For as long as man has walked upon the earth, and tribes of people have had a common language, new parents have struggled with the names to give to their offspring.
Adam and Eve chose to name their children, Cain, Abel and Seth.
In the United States, Cain is still in use as a name for a boy today. Cain made the top 1000 list of boys’ names in 1994, 1996 and 1997, according to the Social Security Administration.
Since 1880, when the Social Security Administration started tracking this data, Abel has remained in the top 1000 list of boys’ names, with the only exception being in 1905. For the last two decades, Abel has been hovering in the 300s of the top 1000 list of boy names.
Seth has been even more popular than his two brothers. Seth has been on the list every single year since 1880. From 1978 to 1997, Seth hovered between 90 and 106. Between 1998 and 2005, Seth ranged between 63 and 90, hitting its peak in 2000. In 2006, Seth slipped back into the 100s, and it dropped to 128 in 2008.
Solomon has held a place in the middle of the list, since 1880.
Solomon’s son David represents one of the most popular baby names in the history of the top 1000 list. David has never dipped below number 32 on the list. David maintained a single-digit ranking from 1937 to 1991, hitting the number one spot once in 1960. Since 1992, David has maintained its popularity, placing year-after-year in the lower- to mid-teens in the top 1000 list of baby names for boys.
Joseph outperforms David in its overall popularity. Joseph hit its lowest ranking in the top 1000 list of baby names for boys, according to the Social Security rankings, in 1968 and 1970, when it dropped to number 16. But contrary to David, Joseph has never risen higher than number five on the list. David did manage to maintain single-digit rankings from 1880 to 1933, again in 1991, and from 1999 to 2004.
Mary, mother of Jesus, has put everyone else to shame. Mary was the top-rated baby name for girls from 1880 to 1946, and then it dropped to number two from 1947 to 1952. Mary became the top name again in 1953 and held the spot until 1961. Mary remained in the single-digits until 1971, before dropping out of the single-digits altogether. Mary managed to remain in the top 50 names for baby girls until 2001, and then it began trending downwards on a consistent basis. In 2008, Mary had reached its lowest level in history, when it hit number 97.
Jesus has been in the top 1000 list since 1880, with one exception in 1891. Jesus has been trending upward as a favorite boys name since 1941. In 1990, Jesus reached the top 100 for the first time in history, and peaked at 66 in 2001 and 2002. In 2008, Jesus was the 79th most popular name for baby boys.
Matthew has made the top 1000 list of boy names since the government started collecting this data. Matthew bounced between 105 and 209, between 1880 and 1955. Beginning in 1956, Matthew breached the coveted top 100 lists, and then in 1972 and 1973, it was the tenth most popular name on the list. Beginning in 1974, Matthew entered into single-digits, peaking at number two in 1995 and 1996. In 2008, Matthew returned to double-digits, sitting at number ten.
Mark has never dipped below 256 on the list of popular names for boys. It remained in the lower single-digits from 1955 to 1970, peaking at number six between 1959 and 1964. Mark has been trending downwards since 1971 and currently sits at 139.
Luke reached its lowest point on the list in 1942 at 601. It broke into the top 100 for the first time in 1980, and has maintained its top-100 status since 1992. It is currently trending upward and sitting at number 43.
John was the number one boy name from 1880 to 1923. It did not drop from the top 10 until 1987. It is still trending downwards, hitting number 20 for the first time in history in 2008.
Paul has also been a perennial favorite, maintaining a place in the top 100 through 1999. It peaked at number 12 in 1916, 1930 and 1931. Between 1893 and 1973, Paul hovered in the teens to mid-twenties. Since 2000, Paul has slipped into the low- to mid-100s, and it is currently trending downwards.
People have been naming their children after Biblical characters, since before people began to write the Bible stories down on paper. Even in the 21st century, Biblical names remain very popular for a lot of new parents.
Biblical names are in some cases more popular than they have ever been in history. The continued strength of Biblical baby names indicates that baby names derived from Scripture should continue with us for a very long time.
Author’s Note: Previously published here.
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Amanda van Hess is a freelance writer and editor who often helps friends choose the right baby name. She writes frequently about biblical baby names and other name topics at: http://www.babynamesgarden.com/
Read more articles written by Amanda van Hess
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