Waverly

I am at a complete lose when it comes to girl names. As of right now I have no top names or any names I love. Every name that was in my top 10 are names that I just like. A long time ago I had the opposite problem where I had no top boy names. In my quest for find names I love  I came across Waverly a name that has been on my mind lately. Like last week's name of the week, Arlo, I just had to research the name! 

Place Name and Pop Culture Influence 

Waverly can be found as a place name most famous for the Waverly Place in Greenwich Village in New York. The place was named after the 1814 novel, Waverley by Sir Walter Scott where the main Character was named Edmund Waverly. Many people believe Scott named the character after the brand of pen he was using to write it. 

Waverly isn't just a place name in New York. It is also the name of a historical tuberculous hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The hospital cared for tuberculous patients in the early 1900s when there was an outbreak of the disease. It functioned until 1961 when it was no longer needed and closed. 

Disney aired a show from 2007-2012 called The Wizards of Waverly Place about a family of wizards who had 3 kids all competing for sole custody of the family's magical powers. The show takes place in the Waverly Place in New York. Don Daper's bachelor in Mad Men also originates from the same place. 

If you are in The Princess Bride fan club then you probably already know that Buttercup and Wesley have a daughter named Waverly. I'd say thats a great name to feature in a fairy tale. Another character bearing the name is Waverly Jong from The Joy Club who was named by her Chinese mother after the street they lived on. Last but not least is Waverly Grady from Friday Night Lights, Smash's girlfriend. 

Summer, Beach, and Mermaid 

Waverley can be shortened to Wave. Waves are in the ocean and oceans have beaches and mermaids in them. Beaches remind people of summer and lets be honest who doesn't love a beautiful mermaid. My name friend Meagan made a great list of mermaid names and Waverly was one of them! Not only does Waverly have the wave part in it but its also whimsical and airy perfect for a summer baby. 

Unisex Surnames

Unisex names and surnames are both trends that parents seem to be interested in lately. Quirky, cool, and laid back are just some adjectives that come to mind when I hear the names. They are perfect if you are looking for a name that doesn't scream girl or boy. A few of the names on this list are surnames of famous people who come to mind when heard. The people are often of importance.

Boys- 133 Babies 

Girls- 241 Babies 

The pilgrims to the Holy Land bring back palm leaves as proof of there journey thus making Palmer meaning palm trees. Its the surname of famous golfer Arnold Palmer and the fictional character Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks.

Boys- #882

Girls- #677

Sutton seems to fit perfectly with boy names simply because it is 2 syllables and ends in the -on sound. ABC Family had actress Sutton Foster in two of their shows, The Lying Game and Bunheads making the name suddenly appear usable for a girl.

Boys- 176 Babies 

Girls- 224 Babies 

An interesting fact about Campbell: it is the 7th most popular surname in Scotland. Maybe it isn't as usable over there but here in the United States I would stay it is. There was a time the name was greatly associated with the soup brand but now i think that is being pushed back farther and farther from people's minds.

Boys- #444

Girls- #716

Lennox is a lot more popular on boys than it is girls but I see the appeal for both. It has the X factor that gives it an edgy cool guy/girl feel. I was going to suggest Lennox as a variant to Lennon but Lennox is actually more popular.

Boys- #296 

Girls- #161 

Emerson appeals to parents for girls because of her Emm- beginning like Emily and Emma while not being too feminine. For boys it has a masculine feel with the -son ending and its not far behind the girls in popularity. Only 731 less boys were given the name in 2016

Boys- 128 Babies

Girls- #692 (416 Babies)

Monroe often times reminds people of Marilyn Monroe and could be why some parents pick the name for their daughters. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon chose the name for their daughter for just that reason. For boys the name may bring to mind the President and a patriotic feel.

A Year of Names

While browsing the name beyond the top 1000 I came across a bunch of the month names such as November and December. That got me thinking, how many babies were given each month as a name in 2016? Better yet, when did we first start seeing each month used? After some research I came up with the answers. There were a few names that have never been used for one gender and even one name never used for either gender or any year!*

January 

Girls- 20 (1951, 7 babies)

Boys- N/A (Never Used)

January is a name that screams girl to me, maybe because of January Jones but it looks like I am not the only one who thinks that. January was never used for more than 5 boys since the SSA name charts came out in 1880. I was first introduced to the name through  documentary of a little girl with schizophrenia named January Schofield who went by Jani. Nicknames are one of my favorite things about names so you will find a lot of nicknames mentioned throughout this post. For January nicknames like Jani, Jan, Ari, and even Jana all work for January. 

