• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Request a Name

Appellation Mountain

Where every name has a story

  • Baby Name Advice & More
  • Master List: Girl Names
  • Master List: Boy Names
  • Private Baby Name Consulting

Wilbur: Baby Name of the Day

December 17, 2014 By appellationmountain 4 Comments

Wilbur Wright, child photo portrait

Today is the 111th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ trailblazing flight at Kitty Hawk – a date I always remember because it’s my son’s birthday!  

Today’s post goes out with a Happy Birthday to my dearest Alex – and a wish that you take risks and fly and sometimes crash.  And then soar.

A pioneer in flight.  A famous literary pig.

Our Baby Name of the Day is Wilbur.

Wilbur: Nineteenth Century Gentleman

Here’s something that always strikes me as unfair: we fearlessly revive girls’ names from the past, be they tailored Joan or elaborate Evangeline.

When it comes to naming boys, we hesitate.

Sure, Bertha and Myrtle have yet to make a comeback.  But that’s nothing compared to our the nineteenth century boys’ names we’ve abandoned: Herbert, Alfred, Elmer, Ralph, Clyde.

And Wilbur.

Back in 1880, Wilbur was a Top 200 name for boys.

Milton and Susan Wright gave the name to their son in 1867, inspired by prominent Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk, founder of Wesleyan University.  That’s Wilbur Wright as a child in the picture above.

The other Wright children were Orville, born in 1871, Reuchlin, Lorin, Katharine, and twins Otis and Ida.

Wilbur: Defying Gravity

The Wright Brothers were in the bicycle business by 1892, but they were fascinated by the possibility of flight.

They weren’t alone.  Glider pilots were flying – but also dying, with two high-profile innovators falling to their deaths in Europe as the brothers began crafting their first aircraft.

By 1900, they were testing a series of gliders.

And then, in 1903, they flew, with Wilbur in the Wright Flyer I.

Their aircraft cost less than $1,000, including lots of custom-made parts from their bicycle shop.  It can still be seen in the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum.

He lacks the verve of Jett, but Wilbur is a name that flies high.

Wilbur: Animal Instincts

Arthur and Caleb and lots of names have animal meanings.  Gentle Wilbur comes from the Middle English for wild boar, and started out as a surname.

It’s a different kind of swine that comes to mind for most us, though.

In E.B. White’s enduring story Charlotte’s Web, little Fern Arable saves the runt of the litter, and names her new pig Wilbur.  He’s eventually sent to live at the farm owned by Fern’s uncle, but poor Wilbur is a misfit.  At least until he meets Charlotte, a wise spider, who starts a web-based PR campaign to spare the friendly pig from slaughter.

It works, and the celebrated pig lives happily ever after.

Or maybe you think of another barnyard name: talking horse Mister Ed was owned by Wilbur Post.

Wilbur: Ready for Revival?

Wilbur left the US Top 1000 after the 1980s, and has continued to slip.  Just 20 boys were given the name in 2013.  That’s pretty close to obscurity.

On the plus side:

  • In 1990, William Joyce wrote children’s book A Day with Wilbur Robinson.  Disney adapted it as Meet the Robinsons in 2007.  The quirky Robinson clan has great names – Tallulah, Cornelius, Laszlo.  The time-travelling tale puts a fresh spin on Wilbur.
  • It’s also the name of the baby on Nip/Tuck, though the storyline isn’t exactly a fairytale, and he’s sometimes called Gabriel.

There’s also the possibility of short form Wil.  With British parents rediscovering Wilfred, and the continuing popularity of William, it’s not a complete stretch.

If you’re all about names like Opal and Earl, Wilbur might deserve a place on your shortlist.

Do you think Wilbur could make a comeback?

More names you might like:

  • Baby Name of the Day: WallaceBaby Name of the Day: Wallace
  • Baby Name of the Day: LaviniaBaby Name of the Day: Lavinia
  • Name of the Day: ShannonName of the Day: Shannon
  • Theron: Baby Name of the DayTheron: Baby Name of the Day
  • One-Syllable Middle Names for Girls: Besides Grace and RoseOne-Syllable Middle Names for Girls: Besides Grace and Rose

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Comments

  1. Bella says

    December 19, 2014 at 6:17 PM

    I like this name, it seems gentle and refined to me. I don’t know if it would work as a first name just yet but I think it would make a lovely middle, especially when teamed with a classic first – James Wilbur, Edward Wilbur, etc.

    On another note, happy birthday Alex!

    Reply
  2. (Other) Sara says

    December 17, 2014 at 3:41 PM

    I love Wilbur. I knew a little Wilbur in high school, the surprise younger brother of a friend. He went by Willie.

    Alas, it was also my family’s cat growing up, so it won’t be making a reappearance on any little boys in my family this generation. But it’s a great name.

    Reply
  3. C says

    December 17, 2014 at 9:08 AM

    its not Wilbur but I have a friend who named their little boy Wright. I think they may be a distant relation to the Wright brothers.

    Reply
  4. Sara says

    December 17, 2014 at 4:22 AM

    So long as Charlotte’s Web remains popular, I can’t really see any parent dooming their child to a life-time of pig jokes.

    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


POPULAR POSTS

appmtn

Baby name blogger at www.appellationmountain.net. Lover of obscure gems, provider of #namehelp, and generally #babynames obsessed!

Abby Sandel
Did you have a Cabbage Patch Kid? What were their Did you have a Cabbage Patch Kid? What were their names? Mine was Nicolette Charyl. Loved that doll so much!
They're expecting a girl. a sister for Oliver Troy They're expecting a girl. a sister for Oliver Troy. What names sound great with Oliver? They're hoping to use the middle name Michelle.(Also: can they consider the name Genevieve? Their last name begins with JEN ...) #namehelp #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Novel N names for our sons - none of these rank in Novel N names for our sons - none of these rank in the current US Top 1000. What would you add? #boynames #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Dinah, Dulcie, Lucy Gray + more trending #girlname Dinah, Dulcie, Lucy Gray + more trending #girlnames #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Kai, Cashel, True + more trending #boynames #babyn Kai, Cashel, True + more trending #boynames #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Their daughter is Amelia "AJ" Jordan. Mom's not su Their daughter is Amelia "AJ" Jordan. Mom's not sure how to balance the feminine, antique names she loves with her daughter's sporty nickname. Let's find the perfect match! #namehelp #babynames #namingbaby #appellationmountain
Load More Follow on Instagram
Visit Appellation Mountain's profile on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2023 · AppellationMountain.net on Genesis Framework · Privacy Policy · Log in