Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Perennially Unpopular (Boys)

Popularity is a funny thing. Sometimes a name is bolstered by its history, sometimes by resemblance to another name, sometimes by some indescribable "coolness" factor. But for some reason, other names just never catch on in large numbers. Maybe they lack notable namesakes, have an unfashionable vibe, or are ahead of their time. No matter what reason they've stayed uncommon, here are names that have been around for decades, or even centuries, but perpetually sit just outside, or barely make a blip in, the Top 1000 charts.
  • Alaric (AL-ah-rik, English)
  • Ansel (AN-sel, English)
  • Arlo (AR-loh, English)
  • Baxter (BAKS-ter, English)
  • Clive (CLIVE, English)
  • Conley (CON-lee, Irish)--anglicization of Conleth
  • Edric (ED-rik, English)
  • Ephraim (EE-free-im or EF-ram, Hebrew)
  • Evander (ee-VAN-der, Latin)
  • Ignatius (ig-NAY-shus, Latin)
  • Jamin (JAY-min, Hebrew)
  • Jethro (JETH-roh, Hebrew)
  • Jory (JOHR-ee, Cornish--form of George
  • Leander (lee-AN-der, Greek)
  • Leopold (LEE-oh-pold, German)
  • Magnus (MAG-nus, Latin)--"great"
  • Merrick (MEHR-rik, English)
  • Merritt (MEHR-rik, English)
  • Montgomery (mont-GUM-er-ee, English)--simply Monty has fared much better
  • Mordecai (mor-de-KYE, Hebrew)
  • Nevin (NEH-vin, English)--probably an anglicization of the Gaelic Naomhan ("little saint")
  • Niles (NILES, English)
  • Phinehas/Phineas (FIN-ee-as, Hebrew)
  • Raynard (RAY-nard, English)
  • Shea (SHAY, Irish)
  • Simeon (SIM-ee-on, Hebrew)--form of Simon
  • Talmadge/Talmage (TAL-madj, English)
  • Tobin (TOH-bin, English)--form of Tobias
  • Urban (UR-ban, Danish & English)

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