The most common female names in the United States

Do you see your name on the list? Or maybe your name is much higher up on the list than you anticipated. This may be because you have a name that has been around for a long time, or because you have a name that is very popular.

But how did humans come to have names in the first place? And where do first names come from? Read on to find out.

Why do we have names?

Think about a world without names. You would have to point to each person you wanted to talk to, or you would have to refer to them by saying 'hey you' as you can imagine, this would get very complicated the minute you had more than one other person near you.

The truth is, historians aren't sure when humans first began naming themselves, but they suspect it was around the same time spoken word was developed. Even if the first language was just grunts, you would have likely had a collection of grunts which indicated your name.

Where do first names come from?

When people first began naming themselves, or their children, they did so in one of a few different ways. The way in which a name came to be widely depended on the culture which invented it.

Names from nouns

One of the major ways the early people began naming themselves is after nouns. These names would be the equivalent of 'Apple', 'Flower', and 'Brook' today. But since English wasn't around back then, you may have a noun name and not even realize it.

For example, the name 'Ava' is the Latin noun for 'life.' Although no one speaks Latin anymore, the name still stays popular today.

Names from adjectives

Another common way the ancient people named themselves is after adjectives. Just look at the name 'Bella', 'Belle', and ''Isabella, which all mean beauty in another language (French/Italian).

While those three names are common adjective names, like with names from nouns, there are many adjective names that exist in society that are in a different language and you didn't even realize it. A prime example of this is the popular name 'Sophia' which is actually the Greek word for 'wise.'

Names from compound phrases

Some popular names are derived from compound phrases which are put together. Before you think this sounds weird, just look at all the compound names which are being made to this day. 'Annabell Lee' and 'Katie Jo' may not mean something like they once did, but they are still modern compound names.

Ancient compound names which continue to be used are names like 'Bellarose' which means 'beautiful rose' and 'Marisol' which, when translated from Spanish literally means 'Mar y sol' or 'Sea and sun.'

Names from gods

The final place ancient people got their names is from their gods. Although names like 'Venus', 'Aphrodite', and 'Athena' are no longer popular, these names were once heard all over ancient Greece and Rome as people named their children after their gods.

Even though the days of 'Hathor', 'Hatmehit', and 'Hesa't are gone (all Egyptian goddesses) some names like 'Diana', who was the Roman god of the hunt are still around and widely used today.

Why are some first names so common?

As you look at the list of most common female names, you might notice that some names are simply so common, but why is this?

Well, it's actually not that simple.

There are actually several reasons certain names become common, and the number one reason is because people still name their kids after a meaning.

For example, the most popular name 'Mary', is more common among the older demographic in the United States. The United States has gotten increasingly less religious over the years, but if you look at the years between the 1940s-1960s when most of the Mary's were born, you'll find many people who simply wanted to name their child after the mother of Jesus, which is considered an honor in the Catholic religion.

Okay, so that explains Mary, but what about 'Patricia' or 'Barbara?' Well, the population of the United States is quickly aging, so again, you need to look at the demographic of when people named their daughters these names. You may find that during the time period there was a famous person or figure with the name.

People like to name their children after people they admire. This includes family members, as well as celebrities, which is why you will find the name 'Diana' spiked among the years when Princess Diana was a popular celebrity to follow. So all these Patricia's and Barbara's were likely named either after a family member or a popular celebrity of the time.

People also, weirdly enough, name their children after fictional characters in novels or movies. Hence the reasons why the name Bella is coming back, after years of sinking on the list, thanks to the popular book/movie Twilight.

Additionally, when people name their children, they typically think about how that name will affect them through the course of their life. This reason alone stops many parents from making up unique names and instead has them going back for names like 'Emily', 'Jessica', and 'Lisa'.

Honestly, it's hard to know why some names are so popular and others aren't. After all, the census doesn't ask people to explain why they are named the way they are.

Why do names go out of style?

Sometimes, names that were once top of the list, sink down the list as the years go by. This happens for many reasons.

If you read the previous section, you can see that many people name their kids after names they hear in the media or in a book that they like. But the books and movies people watch and listen to change, therefore so do the names.

Names are frequently generational. Just look at 'Mary.' It is very unlikely you will come across anyone under the age of 40 in the United States with that name. Therefore although it is popular right now, as many of the Mary's age and die off a new name will likely become the most popular one in the US.

Overall, just as it is difficult to say why names are common, it is also difficult to say why names go out of style, so you'll just have to keep guessing why people suddenly switched from naming their daughters 'Mary' to 'Emily.'