February Name Sightings

Since February ends on the 28th this year, it’s time for me to post the most interesting names I’ve spotted on people this month! You can read my January round-up here.

I saw:

• Lucky – Male. Lucky is far more common as a men’s name than a women’s name, but it registered for both at last count. In 2016, 56 boys and 7 girls were named Lucky.
• Anahata – There’s no data on Anahata, though the similar name Anahita has enjoyed fairly steady (if rare) usage among girls since the late 70s.
• Catina was popular in the 70s due to the name Katina‘s appearance in a soap opera. The last SSA appearance for this spelling was in 2011.

In Newspapers:

• Takicha – Takisha was briefly popular in the late 1970s, though the spelling Takicha never hit the minimum 5 uses to appear in the extended data.
• Luerline (deceased) – another spelling of Lurline, which peaked shortly after World War I.
• Ivey – Male, deceased. Though overwhelmingly feminine now (and growing because of Ivy), Ivey was more popular for boys through much of the early 20th century. 141 girls were named Ivey in 2016; Ivey last appeared in SSA data for boys in 2015, when it was given to 7 boys.
• Ashby – 31 boys and 16 girls in 2016.
• Sabine – 75 girls in 2016. The Sabines were an ancient people whose women were kidnapped by Roman men, who themselves were looking for wives to populate their city. The incident is known as the “Rape of the Sabine Women.”  I can’t help but think that that wording makes Sabine a really odd choice for a baby name. If you like the name’s sound, maybe go with Sabrina instead?
• Saiyana – no data.
• Avayah – 69 girls in 2016. Almost looks like a cross between Ava, Nevaeh, and maybe Vada. Avayah first entered SSA data in 2005, five years after more popular Avaya (85 girls in 2016) entered. Modern and stylish!
• Daryl – Female, deceased. Daryl is usually thought of as a men’s name, though a famous woman Daryl is actress Daryl Hannah.  As a girls’ name, it last appeared in 2015; 141 boys were named Daryl in 2016.
• Graylin – 5 girls in 2016. This particular Graylin is probably an adult man, though…and as it turns out, Graylin has traditionally been a men’s name, according to SSA numbers. Graylin only debuted for girls in 2013, but it debuted for men in 1949 (and peaked in the 50s). Last appearance on the boys’ side: 2015.

Thoughts? Have you spotted any interesting names lately? Let me know!