Vincent

During the Middle Ages, a cult veneration for a saint spread from its native country, Spain, to France. That saint shared a name with several more saints of the era. That saint was St. Vincent of Saragossa. 

Vincent comes from the Roman name Vincentius. Vincentius itself came from the latin "vincere", meaning "conquer". Thus, it made sense that a cult dedicated to a St. Vincent conquered France. Vincent was first in use among early Roman Christians. It was then worn by several saints between the fourth and seventh centuries besides St. Vincent of Saragossa (d. 304).

According to Eleanor "Elea" Nickerson on British Baby Names, Vincent entered use among English-speakers around 1200. However, Vincent remained uncommon for decades. The French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) was one of the name's bearers from the name's uncommon period. It was not until the nineteenth century that Vincent began to rise in England. There, it ranked in the top 100 from 1914 to 1964. 

In the United States, Vincent first entered the top 200 in 1891 and the top 100 in 1910. It was popular on-and-off several times between 1910 and 1994. Since then, Vincent has remained in the top 150. Vincent was also popular in Canada and New Zealand during the early twentieth century. Artist Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) may have had an impact. 

Vincent has seen usage in overseas nations such as France and Sweden. It has several international variants, such as the German Vinzenz and French Vincente, as well. That, along with its history of consistent use, makes Vincent truly timeless. It will appeal to parents after an offbeat classic.

STYLES:

Classic, French

SISTERS:

Charlotte, Elise, Josephine, Margot, Simone, Victoria

BROTHERS:

Anthony, Graham, Julian, Oliver, Raphael, Tristan

ALTERNATIVES:

August, Lawrence, Quentin, Van, Victor, Winston

What do you think about Vincent?