14 People's Names I Only Found in America

[@shaunvlog]

I think a lot of these names might be British but I somehow have the impression they’re American 🙈

[@lairdcummings9092]

Gregory is a very common American name. Also: 'Herb,' as a name, is more pronounced 'Hurb.' 'Hank' is an evolution of 'Henry,' originally a shortened or nickname, but it's become its own thing.

[@lynnenewell2016]

All the male names are not popular American. Michael, David, Steve, Don, Sean. Those are American male names. I named my son Eric, also a popular male name. All the female names were oooooold. No one would name their child Martha!

[@meloneyparker]

The trend now is to name children with a last name, like Logan, Parker, Harper, etc.

[@lairdcummings9092]

@@meloneyparker I find it amusing that Shaun thinks of 'Logan' as American. It's Scottish. It derives from 'Lagan,' which means "Little Hollow" (as in a geographic feature.) Similar to Burnside being derived from "beside the creek."

[@adventuresinlaurenland]

Miranda Hart is a contemporary English comedian and actress 😂 But, as an American, I agree with your list! Whenever I think of Scottish names I think of Angus, Callum, Hamish...can't think of any female ones though 😂

[@dgpatter]

Hank’s not a postman; he sells propane and propane accessories.

[@mandystory4275]

I was hoping somebody would say that.

[@meloneyparker]

A-yep!

[@pamsam8933]

Or rides a tractor/horse on his multigenerational farm/ranch. Wears a baseball cap and old, rugged boots. Ahhh...God bless our Hanks!😉

[@JoeBlow_4]

Hank is a nickname for Henry, like Dick or Rick is for Richard.

[@adoxartist1258]

Naa, Hank wrassles gators in the bayou. 🐊

[@persephonebonner5733]

"Hank" is usually short for "Henry", at least here in America.

[@JanetteGailFrancis]

Henry is French

[@raymonddavis1370]

Are you sure because I thought it was short for "HAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNK "

[@sophiedash4026]

@@JanetteGailFrancis As is the American pronunciation of *herb.* It comes from the french influence in America, not the name Herb. Lol

[@MsKK909]

@ SLAMO In Texas, you can run across men with “initial only” names.... JT is a common one.

[@susankeller4170]

Persephone Bonner yep, like Henry Fonda who was always called Hank by his friends and family.

[@SheaTheSarcastic]

I’m American, and I can’t say that I know anybody named Ford. Except my car. 😋

[@scottjohnson7244]

ford was used a cuppel generations ago. dont think at all now.

[@lairdcummings9092]

I think I recall a guy named Ford, but the memory is hazy. Certainly not a common name anywhere I've lived.

[@janetnoakes1440]

Same here.. Never heard it as a first name.

[@catherinewhite2943]

Ford Prefect from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker' Guide to the Galaxy. Since we meet him in England, I always think of it as an English first name!

[@Unpainted_Huffhines]

Same here. I'm struggling to think of _anyone_ with the first name Ford. Andrew Dice Clay played a character named "Ford Fairlane". That's it.

[@LIBERTYorD34TH]

Ps Hank, is a nickname for the name Henry. So any person you'll ever meet called Hank there legal name is most likely to be Henry.

[@coxmosia1]

Harry too.

[@judithhope8970]

In England, Henry become Harry. :)

[@daveeriksson]

@@judithhope8970 Harry is short for Harold here.

[@thomasallen3818]

I just got a huge laugh. I was looking up Scottish male names and Logan was the 7th name on the list.

[@groovygranny5565]

Lucile was 9th on the list of girls' names I looked at.

[@Zhiperser]

Ward and Herbert must be in their 90s. There are a lot of Gregorys here in the US but they all probably go by Greg. Shaun is also very popular in the US but usually with different spellings: either Sean or Shawn.

[@montrelouisebohon-harris7023]

My dad's name was Herbert Steven Harris & of Scottish descent but he was born in 1944 and died in 2007. Aside from my father I don't know very many Herberts.

[@lollypop2414]

@@montrelouisebohon-harris7023 I went to high school with a Herbert in the 90s. He was often teased because his name was so outdated. It was considered a grandpa name.

[@Liutgard]

I have an Uncle Herb, and he's only 74. 😄

[@danielleporter1829]

There's actor Shaun Cassidy

[@brissiemum2]

Oh yeah, Greg Brady....in fact all of the Brady names! 😂

[@iLitAfuseiCantStop]

Whenever I hear "Poppy" I know they're british 😂

[@caulkins69]

Poppy Montgomery is Australian.

[@GageHerrmann]

Gemma

[@EvolvedSungod]

Never seen anyone with a first name of Ford. That's a weird one even in the US

[@VolcanoEarth]

Ford Prefect...again, British fictional character

[@BendyDH]

Yeah same here I was going to comment the same thing, I’ve never heard of anybody named Ford before

[@theeternalsuperstar3773]

Ford is usually a nickname for people named Stanford, but these days most people just say Stan.

[@bigjohnstud]

There is a California pro surfer named Ford Archibold.

[@caseycatface4564]

90% of these names I’ve only seen on Americans over 50. Penelope is originally a Greek name a believe

[@pamrichardson4674]

My friends 3 yr old daughter is named Penelope, She also has a 4 month old named Agatha, so I guess she really is into old lady names.

[@seorsamaclately4294]

yes, it's Greek

[@johnnabuzby6103]

A woman I work with is Greek, married to an American. She has a young daughter whose name is Persephone. They call her "Baby P" for short.

[@thedirtymartini13]

I feel like the most American names are Kimberly, Jessica, Jennifer, Tiffany, Ashley, Brittany and Stephanie for women. Jake, Jack, Steven, John, and Tommy for men.

[@jenisedai]

Yeah, a lot of the names mentioned in the video are older names that aren't in fashion in the US anymore. The ones you mentioned are more common American names. I think the boys' names are also used in the UK, but the girl names I only ever hear for Americans.

[@lindanizamoff7981]

Robert is a very popular name in this country.

[@k14karat]

And Hunter

[@shotbytim9624]

Ashley is about as American as a name gets. There's a province in France named Brittany but I don't think Ive ever heard of it used as a personal name in France. It would be kind of like an American naming their daughter after a state (Although I have met a woman named Nevada and had a great great aunt named Louisiana) Stephanie is actually quite common in France and French Canada and in a slightly different form in Italy: Stefania.

[@jenisedai]

@@shotbytim9624 Celebrities name their children after places all the time, but I guess we're talking more about 'normal' people, right? ;)

[@sadfaery]

Ward as a first name reminds me mostly of Ward Cleaver, the father in the 1950s American sitcom Leave It to Beaver. But I know it mostly as a surname. My mother was a Ward, and her father was Edward Ward, and he had a brother named Hayward Ward. I have no idea what their parents were thinking to do that to their children.

