Today, I've put together a list of "American" names, perfect for any little one born in the great US of A. Could a national pride name be what you're looking for?
Though the country was named after explorer Amerigo Vespucci, I went a little further to find its etymology - it comes from the German name, Emmerich, meaning "work" and "power". Not bad as far as meanings go, and the A-a sound is feminine - the name is currently at #961 for girls. But unless you want to receive a whole lot of red, white, and blue baby gifts, I'd find another name - Carolina, Georgia and Dakota are excellent alternatives.
Independence
This name was used in colonial times by Puritan settlers, excited about life in the New World. But it's never shown up on the top 1000. Why? The name isn't easily associated with male-female genders, like other popular names, and its length is a drawback. I'd choose a name that had "independent" as a meaning: Isra, Avasa, or even Maverick.
Liberty
This word name has an interesting popularity history; it was on the list for 1918, 1976, then continuously since 2001 - possibly in response to September 11th. Short form Libby, often associated with Elizabeth, can be used for Liberty as well. Very pretty and independent, but still more noun than name. Try Eleuteria or Saoirse!
Freedom
Flat no for me. The sound isn't right, there's no easy nicknames, and no namesakes jump to mind. To keep the meaning, check out Amadi, forms of Charles/Charlotte, forms of Francis/Francesca, or Malaya.
Patriot
The sound is similar to Prescott or Prewitt, so that's a plus. The name might be a little strong for a child, so I'd look at the names of famous patriots - Susan B Anthony, Benjamin Franklin or Paul Revere to start. Or why not Patton?
Honor
Already the name of a celeb-baby, Honor hits all the right notes: a sound like the established Hannah, the popular r-ending, and an excellent visible meaning. It's currently charting in the UK, and I think it should move up in the US (it's still outside the top 1000). Other pretty variations include Honora (with the nickname Nora) and Honoria.
Justice
A unisex name - #525 for boys and #452 for girls - that is both substantial and meaningful, Justice could be the name of a future lawyer (or chief justice?) Not ready to embrace the virtue name directly? Try Justina, Adlai or Zedekiah.
Peace
Lovely sound and meaning, but somehow not substantial enough for a first name - perhaps for a middle? Names that mean "peace" are abundant: Pax, Concordia, Frederick, Irina, Salome, and Solomon are just a few nice options.
What are your favorite American names?
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