Most Popular Preppy Names For Your Newborn

Most Popular Preppy Names For Your Newborn

by Taylor Johnson and Laura Woods

Many parents want to give their child a name that embodies their ancestral ties. Expecting families can do this by selecting a name originating from their homeland, or they can chose to commemorate family by bestowing upon their child an extended family member's surname.

Data analysts at MooseRoots, a genealogy research site powered by Graphiq, created a list of the 25 most preppy names for both boys and girls. They defined preppy names as traditional surnames repurposed and used as a first name. To do this, they created the list by looking at first names that did not rank within the top 100 most popular in 2015, and then sorted through the top 2,000 most popular last names. Analysts were able to find the preppy names that were once traditionally surnames and have since been repurposed. The list is ranked according to the frequency of a given name per 1 million babies and alternates between boy and girl names.

Some of the top preppy names include Brantley and Bennett, and others like King and Eden are more surprising.

Check out the list to find the perfect preppy name for your newborn.

25: Bradley

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,177

Bradley, defined as"broad, clearing and wood," is a transferred use of an English surname. It peaked in 1979, when it was the 47th most common name for boys, but tumbled to the rank of No. 173 by 2015.

25: Emerson

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 920

Emerson is currently trending way up, peaking in 2015 at the rank of No. 180. In 2015, 1,780 girls were given the name Emerson.

24: Abraham

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,195

Abraham is a Biblical name with English, German, Hebrew, Jewish and Spanish roots. The name reached its pinnacle in 1911 when it took the No. 124 spot. In 2015, it ranked No. 170.

24: Reese

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 955

Reese is currently trending way up in popularity. This sweet and preppy name, now used as a first name, was once a Welsh surname derived from the words meaning"giant."

23: Preston

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,198

Preston is an uber-preppy name that translates to"enclosure, priest and settlement." It was once used as a surname describing one's dwelling place.

23: Rachel

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 988

A Biblical name meaning"ewe" in Hebrew, Rachel reached its peak in 1996, when it was the sixth most popular name for girls. In 2015, this English, Hebrew and Jewish name ranked No. 167.

22: Marcus

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,202

Despite its definition of"male and vile," the English name, Marcus, served as the 57th most popular baby name at its peak in 1984. These days, it's a distinctive choice, earning the 2015 rank of No. 168.

22: Rose

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 996

Rose means"fame, horse" and the flower of the same name. It was most common during the 1910s, when it had an average rank of No. 15. It has become significantly less common since, only ranking No. 166 in 2015.

21: Bryan

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,223

A variant of Brian, the name Bryan was most prevalent during the 1970s, when it had an average rank of No. 45. In 2015, this preppy named secured the rank of No. 166, proving it's still relatively popular.

21: Amy

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,050

Amy is a name of English origin that translates to"beloved and to love." The name was most popular during the 1970s when it had an average rank of No. 3. Since then, Amy has become much less common, landing at No. 158 by 2015.

20: Patrick

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,243

Patrick, the name of the apostle and patron saint of Ireland, has English, French and Latin roots. It was most common during the 1960s, when it had an average rank of No. 34, but has declined in popularity since.

20: Eden

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,059

Defined as"bear cub, prosperity and riches," the Hebrew name Eden is thought to be a reference to the Biblical Garden of Eden. In recent years, it's become increasingly popular, peaking in 2014 at the rank of No. 151.

19: King

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,253

King, derived from the word for a male monarch, is certainly a name that holds a lot of weight. More popular than ever right now, the name soared to its highest-ever rank of No. 163 in 2015.

19: Payton

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,087

A name of English origin, Payton is thought to be a Sussex-derived surname meaning"Paega's settlement." The name peaked at the rank of No. 27 in 2010.

18: Richard

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,312

Richard, a name of Czech, English, French and German origin, means"hardy, power and strong." Borne to several kings, Richard was most popular in the U.S. during the 1930s, when it had an average rank of No. 5.

18: Mckenzie

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,094

Mckenzie is a delightfully preppy name that achieved its highest rank -- No. 133 -- in 2000. Since then, it's become a bit more exclusive, as it fell to the rank of No. 151 in 2015.

17: Bennett

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,327

Bennett is often borne of a child in homage to the medieval era surname. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, climbing to its highest level of popularity in 2015 at the rank of No. 153.

17: Brooke

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,105

Originally a last name for someone who lived near a brook or stream, the name Brooke is of Old English and Old German origin. It was most popular in the 2000s, when it had an average rank of No. 49.

16: Hayden

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,338

A name of English origin, Hayden achieved its highest level of popularity in 2007, when it was the No. 71 most common name for baby boys. Since then, the name has become a bit more distinguished, dropping to the rank of No. 151 in 2015.

16: Kendall

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,130

Defined as"exalted, high, image and spring," Kendall reached its peak in 2012 at the rank of No. 116.

15: Maddox

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,368

Maddox is a preppy name on the rise, securing the rank of No. 146 in 2015 -- its highest level yet.

15: Paige

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,177

Paige, originally a title for someone who served as a page to a great lord, is a name of Old French origin. It reached peak popularity in 2003, when it ranked No. 65, but is still relatively common, as it earned the rank of No. 140 in 2015.

