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Showing posts from July, 2023

Neoclassic Boys' Names

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Some names have endured for centuries, even if they were not always popular. Others have endured for just a few decades. Neoclassic names may have less history than true classics, but they feel established enough that they will not feel dated. These names have ranked within a certain range or risen steadily in use for at least three decades. As with timeless names, they also might have a lot of famous namesakes.  Here are some new classic boys' names that could stand the test of time: Adrian Andre Beau Blake Bryce Caleb Cameron Cole Colin Connor Damian Dean Dominic Donovan Drew Dylan Elijah Elliott Eric Ethan Evan Griffin Hunter Ian Jackson Jonah Kevin Logan Lucas Maxwell Micah Nolan Parker Quinn Reid Roman Ryan Sean Sebastian Shane Spencer Trent Tristan Xavier What names would you add?

Micah

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Several people worshipped idols in the Old Testament of the Bible. One of them, a character in the Book of Judges, shared his name with one of the twelve future prophets. He denounced oppression and wrote the self-named Book of Micah.  Micah is a contraction of the also-Biblical Micaiah, which has the Hebrew meaning of "who is like God." Outside the Bible, the name was first used by Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.  However, Micah did not become a common name until the twentieth century. Micah first entered the American top 1000 in 1959. It rose in use through the late 1970s. By then, the name has reached the top 250. Micah has stayed there ever since, making it a modern classic. The name moved up to the 100s from the mid-1990s into the 2000s. After hovering in the 100s for over a decade, Micah finally made the top 100 in 2022. Micah has also been used in England and New Zealand, where it has been a top 100 name since 2019. The name has seen some Dutch usage as well

Neoclassic Girls' Names

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As the name cycle speeds up, fewer names have staying power. However, a handful of names always stand out as exceptions.  Modern classic, or neoclassic, girls' names have been in use for at least three decades and remain wearable today. They are not the freshest choices, but they also don't sound dated. Hence, neoclassic names can split the difference between the traditional and contemporary.  Here are some neoclassic girls' names with the potential to become timeless: Adriana Alana Allison Andrea Autumn Bianca Brooke Carly Chloe Daniella Eden Elisa Fiona Francesca Gabriella Giselle Holly Jade Jasmine Jocelyn Juliana Kira Lara Maya Melanie Melody Meredith Miranda Nadia Natalie Noelle Paige Sabrina Samantha Summer Talia Tessa Valerie Veronica Zoe What names would you add?

Iris

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A Greek goddess once ruled the rainbows and served as a messenger to other gods. Not surprisingly, her name means "rainbow" in Greek and sounds like the word eiris , which means "messenger;" that name is Iris.  Iris is no longer just an Ancient Greek goddess, though. It has associated itself with a flower since the fourteenth century because of its variety of colors. The eye part got its name for similar reasons. As a given name, Iris entered occasional use in sixteenth century England. It became common two centuries later. Iris first peaked in early twentieth-century England, ranking in the top 100 from the 1900s to the 1940s. Around the same time, Iris was popular in New Zealand. By the 1950s, Iris was declining in both nations.  Iris has seen similar usage in the United States, where it has ranked every year since 1880. However, Iris barely made the top 200 during its 1920s and 1930s peak. It also never fell out of use completely, hitting its low point in the 400