[@scottjohnson7244]

or ward bond...

[@SierraGal]

I’ve got a good friend named Ward. He’s super cool. He’s a ski patroller and heliski guide, plus a ton of other stuff. Wards a cool guy name to me!

[@SierraGal]

Edward Ward? Hayward Ward? Those parents were cruel.

[@kyleward3914]

I, too, know it mostly as a surname.

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

That's just wrong.

[@dagneytaggart7707]

56 and 3/4 years I've done just fine as Karen, then the stupid interwebs got tired of harassing Felicia.....🙄

[@tanyaqueen8480]

I apologize for all the Karen comments I've made. I should also probably apologize for all the times in the future that I'll use Karen as a joke. Cuz it's just really funny lol

[@chriskappler3482]

Yeah, Felicia finally left and Dave is out still being a Dave.....soon they will find another name to make fun of for awhile. :)

[@dagneytaggart7707]

@SLAMO I like to think I wield the Power of Karen for good, not bullshittery. However, if necessary, I will ask for the manager's manager. 🤨

[@KoltiraMemeweaver]

In my mind I separate Karen and _"Karen"._ I type them differently to avoid that confusion.

[@theopkingdom3433]

😂😂😂

[@Meladjusted]

Martha..? I just think of that as an old name. Same with half the names you gave, lol. I've never ever met a Ward. You've been watching a ton of 50s stuff...

[@pjmoseley243]

i had a friend with the name Ward, and he is English

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

Why did you say that name?!

[@emberrain7050]

Agreed. Marthas.... Martha Washington and my grandmother's sister.

[@MiklosHajma]

Martha in different forms are pretty common here in East EU. I'm from Hungary and I know quite a few Márta's. :)

[@rene14slhs]

Herb/ herbert is an old person's name. You NEVER hear any child nowdays named herb.

[@CGH250]

Brit wright - yes - Hank and Herb are from 70 years back and longer! 🇺🇸

[@lisakurak3733]

Just like I named my daughter Ruth. She's 21 and nobody HER AGE in her entire university of thousands shares her name.

[@JML6988]

Herbie is also the lovebug!

[@knowledge-girl]

Herb is pronounced "erb" because it's of French origin. In French, "h" is silent.

[@anderander5662]

Exactly...

[@eMDeeG]

Thanks! I've always wondered about that (but apparently never enough to research it myself).

[@Fool3SufferingFools]

Yes, and the H was originally pronounced in Britain as well. It was only in the 19th century that lower- and middle-class British people, trying to be upwardly mobile by not dropping their H's, started overcorrecting by pronouncing H's that were supposed to be silent, like the one in "herb."

[@iceninja46]

What about Chad..... Very American sounding...

[@shaunvlog]

Chad is 100% so American for sure!

[@RRBish]

Hanging Chad...

[@raymonddavis1370]

Or BIFF ,although it may be a short for another name I'm not sure.

[@lollypop2414]

That's my husband's name (yes we're American) and he hates his name because it screams 1970s trendy.

[@LindaC616]

@@lollypop2414 yes, *that* is the name that screams "pink polo shirt, went to an Ivy League school" !

[@sabrinacle]

Lucile is the name of BB Kings guitar. Also Lucille Ball. Martha is a biblical name

[@deadfreightwest5956]

She was also the first First Lady.

[@kristagansebom5984]

My daughter is going to name her baby Ethan. I think of it as more of an early American name, like Ethan Allen.

[@bowmama8]

I love the name Ethan but it's my understanding its origin is Hebrew.

[@alisgray]

Mazel tov!

[@laurawestenra]

Yeah it's a very New England-y name. I guess it's a cowboy name too.

[@alisgray]

Wonderful name!

[@kristagansebom5984]

Well, they live in North Carolina and his daddy' is Scottish, so there will be a one half Scottish Ethan out there.

[@wendyeverett1756]

US Boy: Colton/Cole, Brandon, Tyler, Cody, Travis, Spencer... US Girl: Amanda, Brittany, Crystal/Krystal, Tiffany, Savannah, Dixie...

[@agoogleuser4443]

Travis is an American sounding name for sure!

[@deadfreightwest5956]

You aced it, Wendy. These are all very trite US names. I was surprised at Shaun's choices, many of which are English or derived from European immigration to the US.

[@tomchamberlain4329]

Nail on the head. The two exceptions being Tyler and Amanda which are both very common in the UK as well

[@InfiniteDreamWalker]

Have a friend named Brandon in Nottingham. Amanda Ellis is a KZbin personality from England so I guess it's the area you are located in each country as to what names are popular.

[@kerodelkigh]

Im Amanda or Andi for short

[@NotAFeminist976]

Many of the women’s names are based in Latin and Greek antiquity. Are Scottish men ever called Scott? What do you think of it as an American man’s name?

[@kerodelkigh]

Yes

[@chellebelle534]

😲

[@ChrisJohnsonChannel]

The only Ward I know of from “Leave it to Beaver” tv show LOL.

[@lindanizamoff7981]

I think Ward was popular in the 1930's and 40's its probably a nick name.

[@catherinekilgore619]

Yeah, Ward Cleaver, the character in "Leave it to Beaver", is what I thought of when I think of the name "Ward". Also there was Ward Bond, who played in mostly Westerns (e.g., Wagon Train). I don't think I have ever known a Ward in person. I agree, the name is not so popular right now in the US.

[@ExarKenneth71]

I know two of them.

[@suddenseer9013]

Ward, don't you think you were too tough on the Beaver last night?

[@TheMultiMom]

Yeah, I either think of that, or like a warden

[@cherylann9781]

Martha, is not a common name currently in the US. As for Martha being used to name boats, guns etc., is probably because Martha is thought to represent a good, solid and loyal companion. George Washington’s wife was named Martha and she was loyal and supportive all during the Revolution and his Presidency.

[@pamsam8933]

@Cheryl Bailey I thought the same. Martha seems "loyal and dependable".

[@cherylann9781]

Pam Bowen So, I guess you could say Martha is a most “American” name, as America is loyal, dependable, and solid.

[@Hi-hn5dg]

@Cheryl Bailey, America is none of those things

[@cathifamjourney469]

@@Hi-hn5dg Why not? I think the people are for sure. Possibly you think the Government isn't?

[@Ten13Grl]

Also, both Batman and Superman had mothers named Martha, and that seemed to make them quit fighting.

[@galadreil55]

Martha as in Martha Washington (George Washington's wife), also both Batman and Superman's moms were Marthas. That aside... I'm a Heather. Do you hear that much there?

[@wmason1961]

My Mothers name was Martha.

