Origin/meaning: German, “Noble”
Alice has an old-fashioned but undeniably dainty vibe—and there’s no question that after decades of being out of style, it’s on an upswing with parents. There’s the literary, Alice in Wonderland association, of course, and one of America’s favorite funny ladies—Tina Fey of SNL and 30 Rock—chose the name Alice for her eldest daughter.
Popularity in the last decade:
2000: #422
2010: #172
Origin/meaning: German, “Ruler of the household”
Long ago, Henry enjoyed a place in the Top 10 names for boys. A classic choice, it continued to hang around, but dropped in popularity. It’s currently back in the Top 100 and climbing every year. It’s sweet and familiar, but sounds less “old school” than Harold, Walter, or Frank. Julia Roberts bestowed it upon one of her sons; Colin Farrell and Brandon Flowers did, too.
Popularity in the last decade:
2000: #126
2010: #67
Origin/meaning: Latin, “Olive tree”
Olivia was popular on and off again years ago, and it’s bounced back big-time: it’s landed in the Top 10 names for girls’ names for almost the last decade. But don’t lump Olive in with it; this name has a style and appeal all its own. Also a common old-fashioned choice back in the day, it fell completely out of fashion, but it’s now a cute choice on the rise. While it may not be hunkering down in the Top 100, it’s made a huge leap in just the last three years. And with flower and nature names becoming ever more popular, we bet more of an upswing is still in store. Isla Fisher chose the name Olive for her daughter.
Popularity in the last decade:
2007: #988
2010: #546
