Jack

Some names shock parents when they realize just how popular they are (for example, Jayden). Other names shock parents when they realize how relatively uncommon they are. Jack is a common name for US boys, but few parents know the name Jackson is much more popular (in 2010, Jackson was the 25th most popular name for American boys, while Jack was down at 44).

The name Jack originally derived as a nickname from the name John (which in 2010 was also less popular than Jackson), and was often used to refer to an Everyman, until it independently became an established given name.

Although the name sounds very popular, it has never been an American Top 10 name, and the closest it's been was in 1930, when it reached number 14. It has been mostly (and very slowly) declining in popularity ever since.

Brandon

The name Brandon is derived from an English last name, itself derived from Old English, and is mostly thought to mean a hill covered with broom (a type of shrub). As a first name, though, the name is relatively new, at least in terms of popularity. It entered the Top 1000 list of the most popular boys' name in the US in 1950, and had rapidly climbed in popularity until it reached #6 in the early 1990s (in the 1980s, the name was even a Top 1000 name for girls). However, the name has declined in popularity every year since then, and although being #43 in 2010 makes it still a popular name, it is uncertain how long Brandon will remain a Top 100 name.

Angel

Image via WikipediaIn 2010, the name Angel was listed as the 42nd most popular name parents gave their babies. Although this is a relatively high number, the popularity of Angel has been on a slow but steady decline since it peaked in 2006 at number 30. It's not easy to predict if the decline will persist in 2011. On the one hand, a name that starts declining in popularity will usually continue to do so (at least until it reaches a new plateau), but on the other hand, perhaps the rise in the number of immigrants from South America will keep the name popular in the US.

Angel comes from the Greek word for messenger, angelos.


It is also worth noting that Angel is somewhat popular for girls in the US, although it has never entered the Top 100 list for girls, and just like it is with boys, the name Angel for girls has been declining in popularity.

Related articles

• In Search of Truly Androgynous Baby Names (babynamewizard.com)

Luke

The name Lucas has already been represented in the Top 100 List, but here the shorter (and older) version can be found as well. In 2010, like in 2009, the name Luke trailed behind Lucas, ending at number 41, although both names slightly rose in popularity since 2009 (and both are currently more popular than ever in the US).

The name probably originated in Greece with Loukas, then gaining popularity with Luke of the New Testament.

Brayden

It's absolutely fitting, considering the diversity of the US and the mix between tradition and progress, that at number 40 in 2010, following one of the most ancient names in the world (Isaac) is Brayden, a modern name that has been at the Top 100 list of the most popular boys' names in the US for only five years, and at the Top 1000 list for no more than 20 years.

Brayden is a variant of Braden, which is actually a name with a history and a Gaelic origins. Braden, however, has never been very popular in the US. It is currently at number 207 on the list. Brayden's popularity can be attributed to the recent American fashion of having names with a dominant letter Y (the most popular of these is currently at number 4: Jayden). Whether this is a fad or the start of an American tradition remains to be seen.

Isaac

The Top 100 List of the most popular boys' names in America includes many modern names. Some are completely new, others are new versions of older names, and others are foreign language versions of familiar English names. At the same time, though, the ancient biblical names that have been with the US for centuries remain popular.

The biblical Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah, who was beyond her child-bearing years, was promised by three divine messengers who came to her tent that she would have a child with Abraham (who was himself 100 years old at the time). The name, which in Hebrew means "he will laugh," relates to the way Sarah laughed when the visitors told her of God's plan for her to have a baby at her old age.

2010 showed a slight rise in popularity for the name in the US. It is currently at number 39 on the list of popular names.

Lucas

Coming in at number 35 in the 2010 list of the most popular names in the US, is the name Lucas. The origin of Lucas is Latin, based on the Greek Loukas, which is in turn named after the New Testament Luke. The rise in popularity of the name has been steady. The name has been a Top 1000 name in the US for over 50 years, and has been climbing the chart ever since. The current 35th place is its highest one.

As is the case in many steady names, Lucas has a steady shorter variation. Although the name Luke appears on the Top 100 in its own right, in this case it serves as a nickname. The fact that Lucas has a classic-sounding quality as well as a memorable nickname, has helped it rise in popularity even above the name Luke.