[@tiffanysamuels279]

Heather is a flower that only grows really in the UK. Actually the first baby girl name Heather that they know of was born to scottish immigrants. To be fair I'm not from the UK, but my impression from Heather, seems more of I want to be connected to my roots type of name that just became popular over the years and lost it's meaning. I can't imagine that many scottish people would name their kid Heather because of the plant association.

[@TerryFinleylovesJesus]

Martha is also a biblical name.

[@heathergreenhalgh2289]

🍏From a middle-aged Canadian perspective , I always had another Heather in my classes growing up. As a teacher, I’ve only taught one student with that name. There are LOTS of Hannah’s Emily’s and Emma’s; Kiera’s and Julie/as. As for boys, I’ve been teaching many Treston/ Tristan, Ethans, Nathans and Jordans for the last 10 …years! When I went to Scotland, it seemed like everyone was named John /Edward /Graham or Ann Elizabeth /Mary/Jane -or some derivative of those names. When I taught in AU there were some cool/ shortened different names that I was not used to; like Jye, Jules and Mem /Iso, Lou, Cassie. (NO Fannys -that’s a rude term there). American names to me are: Chad /Brad/ Bubba- Biff Or Miffy/Maddison/Hillary/Ethel, Delores variations. Common ground lies in the Sam/ Sandy, Jackson/ David / Susan’s. I seem to find those names everywhere I go. Brit names to me are Poppy/Pippa/Prues Ollies/Harries/ Dicks.

[@not_nostradamus683]

"Martha My Dear" is a song from the Beatles "The Beatles" album, aka the white album. So you can imply that U.S. fans of the Beatles named their daughters after a UK band's song.

[@elnflngn]

"Miranda doesn't exist in contemporary Britain...." Miranda Hart pushes him off his stool..............

[@chellebelle534]

Exactly

[@jodieroundtree488]

Isn't there a tv show over there called Miranda? It's on Hulu now or something?

[@riffhammeron]

Miranda Richardson

[@deloreswilson-ross7937]

I'm 64 and have never heard of anyone named "Colt" in the States. The only Felicities I've met have been English. Ward, Hank (nickname for Henry and Hendrick) and Herbert are rarely heard anymore, they were fairly popular baby names during the 1920s. Love your videos!

[@Sorrowdusk]

There's several famous Colts, all of them born in about the same time period. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_(given_name)

[@flynnmalin]

Colt Ford. Google him.

[@michellemuldrew827]

I'm 63 and growing up one of my best friends name was Colt. Colt Scott. I always thought he had the coolest name I ever heard.

[@Mark_Cadden]

Sir, we say Herb without the H because it’s French and that’s how it’s pronounced and was for many many many years in France. Also the name Herbie exists in Britain. Herbie Kane the footballer for one 🤷🏻‍♂️ Not sure how thats any different than Herb.

[@glasserbuds]

Herb came from Herbert

[@Mark_Cadden]

ShariSez1 I know? Lol. What I’m sayin in this comment above^ is a direct response to his video. He talks about how Brits say HERB and how we say (H)erb, first, therefore I address that first, and then he talks about how there’s no “Herbs” (the name) in Britain which is why I addressed that second

[@Mark_Cadden]

Stanford Walker Yep! I know. And if you look up the origins of the name Herbie, it also comes from Herbert lol so again, Herb and Herbie aren’t very different

[@jaysee2213]

I think Herbie Kane must be the only one! I have never heard that name before until just now and I'm English

[@chrisk5651]

How do the Brits pronounce “hour” or “honour”?

[@PockASqueeno]

When Shaun said “herbs” at first I thought he said “harems.” 😂 And then when he said it the American way, I thought he said “Arabs!” 🤣

[@ninadouglas6289]

That’s what my close caption thought he said!

[@davidjacobs8558]

actually, the KZbin Close Caption rendered it as Arab when he said Erb. Herbert is Germanic name. just like Gilbert, Robert, Albert etc.

[@hellome8826]

Colt makes me think of a gun brand Colt. How American is that? Immediately equate Colt to a gun.

[@MissSarahG107]

Exactly, makes me think of thw gun Sam and Dean used in Supernatural 😂

[@docinabox258]

not mnay people are named colt anymore

[@JML6988]

Isn't there a NFL player named Colt?

[@rebeccapass701]

I think of a character in an old western

[@tallboy2234]

@@JML6988 Colt McCoy. Second String Quarterback for the New York Giants from Texas originally.

[@j7a1k1e]

"this name is so popular over in America" Meanwhile I've never met anyone with most of these names in all my travels across the land.

[@dipper9755]

How?

[@oranlichtman2021]

@@dipper9755 How many Penelopes you met? 😂

[@dipper9755]

@@oranlichtman2021 I've only met 2. Not saying these names are super common. But for them to say they haven't met people with most of these names boggles my mind

[@oranlichtman2021]

@@dipper9755Nah it's more so that all of these names, to me, sound like they come from a specific area/ demographic. Like if he were to say that there were people everywhere named Doris, Phillis, and Margaret (to me quintessential, stereotypical American old lady names). There's probably plenty out there, but in retirement homes. Same for Logan and Colt, I've met some, but they were in West Virginia rather than in DC were I live. I think more typical names would be like Tyler, Drew, Jim, Brent, Kati, Ashley, Skylar, Julianna, Tori, and Toni (both specifically with an i), or even Karen, all internet memes aside.

[@dipper9755]

@@oranlichtman2021 I totally get that

[@amkaen]

Dude. You missed Dakota.

[@allydr90]

And Cheyenne lol

[@christywilson2839]

True!

[@mikkiduf]

Austin and Houston??!!!!

[@agoogleuser4443]

And Travis.

[@carolhayes7750]

I'm from the US and have never heard of Ford as a first name! Hank is a nickname for Henry. LOL, I think of Felicity as being an English name! Never heard of any boat or anything called Martha. My sister's name is Martha! it's an old name. I always think of Penelope as English as well!

[@raven3moon]

Penelope is actually a character from Greek mythology. She was Queen of Ithaca, and Odysseus' wife. So I can see English parents naming their children after a character from the Classics.

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

Yes exactly!!!

[@jenniferwilson2637]

I have never met a Felicity. There is a television show from the 90s, I think, called Felicity. Maybe that's why you think of it as an American name?? Otherwise, nope. When I think of distinctly American names, I think of the intentionally nickname-type names from the 60s and 70s, like Wendy, Connie, Tammy, Karen, Patty, etc. Also names like Jennifer, Stephanie, Tiffany, Savannah, or Madison.

[@davidjacobs8558]

@@jenniferwilson2637 famous (at least she was in the movie "Rogue 1") actress Felicity Jones is British.

[@caulkins69]

I'm sure Dame Penelope Keith would be quite surprised to learn she has an American name.

[@scottjohnson7244]

ive known a penalope or 2 in my day. always thot it was a brit name. poss due to lady pen...

