Peggy

According to Behindthename.com, Peggy is a pet form of Meg, which itself is a pet form of Margaret. That's a whole lot of petting. This information really only covers the origin of the name, however. In fact, Peggy has often been given as a first name in its own right, with no Megs or Margarets involved. For most of the 20th century Peggy was a top 500 name for baby girls in the United States, only dropping out of the top 1000 in the 1990's. Meg, on the other hand, has never enjoyed such popularity in the U.S. (which surprises me a little, but oh well.) Of course, Margaret is an old classic, and though not as popular as it once was, is still in frequent use--but that's another post. The meaning of Margaret is "pearl," so I suppose Peggy can be considered to mean "pearl" also, although personally I think the new official meaning of Peggy should be "teenager of the 1950's." Again, Peggy did drop out of the top 1000 in the early 1990's, mainly because Peggy was now a name borne by one's mother, or perhaps even grandmother. In other words, it was old-fashioned. Will it at some point come back into fashion? That is anyone's guess. Whatever it was that made parents fall in love with the name in the early 20th century may cause parents of the future to feel the same way.

Beatrice

Beatrice is the French or Italian form of Beatrix. According to Ask Oxford, Beatrix probably came from a combination of the Latin Viator and Beatus. Since the former meant "voyager" and the latter meant "blessed," Beatrice can be taken to mean "blessed voyager." Beatrice was a character in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," but is probably more well known as the name of the lady with whom Dante was obsessed. Beatrice was a popular name in England during the Middle Ages, and like many other names that appeared in classic literature, was strongly popular again in the 19th century, when it was very occasionally even given to boys. This popularity continued into the 20th century; in the United States Beatrice appeared consistently in the top 100 names for girls until the 1930's. After that, the name began to be considered old fashioned and declined steadily in popularity. Beatrice has not appeared in the top 1000 in the U.S. since 2001. More recently, well-known bearers of the name Beatrice include Princess Beatrice of York, and Beatrice McCartney, the daughter of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. Nicknames for Beatrice include Bea and Trixie.

Amber

Amber is simply the name of the gemstone amber used as a given name. Amber began to be used some in the late 19th century, when using gem names as given names was in fashion, but it wasn't as popular as some other gem names, such as Pearl and Ruby. The book Forever Amber, by Kathleen Winsor, and subsequent movie brought the name into the public consciousness, and in the 1970's and 1980's, when new parents were looking for feminine, yet less "girly" names for their daughters, Amber became hugely popular. Although currently not quite as popular as it once was in the U.S., Amber is still a top 100 name for girls, and has also become popular in other English-speaking countries. This late-starting gem name is likely to become a naming standard that will come into fashion again and again.

Jaiden

Jaiden is an interesting name that seems to have simply been invented sometime in the 1980's or 1990's. It may ultimately derive from the Hebrew name Jadon ("thankful,") but it's more likely that it is inspired by the popularity of the name Jade, with spelling possibly inspired by the Japanese word gaiden. Jaiden is being used in the U.S. to name both boys and girls, but seems to most often be used as a masculine name. In both cases it appeared on the U.S. top 1000 lists in 1999, and has risen steadily in popularity for both boys and girls since then.

Joyce

According to the authoritative sources, Joyce became a name this way: First there was the Breton name Iodoc, which meant "lord." The Latinized form of that name was Jodocus. From Jodocus came the Norman name Josce and the Middle English Josse. These were all male names, apparently, as well. None of the forms survived the Middle Ages as given names, but they did survive as surnames, including Joyce. Joyce began to gain some popularity for girls in the U.S. in the late 19th century, and became truly popular in the early decades of the 20th century. It remained in the top 100 names for girls in the U.S. from 1924 until 1966. Joyce also appeared as a name for boys during the first half of the 20th century, possibly often as a transferred use of the surname. Joyce is currently still a top 1000 name in the U.S., and may eventually regain at least some of its former popularity, once it is no longer perceived as being outdated. The original meaning of the name that Joyce is derived from is mostly irrelevant to the name as it is used these days, but it is worth noting that part of the popularity of the name is due to the fact that it contains the word "joy," also used as a name in its own right. For this reason, I think it's fair to consider "joy" as an implied meaning of the name Joyce when it's used as a given name.

Sylvia

Sylvia is a variant spelling of Silvia, but of the two, Sylvia is now more often used. Ultimately, it comes from the Latin word silva which means "woods" or "forest." Sylvia was one of the "classical" names that enjoyed popularity in the late 19th century, and into the early years of the 20th century. From 1909 through 1923 the name was in the top 100 for girls in the U.S., and it was again in the top 100 through most of the 1930's and 1940's. Consequently, Sylvia is currently considered a somewhat old-fashioned name, and is in the bottom half of the top 1000. The most well-known Sylvia was probably Sylvia Plath. Sylvia is both pretty to the ear and to the eye, and will most probably return to popularity in the next decade or so. In the meantime, Sylvia is also a wonderful name for a cat.

