How popular is the baby name Zeppelin 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 Zeppelin.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Zeppelin


Posts that mention the name Zeppelin

Baby names in the news: Aneurin, Casey, Suharsi

Some recent and not-so-recent baby names from the news…

Aneurin: A baby boy born in Wales on June 26, 2018 — days before the 70th anniversary of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), founded by Aneurin “Nye” Bevan — was named Aneurin. (South Wales Echo)

Carson*: A baby boy born in Pennsylvania in July of 2018 was named after Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. (CBS)

  • “Pennsylvania Hospital has also had several babies named Carson lately. And one girl named Kelce, spelled like Jason Kelce.” (ABC, Oct. 2018)

Casey: A baby boy born in Kentucky in August of 2018 was named Jaxon Casey, middle name in honor of Kentucky’s “Casey’s law,” which the parents credit for saving each of their lives. (Courier Journal)

Foles*: A baby born in Philadelphia in October of 2018 was named Layla Grace Foles, second middle name in honor of Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. (ABC)

Murren: A baby girl born in North Carolina in April of 2017 was named Tessa Murren, middle name in honor of the Swiss mountain village in which she was likely conceived. (The Local)

Suharsi: A baby girl born aboard the Indonesian hospital ship KRI Dr. Soeharso in October of 2018 was named Suharsi, “a feminine adaptation of Soeharso.” (Daily Mail)

Zeppelin: A baby boy born in the U.S. in December of 2016 was named Zeppelin after the zeppelin bend, inspired by the fact that his umbilical chord was knotted at birth. (USA Today)

  • Zeppelin is the son of actors Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris. He has a twin sister named Arrow. (Danneel’s name was inspired by Danneel Street in New Orleans, btw.)

*Philadelphia hospitals are now preparing for a Super Bowl baby boom

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!

The top girl-name debuts of 2013

lotus bud

Vanellope, the name of the feisty Wreck-It Ralph character, was the top debut name of 2013.

Of all the girl names appearing for the very first time on a Social Security Administration baby name list in 2013, the following were the most popular:

1. Vanellope, 63 baby girls
2. Delayza, 24
3. Adalind, 23
4. Jonylah, 22
5. Daleiza, 19
6. Daleisa, 18
7. Dalayza, 17
8. Daleyssa, 16
9. Ariebella, 15
10. Jennicka, 15
11. Stassi, 14
12. Jayceona, 13
13. Dalexa, 12
14. Graceleigh, 12
15. Kemely, 12
16. Lennan, 12
17. Pihu, 12
18. Spruha, 12
19. Hypatia, 11
20. Idalie, 11
21. Jessalee, 11
22. Mayalen, 11
23. Mirola, 11
24. Riyaan, 11
25. Sansa, 11

And a selection from the 10-and-under group: Aleciram (Maricela backwards), Jayceon, Oswin, Zaleigha, Azealia, Eribella, Jayceonna, Kahleesi, Malala, Pistol, Pragati, Vanelope, Venelope, Wrenly, Faraday, Happiness, Pemberley, Wrenley, Epic, Prim, Rarity, Briggs, Charlemagne, Kinzington, Bow, Essined (Denisse backwards), Gunner, Lwren (L’Wren), Moxxi, Quora, Sierraleone, Thisbe, Versavia, Zeppelin.

Where do these names come from? Here are some explanations:

  • Vanellope, Vanelope, Venelope – from Vanellope von Schweetz, a character in the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph (2012). Her name is a portmanteau of “vanilla” and “Penelope.”
  • Delayza, Daleiza, Daleisa, Dalayza, Daleyssa, Dalexa – from Daleyza Hernandez, a character on the Spanish-language TV show “Larrymania.”
  • Adalind – from Adalind Schade, a character on the TV show “Grimm.”
  • Jonylah – from Jonylah Watkins, the 6-month-old Chicago baby who was fatally shot back in March.
  • Stassi – from Stassi Schroeder (birth name Nastassia) of the Bravo reality TV show “Vanderpump Rules.”
  • Jayceona, Jayceon, Jayceonna – from Jayceon Taylor (a.k.a. The Game) of the VH1 reality TV show “Marrying The Game.”
  • Pihu – from Pihu Kapoor, a character on the Indian TV show “Bade Achhe Lagte Hain.”
  • Spruha – from Indian actress Spruha Joshi?
  • Hypatia – from the film Agora (2009)?
  • Sansa – from Sansa Stark, a character on the TV show “Game of Thrones.”
  • Malala – from Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani activist.

Can you come up with explanations for any of the others?

P.S. Here are the girl name debuts for 2012, 2011 and 2010.

U.S. Baby Names 2013: Most popular names, Top girl-name debuts, Top boy-name debuts, Biggest girl-name changes, Biggest boy-name changes, Top first letters, Top lengths, Top girl names by letter, Top boy names by letter

Source: SSA

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

Baby name story: Zeppelina

The wreck of Zeppelin L33
Wreck of Zeppelin L33

Germany sent Zeppelins to bomb Great Britain a total of 52 times during World War I.

One of these bombing raids occurred on the night of September 23, 1916. It involved 12 Zeppelins — eight aiming for the Midlands, four aiming specifically for London.

One of the London-bound Zeppelins, L33, was damaged by anti-aircraft fire while dropping bombs over the East End. It came down intact in Little Wigborough, about 60 miles east of London, in the wee hours of September 24.

The Germans on board were uninjured by the landing, so they set the airship on fire and tried to escape. (They were the only armed Germans to set foot in England during WWI, apparently.) They were soon caught and imprisoned.

News of the wreckage spread quickly. Right around the time the L33 was set alight, Mr. and Mrs. Clark of Great Wigborough (one village over from Little Wigborough) welcomed a baby girl. The doctor who delivered her suggested she be named Zeppelina to mark the occasion, and the Clarks agreed.

Zeppelina Clark went on to live a long life, marrying a man named Williams and passing away in the early 2000s. Today, in St. Nicholas’s Church in Little Wigborough, there’s a memorial plaque that reads:

In memory of
Zeppelina Williams
1916-2004
(L33 Little Wigborough 24 September 1916)

[Zeppelina isn’t the only Zeppelin-inspired baby name I’ve discovered. Check out Zeppelin Wong, born in 1929, or the dozens of U.S. babies named Zeppelin since the mid-1990s.]

Sources:

Image: Zeppelin brought down near a cottage – Nationaal Archief