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This Thanksgiving I find myself very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had this year. Tops on my list is the publishing of my first book, BABY NAMES MADE EASY! It’s been a whirlwind and a blast. This is a good time to give a very big thank you to everyone who helped bring it to print, especially, my editor Michelle Howry and my agent Stephanie Kip Rostan. Most of all, I thank all the readers. I couldn’t do it without you…

My gift to you this Thanksgiving? Pilgrim names.

Doesn’t sound exciting? Trust me, the Pilgrims had some awesome names. Today, I bring you the list of passengers on the Mayflower. Sure there are 3 ELIZABETHs, 5 MARYs, 6 EDWARDs, 7 WILLIAMs and a whopping 13 JOHNs, but there are some one-of-a-kind gems here, too. Boys named LOVE and WRESTLING?! DAMARIS, DEGORY and DESIRE! OCEANUS and PEREGRINE! Fabulous names for a true name aficionado.  

This list is worth a read. Enjoy (and let me know your favorites)!

GIRLS’ BABY NAMES

ALICE Mullins

ALICE Rigsdale

ANN Tilley

CONSTANCE Hopkins

DAMARIS Hopkins

DESIRE Minter

DOROTHY Bradford

ELEANOR Billington

ELIZABETH Hopkins

ELIZABETH Tilley

ELIZABETH Winslow

ELLEN More

HUMILITY Cooper

JOAN Tilley

KATHERINE Carver

MARY Allerton

MARY Brewster

MARY Chilton

MARY Martin

MARY More

PRISCILLA Mullins

REMEMBER Allerton

SARAH Eaton

SUSANNA White

BOYS’ BABY NAMES

BARTHOLOMEW Allerton

CHRISTOPHER Martin

DEGORY Priest

EDMUND Margesson

EDWARD Fuller

EDWARD Leister

EDWARD Planter Doty

EDWARD Thompson

EDWARD Tilley

EDWARD Winslow

ELIAS Story

FRANCIS Billington

FRANCIS Cooke

FRANCIS Eaton

GEORGE Soule

GILBERT Winslow

GILES Hopkins

HENRY Samson

ISAAC Allerton

JAMES Chilton

JASPER More

JOHN Alden

JOHN Allerton

JOHN Billington

JOHN Carver

JOHN Cooke

JOHN Crackstone

JOHN Goodman

JOHN Hooke

JOHN Howland

JOHN Langmore

JOHN Rigsdale

JOHN Tilley

JOHN Turner

JOSEPH Mullins

JOSEPH Rogers

LOVE Brewster

MOSES Fletcher

MYLES Standish

OCEANUS Hopkins (born at sea!)

PEREGRINE White

PETER Browne

RESOLVED White

RICHARD Britteridge

RICHARD Clarke

RICHARD Gardinar

RICHARD More

RICHARD Warren

ROBERT Carter

ROGER Wilder

SAMUEL Eaton

SAMUEL Fuller

SOLOMON Prower

THOMAS English

THOMAS Rogers

THOMAS Tinker

THOMAS Williams

WILLIAM Brandord

WILLIAM Brewster

WILLIAM Button

WILLIAM Holbeck

WILLIAM Latham

WILLIAM Mullins

WILLIAM White

WRESTLING Brewster

SOURCE: http://pilgrimhall.org/mayfpass.htm

My faves? I love the name PRISCILLA. I can’t be alone. Who else likes this name? I know there aren’t many of us, but it’s a very sweet name. Other nice picks are ALICE, ELIZABETH and DAMARIS.

From the boys list, I like EDMUND, OCEANUS, ISAAC, ELIAS and BARTHOLOMEW (not crazy about Bart as a nickname though).  

However, the real standouts from this list are the virtue names. Most of these are a little too off-the-beaten-path for modern parents, but they’re worth looking at. From the Mayflower we have CONSTANCE, DESIRE, REMEMBER, HUMILITY, LOVE, RESOLVED and WRESTLING.

Love the idea of these virtue names, but worried your kids would never forgive you? Consider them for a middle name. As I always say, you can be a little more daring with the middle name.

THANKSGIVING NAME TRIVIA

Q:         Who do we have to thank for the Thanksgiving holiday?

A:         SARAH JOSEPHA Hale. In 1846, as editor of Godley’s Lady’s Book, she started a campaign for the celebration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. It didn’t become official until 1863, thanks to ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Apparently, he declared two Thanksgiving holidays, one in August and one in November. Whatever happened to the August holiday?

SOURCE: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/History/First-thanksgiving

What about the name JOSEPHA? Something to think about for all you parents looking for uncommon names…it would also be a unique way to honor a relative named Joseph.

A nod to my sources: The Plymouth Hall Museum website had the list of Mayflower passengers and some interesting historical info about them. Take a look at the National Geographic Kids website for a history of the first Thanksgiving.

OK, that’s all for now. Have a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

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♥  Amanda

If you have baby name questions for me, email me at amanda@amandabarden.com.

Your question might appear in a future edition of Ask Amanda.

For more information on baby names and their meanings check out

BABY NAMES MADE EASY: THE COMPLETE REVERSE-DICTIONARY OF BABY NAMES