Today’s literary choice is perfectly in step with current trends, but has yet to catch on.
Thanks to Amanda for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day: Waverly.
Waverly sounds like a surname, but first appears in the historical record as the name of an abbey, constructed in 1128. It lasted into the 1500s, when the combined forces of flooding from the nearby River Wey and Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries forced it into ruin. Waverley Abbey’s name is tricky to trace, too. I’d thought it might relate to the nearby River Wey, but that’s not clear.
A few references link Waverly to aspens, and that tracks with the -ley ending, which usually signified a clearing, meadow, or field. Nearly every reference talks about “quaking aspens,” and our word waver traces back to the Old English wæfre – restless. So Waverly picks up yet another appealing aspect – a nature name vibe.
In 1814, Sir Walter Scott scored a smash hit with his novel Waverley. His hero is called Edward Waverley, a well-born soldier sent to Scotland during the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. (This makes Waverly one of the first historical novels.) Edward falls in love with Flora, the sister of a Scottish chieftain. This brings us back to the trees: he describes her harp playing as “the soft sigh of the evening breeze in the rustling leaves of an aspen.”
There’s much intrigue, but no happy ending. Despite Flora’s chieftain brother Fergus springing Edward from jail, Edward marries the sensible Rose.
Some link the novel’s name to Waverly Abbey, but that might just be coincidence. Likewise, the 64 baby girls given the name in 2009 according to Nancy are probably not linked to the novel.
What could inspire parents to choose Waverly?
- She’s a popular place name throughout the English-speaking world. She appeared on the New York City street names blog post at Nameberry, but you can find this name on the map from Alabama to Wisconsin;
- Amy Tan’s 1989 Joy Luck Club included a character named Waverly, named for the street where her family lived in San Francisco;
- The Princess Bride was a 1973 novel, a 1987 film, and an undeniable cult classic. Later editions of the novel contain a brief epilogue and hint at a sequel, all about the daughter of Westley and Princess Buttercup. Her name? Waverly;
- If you’ve seen The Disney Channel in recent years, you might’ve caught The Wizards of Waverly Place, a successful comedy about a trio of wizards-in-training who have to keep their powers secret. The show is set in New York City’s Greenwich Village, where there really is a Waverly Place, which was named after the novel – which takes us back to the beginning.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Waverly occasionally surfaced as a boy’s name. But today, she sounds like a likely successor to Delaney – and undeniably feminine. And while her name links to trees, her first syllable might remind parents of the beach. If girls can be called Ocean and Sea, why not Waverly?
Hi my name is Waverly don’t think my name is preppy I believe its unique and unusual different just like me . I like my name . You don’t hear it very often. Sometimes i’m called wavey wave wave wacky wave and sometimes Wavy Gravy. What gets me is when they ask you what your name is you tell them Waverly they say no your first name. That’s what gets me. My last name is Williams. I get stuff in the mail addressed to Mr William Waverly. I LOVE MY NAME WAVERLY ANN WILLIAMS!! COOL
I have a 6 year old Waverly and I am pretty far from preppy lol. I don’t see that at all, also its not as “branded” here in Canada. Ppl on pregnancy boards 7yrs ago when I was pregnant with her told me about the small towns, crackers and fabrics but I had never of them and still don’t see them where I live so its a none issue but I can see why it would be. We are ALWAYS complimented on her name, always, basically anytime we introduce her and all her teachers have commented on it positivly as well. I am surprised to see negative responses here but to each their own, no name is loved by all lol.
That’s absolutely true – my lovely neighbor Anne remains horrified that we’re calling our daughter Clio … she tries not to show it, but I suspect she has Very Strong Opinions about all of these wacky modern names.
My name is Waverly. I don’t think it sounds very preppy. It’s a strong name that only strong people can have. When I’m asked my name, and i answer, I love the reactions i receive. It’s like a pair of fancy shoes that never gets old. To each his own, but I believe its a great name, being as though I was named after the novel.
My name is Waverly and although I have never met another person with the same name I always get compliments on it! I was named after the town in Virginia because my uncle’s name started with a “w” and he had recently passed before I was born so it was in honor of him. I do get called Wave for short.
oops……. I also get called Wave by some of my friends.
Hi my name is Waverlea prounced Waverly and I get so many compliments on my name as it is unusual and they have never met a Waverlea before…..I also love my name.
I love it! I always dreamt of having two little girls named Waverly and Wellesley.
Back in 1942 I lived in Wellesley Hills and was around 12 yrs when I read this book and there was a young girl named Waverly in it. She had such a wonderful life and I remember wishing I was her. I remember very little else other than she had her own horse and went to wonderful places.
When my first daughter was born I named her Waverly Ann. I wonder if anyone would know of that book?
My name is Waverly and I’m a girl so of course I’ll like the name Waverly. Not many people out there have this name. Why have a common name like Sarah or John when you can have something not so common?
My son is called waverley and i love it! he is 4 year old, it really suits him and its unusual,i never heard the name before i named him i spotted a lorry with wave written on the side when i was pregnant and i just decided that was gonna be his name,i think its a brilliant name for a boy or girl,unisex name and my son loves being out in nature as well so really suits his personality.
I LOVE it ! I’ve never heard of any products related to it (doesn’t geography and culture change just things?) or many of the other references.I was searching for unusual girl names a few years ago and fell in love with it.It also doesn’t preppy either. It’s bohemian, whimsical and romantic.It’s so unusual, that when it comes to aging, the fact that is so striking makes it work. Waverley is in the same camp as names like Astoria for me.
I do really like Waverly. I associate this name with the ocean, no thoughts of brands or preppiness. But then again, I think Archer is woodsy while my mother thinks it’s preppy and waspish. Maybe I’m just not tuned in to preppy culture.