Posted on March 4, 2016 by Ashley Eneriz
While some prefer the shining snow and comfortable fires of winter, spring boasts bright blooms, warm weather and beautiful names like Persephone and June to remind us of the delights of the season. MooseRoots curated a list of spring-inspired names and used data from the Social Security Administration to rank them from least to most popular.
#25. Primavera
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 12,063
Total Newborns in 2014: 6
Of Latin origins meaning “spring,” Primavera rests in obscurity, as only six baby girls received the name in 2014.
#24. Brigit
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 11,037
Total Newborns in 2014: 9
The name Brigit, taken from the Irish goddess of spring, remains uncommon in the United States and earned the rank of 11,037 among baby girls.
#23. Neville
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 7,347
Total Newborns in 2014: 11
Neville, meaning “new village,” never hit its stride in the U.S., despite the popularity of the Harry Potter books and films over the past decade.
#22. Quan
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 5,381
Total Newborns in 2014: 17
The use of Quan, a Chinese name that means “spring (of water),” stagnated in recent years and ranked only No. 5,381 among baby boys in 2014.
#21. Pascal
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 4,620
Total Newborns in 2014: 21
Pascal, a name with Latin origins meaning “Easter,” was historically given to baby boys born around Passover. Only 21 babies in 2014 received the name, earning it the rank of 4,620.
#20. Aviv
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 4,523
Total Newborns in 2014: 21
Aviv, a name with Hebrew origins meaning “spring,” ranked No. 4,523 among baby boys in 2014.
#19. Dawn
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 2,058
Total Newborns in 2014: 94
After reaching its peak in the 1970s, the name Dawn, an ostensible reference to the beauty and brightness of the time of day, drastically declined in popularity and ranked No. 2,058 among baby girls in 2014.
#18. Rain
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,952
Total Newborns in 2014: 102
Rain, a name that reminds us of the water sustaining the Earth, ranked No. 1,952 among baby girls born in 2014.
#17. Neo
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 1,660
Total Newborns in 2014: 92
Neo, a name with Greek roots meaning “new,” ranked No. 1,660 among baby boys in 2014.
#16. May
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,581
Total Newborns in 2014: 136
May, a pet form of Margaret or Mary, also conjures images of colored flowers and warm days. A name of increasing popularity, it ranked No. 1,581 in 2014 among baby girls.
#15. Clover
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,459
Total Newborns in 2014: 153
Clover, a name referencing the bright green clover plant, has experienced a dramatic increase in popularity, jumping from a rank of 11,733 in 1992 to 1,538 in 2012. In 2014, it ranked No. 1,459 among baby girls.
#14. Persephone
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,221
Total Newborns in 2014: 199
The name Persephone references the Greek goddess of the harvest, whose kidnapping led to an eternal winter. Hades promised to release her from the underworld for six months out of the year, and during those months, spring returned to the Earth. After years of increased popularity, the name ranked No. 1,221 among baby girls in 2014.
#13. Sunny
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,206
Total Newborns in 2014: 201
If there was a name that guaranteed a cheerful disposition, Sunny would undoubtedly be the one. The name has seen a stark increase in popularity recently and ranked No. 1,206 in 2014 among baby girls.
#12. Robin
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 1,125
Total Newborns in 2014: 223
A name referring to the orange-chested songbird, Robin has fallen in popularity in recent years and earned the rank of only 1,125 in 2014.
#11. Heath
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 930
Total Newborns in 2014: 226
Heath, a name that comes from the word meaning “uncultivated land,” has experienced a slow decline in popularity over the last decade.
#10. Demi
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 632
Total Newborns in 2014: 449
Demi, a name popularized by the actress Demi Moore, is an abbreviated form of the name Demeter, or the Greek goddess known for returning spring to the people of Earth upon the return of her daughter Persephone. Even at its peak, Demi never reached ubiquity and earned the rank of 632 among baby girls in 2014.
#9. April
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 406
Total Newborns in 2014: 790
April, a darling name and especially sweet for girls born in the springtime month, means “to open” and ranked No. 406 among baby girls in 2014.
#8. Skye
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 368
Total Newborns in 2014: 880
Skye, an unconventional way to spell “sky,” became increasingly popular in the 1970s, but peaked in 2014, ranking No. 368. In Scotland, however, the name ranked No. 36 among baby girls.
#7. June
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 317
Total Newborns in 2014: 1,039
June, meaning “young” and once a common choice in the 1930s, has dimmed in popularity when compared to April and May. After falling into disuse at the turn of the 21st century, the name has regained some of its former charm, ranking No. 317 in 2014.
#6. Rose
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 194
Total Newborns in 2014: 1,678
A name whose meaning comes from the famous flower, Rose has declined dramatically since its peak in the early 20th century, but has recently experienced a surge in use.
#5. Marcus
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 194
Total Newborns in 2014: 1,678
Although Marcus recently experienced a decline in use, this ancient Roman name remains a favorite among many parents. Though the name’s meaning is unclear, there is a possible connection with March, the month of the spring equinox.
#4. Kendall
Gender: Female
Rank in 2014: 131
Total Newborns in 2014: 2,432
Originally a surname or a boy’s name, Kendall is now a popular choice among baby girls born in the U.S. Meaning “valley on the river Kent” or “valley of the spring,” the name has remained fairly flat over the last few years.
#3. Jesus
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 111
Total Newborns in 2014: 3,504
Imbued with religious significance and meaning “God saves,” the name Jesus remains popular in the United States and elsewhere. In Spain, for example, Jesus ranked No. 46 among baby boys.
#2. Maxwell
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 107
Total Newborns in 2014: 3,703
Maxwell, which began as a Scottish surname meaning “great spring” or “stream,” is now a popular first name for baby boys, ranking No. 107 in 2014
#1. Owen
Gender: Male
Rank in 2014: 36
Total Newborns in 2014: 9,100
Owen, a name of Celtic origins meaning “lamb,” earned a place among the top 100 names of the United States and in Scotland in 2014.