[@robnorris4770]

And Penelope Cruz, who is Spanish.

[@victorwaddell6530]

Penelope is an ancient Greek name . Odysseus , King of Ithaca , had Queen Penelope as his wife . Homer wrote a couple of books about them . Dame Penelope Keith should be proud to bear the name of such a faithful wife .

[@TheGinnygoose18]

And Penelope Wilton

[@nwmonk3105]

I love the name Penelope, just for the alliteration alone. And I pronounce it in my head pen-a-lope. :-

[@Boldorion1958]

Penelope was the wife of Odysseus in Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, written around 700 BC.

[@VolcanoEarth]

I only know one Penelope..and she goes by Penny.

[@bonniebrown5102]

You should react to a series called “King of the Hill”. It’s animated series about a family man in Texas named Hank Hill. It is so, so funny and SO American. Also I think of my name Bonnie being very American. I know it’s a common adjective in the UK and Ireland, but I have only heard of Americans naming kids that.

[@JRR0013]

I think Bonnie means beautiful in Gaelic?

[@lgfrades]

Ward Cleaver, leave it to beaver

[@lgfrades]

My great grandma’s name was Grace. I think it’s a Puritan name back in the 1800s in America.

[@MaryM232]

King of the Hill was very funny but it’s stereotypes of certain types of Americans and actually isn’t representative of even those types

[@samanthaponce8522]

My dad's name is Ira, after his father. My mom's father is also Ira. So both my grandfathers were named Ira. To add to that, My mom's oldest sister is Martha. She married Columbus McGarrah. My dad's oldest sister is Martha. She married Charles McGarrah. My oldest aunt's on both sides were Martha McGarrah.

[@kentuckylady2990]

Samantha Ponce ,... I am a family researcher, I would call that a genealogist’s nightmare. Frustrating, intriguing and actually fun to research.

[@lindamazur6124]

I don't know anyone under 80 years old named Martha

[@victorwaddell6530]

@@lindamazur6124 Martha Quinn from MTV in the 1980s . She is probably about 60 years old now .

[@dale3404]

linda mazur I went to school with a Martha, who’d be 63 or 64. I know a Martha around age 40. But, you’re right. Not many.

[@samanthaponce8522]

@@kentuckylady2990 I do family research as well. Having the same problem looking for info on my great grandfather John Lackey. (From Scotland).

[@amberg3893]

It's interesting, when I read Harry Potter the first time I could tell the setting just from the first names, they all sounded very British. I just did research recently on how names change by time period as well, like 'Hailey' or 'Aiden' would make someone thing of elementary school kids, whereas 'Mildred' or 'Elmer' would conjure up an octogenarian. Also, there used to be a trend of naming a first son his mother's surname, and then his surname would be his father's, which is why so many common surnames are first names in the US.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

Elmer's Tune dates from the 1940s (?) and there was an episode of "You Bet Your Life" in the 1950s where a contestant was named Elmer, and Groucho Marx said, "I'll just call you Elm, after I tree I knew." And of course, Elmer's Glue has been around since the year dot.

[@joerhea9340]

My step dad was named Hank Walton , a nick name for Henry.

[@Ten13Grl]

Isn't Henry a nickname in and of itself? Or, maybe it started that way? The only reason I ask is because we had a foreign exchange student when I was in HS (too long ago to mention, haha) named Heinrich, and he went by Henry.

[@janedc5ch319]

Herbert or Herb was my husband's name. I drives me nuts to hear it as pronounced as Herb

[@Ten13Grl]

@A S Heinrich definitely came first. The US actually has a lot of strong German roots in many places. As does the English language, for that matter. People like to think that English is closer to Spanish and French, but it's more similar to German in its grammar rules and pronunciation.

[@shawnaimus]

My grandfather was Ford and his eldest son was Herbert.

[@pamrichardson4674]

1st you said Elijah, that is my son's name, then you said Logan, that is my nephews name. We are American. LOL

[@Shakespearmint]

Scottish names I think of: Fergus, Angus, Maggie, Mary, Owen maybe? Gregory is super common here, as is Shaun/Shawn/Sean. Also I'm under the impression that traditionally "royal" names and their counterparts (Henry vs Henri, William vs Willhelm) are common in every European country + American: Victoria, Elizabeth, William, Catherine, etc. I also think it's interesting how Americans popularize location-based names like London, Paris, Brittany, Alexandria, Dallas, Chelsea...

[@dangerkeith3000]

Alexandria was named after a person, so it kinda came full circle.

[@lisakaukonen]

Kayla Anderson A lot of those city names were named after people

[@michellepierce7906]

Connor, Duncan, Dougal...

[@victorwaddell6530]

My last girlfriend has a niece named Brooklyn , and we live in South Carolina , not New York . Go figure .

[@dale3404]

Is Owen a Welsh name? Ewan MacGregor is Scottish. I think it’s a variation of Owen.

[@cestmois9959]

These names are either British or biblical. Martha, from the Bible. Felecity, from the Puritans. Ethan Allen was a famous Revolutionary War hero.

[@themaven2017]

and Martha Washington - wife of George Washington

[@Ten13Grl]

Don't forget The Doctor's companion, Martha Jones!

[@braemtes23]

@@Ten13Grl Beatles' song "Martha My Dear". Felicity is from Latin and is the name of a Catholic saint.

[@ashtmw]

Ethan and Martha are also from the Bible and/or Hebrew

[@jenisedai]

Martha is also the name of the mothers of Batman and Superman, and that's been the reason at least a few of the "things" have been named Martha.

[@carriestreeter5313]

ROTFLMAO!!! My Scottish great grandparents named their kids: Zeno Guy, Hallowell Merton (my grandfather), Alta Wren, and Winnifred Margaret. Now, those are some great names!!! ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿♥️

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

Ooooo I love Alta Wren!

[@Ten13Grl]

Those are actually quite lovely! Winnifred has always been a favorite of mine.

[@wendyeverett1756]

Wow, VERY unique names!

[@parkviewmo]

These must be people of character!

[@agoogleuser4443]

I have a Scottish ancestor named Fahrquar.

[@jenniferbeardtrusty1671]

Too great! I taught school for 25 years - almost 4000 13 year olds over the years! There were lots of Ethans and Elijahs, but there were no Hanks. Here, it conjures images of a 68 year old dude with a pot belly and a MAGA hat. (Names are also very regional in the US since it's so big.) One thing I started noticing is that boys who were called Cody were major pains in the butt, however if they went by the full Dakota, they were very pleasant people. I could do a whole podcast on names and how they help to determine who we are. 😅

[@pamelazuchowski6205]

As a teacher I found the any kid named after a state or a city was kind of a pain.