14: George

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,496

George, a name of English, Georgian, Greek and Romanian origin, means"earth and farmer." It has been held by many saints and members of the English royal family.

14: Lilly

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,186

During the past decade, the perfectly preppy name Lilly has become more widespread than ever. Lilly reached its peak in 2011 at the rank of No. 103.

13: Everett

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,496

A variant of Everard, the name Everett was once used as a surname meaning"brave, hardy strong and wild boar." It achieved its highest popularity in the 1900s, when it had an average rank of No. 90.

13: Everly

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,196

The name Everly has been more popular than ever in recent years, peaking at the rank of No. 138 in 2015.

12: Bryson

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,524

Bryson means"sea" and is an anglicized version of a Gaelic surname. In 2012, the name reached its pinnacle when it ranked at No. 94.

12: Emery

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,245

Emery rose to the rank of No. 134 in 2015 -- a new level of popularity for this pretty and preppy name.

11: Santiago

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,580

Santiago means"Saint James" -- the name of the patron saint of Spain. It climbed to its highest level of popularity in 2014 at the rank of No. 115

11: Ivy

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,286

Ivy, derived from the word for the plant of the same name, is of English and Greek origin. The name is currently trending up in popularity and reached its pinnacle in 2015 at the rank of No. 129.

10: Wesley

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,585

Defined as"clearing," Wesley was once a surname used to denote a family's place of residence. The name reached peak popularity in 1977, when it ranked No. 66, but it is still frequently bestowed upon baby boys.

10: Mary

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,345

Mary has always been prevalent among Christians. From 1880 to 1946, this Greek name was the single most popular name among girls.

9: Abel

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,587

Abel, defined as"breath," is a Biblical name with English and Spanish roots. It soared to its highest popularity in 2015 when 3,216 baby boys were given the name.

9: Morgan

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,380

The name Morgan was most popular in the 1990s, when it had an average rank of No. 32, but this English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh name is still relatively common, ranking No. 120 in 2015.

8: Brantley

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,619

In the past decade, the ever-preppy name Brantley has surged in popularity, reaching its peak in 2013 at the rank of No. 119.

8: Andrea

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,395

Andrea, the feminine equivalent of Andreas, is of English, German, Italian, Scandinavian and Spanish origin. It was most common during the 1970s, when it was as the 29th most popular name.

7: Weston

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,631

Meaning"enclosure, settlement and west," the name Weston is a transferred use of a locational surname. It was originally used to denote families in England and Scotland who lived to the west of a village.

7: Kinsley

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,427

Kinsley climbed to its peak rank of No. 113 by 2015. The same year saw a total of 2,762 baby girls given the name.

6: Harrison

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,636

Harrison, means"son of Harry." It peaked in 1888 -- around the same time President Benjamin Harrison was in office -- and is still common today, earning the rank of No. 119 in 2015.

6: Luna

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,442

Luna, a name of African and Latin origin, is currently more prevalent than ever, soaring to its peak position of No. 110 in 2015.

5: Cole

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,715

Cole, meaning"swarthy," is a name with roots dating back to the medieval period. It ranked No. 115 in 2015, but was most common in the 2000s, when it had an average rank of No. 77.

5: Maria

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,449

Maria, a name of Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish and Swiss origin, is a form of the early Christian name Mariam. The name was most common in the 1970s, when it had an average rank of No. 34.

4: Maxwell

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,736

Once primarily a Scottish surname, Maxwell is a locational name that originated from a spot on the River Tweed -- the body of water flowing across the border of Scotland and Northern England. It's been more popular than ever in recent years, reaching its pinnacle at the rank of No. 107 in 2014.

4: Bailey

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,456

Defined as"berry, clearing and wood," Bailey is a common name that was most popular in 1998 when it ranked No. 60. In 2015, 2,818 baby girls were named Bailey.

3: Vincent

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,824

Vincent, an Old French form of the Latin word for"conquering," is a distinguished name that has been shared by many early saints. It was most common in the 1910s, when it had an average rank of No. 71, but this English, French and Latin name remains popular today.

3: Kimberly

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,460

At its peak in the 1970s, Kimberly had an average rank of No. 6, but this classic name has remained popular, earning the rank of No. 107 in 2015.

2: Miles

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,826

Defined as"favor, grace and soldier," Miles is of English origin. This distinguished name has become considerably more popular during the past decade, climbing to its peak in 2015 at the rank of No. 107.

2: London

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,501

Over the past few years, London has quickly gained traction to become one of the most common names for girls, reaching its peak at the rank of No. 85 in 2013.

1: Roman

Gender: Male
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,905

Roman, a name with Russian roots, has the straightforward meaning of"Roman." This ultra-preppy name has recently surged in popularity, reaching its pinnacle at the rank of No. 102 in 2015.

1: Hadley

Gender: Female
Frequency per 1M Babies: 1,528

Hadley is a common name currently experiencing its highest-ever popularity, peaking in 2014 at the rank of No. 99.

Parenting: "Most Popular Preppy Names For Your Newborn"