At last, we’ve arrived at the sad finale of the ABCs of Popular Names series, a series that compares and predicts the popularity of certain initials over others and the names that represent them. In short, the most popular baby name of 2019 for each letter of the alphabet will get a review and popularity prediction, complete with community feedback as well (that’s you!) I hope that you’ve enjoyed the past parts of this series, and will check them out if you haven’t already. That’s all for now, so let’s get started with the most popular N-Z boy names and finish off the Thanksgiving popularity series with a bang!
Noah- The name Noah is sweet and handsome with a biblical touch and even unisex tendencies. He’s Hebrew, a derivative of the name Noach, which came from the Hebrew root word nuach, and therefore means “rest,” the translation of nuach. He’s smooth and soft sounding, lending him to an opportunity to become potentially unisex as girl Noa’s put a Hawaiian spin on Noah. Noah ranks at #2, which may seem impressive. However, in reality, #2 is a big bummer for Noah. Noah held the #1 spot for 4 years, and therefore, #2 is a sign that he won’t last much longer. In a stiff competition for #1 in 2020, mostly between Oliver and Liam, at least in my eyes, Noah doesn’t stand a chance with his track record of 2000s popularity.
Oliver- Oliver has had a long and lovely history, with cultural adaptations, musicals, and international appeal sprinkled in. For one, Oliver actually derives from the name Olaf. In Old Norse, Olaf was modified to Aleifr, and then it was adapted to the French Olivier. From there, Oliver was born. Oliver sits right below Noah on the popularity chart, but I don’t expect him to stay there long. Whether parents picture the charming musical Oliver, Green Arrow from the DC comics, or a baby they know, there has to be some reason behind Oliver's international adoration. At #1 in 3 countries, and in the top 10 in 6 others, getting the #1 crown in the US wouldn’t be a surprise for Oliver, and I fully expect for that to happen at some point.
Parker- Solidly Southern with the surname style appeal, Parker has hopped right on to the trend train. Parker is preppy, modern, and even unisex, although the boys receiving the name do heavily outweigh the girls. Parker did first emerge in the 80s, but he sounds remarkably current and plays into enough of modern day trends to still make a very contemporary choice for a son or daughter. But is Parker bound to stay a modern and trendy option, or fade away, tainted by past popularity? Parker was at his best 4 years worth of data ago, in 2015, and has 26 ranks since then, landing at #98 today. So, I would predict that despite his potential, parents simply aren’t seeing the light in Parker.
Quinn- An Irish name bursting with energy and potential as an alternative to the vastly more popular Finn, Quinn has my heart for Team Blue. While the girls are starting to completely envelop the name and parents are being steered towards masculine options like Quinten and Quincy, Quinn still offers spunky appeal for the boys. Unfortunately for male Quinn, we’ve all seen this story play out before, and the fight never plays out in Team Blue’s favor. Hence, it’s difficult to predict that Quinn will do anything other than disappear from the boy rankings, as he already has begun to do at #402 in 2019.
Ryan- Adorably Irish and rooted in tradition, Ryan has witnessed mass popularity. Ryan comes from the Irish surname O’Riain, which, when broken down, translates to “little king,” a delightful and sweet meaning to bestow upon your little boy. He’s short and cool, and applies to many ages, backgrounds, and personalities that a child may have. Ryan is also receiving some love from Team Pink, but not enough comparatively to boy Ryan’s success that the name could be considered truly unisex. But, Ryan peaked a little too soon to be a current craze. He was at his best in 1991, and it’s truly a miracle that held on to the top 50 for so long. But alas, Ryan slipped from the top 50 just this year, ranking at #54, and it’s no debate that he’ll continue falling.
Sebastian- A dignified and sophisticated choice for a little baby boy or a grown man, Sebastian offers European taste combined with a cornucopia of applicable nicknames for your son. The name of an ancient martyr, a crab in the Little Mermaid movie, and plenty of tv characters, Sebastian is actually more popular in America now over Britain. Sebastian is a Greek moniker, another positive addition to his already fantastic resume, as we tend to adore Greek names like Zoe and Stephanie. Sebastian is more popular than ever before at his 2019 and 2018 ranking of #18, and I have to admit, I’m going to play it safe on this one. My prediction for Sebastian is that he will continue to rise, perhaps even gaining enough traction to slip into the top 15.
