South Australia Town Names

William Gladstone was one of the most consequential British politicians of the 19th century, serving four separate terms as Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894. Most of the various towns, parks and so forth around the world are named after him.

Part of the next generation of preppy H-beginning surnames. Once Harrison, Hudson, and Holden are no longer fresh, expect to hear more little boys being called Hughes, Hutch, and Henderson on the playground.

Judge Kimba Wood, failed Clinton nominee for attorney general, made us aware of this one, but few baby namers picked it up. Kim, Kimberly, and all her variations are taking a well-deserved rest.

Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now, Lincoln was deeply out of fashion as recently as the late 90s, consistently hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000.

A few semifamous Marlas have kept this name alive.

Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names. Currently Number 60 for baby boys born in its native Scotland; it was at its highest in the US in 1922, when it reached Number 208, but has been off the list since 1975. Could it be time for a comeback?