What names do you consider to be ‘typical’ American names? Names that have only ever really hit it off in [name_u]America[/name_u] and are perhaps trendy American names, like my short list below. Maybe state names, or city names, or names after famous Americans past or present.
For me, it’s names like [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u], [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u], [name_f]Destiny[/name_f] and [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] for girls, and [name_u]Dustin[/name_u], [name_m]Brody[/name_m], [name_m]Colton[/name_m] and [name_m]Austin[/name_m] for boys.
I served a lady at work last week who had a daughter called [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] and it was so bizarre because I’m a [name_u]Brit[/name_u] and that name is something I’ve only ever come across on here and ahem Toddlers and Tiaras. It strikes me as really American but it was cool to see it actually in use this side of the pond.
Things that sound like they fit on country singers (i.e. [name_m]Brantley[/name_m] and [name_u]Hunter[/name_u]).
Maybe [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u] and [name_f]Savannah[/name_f]?
[name_f]Liberty[/name_f], I’d wager.
I’m not sure, really. Although I do have to add, I have had a baby name book for many years, and it lists the origin of the name next to the name itself. It lists names like [name_f]Kitty[/name_f] and Muffin as “American names”, as if all of us just are crappy namers. Lol. (related- I thought that nickname names were more popular over there, not here?)
[name_f]Kristen[/name_f], [name_u]Reagan[/name_u], [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_m]Brantley[/name_m], [name_u]Hunter[/name_u], [name_u]Avery[/name_u], [name_f]Meghan[/name_f], [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_f]Brianna[/name_f], [name_u]Carter[/name_u] (I do know of a few young Carters now though, seems to be taking off here) and [name_m]Grayson[/name_m] all strike me as very American too.
Also [name_m]Mykelti[/name_m], I only know of the daughter from [name_f]Sister[/name_f] Wives but that comes across very American (even though it is Native American, without knowing this it still does).
I think [name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u] for a girl, [name_m]Brody[/name_m]/[name_m]Brodie[/name_m] and especially [name_m]Austin[/name_m] are fairly widespread over here, too. I’m hearing more and more surname names and surname soundalikes, too: [name_m]Cooper[/name_m], [name_m]Archer[/name_m], [name_u]Mason[/name_u], [name_m]Grayson[/name_m], [name_m]Jackson[/name_m], [name_u]Lyle[/name_u], [name_m]Hayes[/name_m] - all names I’ve heard recently here in the Midlands.
For me, the most strikingly American naming practice is the [name_m]Jr[/name_m]., III, IV etc. thing. It’s just not done to nearly the same extent over here, and I can’t imagine naming a son with that convention so prevalent - even sometimes expected.
[name_f]Winona[/name_f], [name_f]Willodean[/name_f], [name_f]Lurline[/name_f], and [name_m]Earl[/name_m].
Men with nicknames as full names: [name_u]Bobby[/name_u], [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m], [name_u]Ricky[/name_u]
Men who have a famous guy’s name as a first/middle: [name_m]George[/name_m] [name_m]Washington[/name_m] [name_m]Carver[/name_m], [name_m]Martin[/name_m] [name_m]Luther[/name_m] [name_m]King[/name_m], Wat [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] Cluverius
The following nicknames that are sometimes used as full names: [name_m]Bud[/name_m], [name_m]Buddy[/name_m], [name_m]Butch[/name_m], and [name_m]Skip[/name_m]
Muffy.
I’ve been told [name_f]Debra[/name_f] and [name_f]Barbra[/name_f] are very American spellings, because elsewhere those names are said with three syllables.
[name_f]Virtue[/name_f] names: [name_f]Destiny[/name_f], [name_f]Mercy[/name_f], [name_f]Faith[/name_f], and so on. I suspect this is partly a legacy of the Puritans, who named their kids stuff like Deliverance and [name_u]Comfort[/name_u].
Naming your kid after a gun company, like [name_u]Remington[/name_u] or Wesson.
Names that are clearly inspired by American literature, like [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f] and [name_m]Atticus[/name_m].
[name_u]Mackenzie[/name_u] is very American. Also surname names and names that end in -son ([name_u]Hudson[/name_u], [name_m]Grayson[/name_m], [name_m]Jenson[/name_m] etc.) Although having said that, they are definitely taking off in the UK. I’m just assuming this because at the nursery my girls are at, they have a [name_m]Fletcher[/name_m], [name_u]Parker[/name_u] and [name_u]Hudson[/name_u] in their room. Also names like [name_m]Justin[/name_m], [name_u]Dustin[/name_u], [name_m]Brock[/name_m], [name_m]Chad[/name_m], [name_u]Randy[/name_u] all scream American to me.
I am American so I can’t say, but this topic does interest me. I see “too American” used in a pejorative sense on these forums and elsewhere quite a bit. Interesting to note that American names are slowly creeping into the UK charts whilst UK trends are slowly finding their way to the States. The popularity of [name_m]Jaxon[/name_m] in the UK really baffles me.
Another that strikes me as really American is [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f]. [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] is another one, especially in Hollywood, every other female is called [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] (Aniston, [name_m]Garner[/name_m], [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Hewitt[/name_m], [name_u]Hudson[/name_u], Lopez, [name_m]Morrison[/name_m], [name_u]Lawrence[/name_u], etc).
[name_m]Gun[/name_m]- and violence-inspired names like [name_m]Gunner[/name_m], [name_f]Beretta[/name_f], [name_u]Remington[/name_u], Stryker, and [name_m]Ryker[/name_m]. Trendy misspellings. Mix n’ match names like [name_u]Brinley[/name_u], Brayleigh, [name_u]Braydon[/name_u], and the rest. Boys names on girls.
For me, it’s girls with names like [name_u]Ryan[/name_u] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u], and middle-aged women with names like [name_f]Kimberley[/name_f], [name_f]Lynne[/name_f] or [name_f]Lori[/name_f].
Anything related to a president, such as your example of [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] and many others (like [name_u]Reagan[/name_u], [name_m]Jefferson[/name_m], [name_m]Truman[/name_m], etc.) I also think of us geographic names. Stuff like [name_u]Dallas[/name_u], [name_m]Austin[/name_m], [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_f]Arizona[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], or [name_f]Atlanta[/name_f]. That being said there are several geographic names that we (the US) originally got from you guys (the Brits). [name_f]Carolina[/name_f] and [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] are good examples. I also think that gender neutral names are a much bigger deal here. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t hold me to it though. I don’t have any proof to back it up. I’ve known and heard of SO MANY more Americans with gender neutral names or boy names on girls. Names like [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], [name_u]Channing[/name_u], [name_u]Jordan[/name_u], [name_u]Riley[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Wyatt[/name_m], [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], and [name_u]Blake[/name_u]. Thats just an observation but I could totally be wrong.
I’m not American and there are often times when I think about this exact topic. I completely agree with all of your names listed! Some that I also think are very “American sounding” are:
[name_m]Tanner[/name_m]
[name_u]Presley[/name_u]
[name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u]
[name_u]Delaney[/name_u]
[name_u]Addison[/name_u]
[name_f]Savannah[/name_f]
[name_m]Trenton[/name_m]
[name_f]McKenna[/name_f]
[name_u]Kendall[/name_u]
[name_u]Leighton[/name_u]