Serious names used to be favored for boys but recently it's been serious names for girls, such as Edith and Alice, that have gotten more attention, as parents try to do everything they can to help their daughters succeed in a serious world. 

Along with Edith and Alice, other serious names in the US Top 600 include Charles, Dorothy, Edward, Faith, Frances, Louise, Nathan, and Victor. Many serious names could be considered stodgy or old-fashioned, but some, such as Alfred, Theodora, Winifred, and Howard, are in the beginning stages of a comeback.
 
Serious names are easiest to define by what they're not: They're not invented, not nicknames, not celebrity influenced (unless that celebrity is the Notorious RBG), not creative or fanciful in any way. They probably do not start with or even contain an X, a Z, or a Q. Serious names are somber, straightforward, buttoned-up, ready for a future as a lawyer, an accountant, or maybe President. 
 
Serious names for boys and girls include the following.

Serious Names

Bryant has a longer history as a first name in the US than its father name Brian, ranking among the Top 1000 since the list began in 1880 while Brian only jumped on in 1925.

That may be because the Vikings, the Bretons, and the English turned it into a surname from ancient times, when the high king Brian Boru ruled Ireland in 1002. But native Irish names like Brian were banned in Ireland for centuries during British rule, until the Irish war for independence in 1916 restored them to use.

The early 20th century saw a huge wave of Irish immigration to the US, and after the First World War, Irish immigrants began using Irish names like Brian and Kevin, propelling them up the US charts.

Bryant never hit the heights of Brian, which was a Top 10 name throughout the 1970s, and now seems to be falling out of favor more quickly. Bryant has been on a steep downward slide for several decades, with a brief upward blip following basketball star Kobe Bryant's tragic death in 2020.

In New York it's also associated with fashionable Bryant Park, named for editor William Cullen Bryant, and in Alabama with University of Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Bryant

Randall

Frederica is an interesting possibility for the parent unintimidated by its old-fashioned formality, and who can appreciate the
vintage charm and verve lurking inside its stuffiness. 
 The name emerged in eighteenth century Prussia when supporters of King Frederick the Great began to name their daughters in his honor, and is currently reporesented by opera star Frederica von Stade.
 Nicknames include the obvious Freddie, plus Rica and Fritzi.

Frederica

Singer Wainwright is the third in his family to carry this unusual name. 

There's a county in Virginia called Loudoun, named for a colonial governor.

Loudon

A feminization used more before Jordan joined the girls' camp. 

Jordana

Serious, straightforward, buttoned-up names for girls and boys with meanings, origins, and popularity (Page 6)

Serious Names

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