One week ago, I asked my readers to vote on which three of the top ten names for each gender are their personal favorites. After one week of voting, I took the three most requested boy names and the three most requested girl names and wrote a profile on every single one, including not only my predictions for the name selected, but also my opinions on the name, the origins of the name, and the extent of time the name has claimed a spot in the esteemed top ten. These profiles of the reader-decided top three, will slowly be released over the course of the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for more!
To kick off our first Readers Decide Series, we dive into the popularity of the third most requested boy name, Oliver. Although #3 is obviously the lowest position that a name can claim in this series, it’s an improvement for Oliver, at least for his popularity in the United States. At the moment, Oliver is at #5 in America, which is a big step down compared to his #1 status in Australia, New Zealand, and England. In fact, the appeal of Oliver to some is in the British style, which has become very trendy lately, and has given charming vintage picks like Archie, Arthur, and Oliver the momentum they need to break into the top U.S. names. Of those three, however, Oliver is unquestionably the hottest in terms of trendiness, although his origins lie outside of Britain. Boosted by not only the British charm and vintage background, Oliver also boasts outward ties to fellow top ten staple Olivia. Although the two aren’t connected by origin, they share a similar sound that has wooed parents for decades. Oliver presents a fresh and vintage take on a sound that is considered tired by some due to Olivia’s popularity throughout the ‘90s, so it’s no mystery how Oliver rose to fame.
Unlike the similar Olivia, Oliver made his debut in the top ten in 2017 at #9. As of now, he peaked in 2018, but I believe, based on both the naming trends of 2019 and the charm Oliver carries for families throughout the world, that the fascination with this appealing vintage classic will continue into 2019, and top the current record, but as with all things, there’s no knowing for sure. Personally, I would never choose any name in the top ten, but Oliver certainly represents the vintage appeal many look for in a name, as well as a single spelling (sorry Ahlyvir), and a plethora of nickname possibilities (Ivy on a boy, anyone?). Stylistically speaking, Oliver is my favorite name in the top ten, but in other areas, such as aging and trendiness, Oliver falls short for me in places that a more classic top ten staple wouldn’t.
~Delphina Moon
How do you feel about the name Oliver, and what do you think the upcoming 2019 data concerning Oliver’s popularity will reveal about this new arrival to the U.S. top ten?
Comments