Where every name has a story
Blake Carrington; Image via Wikipedia
Thanks to Kelly for suggesting Blake as our Baby Name of the Day.
Blake is short and simple, but his possible origins are complex.
The one that comes to mind instantly is black – from the Old English blaec or blac, the vowel sound altered over the centuries.
[…] I was pregnant, we were listening to the radio and the song
[…] In 2009, single-syllable names in the boys’ Top 100 included John, Sean, Juan, Cole, Chase, Blake, Luke, and Jack.
[…] for the Top 100, a successor to other popular surname choices like Landon and Carter, Cameron and Blake.
[…] So let’s say you grew up with The Muppets, and have come to appreciate Jim Henson’s creative process.
SkyeRhyly says
November 18, 2011 at 11:23 AMI really like Blake too, and I guess if the name is in the top100 for decades now, plenty of people probably like it too. I like the -ake soud, maybe because it reminds of Lake, serene but cool at the same time. I’m also surprised by the name’s longevity, but then there are certain names that seem modern but have actually been around forever: Riley, Kendall, Reece have been charting for boys since the 1800s, pretty impressive. Yet a lot of people disregard them as modern monikers.
Sarah A says
November 16, 2011 at 11:43 PMI really love Blake. I actually had a stuffed animal that I named Blake when I was about 8 or so. I just love single syllable boys names, especially ones that sound at home in both cowboy boots and loafers. Plus I’ve been a Blake Shelton fan for over 10 years which just endears me to the name even more 😉
There was a girl in one of the seasons of 16 & Pregnant who named her son Blake. If I remember correctly she was in a tiny Colorado town and her family was military…
waltzingmorethanmatilda says
November 16, 2011 at 11:19 PMI really love the name Blake, because of William Blake (and perhaps a little because of illustrator Quentin Blake, who was such a fixture of my childhood).
However, it’s a name that nobody seems to like! Working class people say that it sounds snobby or feminine, while middle class people think it sounds lower-class, and potentially thuggish.
Frustratingly, there is often no real reason for the general dislike either – as with this thread, everyone just seems to go “meh”. It doesn’t seem to engender fierce hatred, which would at least show that it was interesting enough to provoke even a negative opinion. It’s always, “Fine for someone else to use”.
I don’t know how it ever got into the Top 50!
(Another Blake – Roj Blake from 70s British sci-fi show “Blake’s 7” – my older sister was a big fan).
Bek says
November 17, 2011 at 4:36 PMMy first thought is Quentin Blake too!
That being said, add me to the list of “eh”. It doesn’t really move me one way or the other… And I’m kind of surprised at the level of popularity, though I suppose there are a lot of names in the Top 100 that surprise me in the same way.
I’ve known a few, all male, all in their 30s now, which leads me to think they were born just before Dynasty debuted.
Zeffy says
November 16, 2011 at 5:32 PMBlake sounds very American to me, even with William Blake being one of my favourite poets. It’s a nice name, but it sounds too modern for my tastes.
Raquel Somatra says
November 16, 2011 at 6:10 PMI have yet to meet a male Blake, which is interesting since I’ve known about 10 or so– all girls.
C in DC says
November 16, 2011 at 1:34 PMI’m surprised with its popularity that I haven’t met a Blake IRL. I wonder if it’s popularity is mostly regional (south?).
i.heart.nerds says
November 16, 2011 at 9:46 AMI went to school with two Blakes and a Drake. The sound doesn’t sound fresh to my ears. I am also not in love with it on a girl. It definitely feel too masculine to my ears.
Lauren says
November 16, 2011 at 8:46 AMBlake has always been kind of blah, or blank for me.
Charlotte Vera says
November 16, 2011 at 3:33 AMI’ve been trying to come up with something to say about this name, but I just can’t. For me, Blake, as a name isn’t bad, he’s just really not that interesting. Yes, his roots provide a fascinating read, but on sound alone? Meh.
Julie says
November 16, 2011 at 3:28 AMMy second cousin is named Blake. He used to babysit for our family when I was a baby, so I’m guessing he’s about 50 — I guess his parents were ahead of the curve.
Blake is solidly on it’s way to becoming a classic… but it’s not terribly exciting. I guess this one falls into that nebulous category of a perfectly nice name for someone else’s child.