Names That Come and Go
President Grover Cleveland
The popularity of first names in the United States changes over time. Some first names become popular suddenly and then disappear from regular use, while other names seem to be popular for many, many years. (To come and go means to be temporary, not to last long.)
A recent article in the New York Times listed the most popular first names for babies over the past 100 plus years. It is interesting to see which names have stood the test of time (lasted a long time, have not changed in many years) and which names came and went. For example, Mildred was a very popular name in the 1920s in the US. You could find many young girls named Mildred (as well as Evelyn and Virginia). But now almost no one names their child Mildred. In fact, if you see the name Mildred, you might laugh a little, since it is such an old-fashioned (old and no longer used) name. Similarly, Grover was popular in the late 19th century, but not in recent years. (The picture at right is of President Grover Cleveland, who was president in the late 19th century.)
The article says that names that suddenly or very quickly become popular usually don’t last very long. For example, in the 1950s, Linda suddenly became very popular, but then dropped in popularity within a few years. Amy was a popular name for girls in the 1970s (the president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, had a daughter named Amy), but then declined in popularity by the 1990s. Names that slowly become popular seem to last longer. During the 1990s and early 2000s, names such as Zachery, Cody, and Adam were popular.
In some countries, it is common for English students to take an “English” name that is easier to spell and pronounce. This gives students the opportunity to choose their own names, which can be a lot of fun. Some of the names that are chosen, however, are no longer popular in the US. I once had a student who called herself Gertrude, which is a name that has not been popular in the US since the 1930s. The name sounded odd to an American, but of course she probably didn’t realize that is was no longer used very much.
There are some names that don’t change much in popularity. The number of babies with these names is usually not large, but it is steady (stable, not going up or down in number). For example, Ellen, Maria, Russell, Paul, Douglas, and Patrick are all names that have been relatively constant (steady) in popularity in the past 100 years in the US. Daniel has also been popular for many years, especially in the 1990s.
What are the names that are suddenly becoming popular now? Here is a list:
- Ava (girl)
- Ella (girl)
- Addison (boy or girl?)
- Aiden (boy)
- Jayden or Jaden (boy)
- Caden or Kaden (boy)
- Trinity (girl)
So if you want to adopt an English first name, you might want to avoid Mildred or Grover, and instead use names that are more current. I suggest either “Jeff” or “Lucy.”
~Jeff
May 28th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Jeff always to me has been an enigma where your name comes from, and Cuca my wife told me it comes from Godofredo, a very old name that was usual in the Ten century or before.
There is a well know Godofredo de Bouillon who was the count that conquested Jerusalen on the year of 1099 and afterward he rejected to be claimed as the first King of Jerusalen being his brother Balduino who was elected the first Jerusalem’s King. All these events were along the first crusade against the muslim that were so well stablished in their lands.
Here is what Wikipedia said about this very old name:
“Geoffrey”[1] is the older, British English spelling of the American English “Jeffrey”,[2] abbreviated as “Geoff”[3] or “Jeff”.[4] Geoffrey originated from an Old French form of a Germanic name. Although the name’s second element is “frid”, meaning “peace”, the first element of the name is disputed. Possible words that it originated from include “gawia” (“territory”), “walah” (“stranger”), “gisil” (“hostage”) or “god”. It is considered possible that more than one of these words were used as elements of the same name”
Did you know what your name means or comes? Yes I think you do, but of course I didn’t till now, I have to ask Cuca and she was right as ever, and she has gave me the clue to look for it.
In Spanish Lucy is Lucia, and I always like this name very much. It is a name that fashion don’t move as it was usual when I was young (a hundred years ago) and now some girls are called so.
In fact my nephew’s daughter is called Lucia too.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Looking for Lucia I have found the following:
“Lucía es un nombre propio femenino de origen latino que significa luz (en latín: lux) o “la que nació con la primera luz del día”. Lucas y Lucio son la variantes masculinas de Lucía”.
In English: Lucy is a female name from the Latin that means Light, or “the one who was born with the first
day’s light” …..what it is really very beautiful.
So now we can see that your name Lucy is even older as it was from the woman who was created with the first light.
It is so beautiful that I like Lucia even more that I know where it comes from.
Yes, I think this as been a good topic to talk about. Thank you Jeff/Godofredo
May 28th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I wonder what difference (in percentage) in someones life can make his/her name, if it was extremely popular or unpopular.
For example if Jeff’s name was Grover, will he succeed as a podcaster/teacher?
May 28th, 2009 at 9:40 am
To be honest the names “Jeff” and “Lucy” are nice names, at least they seem pretty nice to me. Although I have to say that I wouldn’t have any problem to put my daughter Virginia, Ella or Amy in spite of the fact that they are old-fashioned. Actually I like these names.
When my daughter was born in the year 1980, we were called her Anna. I think is a nice name, maybe the nicest name for a woman. She really deserved it, because when the nurse showed her to me a few minutes she was born I said:
-Gosh! What ugly she is!.
-Don’t say something like that. She is your daughter. – told me the nurse.
-Yes I know, but… she is really ugly.
She was my daughter without doubt because she has a little defect in her fingers that my family pass on, for at least five generations.
She was totally wrinkled, her eyes were like two tennis balls and her head looked like a rugby ball. In addition, I wasn’t able to find her nose. However since this moment I would have given my life by her.
Next day, just few hours later, her face had totally changed. Her skin was pink and soft, without any wrinkle, her big eyes were already opened, and they were green, and her head was already normal. When I saw the nurse again I said to her:
-Oh my God! She is perfect.