Michelle

Michelle is simply a French feminine form of Michael. Michael means "who is like the Lord," so this can also be taken to be the meaning of Michelle. Michelle's popularity in the English-speaking world has been phenomenal. The name first appeared in the U.S. top 1000 in 1938, first appeared in the top 100 in 1954 and has consistently remained in the top 100 ever since. From 1966 through 1980, Michelle was in the top 10. The incredible popularity of Michelle over so many decades means that there are a lot of women and girls out there named Michelle. If you wonder why it is that you don't seem to personally know a ton of Michelles, try asking women and girls with which you are aquainted, "What is your middle name?" You will most likely find that you know a lot more Michelles than you realized. The extreme popularity of Michelle is no doubt partly influenced by the extreme popularity of the Beatles song "Michelle," but it could be that the extreme popularity of that song is influenced by the fact that there were so many Michelles out there who love to be sung about. Nicknames for Michelle include Chelle, Shell, Shelley, and any other variation or respelling of that second syllable you can think of, some of which have become quite popular as names in their own right.. I also have personally known one Michelle who went by the first syllable of her name, which wound up sounding something like "Meesh." Although Michelle is a relatively new entry to the name game in the English-speaking world, it is probably here to stay, and might be considered a new classic which will never go out of style.

Jade

Jade is a gem name, and is simply the word for the precious stone used as a given name. Gem names, such as Ruby, were quite popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jade was not part of this trend, because "jade" was also a slang term used as a synonym for a floozy or hussy, and also a slang term used for a worn out horse--a nag. Jade only really began to be used popularly as a given name after Mick Jagger's daughter, Jade, was so named, in the early 1970's. Since then, Jade has been a fairly popular name in the U.S., mostly given to girls, but given to boys often enough to have made the top 1000 occasionally since the 1970's. Jade (for girls) has been even more popular other English speaking countries in recent years, and has become especially popular in France and Belgium, as well. Jada and Jayda are both names derived from Jade that have lately been gaining popularity.

Liberty

Liberty, of course, simply means "freedom." It comes from the Latin libertas, which is derived from liber, meaning "free." Liberty has appeared on the list of top 1000 names for girls in the U.S. since 2001, and is currently in the top 500. The reasons for this are probably obvious, considering the times. Giving a baby a name that reflects the attitudes and values of the parents can be admirable, and granted, Liberty has the potential to be a very nice name. It even comes with built-in possibilities for nicknames; Lib, Libbie, and Bertie. I'd be very careful about using Liberty as a given name for a daughter, however. Be aware that she's going to hear every variation on "give me Liberty or give me death," and "taking liberties," among other phrases, often enough in her life to be sick of them early on. My advice would be to use Liberty as a middle name if you must use it at all, and if you are truly determined to use it as your daughter's first name, at least avoid any temptations to use "Belle" as her middle name.

Pocahontas

Most people have at least a passing familiarity with the legend of Pocahontas, or some version of it. Her given name was actually Matoaka; Pocahontas was a nickname given to her as a child to describe her "playful, frolicsome" ways. You can read more about her here or here if you are so inclined. I can't imagine anyone, other than perhaps a rock star or movie star, naming their daughter Pocahontas today. The meaning of Pocahontas, however, makes it perhaps a perfect name for a playful, mischievous, kitten or puppy. Later, when the critter is older and a bit more sedate, the name can be shortened to Pokey.

Colleen

Colleen comes from the Gaelic word cailín, which means "girl" or "wench." Although Colleen is often though of as an Irish name, it is apparently not used as a given name in Ireland. Using it as a name there would be about the same as naming a girl "Gal" in the U.S. What is interesting, however, is the number of girls of Irish descent in the U.S. who were given the name Colleen, because it "sounds Irish" and went well with their Irish surnames. Colleen has enjoyed some popularity as a given name in the U.S., however, peaking in the 1960's. It currently is still used often enough to be a top 1000 name, but is far from common.

Ada

Like many very short names, Ada comes from more than one original source. It is considered to be a short version or nickname for several names, including Adelaide, Adele, and Alexandra--pretty much any name that has an 'A' and a 'D' and more than one syllable. In other cases it is considered to be essentially the same name as the biblical name Adah (which means "adornment" in Hebrew.) Ada was a popular name in the 19th century, and although that popularity continued into the early 20th century, it declined steadily. Ada finally disappeared entirely from the U.S. top 1000 names after the 1970's. The name began to make a comeback in 2004, and it will be interesting to see if it begins to regain its former popularity. Relatively speaking, Ada is not an "old" name--it only began to be widely used as a name in its own right in the late 18th century, but many of us perceive it as being an old name, because of knowing or having known an Ada from an earlier generation. Over the next few decades we will find out if Ada is to be a "new classic" name, or simply an occasionally remembered trend from earlier times.

Irene

Irene means "peace." It comes from the Greek eirene. Irene, or Eirene, was a Greek goddess of peace, and as one of the Horai (Seasons) she personified spring. (Her Roman equivalent was Pax, which is Latin for "peace.") Irene, along with other "classical" names from mythology and other sources, began to gain popularity in English speaking countries in the 19th century. It had reached the top 100 of names for new baby girls by the 1880's, and peaked as the 16th most popular name in 1918 and 1919. Irene remained popular, staying in the top 100 until the 1940's. Since then it has declined in popularity, falling out of the top 500 in recent years. One interesting thing to note; Irene was originally pronounced with three syllables ( i-REE-nee,) but now is generally pronounced EYE-reen in the U.S. and some other English speaking countries. The name is a classic and will surely return to popularity once it is no longer associated with the "older generation." Whether it will return as a two syllable name or a three syllable name is anyone's guess.