February 

Girls- N/A (Never Used)

Boys- N/A (Never Used)

February is the month at the end of winter on the way to spring. A month of love and romance and feelings. Part of me is surprised that the name has never been used not on a boy or girl and not over the last 130+ years. Then there is the only part that is not so surprised. The name can be hard to say and a little awkward when it rolls off the tongue. I do love the nickname options like Rue, Airy, and Ebbie. 

March

Girls- N/A (1919, 5 babies)

Boys- N/A (1900, 5 babies)

March is one of the month names that I love on both genders. For girls I really enjoy it as a nickname for Marcheline and for boys I enjoy it just on its own. Not only is this a month name it is also a word/verb name. Call me crazy but I feel like the verb aspect of the name makes it more masculine. Like boys marching to the beat or marching in the military. If you are looking for a feminine feel to the name than just thinking of the March sisters from Little Women. 

April

Girls- 820 (1917, 6 babies)

Boys- N/A (1959, 9 boys)

April is and has always been a girl dominated name. In the 1970s the name ranked in the top 30 and was at its prime. Now it is ranked at #402. It was once the most popular month name for a girl that is until June came into play. Do you think April is dated? I personally would be surprised to meet a baby April.

May

Girls- 131 (1880, 62 babies)

Boys- N/A (1882, 8 babies)

I have a little secret for you. May is not ranked in the top 1000 for 2016! But her sister spelling Mae is at #582. I was super surprised about that and stopped to really think about why more parents like the Mae spelling rather than May. I came up with he theory that Mae looks less like a month name. It is also more vintage looking and vintage names are coming back in style. When it came to finding boys named May I thought if there was any chance it would be back in the 1880s or 1900s. I was really happy to find that I was right!

June

Girls- 1180 (1880, 9 babies) 

Boys- 16 (1880, 14 babies)

June is now the most popular month name for girls. With all of the June inspired names out there I can only imagine how many little girls actually go by June. In 2016 June was ranked at #268 and has been rising since it came back on the charts in 2008. The short and sweet sound she brings along with a  not super girly feel are perfect to love. June sounds a lot like Jude and I can see how it works on boys. I wouldn't be against a little boy named June. Heck when the name first appear to be used it was used for more boys than girls! 

July

Girls- 22 (1962, 6 girls)

Boys- 13 (1973, 5 boys)

Like March, July is a name I enjoy equally on both genders. When writing in cursive I get a very girly feel to it with all the loops. But when I think of the month and what happens in the month, Fourth of July and patriotic, I think boy. The month itself is named after a man, Julius Caesar, making me think more along the lines of boys. And this might even be a long shot but July could work as a nickname for Julius or Julian. 

August

Girls- 222 (1914, 6 babies)

Boys- 2078 (1880, 210 babies)

If there is any name on this list that is going to dominate the boy category than its August. It is ranked at #193 in 2016 and given to over 2000 babies. It is not only the most popular month name for boys but it is the most popular month name overall. The vintage appeal of the name along with celebrities using it may just have an impact on the popularity. I adore Gus as a nickname or even Auggie. I do think the girls are trying to steal away the name. I was shocked to find out 222 babies were named August in 2016.

September

Girls- 22 (1955, 20 babies)

Boys- N/A (Never Used)

I grew up listening to the song September by Earth, Wind, and Fire. It's my mom's favorite song and I haven't been able to figure out if its because she was born in September or not. The month is the start of Fall when the leaves are falling. I always think of school starting and a new season of life. Ember, Emmy, Temper, and Berry all work as nicknames for girls. Personality I prefer the name on a girl. 

October 

Girls- 56 (1969, 5 babies)

Boys- 6 (2016)

My mom and brother got my hooked on this really cool game show called Beat Shazam. Basically the contestants listen to a few seconds of a song and have to name the title of it. Well, on the show there is a Dj named October (girl)! I would say that is the first time I have really heard the name on a person. I think the name works on both genders. Toby makes a nice nickname for boys and familiarizes the name. 