[@sophiedash4026]

The pronunciation of *herb* in America originates with our early French colonization, not with the name Herbert. However the distinction between pronunciation of the plants vs. name makes your situational reference obvious to the listener. 👍

[@xanandreess]

I'm sorry, but this is wrong. The French pronunciation was used in England for about 500 years. It was a French word from the beginning. It's the English that changed the pronunciation to add in the "H" sound only a century or two ago. The current American pronunciation is also the original British pronunciation.

[@xanandreess]

From Wiktionary: “From Middle English erbe, borrowed from Old French erbe (French herbe), from Latin herba. Initial h was restored to the spelling in the 15th century on the basis on Latin, but it remained mute until the 19th century and still is for many speakers.” First known use, 14th century. That means English adopted “erbe” from French in the 1300s, long before there was any such thing as American English. The spelling was changed to “herbe” in the 1400s when Latinate spellings became fashionable, but the pronunciation remained “H”-less. English settlements in America began in earnest in the 1600s with English speakers on both sides of the Atlantic using the “erb” pronunciation. Not until the 1800s did the pronunciation in England start to change to its current British English form. The pronunciation in America wasn’t affected by this change in fashion. The French and Indian War has nothing to do with it.

[@mikkiduf]

Scottish: Hamish, Angus, Duncan, Dougal !!!

[@deadfreightwest5956]

My name is Douglas, and I was amazed to find that in Scotland, it can be a girl's name, too.

[@davidjacobs8558]

"Ian" is very Scottish name.

[@williamf4544]

Morag

[@joerhea9340]

What about Chuck? My nephews are Cole, Cody and Cooper.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

Well, Chuck is a nickname for Charles.

[@jimjones8808]

As a Brit myself, aside from Hank which is one that really stands out in my mind, the other one that really makes me think of America (and I was actually a little surprised you didnt say it) was Buck/Bucky 😂

[@caylor1123]

Buck/Bucky is a nickname. Not a given name.

[@kentuckylady2990]

Jim Jones, one of the better players on my son’s basketball team was called Bucky. One of our local weathermen is Buck.

[@JaimieJo]

I actually have an Uncle Buck! His given name is Russell though.

[@sandrachase68]

@@kentuckylady2990 Buck is short for the names Burchard and Burkhart

[@TripleBerg]

Well, there was Ford Prefect in Hitchhiker’s Guide, though it’s actually the name of a car in the UK.😂

[@deadfreightwest5956]

And he chose it because he thought cars were the dominant species on Earth. What if he had chosen Robin Reliant or Morris Minor? The answer is always... ...42

[@lauraschofield4168]

Most of the names you've chosen are very old and are rarely used these days. I know very few people that have them. I knew a Hank a long time ago but it was a nickname for Henry.

[@robnorris4770]

You’re forgetting about Ford Prefect, who wasn’t from Earth, but he was from England. When you said “Grace”, I immediately thought of The Wandering Ravens.

[@caulkins69]

There was a car in Britain called the Ford Prefect. The joke in HHGTTG is that an alien picked the name thinking it would help him fit in, when it really doesn't.

[@eMDeeG]

@@caulkins69 Was the Ford Prefect a popular car? I've known for years about the joke in THHTG (I'm a HUGE Douglas Adams fan) but I've never known how popular (or unpopular) the car itself actually was.

[@jaycee330]

@@eMDeeG It was a pretty affordable car, so yeah.

[@spiffyspits3605]

What about Beau(Bo), Wayne, Garrett, Wyatt for guy's names which I heard only from USA.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

Bo is short for Beauregard, a VERY southern name. We had one where I work. Definitely of the French influence in the South.

[@TheJwbooth]

Beau, popular in the south where French is only remembered in New Orleans. Beauregard, good looking, sometimes also Bohunk which may be a slur in another language

[@tomchamberlain4329]

Wayne's a very common name in the UK

[@corvus1374]

Miranda Richardson is a British actress.

[@Over_It]

I’m surprised there wasn’t a “Hunter” or a “Kaylie” or “Brock” or a “McKenzie” (insert 9 billion spellings of the girl names). These always sounded the most american to me. The most Scottish? Hmmm... Angus, Bonnie, Minerva, & Alistair. And literally anything with “Mac/Mc” as a prefix. (I low key suspect that has origins in Gaelic).

[@adchancellor1380]

Ward? Yeah. He has two sons named Wally and Theadore, also known as the Beaver.

[@alternativedavey5650]

Mac is Gaelic for son

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

Actually, the reason "herbs" is pronounced without the h, is because it has _always_ been pronounced without the h, going clear back to Middle English. The pronunciation changed in England (apparently due to hypercorrection) some time after America achieved independence; and we never got the memo. Ford as a given name, as far as I know, is British. Apart from a guy in a post-apocalyptic movie who was named for an old car dealership sign ("Ford Lincoln Mercury"), the only first-name Ford that I've ever heard of, ever, is Ford Prefect, and that's from a Douglas Adams novel, which is as British as Monty Python. The only Americans I have ever heard of named Ford, are Henry Ford, Gerald Ford, and Harrison Ford -- and it's the surname in all three cases. There was also the Ford Theater (where President Lincoln was shot), but again, that was named after the owner's surname. (His given name, which I had to look up, was John.) "Hank" is an old shortening of Henry. It was quite common as recently as the late nineteenth century but is not really used any more and these days is still known mostly because of Hank Aaron, one of the more prominent figures in the history of baseball. Never heard of Hank Williams. Elijah is actually not even one of the most popular OT-prophet names. Nathan, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Micah are all more common, and maybe Jonah as well. Habakkuk, not so much. "Logan" is part of the " two-syllable boys' names that end in N" trend that started near the very end of the twentieth century. With a handful of notable exceptions (e.g., Jason, Kevin, Ryan, Aaron, Steven, Nathan, Brian), most of these names were not common previously, so you won't often find them on people older than about 25. (Some, such as Logan and Collin, were names before, just not nearly as popular; others were drawn from various sources, e.g., Javan was a name in the Old Testament that nobody had used in two thousand years; and still others were apparently made up out of whole cloth very recently, e.g., "Braxton".) Others include Aiden, Brayden, Jayden, Zayden, Caden, Kason, Jaxon, Jensan, Jaylon, Colton, Carson, Karston, Keegan, Camden, Corbin, Preston, Praxton, Paxton, Paxson, Parson, Payton, Ethan, Ian, Elan, Easton, Weston, Austin, Mason, Nolan, Dylan, Dalton, Destin, Declan, Daxton, Devon, Dawson, Damon, Graden, Grayson, Gavin, Hudson, Holden, Haydon, Lelan, Landon, Brandon, Bowen, Bryson, Triston, Traxton, Reuben, Raydon, Rayson, ... The only Ward I've ever heard of, was a fictional character in a television program from the black-and-white era, called Leave it to Beaver. The father's name was Ward. Likewise, the only Lucielle I've ever heard of was Lucielle Ball; I've always assumed her parents wanted to call her Lucy but wanted her official name to be longer, so they tacked on some extra letters to make something they could shorten to Lucy. I would bet money that anybody else you can think of named Lucielle, is named for Lucielle Ball. Martha is a well-known name, but very very old-fashioned; I think most Americans associate it with the colonial era. George Washington's wife was named Martha, for example. Also Thomas Jefferson's wife. Penelope makes me think of the ante-bellum South. I don't think anybody has been named Penelope in the last hundred years or so. It's almost as off-the-radar as Mehitabel. Finally, you're missing out a huge category of names that have pretty much only ever been used in America: names like D'Shauna, LaToya, LaTeefah, La'Keesha, LaVonda, LaTreecia, Shaniqua, Shanice, Tyrelle, Tyrone, Treyvon, Jamal, L'emonjello, etc. This whole category of names was invented by Americans in the twentieth century who wanted a name that sounded African, but their families had lived in America and known no language but English for well over a century, and so the results are distinctive and uniquely American. The most Scottish name I can think of, is Duncan. But I have no idea if it's _current_ in Scotland.