Brooke

Brooke comes from the surname (Brooke, Brook, Brooks,) and means exactly what you'd expect it to mean; the surname originally described someone who lived near a brook or a stream. It comes from the Old English word bróc. Brooke is currently an extremely popular name for girls in many English speaking countries, including the U.S., Scotland, and Australia. Part of its popularity is due to the fame of actresses Brooke Shields and Brooke Adams. In the U.S., Brooke has been a top 100 name since the 1980's. This means there are currently a lot of Brookes running around out there. This being the case, new parents might want to look for a name that is somewhat less over-used. New parents should also be aware that although most name dictionaries, etc., list Brooke as being a feminine OR masculine name, it is generally the spelling Brook that is considered more masculine (and occasionally Brooks.) Brooke has been so popular for girls that I'd hesitate to give a boy even the "masculine" versions of the name. His life will be much easier without the perception by his peers that he's got "a girl's name."

Grace

Grace is a virtue name, which comes from the Latin gratia. Virtue names were very popular with the Puritans of the 17th century, and they seem to have been the first to use Grace as a given name. Grace has long been popular in Scotland and in Northern England. In the U.S., Grace has also been popular almost always, although it did go through a popularity lull in the middle decades of the 20th century. Grace has currently regained all its former popularity and is a top 20 name in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. I find it very interesting that the name Grace went through a popularity slump in the U.S. with the worst decades for it being the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's. Often, an extremely well-known celebrity will cause a name to spike in popularity, and Grace Kelly, who became Princess Grace of Monaco, was more than "well-known." The expectation would have been for the popularity of the name to have gone up, rather than down, with her celebrity. It could be that in this case the name was simply due for a slump, due to overuse--it certainly was not a case of her bringing the name to the public consciousness; Grace had been a top 50 name until the 1930's anyway. Still though, I would have predicted that it would have remained more popular than it did, simply through new mothers naming their daughters for a real live Princess. It just goes to show that you can never tell what people will name their kids.

Alexa

Alexa can be considered a shorter version of Alexandra, which is itself a feminine version of Alexander, or it can be considered an alternate version of Alexis, which itself comes from the Greek name Alexius. In any case, Alexander and Alexius both mean "to defend." Alexa is currently enjoying a popularity spike, and is a top 100 name in the U.S. for baby girls. Nevertheless, if you are considering this name for your baby girl, I'd recommend going with the full version, Alexandra, simply because it is so much more versatile, and you can still call her Alexa.

Mia

Mia is a nickname or short form of Maria used in Denmark and Sweden. It is also now used occasionally as a first name in its own right in English speaking countries, mostly due to the fame of actress Mia Farrow.

Victoria

Victoria can be thought of and used as a feminine form of Victor; really both names simply come from the Latin word for "victory." The most well-known Victoria was Queen Victoria of England (1819-1901.) Her namesakes include not only people, but cities, regions, an attitude, styles for everything from clothes to architecture, and the entire Victorian Era. Victoria is currently enjoying a popularity spike in the United States, having been a consistently top 20 or top 30 name since the early 1990's, which in unsurprising, since many names popular during the Victorian era have also been enjoying a popularity spike (though Victoria itself wasn't a particularly popular name during the same era.) Interestingly, during the same time period in England and Wales, Victoria has declined in popularity and dropped out of the top 100 names for girls. Victoria is a versatile name. A girl named Victoria can choose to be Vicki, Vicky, Vic, or Tori.

Julia

Julia is a feminine form of Julius. A woman named Julia is mentioned in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and several saints were also named Julia. Shakespeare used the name Julia in The Two Gentlemen Gentlemen of Verona. A fashion for "classical" names occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Julia's popularity benefited greatly from this trend. Julia is still a name popular today, generally appearing in the top 50 for girls in the U.S., as well as being quite popular in Sweden, Spain, and France. Famous Julia's include actress Julia Roberts, and chef Julia Child, who died in 2004 at the age of 91.

Lexi, Lexie

Originally a nickname for feminine names containing "lex," such as Alexis, Alexandra, etc., Lexi is now given as a name in its own right. Lexi appeared on the U.S. Social Security Administration's list of 1000 most popular names in the early 1990's, and has been gaining in popularity ever since. The alternative spelling Lexie is also used, but of the two, Lexi is the more popular form. Personally, I like the name Lexi, but if you are considering this name for a new baby I'd definitely recommend giving one of the long forms of the name, such as Alexandra, and using Lexi as the child's nickname. This gives the child a choice later in life as to whether she wants to be a cute and trendy Lexi or a something a little more sophisticated or businesslike. It also gives her other names to choose from, such as Alex or Allie, or even Andi, if you choose Alexandra for her name.