Nowadays, twenty-seven years later, she keeps being perfect. Besides, she has given us two wonderful grandchildren. We love her very much.
P.S.: I apologize because I have realized that I started speaking of kind of names and I finished speaking about my daughter.
All the best.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Thanks from Russia!
I like currant name Caden.
May 28th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
As long as the time-honored (long-standing) names go,they are mostly rooted in religions. I think, it is a kind of globally shared attribute.I don’t want to get into details ,but if you look more closely you can find the trail.
May 29th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the interesting article. Regarding the adoption of an English first name in class, most of the students go for John, Jack and Marry. I guess these three names must be of those names that stand the test of time at least in the recent decades. Again I’m not sure.
Parina
May 29th, 2009 at 1:21 am
currEnt
May 29th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Dear Jeff,
Every country has a sort of directory book for names. You can find all sorts of names in there ,even the ones that have tarnished ,or have given ways to more trendy names. My question is : what is the name of the book in English ? Name book, name directory. Could you possibly enlighten us ?,if you see fit ,of course.
May 29th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
If I have to choose some names now I would like to say that I like Eva, Laura, Fatima, Ana, Lucía and of course Maria.
May be to a girl these are the five or six names I like more.
Usually I like short names in spanish and english, so Bella, Lauren, Kay, Lucy, Susan, Sarah, Beth and Mary, are names that I like in english.
To men I like short names too like: Juan, Luis, Pablo, Miguel, Pedro, Jesus and Manuel. Is evident that I don’t like mine as being too long.
But it has some advantages because I haven’t been with another emiliano though my father who is call that name too.
In english I like Paul, John, Mikel, Jeff (of course), Steve, and Denis.
As a boy I disliked my name always, even now I don’t like it at all but it is nice sometimes that every body
remember it and knows perfectly who I am because it is so unusual.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Speaking of witch. In today’s http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=7146620 there is name “Pinda” witch means in polish rude description of silly and a stupid woman. If some girl comes to Poland and say: “Hello, I’m Pinda” she mustn’t be surprised if she notice a smile on her interlocutor face
May 31st, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hi Guys ,
I have something rather interesting for you guys. Rumor has it that there is no word in English that rhythms with the word “month.” Is there anybody out there interested in defying it. I accepted the challenge ,but my poor English knowledge and ability failed me. I couldn’t think of anything. Maybe you can come up with sth. Bring it on my friend.It is a tad awkward since on weekend everybody is outside chasing butterflies. But, I am sitting at the computer in my eery ,dismal room trying to type in some none sense.I know it is sad ,but “although the world is full of suffering it is full of overcoming of it.” (obscure writer)
literally, I live and breath The Blog. I gust The Blog is my thing.
Dear Jeff,
I think you can on more time explain us the meaning of the term “A lone wolf” through me, I am a living example bro.
May 31st, 2009 at 7:03 am
Sorry Pals,
I did not mean to moan and brood.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
By the way, I never met to someone English speaker named Julio, or Julius or even July. It is a very very rare thing because it is a wonderful name, isn’t it? Only Julio Iglesias, Julius Verne, but nowdays very few, What’s the matter? I can’t understand it!
For the tastes, colours, says an old Spanish saying, although undoubtely people will be right when they decide not to choose such a name.
In any case, as for my potential English name, What’s about Jack? Indeed it sounds pretty good, at least to me. So I am going to tell my wife and ask her oppinion about. I will tell you the outcome.
Best regards from Spain,
Julio (Jack).
June 1st, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Yes, indeed, I like Jack and julio too. Both shorts and nice.
A pleasure seeing you again here Julio.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Hi guys.
Talking about names I want to tell you something about choosing names for someone in Spanish.
Although we can choose one, two, three and even four names to give a one child, It’s a hard work if you decide more than one because all of them (case 2, 3, 4, … names) have to sound nice (“rimar”). Some times names like “Maria” for girls and “Luis” or “Juan” (Jose) can be used-combined with other names easier than “Ana” or “Pablo” respectively.
I know people with three names and actually I have two names, but in US I use only, the first one “Maria” but I like more my two names together.
Best,
Maria Clara
June 1st, 2009 at 9:03 pm
How about the popularity of “Sara” in US, and it is actually my real name. thanks!
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Hello everybody
I am living in LA during a short period of time (8 months) and I have little problems with my name here in the United States. The problem is that the majorities of the people, change my name, and call me, Loretta.
Many people, cannot understand, how a woman have Loreto like name. Perhaps it sounds, masculine, for them.
I suppose end up in “o” is the principal reason, due the fact that the majority (of course, not all), of female names end up in, “a”, or at least include “a” in her names.
The “Loreto” name, in my country, Spain, is the name of a Virgin, patron saint of “aviation” .My father was “air force piloted”, and for each and every one of them, it was a pride, to put this name to one of his daughters.
Nowadays, and especially now, that my father passed away, I’ am proud of have this name, but also I have to recognize, that I still remember when I was young, I didn’t like my name because many boys, that they didn’t familiarize with this name, making fun, because they said, what it seemed a “boy name”.
Best
Thanks Jeff and Lucy for “ELS Podcast”. It has been one of the best discoveries for me, here in LA.
June 7th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
“Jeff” share the same pronunciation of “Brother in law” in Chinese, if a Chinese boy is given an English name like this, anyone calls him would feel like he/she is taken adavantage by the boy. Joking~