[@brittanymarchelle]

I am actually surprised Brittany didn’t make the list. I thought it was super American. Funnily enough though, I named my son Colton and quite a few people call him Colt.

[@pjmoseley243]

Brittany Spears named in honour of her grandmother who married an American GI during WW2 Brittany is a location in northern France part of the Normandy Landings in WW2 Brittany also name after the Ancient Britons who left England when the Anglo Saxons landed in England.

[@tomchamberlain4329]

Those are very American names

[@lyannastark628]

Hank i believe is pretty universally a nickname, typically for Henry, though for Hank Williams it was for Hiram.

[@teresafinch7790]

Henry don't get called Hank here in the UK, it's not a common name, but normally we would call Henry's Harry.

[@lyannastark628]

@@teresafinch7790 I much prefer Harry personally.

[@jmedlock95]

Hank Originally a short form of Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of JOHN. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of HENRY, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive HENK. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-). Logan From a surname that was originally derived from a Scottish place name meaning "little hollow" in Scottish Gaelic. Ward: From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard". Colt: From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. Felicity: From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name FELICITAS. This name was revived in the late 1990s after the appearance of the television series Felicity. Lucile: yeah its french. lol Martha: From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta') meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life. The name was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was Martha Washington (1731-1802), the wife of the first American president George Washington. It is also borne by the media personality Martha Stewart (1941-) Miranda: Derived from Latin mirandus meaning "admirable, wonderful". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play The Tempest (1611), about a father and daughter stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character. Penelope: Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy. It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century.

[@ex-navyspook]

A lot of the names were tie-overs, I suspect, from the US's Puritan religious beginnings; a lot of those names (Elijah, Martha, etc) are found in the Bible. Some of the others, Hank (Henry), and Herb (Herbert) are ties back to the original French and English colonies before the US's founding. Yes...I have a fascination with names, and where they come from.

[@debrawhite751]

I was really confused by your list of names and how you think they are American. Do Scots not read the Bible or go to church? Elijah, David, John, Michael and Ethan are all names directly from the Bible, as is Martha. Hank is short for Henry, unless you're talking about Hank Williams, whose given name was Hiram. Herbert is French in origin, but I think of it as being very British due to the surname Fitzherbert , meaning Son of Herbert. George IV's wife was a FitzHerbert. Felicity and Grace are names of attributes that parents would like their daughter to have. It was very popular, especially in Puritan times, to give your child attribute names such as Chastity, Charity, Thankful, Obedience, Prudence, etc. Can't think of anyone named Miranda? What about Miranda Hart? Penelope is a name I always associate with the British - there's Penelope Keith and Penelope Wilton, but besides them, it's just a really British name.

[@TeenaToby]

Wasn't Ward the name of The Beav's dad in Leave It To Beaver? And when I hear the name Miranda, I think of the BBC comedy with Miranda Hart.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

The only Mirandas I know of are both surnames, one for the singer Carmen Miranda and the other for the recital of your rights when being arrested.

[@isarma1980]

My brother just had a baby boy on June 23 and named him Ethan!!!

[@shaunvlog]

Congrats to your family ! 😊

[@alisgray]

mazel tov!

[@judna1]

Hi! I'm Catalan, and I've some names that ringed a bell to me: here in Catalonia we might not have the name Elijah, but we have the name Elias, though it isn't pronounced the English way, it is pronounced: /Əlíəs/. Then, Ethan is a very common name in my country, I mean, it isn't originary from there, but many many many people that wanna use a name in English, sort of like Catherine (which in Catalan is Caterina by the way), Ian... Ethan is one of the most used names. I know three or four Ethans which are Catalan. The next name I've something to say is Audrey, I mean, written this way, is totally American, though this name is originally from France, in fact, I have a friend, she is Catalan as well, but from a French descent family, and she is called: Audry. Now, about Martha, with the h is sooo American probably, but, Marta is a huge popular name in my country, my aunt is called Marta and once in my class, when I was studying Sociocultural and Tourism Entertainment, I had five classmates called Marta, in fact, I would include Marta in the top most common female names of my country, along side with Anna and Maria. Then, as for the names Miranda and Penelope more than American, are Spanish/latin names, nowadays I think that are less common, though there's famous people which has those names, one as a surname the other as a first name: Carmen Miranda and Penelope Cruz. And well, that was it, I've heard some of the other names before, but watching movies and TV shows, like Felicity both in Arrow and Outlander for instance, but I don't know anybody from my country named this way. This was an interesting video, I've enjoyed it, thanks. Best regards from Barcelona!

[@AntASledd]

Gracias! This was very interesting. Peace to you, from the USA. Thank you for the very interesting discussion. In America (i.e. in the USA), there are some girls named "Judith", but I think they are often called "Judy" in the USA. There are also many people who have spanish names like Maria. Also, Anna is very popular in the USA. "Martha" is very popular girl's name in the USA, but I have never heard "Marta" in the USA--except for the Brazilian football/soccer women's player named "Marta" who was not from the USA but she played very excellent soccer/footbal against our team. I do not know much about Catalonia except that it is a part of Spain (northern Spain, I think), but has its own culture/language a little different that other parts in Spain. I am not aware of which names are the most famous or popular in Catalonia, but if I had to guess, I would guess "normal" bible names like Juan or Pao (and also because I know about Pao Gasol who is spanish baskteball player who played very good in the USA...and maybe these are bible names...which are popular in Europe and in America, I think). Take care, and thanks again!

[@docinabox258]

It actually does come from somewhere. It's hebrew, it means strong.

