Names fall in and out of favor over time. Old ones are revived and new ones are created, and suddenly every kindergarten seems to have a Demi or a Dax. 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of American names popular for the first time.
Some of the names on our list have biblical origins, some have Greek and Latin roots, and still others were originally surnames. Some — such as Winter and Wren — are also words in everyday use, while others look like they might have been misspelled. Our list shows the influence of pop culture as some newly popular names are shared by celebrities, or by characters in movies and television shows.
We found some interesting quirks and coincidences. The American Revolution was fueled by a desire to have a president rather than a king, yet Royalty is an increasingly popular name. Another entry on our list, Nixon, was the surname of a president who left office in disgrace.
To identify the American names popular for the first time, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the popularity of baby names in the United States each year between 1880 and 2017 using data obtained from the Social Security Administration. To be considered for this list, boy or girl names needed to have never reached the top 500 most popular names until 2017. These are the only 17 names that meet that criteria. All data was obtained from the Social Security Administration, which publishes data for names with five or more occurrences.
Click here to see the 17 American names popular for the first time.
1. Dax
> 2017 occurrences: 661 boys
> 2017 rank: 456th
The first name on our list has French origins. There is an ancient spa town in France called Dax, and the name has recently made a number of appearances in pop culture. There is a Power Ranger called Dax Lo. Dax is also a character from the Star Trek universe. This symbiotic life form usually appears as its humanoid host. The rapper Dax, whose real name is Daniel Nwosu Jr., had a hit with “Cash Me Outside.”
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2. Demi
> 2017 occurrences: 637 girls
> 2017 rank: 485th
Demi has Greek and Latin roots. It is also the French word for half and has been shared by some accomplished women who certainly don’t do things halfway. Demi Moore appeared in such box office hits as “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “Ghost,” and “A Few Good Men” and made headlines with her marriages to Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher. Demi Lovato is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer and songwriter. She was in the news recently in connection with a reported overdose. On her Instagram account, which claims 71 million followers, she acknowledges battling with addiction.
3. Everleigh
> 2017 occurrences: 803 girls
> 2017 rank: 387th
Everleigh is a variant of the English name Everly, which is a more popular spelling. Actor Cam Gigandet, who is known for playing the vampire James in the Twilight movies, has a daughter called Everleigh.
4. Ezequiel
> 2017 occurrences: 699 boys
> 2017 rank: 441st
Ezequiel is the Spanish and Portuguese equivalent of the biblical name Ezekiel. There have been many famous Ezequiels in the world of sports, including the soccer players Ezequiel Barco and Ezequiel Garay.
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5. Kensley
> 2017 occurrences: 643 girls
> 2017 rank: 480th
Kensley originated in England as a place name and surname. It has only recently become popular as a girl’s first name and hasn’t yet appeared in pop culture. There are a number of variations on the name that are also becoming popular for girls, including Kenley, Kinsley, and Kinslee.
6. Kyson
> 2017 occurrences: 702 boys
> 2017 rank: 438th
The name Kyson appears to be of recent origin and may be derived from Kyle. In recent years, it has become popular as a boy’s name in Australia as well as America and has been adopted by Adelaide, Australia-born musician Jian Liew. As with Kensley, there are a number of similar names climbing the ranks, including Kason and Kayson.
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7. Leonidas
> 2017 occurrences: 579 boys
> 2017 rank: 496th
This is an ancient Greek name — Leonidas was the warrior king of Sparta who died fighting the Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae. Its recent popularity may owe something to the success of the epic film “300,” based on the comic series of the same name, in which Leonidas was played by Gerard Butler.
8. Lilith
> 2017 occurrences: 633 girls
> 2017 rank: 491st
The ancient Hebrew name Lilith has been associated with a female demon of the night. Lilith appeared as a character in Goethe’s “Faust” and was the subject of a famous painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The Lilith Fair was a groundbreaking all-female music festival co-founded by Sarah McLachlan in 1997.
9. Maia
> 2017 occurrences: 636 girls
> 2017 rank: 486th
Maia is another ancient Greek name — in Greek mythology she was one of the Pleiades, the daughter of Atlas and mother of Hermes. The name also appeared in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien — Gandalf was a Maia, one of a class of spirits that helped shape the World.
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10. Maryam
> 2017 occurrences: 645 girls
> 2017 rank: 478th
Maryam is the Aramaic form of the name Miriam and the original name of the mother of Jesus.
It has long been popular in Islamic culture. Maryam d’Abo played Bond girl Kara Milovy in “The Living Daylights.”
11. Mira
> 2017 occurrences: 659 girls
> 2017 rank: 471th
The name Mira can be traced to several languages, including Latin, and is the Spanish word for “look.” Perhaps the best known Mira today is Mira Sorvino, who won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance in Woody Allen’s “Mighty Aphrodite.” She has been in the news more recently as one of the women who have come forward in the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
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12. Nixon
> 2017 occurrences: 603 boys
> 2017 rank: 482th
Nixon originated as a surname and its appearance on our list may surprise some, given the notoriety of the 37th president of the United States. For whatever reason, it has become particularly popular as a first name in Utah. Singer Beyoncé has a half brother named Nixon.
13. Oakley
> 2017 occurrences: 653 girls
> 2017 rank: 474th
Oakley is an Anglo-Saxon surname that has risen in popularity as a first name for both girls and boys. (In 2017, 653 girls were named Oakley compared to 610 boys.) None of these have become famous yet, but well-known people with the surname include Berry Oakley, co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, and Annie Oakley, the sharpshooter.
14. Rowen
> 2017 occurrences: 580 boys
> 2017 rank: 494th
Rowen is a variant of Rowan, which is both a first name and surname, and derives from the Irish nickname for a redhead. Rowen is more common as a boy’s name, while Rowan is popular for both sexes. Variants also include Roan and Rohan.
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15. Royalty
> 2017 occurrences: 747 girls
> 2017 rank: 421th
The meaning of this girl’s name is obvious — and its appearance on our list may have something to do with the popularity of the British royal family. Royal itself has been somewhat popular as a boy’s name. Perhaps the recent marriage of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry will give both yet another boost.
16. Winter
> 2017 occurrences: 699 girls
> 2017 rank: 449th
Summer and Autumn have long been established as first names, so perhaps it’s no surprise to see Winter on our list. It’s hard to think of a famous Winter, although “Winter is coming” has become a catchphrase from the successful television series “Game of Thrones.”
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17. Wren
> 2017 occurrences: 668 girls
> 2017 rank: 465th
Wren is both a surname and a first name — and a familiar backyard bird. Its appearance on our list may have something to do with the popularity of the television show “Pretty Little Liars,” where Wren Kingston was a recurring character.
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