November

Girls- 49 (1971, 6 babies)

Boys- N/A (Never Used)

September and November are such similar names to me. They both were given to no boys ever yet are not popular for girls. With the same ending and 2 syllables you can see the similarities. When you think of the month itself you may think of Thanksgiving and giving thanks. Unlike September, November has a plethora of usable nicknames. Nova, Novi/Novie, Emmy, Ember, Eva, and Vema. 

December 

Girls- 32 (1960, 5 babies)

Boys- 6 (2016)

December is the start of winter and the month of Christmas. The name brings about images of snow, lights, family, carols, cookies, and so much more. December, like October, is a month name that I find usable both genders. There is sort of a masculine feel to the name when paired with eh nicknames Dex and Dec. When paired with the nicknames Ember, Dessi, Demi, and Dee I get a soft, feminine fell.  

It looks like month names are more favorited towards the girls.I have to say it was cool to see the names in numbers. I may just do something like this again.

* When I saw never used I mean never used by 5 or more babies. There may be people out there named February or September just not 5 for a certain year.

Arlo

I had a namer moment out in public last weekend, a little freak out of excitement over a name. While visiting my friend for her birthday I ran into another acquaintance who I hadn't seen in a year and we were catching up. One thing lead to another and we got to talking about his new nephew. And his name? Arlo! I could not believe my ears so I made him not only repeat it but spell it as well. Since then I have not been able to get the name off my mind so I took to doing the only thing I know: researching and researching the name turning it into a name post.

Meaning

There are many debuts over the meaning and origin of the name. Some believe it is a derivation of Carlo, an Italian name meaning man. Others say it means barberry tree in Spanish. 

Some believe it comes from the fictional place, Arlo Hill, from the 1950 poem The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spencer. That leads to the belief the author got Arlo from the real Irish place, Aherlow, meaning between two highlands. 

It would even be safe to say that Arlo could have come from Harlow or Harley possibly even Arlene. 

Popularity 

The first time Arlo appeared on the SSA list was in 1900 at #906 and was given to 8 baby boys. It didn't gain much popularity until 1915 when it went up to #667. Up until this year 1915 was the year it was the most popular. As of 2016, Arlo ranked at #349 and has been climbing the charts since it entered in 2011. 

New Zealand (#57), Australia (#95), and Scotland (#91) all have Arlo in their top 100. England has Arlo ranked just outside of the top 100 at #102. All that being said Arlo travels well and can be understood by many countries. 

Source

Famous Arlo's 

Arlo Guthrie is an American folk singer and songwriter most popular for his song "Alice's Restaurant." Born in 1947 right after the name dropped off the charts in 1944 I would say he didn't have much influence on the name. 

There were a few Arlo's born long before Arlo Guthrie. The American novelist, journalist, and poet Arlo Bates was born in 1850 but it wasn't until the late 1880s when his work became known. He was an editor for the Boston Sunday Courier. Military connections can be found tot he name Arlo for World War II's Arlo Olson. He was award the United States's highest declaration, the Medal of Honor. 

In recent years England born Arlo White has been gracing the tv screens as a sports presenter and commentator. Primer League is his main focus in the United States. Could soccer fan parents be using his name after hearing it while watching he games? 

Source

Pop Culture 

The Good Dinosaur is a Disney Pixar movie featuring a dinosaur named Arlo. I have to admit that I was not able to watch the whole movie because of some sad scenes. 

Justified's Arlo Given and 24's Arlo Glass may be just some of the reasons the name has gained so much popularity in recent years. Tv shows and films making the name more familiar to parents across the country. 

O ending boy names seem to be a growing trend making Arlo a perfect choice for a baby boy in 2017. It feels cool and fresh yet still masculine. After all this research I am wondering more and more what the little Arlo that inspired this post. What is his middle name? Why did his parents choice the name? 

Same Rank, Different Year, New Name {Monthly Name Game}

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are all had a nice week and are ready for the weekend. I'm here to kick off the weekend with a fun baby name game inspired by another namer. Elizabeth over at Well-Informed Namer had the fun idea a few days ago to find out the popularity of your first and middle name the year you were born. Then take those numbers and find out what your name could have been in other years. Now isn't that a fun idea?! 

