

Sources: The Books of the Century: 1900-1999 – Daniel Immerwahr, George Barr McCutcheon – Wikipedia

Baby names from classic arcade games?

Potential baby names may be hiding in the titles of classic arcade games of the ’80s and early ’90s. No, I’m not talking Q*Bert or Pac-Man. But how about Azurian, Zaviga, or Cadash?

Below are a bunch of possibilities, most not even as daring as Dovahkiin or Tali’Zorah. Three of them — Kage, Raiden, and Truxton — have already popped up in the SSA data. (And if you’re in the mood to play, click through to check out playable versions of the games hosted by the Internet Archive!)

  • Amidar (1981)
    • “Amidar” is based on Amidakuji (the name of a Japanese game) which is based on Amida (the name of a figure in East Asian Buddhism).
  • Bosconian (1981)
  • Zarzon (1981)
  • Azurian, from Azurian Attack (1982)
  • Zaxxon (1982)
  • Zektor (1982)
  • Cavelon (1983)
  • Ixion (1983)
  • Regulus (1983)
  • Xevious, from Super Xevious (1983)
  • Zaviga (1984)
  • Kage (“kah-gay”), from Legend of Kage (1985)
  • Rygar (1986)
  • Gryzor (1987)
  • Sauro (1987)
  • Ordyne (1988)
  • Syvalion (1988)
  • Truxton (1988)
  • Xenon (1988)
  • Cadash (1989)
  • Dyger (1989)
  • Sagaia (1989)
  • Tonma, from Legend of Hero Tonma (1989)
    • “Tonma” is translated to “Tommy” within the game, interestingly.
  • Xyonix (1989)
  • Aurail (1990)
  • Raiden (1990)
    • “Raiden” was used again a couple of years later in the original Mortal Kombat.
  • Trigon (1990)
  • Solvalou (1991), one of several Xevious sequels
  • Vimana (1991)
    • “Vimana” is a Sanskrit word that refers to a flying palace or chariot in Hindu mythology.

I half-expect to see Zaxxon on the charts soon, now that Jaxon and Jaxxon are trendy and variants like Maxxon and Daxxon have emerged.