Theodore- Handsome, a little nerdy, and truly a vintage treasure, Theodore is bolting up the ranks, toppling long standing superstars on his way up. With abundant and adorable nicknames like Teddy and Theo and a sophisticated and classy full form, Theodore has no reason not to climb rapidly. Theodore is derived from the Greek name Theodoros, whose elements combine to form the meaning “gift of god,” a lovely meaning for a religious family who want to find an on-trend appellation that also has a meaning that aligns with their spiritual beliefs. Theodore peaked in 1904, at #30, but only gradually slowed down as the years progressed. He’s bound for the top 20, and he’s racing fast enough to make it there in a year, I think.
Uriel- Uriel is a Hebrew name that pairs an unconventional first initial with a -riel ending that has been engaged in a lengthy battle between parents expecting daughters and those expecting sons, with Adriel and Gabriel on the boy side and Audrielle and Danielle fighting back for the girls. He offers a rare alternative to Ezequiel and Ariel, but his similarity to the word urinal may spark some playground taunting, and even steer parents away from choosing the name. Therefore, I wouldn’t expect Uriel to rise after his 2008 peak at #302 compared to his current rank of #454.
Vincent- A grown up and handsome name that is sharp and sophisticated, Vincent is the most popular V name of 2019. The Vin- sound resembles that of fellow most popular names for their initials Finn and Quinn, which present an interesting pattern. However, Vincent feels much more traditional than Finn and Quinn, due to his history as a 60s name. Unfortunately, Vincent’s-specifically Vincent’s called Vinnie’s-are often portrayed in a negative light in tv and film, which has likely caused much of Vincent’s recent plummets down the charts. He’s stayed between #100 and #124 for 26 years now, though, which makes me question if the dated aspect of Vincent will really hold this classic boy name back from staying steady and strong in his very established range.
William- William is undeniably flexible. He’s been spread across generations of little boys and men, and suits such a wide variety of personalities and ages that your son will encounter, making him a classic choice. Whether you choose to call your William Billy, Will, or Liam, William is an evergreen choice that will never get old, the perfect complement to a bolder first name like Arrow or a sweet and traditional name that will age well and stand the test of time. Shockingly, William has never gotten the #1 crown, although his #2 popularity in the 1900s likely would be the equivalent percentage of babies given the name to surpass our 2019 #1 status, but I don’t think William has it in him anymore. Yes, he’s classic, but only to an extent. I don’t think he’ll be rising next year.
Xavier- An internationally recognized name that has an effortlessly cool vibe about him, Xavier takes the award for most popular X boy name. However, the pronunciation is sort of muddled. Some may like ex-zay-vee-ur, others prefer zay-vee-ur, but either way, the X gives Xavier an edgy feel. Xavier is derived from Aarabic, and means “bright,” a sweet and optimistic meaning for a baby boy. Xavier reached his peak in 2009, at a ranking of #68, a name that has never been incredibly popular in itself but feels incredibly familiar thanks to spin-offs and sound-alikes like Zander, Xander, Javier, and Xzavier, though not quite to the extent of the -ayden names. Given Xavier’s fame in 2009, I wouldn’t expect a big resurgence of Xaviers.
Yusuf- An Arabic variation of the Hebrew name Joseph, Yusuf offers a more international tweak to a classic biblical name. Because of his roots in Joseph, he shares the spiritually significant meaning of “Jehovah increases.” Yusuf ranks at a low #545, but that’s enough to win him a spot on this list, as Y names are not very widely used in the US. However, Yusuf actually holds the #105 spot in England, so I wouldn’t be shocked if American families decided to follow suit and put Yusuf in greater use. And to further back up that prediction, Yusuf has been steadily climbing up the charts since he appeared in the ranks in 2001. That tells us a lot about how parents are feeling more and more comfortable to choose culturally significant and diverse names, and I believe that that will still ring true in a few years.
Zachary- A solid and masculine biblical choice complete with the easy-access nickname that so often came with 2000s names, such as Samuel, Joshua, and Matthew, Zachary and nickname Zach have persisted past their peak. A friendly and approachable sound that feels strong and handsome, this Hebrew name is a real favorite. The Hebrew name Zechariah was adapted into English as Zachary, and means “the Lord has remembered.” Speaking of remembering things, the sheer amount of biblical boy names in this series proves just how much biblical names are adored. But Zachary peaked in the 90s, making him a little too dated to maintain his high position of #124.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
I hope you enjoyed this series! What names shocked you? Comment to let me know!
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