My name is Lauren Ashley and I was born in 1995. Lauren was #15 and Ashley was #2. I have pretty popular names thats for sure! I mean my best friend since I was 4 is named Lauren for crying out loud! I'm interested to see what names will come up. I have a feeling there will be a lot of repeats with he middle names. 

2016- Madison Olivia

2015- Evelyn Olivia

2014- Amelia Olivia 

2013- Ella Emma

2012- Aubrey Emma

2011- Lily Isabella

2010- Samantha Sophia

2009- Ella Emma (Now this is a cringeworthy combo!)

2008- Alexis Isabella 

2007- Mia Isabella 

2006- Sarah Emma

2005- Sarah Emma

2004- Sophia Emma

2003- Lauren Emma

2002- Grace Madison

2001- Lauren Madison

2000- Brianna Hannah (The rhyming endings are a little much)

1999- Megan Hannah

1998- Rachel Hannah 

1997- Alyssa Jessica 

1996- Madison Jessica 

1995- Lauren Ashley (My name!)

1994- Stephanie Ashley 

1993- Jennifer Ashley

1992- Chelsea Jessica 

1991- Nicole Jessica 

1990- Amber Ashley 

1989- Heather Ashley 

1988- Amber Ashley 

1987- Amber Ashley 

1986- Rachel Ashley 

1985- Lauren Ashley 

1984- Rachel Jessica 

1983- Kimberly Jessica 

1982- Rebecca Jessica 

1981- Angela Jessica 

1980- Christina Amanda 

In the future I may do a more detailed listed for 1880-1979 with all of the remaining years. But for now here are some random years with some random combinations. Since both of my names are in the top 20 I am able to come up with a combo for every year but with that comes a lot of repeats, especially with the #2 name. 

1977- Nicole Melissa 

1962- Debra Mary 

1954- Carol Linda 

1940- Carolyn Barbara 

1936- Doris Shirley 

1925- Alice Dorothy 

1911- Virginia Helen 

1901- Grace Helen 

1891- Mabel Anna

1880- Cora Anna

And now for the boys. The boy names are a lot better better than the girls name and I actually like a  bunch of them. I think the problem with the girl names is a lot end in A and almost all of them are 2 syllables. So together they just don't sound right. 

2016- Matthew Liam 

2015- Matthew Liam

2014- Jayden Liam

2013- Matthew Jacob

2012- Anthony Mason 

2011- Liam Mason 

2010- David Ethan

2009- Joseph Ethan

2008- Noah Michael

2007- James Michael

2006- Noah Michael

2005- Nicolas Michael

2004- Alexander Michael

2003- Tyler Michael

2002- Alexander Michael

2001- Ryan Michael

2000- Zachary Michael

1999- John Michael

1998- John Jacob (John Jacob jJingleheimer Schmidt!)

1997- John Jacob

1996- John Matthew 

1995- Ryan Matthew 

1994- John Christopher 

1993- Zachary Christopher 

1992- Jacob Christopher 

1991- Brandon Christopher 

1990- Anthony Christopher 

1989- William Christopher 

1988- Jonathan Christopher 

1987- William Christopher 

1986- William Christopher 

1985- Justin Christopher 

1984- Brandon Christopher 

1983- Andrew Christopher 

1982- William Christopher 

1981- William Christopher 

1980- Ryan Christopher 

And just like the girls here are random years and name combos for the boys. I used the same random years as the girl names.  

1977- Jeremy Jason 

1962- Charles David 

1954- Ronald James 

1940- Kenneth Robert 

1936- Paul James 

1925- Raymond John 

1911- Harry William 

1901- Albert William 

1891- Fred William 

1880- Fred William

I had a really fun time seeing what combos would be formed! My favorite girl names were Lily Isabella and Carolyn Barbara. For boys I really liked are Ryan Christopher and Charles David. Growing up I was never a fan of having a popular name and now it made it hard to have fun or unique combinations. What interesting combos did you come up with? I would love to know in the comments below! 

Thank you so much Elizabeth for this fun game! Be sure to check out her blog because she has become one of my favorite blogger.