[@docinabox258]

Are u jewish by any chance? Most of the people named ethan are jewish and they usually live in jewish communities. Also ur name is Judith. Source: I am jewish boy named ethan

[@judna1]

@@docinabox258 No I'm not and the Ethans I know neither, I grew up in a Christian family, protestant to be exact. I know my name is Judith and I might have some Jewish ancestry, I'm Catalan, born in Barcelona, I'm an Iberian-Mediterrenean-European , and I have some Andalusian blood as well, so, I could have some semitic roots that could be Arabic, Jewish or a little bit of both. I haven't done the DNA Ancestry test yet, but I've seen some results of people like me and most of them have it.

[@judna1]

@@docinabox258 And I didn't know about the meaning of Ethan. But I know my name's. And a part from Jewish ( Judea's tribe), it means the exalted/the admired... I think that this meaning comes from the Queen Judith that safed her kingdom by seducing an enemy king and killing him prior or during the act. But I'm not sure😅

[@texasborn2720]

Well America was never fully British. Even when the colonies were under British rule. You had people from all over Europe living in the American colonies under British rule. Scandinavian, Eastern Europe. Germany. Even New York was called "New Amsterdam" and was colonized by the Dutch. So yes it is common to have people who's name are not British. Even some founding fathers were not of British heritage. John Hanson who was President of the American continental congress his family was from Holland.

[@unclebozo9845]

When I think of American male names, the first thing I think of is Aidan, and its countless spellings and rhyming names (Caden, Braden, Jaden, etc.). Also Mason.

[@warnut8]

Back in the '90's guys called a hot chick a "Betty". Penelope Pitstop was an animated character in a Hanna-Barbera cartoon.

[@themaven2017]

I thought he was going to say Betty - also cars, airplanes, etc.

[@theopkingdom3433]

Betty from the Archie comics.

[@bettehutchens2918]

Bette here, I've never met anyone my age or younger named Bette or Betty. I thought it quite strange when I heard Internet guys referring to pretty girls as "Betty". I don't think anyone has ever called me "hot". I always thought it was an old lady name.

[@deadfreightwest5956]

@Shirley Bailey - She was the pinup Betty, for sure, bangs and all. And there was Betty Rubble from "The Flintstones" and Betty Ford, former first lady who has clinics named after her. Oh, and Betty Crocker. Who doesn't have that cookbook? My mother always called it, "Becky Trotters" haha!

[@wideawake5630]

As in Page?

[@audreylytton3684]

Hey, hey! Audrey here!!! My Maternal Grandmother's middle name is Audrey so that's where I got this unique to me name. I was the only Audrey that I ever knew growing up and for some reason people couldn't spell it or sometimes called me Aubrey. It's become a popular name these days but people spell it Audri. You know how someone calls out your name but they are speaking to someone else. I never experienced that until about 5 years ago in a restaurant. Without thinking I said "yes" really loud and then realized they were speaking to their child not me 😳. Anyway, not a name I think of as strictly American but I did grow up with a generation full of Brittany's and Tiffany's. Oh, btw I'm not a teacher but I probably could be one and I'm a total book nerd so I'm definitely an Audrey 😂

[@joannemiddaugh122]

I have a cousin named Audrey!

[@lollypop2414]

I have a sister-in-law named Audrey. She's in her 50s.

[@Ten13Grl]

I'm a Jessica. I don't respond to my name in public unless someone is standing in front of me and making it very clear that they're speaking to me, haha!

[@jennifertoro7430]

My moms name is Audrey

[@lauriejones4507]

😁 my granddaughter is an Aubrey and hates being called Audrey all the time, lol.

[@potierney]

Of course, I never heard the name Miranda until I read Shakespeare's play "The Tempest ". Ethan is a colonial name. Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys were military heroes during the War for Independence and carved out the state of Vermont (Fr. Vert and Mont )from the surrounding states of NY, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. As children we had to read an early US novel "Ethan Frome" by Edith Wharton. Names shift in their importance. My dad, Kevin came to the USA from the Falls Road and told me that Kevin was considered an unusual name here in Brooklyn during the 30’s. Now many people here don’t realize that it is an Irish name.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

I'm from the US and I don't know anyone with the first name of "Ford".. lots of last names.. never a first name... how many people do you know in the US with the first name of "Ford"?

[@tomhalla426]

Not pronouncing the h in herb was the original pronunciation, taken from the French "herbe". Late 19th Century Brits decided to pronounce it.

[@Starkardur]

I'm from Iceland and we have Herbert. I think Logan also exists Australia. There is an actress from the UK called Felicity Jones. There is also a famous British actress called Miranda Richardson. A very common American name or a name from North-America (USA&CANADA) is Taylor. I don't know anyone from the UK with that name.

[@shaunvlog]

I actually have a friend called Taylor. I love Iceland!

[@Starkardur]

@@shaunvlog Ok, so Taylor exists outside of US/Canada. Good to know.

[@sararandom777]

We call guys named Henry, Hank as well. Colt is usually from the gun name. At least with my friends.

[@marshsundeen]

Chet, Hank and Colt were coyboy names.

[@chadfalardeau3259]

Colt is also a term for a young male horse that is not fixed

[@jglogan27]

Although some are using Logan as a first name ( because it is a cool name ), we Logans are from Scotland in the Ayrshire area.

[@laurawestenra]

I was going to say, Logan is a Scottish name.

[@JRR0013]

Logan is a great name! I want my daughter to name her son Logan.

[@timg2727]

Herb and Ward are both very old-timey names. Ward in particular I always mentally associate with the 1950s.

[@kellysong2256]

Hmmm...I have lived in America for 56 years (and in several different states too), and I have never once met a Herbert

[@caylor1123]

Have never heard of Ford for a first name.

[@theresabradley4716]

I am in Australia and I know an Ethan, Felicity, Martha - she is ☘️ Irish! - and an Audrey!

[@vernaharris8730]

I had a British friend who said she never heard the name Beverley for a girl while growing up in Stratford Upon Avon. I thought that was strange as well because I read it many times used for men in the old brit. novels I had read growing up.

[@seasickviking]

I've lived in several states over the years yet I cant recall ever meeting a Ward, Colt, Logan, Elijah or Ford. I think I have met a Hank, though, but it was a nickname for Henry. Interesting enough, there is a country musician by the name of Colt Ford. Go figure...

[@rebeccapass701]

Logan is becoming popular. Some of my daughters friend's have named their sons Logan. They think it sound Irish.

[@TroutButter]

Hank Hill, I tell ya whut!

[@sabrinacle]

Hank Williams the third is quite popular as a heavy metal guy. Check him out on youtube! Serious anger management issues hahaha. He is also the spitting image of his grandpa

[@tracye1866]

LOVE Hank III !

[@marshsundeen]

My husband likes Hank 3.

