How popular is the baby name Xyza 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 Xyza.

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Popularity of the baby name Xyza


Posts that mention the name Xyza

Alphabet soup baby names: ABC to XYZ

Last year, I asked if ABCDE really was a baby name. It is, but it’s not the only alphabet-based baby name out there. Here are some others…

ABC

I’ve tracked down more than a dozen people named Abc, including Abc Groff (1887-1966) in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and Abc Dixon on a list of “educable children” in Mississippi from 1878:

abc, name

ABCD

I haven’t found any true cases yet, but plenty of people have had “A.B.C.D.” as initials. I did notice this on the 1940 U.S. Census, though — looks to me like Abcdania or Abcdenia:

abcdania, name

ABCDEF

One-upping the famed Abcde! I’ve seen two, one being Abcdef Riggs on the 1870 U.S. Census:

abcdef, name

A third person with the name — Herbert Abcdef Atkinson (born in Northumberland in 1904) — is mentioned in Russell Ash’s book Morecock, Fartwell, & Hoare.

I didn’t spot any letter-string names from the middle of the alphabet, but I did have some luck at the other end…

XYZ

I’ve discovered over a dozen people named Xyz, including Xyz Smith on the 1870 US Census:

xyz, name

Another was Xyz Crenshaw (1906-2002) in the SSDI. Here’s his gravestone:

xyz, name

I wonder how “Xyz” would be pronounced: ziz? eksiz?

I’ve also seen extended versions like Xyza, Xyzen, and Xyzemia. Here’s Xyzrapha Dismuke on the 1940 U.S, Census, for instance:

xyzrapha, name

What are your thoughts on names like these?

Popular and unique baby names in Alberta (Canada), 2011

Flag of Alberta
Flag of Alberta

I saw lots of news last week about baby names in Alberta, Canada. The media didn’t focus on the Alberta’s most popular names of 2011, which happen to be these:

Girl Names

  1. Olivia
  2. Sophia
  3. Emma
  4. Emily
  5. Ava
  6. Chloe
  7. Abigail
  8. Lily
  9. Brooklyn
  10. Sophie

Boy Names

  1. Liam
  2. Ethan
  3. Mason
  4. Lucas
  5. Jacob
  6. Benjamin
  7. Alexander
  8. Noah
  9. William
  10. Logan

Instead, the media focused on Alberta’s unique names, which is something that I’ve been writing about for years (literally: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009).

The official list of Albertan baby names isn’t ready yet, but preliminary data is available via the Edmonton Journal. Here are some oddball names I spotted on the Journal’s list:

Boy NamesGirl Names
Crevance, Dawnwalker, Dybry, Flourish, Goliath, Jheizzller, Knowledge-Tree*, Lefarius, Llord-Xedric, Madrid, Matt-Dainon, Moo, Moxon, Nzoputa, Princelife, Pure, Spyder, Mskr, Tata-peh, Wanderingspirit, Wisherlee, VedderApril-May, Chaz-a-rae, Cupid, Dayleigh, Dazzelyn, Duffni, Eirachloe, Evolet, Glennizelle, Gobza, Laker-Lynn, Mississippi, Nomalisa, Phetlunda, Psanatcsakor, Q’Tyyr’N, Rainejewelle, Sheamus, Starr-shine, Thespina, Thipphaphone, Vylet, Xyza, Zxyvian

*I’m guessing at the last letter; I think it was cut off.

Many of the news articles also claimed that baby names in Alberta had been inspired by royals William and Kate, who visited Canada last July. This could be true — there were a few more Princes and Dukes than usual in 2011:

  • 2011: 199 Williams, 50 Kates, 8 Princes, 6 Princesses, 9 Dukes, 0 Duchesses
  • 2010: 184 Williams, 44 Kates, 5 Princes, 5 Princesses, 0 Dukes, 0 Duchesses
  • 2009: 198 Williams, 67 Kates, 5 Princes, 2 Princesses, 2 Dukes, 0 Duchesses
  • 2008: 178 Williams, 68 Kates, 4 Princes, 0 Princesses, 3 Dukes, 0 Duchesses
  • 2007: 185 Williams, 67 Kates, 5 Princes, 1 Princess, 3 Dukes, 0 Duchesses

The names Kate and William didn’t move too much, though.

Image: Adapted from Flag of Alberta (public domain)