From the transferred use of the British place name and surname, it is composed of the Anglo-Saxon byxe (box tree) and leah (meadow). Bexley was originally its own village but is now known as Bexleyheath in Greater London, it is also the name of a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Sydney, Australia and Christchurch, New Zealand.
As a given-name, there are some records for male Bexleys in Kent, England (where Bexleyheath was located) but it is exceedingly rare and was most likely a family name. It appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 female names in 2016 and currently ranks in as the 895th most popular female name.
Other forms include: Bexlie, Bexlee and the more modern Bexlin.
Origin: English Meaning: “council meadow; Tint’s meadow” Gender: unisex TINZ-lee
From the transferred use of the English surname, either composed of the Anglo-Saxon elements, Tingas-Leah, (council meadow), Tynni hlaw (Tynni’s hill) or Tint (unknown Anglo-Saxon male name) and leah (meadow). It is the name of town in Sheffield, England and a town in Mississippi, USA.
Its usage as a first name seems to be very recent, and has likely been popularized for females by American Socialite and reality star, Tinsley Mortimer (b. 1976). A notable male bearer is American rock and blues musician, Tinsley Ellis (b. 1957).
It first appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Female names in 2016. It ranked in at 720 in 2020 and currently comes in at #914.
From the transferred use of the occupational English surname, this was used in reference to someone who thatched houses for a living.
Its use as a male given-name can be traced to the late 1800s but it did not appear in the U.S. Top 1000 until 2013, which is incidentally the same year former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher died. It may also have been popularized by the Grey’s Anatomy character, Thatcher Grey, also referred to as Thatch. It is also borne by American football player, Thatcher Szalay (b. 1978) and Canadian born American ice-hockey player, Thatcher Demko (born 1995).
As of 2022, it was the 963rd most popular male name in the United States.
This name seems to have come out of nowhere and appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 most popular female names in 2022, ranking in at #978. It may have been popularized by the engineer and Youtuber, Xyla Foxlin.
It is most likely derived from the Greek word ξύλον (xylon) meaning “wood,” and it does appear as a surname in Greece, (the equivalent of the English surname Wood or Woods) but I could not find any evidence this has been used as a baptismal name in the Greek-speaking world. It is the surname of Greek actress, Fai Xyla.
It is also the name of a small beach located on the southeastern coast of Kea, Greece.
The name comes directly from the German word for an eagle, it is also a common German surname of the same meaning. The word itself derives from the German Middle High German adel aar (noble eagle), which later evolved simply into adler.
It recently appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names after reality celebrity stars, Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas chose this name for their son in 2020.
As of 2022, it was the 973rd most popular male name in the United States.
Fun fact, in German the feminine form of this word is Adlerin.
From the name of the river in England, its etymology is unknown, possibly related to a theoretical Celtic word *tīn, meaning “river” or related to a theoretical pre-Celtic root word *tei, meaning “to melt, flow.” Alternately, it may be a short form of names ending in – tyne, -tine, there is sporadic use of this name in 18th-century records in England and the United States on both sexes which suggest they were short forms of Christian, Christine, Valentine and even Justine.
A notable bearer of this name is American actress, Tyne Daley (b. 1946), this appears to be her middle name.
From the vocabulary word, which ultimately derives from the Latin vallis of the same meaning, used to describe flat land between hills or mountains. Alternately, it may be a diminutive form of Valentine, Valentina or Valerie and spun off as an independent name, or it could be from the transferred use of a surname of the same former meaning.
It first appeared sporadically as a given name for both males and females in the 18th-century, both in England and the United States.
From the transferred use of the English place name and surname, it is composed of the Anglo-Saxon elements clúd (rock) and leáh (meadow).
The name was borne by Sir Cloudesley Shovell (1650-1707), a British Admiral who got his name from his grandmother’s surname, Lucy Cloudisley.
There is sporadic use of this name (only on males) in 17th-century England, most likely used in honour of Sir Cloudesley Shovell.
It would make an adorable female name and would fit right in with current trendy last name turned first names such as Piper, Lindsey, and Everley. The short form of Cloud makes the name even more irresistible.
Billie is a diminutive form of William and Wilhelmina, which spun off as a unisex independent name. It is supposedly from a Northern Irish pronunciation of the nickname, Will.
Its first appearance as an independent name can be traced all the way back to 16th-century England. There are several records of births and burials of both males and females just named “Billie.” An early record of a female Billie I could find is the burial of a woman named Billie Selbie who died in 1670, from Northumberland, England. There are a few other 17th-century burial records of “Billies” from Northern England, whose sexes are not recorded.
Its usage may have been inspired by King William II of Orange (1650-1702), affectionately known in Northern Ireland and Northern England as “King Billy.” This, of course, was carried across the pond by early Scots-Irish immigrants to the United States, among whom “Billy” was known as a popular male and female name, especially in West Virginia, hence the possible origin of the derogatory term “Hillbilly.”
For females in 18th-century England, it was sometimes used as a diminutive form of Isabel or Isabella and later Lillian.
Billie has remained a popular independent name for both males and females in the American South, spawning popular double barrel names such as Billie Joe, Billie Jean, Billie Bob and Billie Sue.
As a female name, Billie has been in and out of the U.S. Top 1000 since 1882, peaking at #79 in 1929 and in 1930. As of 2022, it was the 949th most popular female name in the United States.
The songstress, Billie Eilish (b. 2001), has recently popularized this as a female name across the globe. It has appeared in the French top 500, ranking in as the 163rd most popular female names in 2022. Its rankings for females in other countries are as follows:
#32 (Quebec, Canada – 2022)
#37 (Australia – 2022)
#38 (Belgium – 2022)
#48 (New Zealand – 2022)
#224 (the Netherlands – 2022)
#229 (England & Wales – 2022)
Notable female bearers include, Wilhelmina “Billie” Allen (1925-2015), Billie Bird (1908-2002), Mary William “Billie” Burke (1884-1970), Billie Dove (1903-1997), Lillian “Billie” Fleming (1914-2014), Billie Holiday (1915-1959), Billie Lourd (b. 1992); Billie Piper (b. 1982)
As an independent male name, it appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1880 and 1984, it peaked at #123 in 1930.
Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Pexels.com
Origin: Dena’ina
Gender: Unisex
Meaning: “flat, meadow, open area with few trees; base, low ridge.”
Usage: English, Spanish
First Appearance as a given name: possibly 1827
Pronunciation: KEE-ny
The name is from a transferred use of the place-name in Alaska, from the Dena’ina Native American language meaning “flat, meadow, open area with few trees; base, low ridge.”
Its use as a first name, mainly for males, boomed in the early 2000s, mostly in Alaska and interestingly enough, in Puerto Rico. It’s usage in Puerto Rican is likely influenced by other names trendy in Puerto Rico at the time, such as Isai, Isaiah and Kenan. The 2003 animated Disney film, Brother Bear, in which a character bears this name, most likely nudged its use.
The earliest use I could find of this name through familysearch.org is that of a Pawnee Native American man, born 1827. I cannot confirm if this was a clerical error for Kenneth, a nickname or perhaps an actual Pawnee name.
It is also coincides with a Japanese surname meaning “imperial lands.”