[@BlessingsfromNorthIdaho]

In some parts of the US, or some sub cultures (Mormons), last names from the maternal side of the family were used sometimes as first or middle names so those family names and/or persons were honored and remembered.

[@justgenesis]

These are definitely American names but a good chunk of them are old, like people were named them in like the 50s & 60s, many just aren't used much these days.

[@margchat]

Logan can also be a girl's name in the U.S.

[@pjfsr7024]

Yeah Logan, Morgan are gender neutral names.

[@Iamthunderchild]

I'm surprised that you didn't include Jennifer on this list, Honestly when i think of American names Jennifer is like standard.... this could be my Korean upbringing showing

[@shaunvlog]

I didn’t add it as we have a lot of Jennifer’s so doesn’t seem so unusual for me

[@jmfoster]

As a Jennifer myself, I can vouch that my name is common everywhere. There are at least 4 Jennifers within a 100 ft radius at any given time all over the world.

[@anandashankarmazumdar]

Shaun, my friend, I think you are way off base on all these names. You probably heard them associated with one or two Americans and then that formed your impression. "Ford" is an English family name both in Britain and in America. Sure, it's not a common given name in Britain, but it's also not a common given name in America. "Herbert" is an Anglo-Saxon name, and it has zero to do with the pronunciation of "herbs." That's a separate issue. What you consider the American pronunciation of "herbs" is the original English pronunciation and was pronounced that way for centuries in England. It wasn't until a couple hundred years ago that the pronunciation in England changed to its current pronunciation. Penelope is Greek. Felicity is Latin. Ethan is Hebrew. None of them are particularly American.

[@cartermoore4548]

I don’t think he’s saying the etymology of these names are distinctly American. He’s saying these are popular names in America that aren’t so much over in the UK, he never claimed the origin of these names are American. And besides Ford, I agree with all the names on this list being very popular in America

[@anandashankarmazumdar]

@@cartermoore4548 As I said, he probably heard it once. maybe twice and arbitrarily started thinking of them as American. There's nothing particularly American about any of them. I don't think they're notably popular in America either. He should have looked up census statistics. This stuff is well documented.

[@catherinekilgore619]

Elijah is a name from the Bible. I believe Eli is short for Elijah. Ethan is also a biblical name. There are many people who use the Bible to choose their child's name.

[@shawndudley2027]

Herman is a German name. Hank is a nickname for Henry. Felicity is an English name derived from the Latin Felicitas.

[@badger1296]

Martha: The old standby. She gets the j-o-b done.

[@TheTerryGene]

“Hank” is a common nickname for people named “Henry”, as in “Hank Fonda”.

[@tonyahancock9863]

Grace is actually my daughter's middle name. It's a pretty common middle name here. Actually name's like Felicity, Grace, Faith, and Hope were pretty common Puritan names. Some names I bet you don't have Cheyenne which is another one of my daughter's middle name. But Native American names like Cheyenne, Wynonna, and Dakota. A trendy name here a few years ago was Nevaeh or heaven spelled backwards. I'm not sure where my family's names would rate as far as American sounding. Tonya Gale Jake Edward Nathan Shane Michaela Corinna Abigail Grace Bethany Cheyenne Emily Anne.

[@adventuresinlaurenland]

Abigail and Emily are probably pretty popular in the UK, every other name is probably fairly American 😂

[@lauraellen189]

Nice sounding names!

[@lijohnyoutube101]

Why would you put your children’s first/middle names in a public online forum? That’s not very safe.

[@Hi-hn5dg]

Names*

[@tonyahancock9863]

@@lijohnyoutube101 Because most of them are adults or old enough to be on social media anyway.

[@greenbird777]

I grew up in Illinois, and in that time and place, there were a lot of boys and girls with the same first name as you. Thing is, we always spelled it "Sean" for a boy and "Shawn" for a girl. Weird. We've also gotten into the habit of naming our kids with state names: Montana, Dakota, Alaska, Virginia, or place/nature: Sierra, Columbia (the river, not the country), Madrone, Sage, River, Rain, Forrest, etc.

[@robertcraane7910]

The Dutch were the earliest settlers in America, remember New York was once New Amsterdam. Hank (Stems from Henk) en Herbert are Dutch names. So probably people of Dutch descent. The word Yankees comes from the Dutch names Jan and Kees... With Henk the most common names. So the Dutch were nicknamed Jankees..turned in to Yankees... If you call Americans Yankees, you actually call them Dutchies!

[@MyAltag]

South Africa was an early Dutch settlement, thus some of the original Dutch names stuck here as well.

[@bubb5225]

You forgot “Alfalfa” as a men’s name. In the U.K., men’s names be like Nigel and Clive.

[@xanandreess]

I've never heard of a real person named "Alfalfa"

[@deadfreightwest5956]

@Shirley Bailey - Oh, I've heard plenty of people _called_ Spanky, lol!

[@tomchamberlain4329]

Haha. Nigel and Clive are joke names in the UK. They both sound like dodgy car salesmen or arrogant bankers. My friend at primary school was called Ricci (short for Riccardo, Italian family, lots of Italians in the UK similar to America). But his brothers were called Nigel and Clive!!! Hahaha unlucky.

[@Belegalorleave]

I call my pistol Rosie because it has a rosewood handle.

[@justchillin6793]

I don’t know anyone under 60 named any of the women’s names except Felicity

[@labhrais6957]

My best friend is Miranda

[@mirandawarner6866]

My name is Miranda. The Spanish translation is "she is to be admired". Most of the founders of America were well versed in the Bible, so many of the female names (and some of the male names) are Biblical, ie Martha and Elijah. Some of the founders were also well-read in Greek classics. Penelope is in one of the classic Greek myths. Also because of the French influence during the Revolutionary War, Felicity (happiness, welcome) might have originated there. Fun stuff. Thanks, Shaun.

[@cyn37211]

My daughter’s name is Amanda (I knew an older Mennonite woman with the name and loved it). A man from Guatemala told me it meant “she who is loved”. Don’t know if that’s true, but I know my daughter is!

[@tcphll]

I have never in my life met or heard of any real person with "Ford" as a first name. The only person with "Ford" as a first name I can think of is a fictional character, Ford Prefect, from Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Adams himself was, of course, English. I'm sure there are people with Ford as a first name, but it's probably just as uncommon in the States as it is in Scotland.

[@ExarKenneth71]

I know a man named Ford he built Bridges and would only drive GM products.

[@lisasochet7784]

I am American. Here are some names I think are extremely Scottish and definitely not American. Angus, Hamish (as you previously stated), Duncan, Connor & Argyle.

[@edwardcdg]

There is a KZbin vlogger named Connor who is from Ireland.

[@joyceparamore5395]

I love the name Grace! definitely popular in America