Did you know that baby names trend for several years at a time? I never realized that until I ran across a chart from the Social Security Administration (SSA) linked to an article that said several names from the 1930s are due to make a comeback. Before we go to the 1930s, let’s consider the past decade.
For the last 10 years, Liam and Noah have been the top two names, sometimes swapping spots for the first choice. James, Oliver, and Elijah were listed in the top five several years in a row. In the same period, Emily and Olivia played the same back-and-forth game while Charlotte, Ava, and Sophia have ranked in the top five.
Over the last 100 years, the male name Michael has held the top spot most often (44 times). During the same years, though, James has tied with Michael as one of the top five names 63 times. These are followed by John (49 times), Robert (48 times), and David (39 times).
In the female list, Mary wins the honor of having the top spot 32 times over those years. There is a lot more variety in girls’ names than there are in the boys’. Vying for the top five spots in the past 100 years are Linda (23 times), Emma and Patricia (22 times each), Jessica, Jennifer, and Barbara (21 times each). Other popular names were Olivia, Susan, Betty, Ava, and Emily.1
A Good Housekeeping article reprinted on msn.com suggests that some popular names from the 1930s are due to make a comeback in the next few years. For girl names, they suggest Mary, Betty, Barbara, Shirley, Patricia, Dorothy, Joan, and Margaret will soon be at the top of the naming list. Boys are anticipated to be named Robert, James, John, William, Richard, Charles, and Donald. All the names will be spelled as we would expect the names to be spelled.2
Only time will tell if we will actually see these names rebound from the past. However, I’m almost certain that some Bible names will never make a comeback, names like Mahershalalhashbaz, Joktan, Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, and Diklah – just to name a few.
I guess what a person is named isn’t nearly as important as the character of the person who belongs to the name. Proverbs 22:1 reminds us that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” A “good name” has nothing to do with popularity according to the SSA. It has to do with a name associated with a good reputation.
This same thought is repeated in Ecclesiastes 7:1. “A good name is better than precious ointment…” There is value in having a name associated with a good reputation.
When someone speaks our name, an instant image pops into the minds of others. It’s a mental snapshot carried in the wallet of the mind that has little to do with our physical appearance and more to do with our actions, attitudes, morals, and virtues. Trustworthy or undependable? Generous or miserly? Kind or uncaring? Gentle or surly? Sweet or sour? Grace filled or judgmental? Speech full of grace or salt?
The name of Jesus immediately brings wonderful thoughts to the believer’s mind. 
Thinking about Him, Fredrick Whitefield wrote the lyrics to a familiar hymn:
There is a Name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
It sounds like music in my ear,
The sweetest Name on earth.
Carefully consider what feelings and imagery your name might conjure up in the hearts of those who hear your name. Can we echo Paul’s statement in 1 Thessalonians 2:9-10? “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. (10) Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe.”
1https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/top5names.html
2https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/family/20-beautiful-baby-names-from-the-1930s-that-are-due-for-a-comeback/
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