Looking for baby naming inspiration? Find out what monikers are the most popular across the pond in America…
As it was the colonies established by the English that formed the basis for the new nation, the major influence in American names follows English naming trends, with a lot of names having a Norman or Old English origin. First names were also derived from the Bible and Puritan virtues.
Mayflower names
The names of some of the passengers on board the Mayflower, which set sail in 1620, gives an idea of the prominent names of that time.
| Mayflower passenger names | ||
| Anne | Esther | Miles |
| Edward | Henry | Roger |
| Elizabeth | John | Sarah |
| Enoch | Josiah | William |
Revolution heroes
The American Revolution in the eighteenth century inspired parents to name their children after the heroes of the war.
| American Revolution heroes | ||
| Anthony | Francis | Nathaniel |
| Charles | Henry | Patrick |
| Daniel | Israel | Paul |
American royalty
The American equivalent of the British Royal family has been the Presidents of the country and their wives, who have inspired baby names.
| Boys named after American presidents | ||
| Franklin | James | Thomas |
| George | John | William |
| Harry | Theodore | Zachary |
| Girls named after American First Ladies | ||
| Abigail | Hannah | Margaret |
| Caroline | Hillary | Mary |
| Elizabeth | Jacqueline | Nancy |
| Ellen | Jane | Rachel |
| Grace | Lucy | Sarah |
Hollywood trends
Another great inspiration for baby names comes from the names of Hollywood royalty, with trends being set by the leading stars of the day.
| Boy names inspired by Hollywood stars | ||
| Arnold | Gregory | Kiefer |
| Cary | Harrison | Mel |
| Clark | Hugh | Robin |
| Dustin | Jack | Ryan |
| Gary | Kevin | Spencer |
| Girl names inspired by Hollywood stars | ||
| Ava | Farrah | Hayley |
| Daryl | Geena | Halle |
| Demi | Gloria | Ingrid |
| Doris | Greta | Jamie |
| Drew | Gwyneth | Uma |
The most popular names in the United States in 2005
| Rank | Boy | Girl |
| 1 | Jacob | Emily |
| 2 | Michael | Emma |
| 3 | Joshua | Madison |
| 4 | Matthew | Abigail |
| 5 | Ethan | Olivia |
| 6 | Andrew | Isabella |
| 7 | Daniel | Hannah |
| 8 | Anthony | Samantha |
| 9 | Christopher | Ava |
| 10 | Joseph | Ashley |
| 11 | William | Sophia |
| 12 | Alexander | Elizabeth |
| 13 | Ryan | Alexis |
| 14 | David | Grace |
| 15 | Nicholas | Sarah |
| 16 | Tyler | Alyssa |
| 17 | James | Mia |
| 18 | John | Natalie |
| 19 | Jonathan | Chloe |
| 20 | Nathan | Brianna |
