19 replies to this topic

[Remy Hadley]

I've had some BNDD (baby name desensitization disorder ) left from the past few months where nothing really appealed to me. But I've found some boys names I am starting to like. I'm still not in love with any Theodore middle names, but theres another name in mind....

Ezra!

I used to hate it. Now, its so darling!! I need some help on specific things here.

1. Does it sound too Pretty Little Liars - or too Biblical? I dont watch the show but I know theres an Ezra on it. And theres an Ezra in the bible. But I dont necessarily want the associations stuck on them :/

2. How do you feel about the name overall?

3. Middle names please!! I spent the last few hours on nameberry blogs but none of them stuck out.

Thanks SO much for all help!!! <3

xoxo Remy

EDIT: quick edit! Also, I wanted to add. Nick names arent necessarily required for me, but does Ezzy sound cute to you? Also, my BF's last name starts with E (sounding eh, like escape) and ends with and -eee (like sheep). Is it too repetetive?

[Madi Wolf Princess <3]

Ezra is a very handsome name. I didn't use to like it, but when I kept saying it over and over, I came to like it. I can't think of any middle names ATM but I will post any that I think of. :-)

[Madi Wolf Princess <3]

I like Aria and Ezra as a sib-set but they are both characters from Pretty Little Liars...

[Ninan]

I like Ezra, but it is becoming so very trendy now. There were more Ezras born last year in the US than Gregorys or Philips or Walkers. I'm ok with names being popular and all... but the trendiness thing gets me.

I don't know anything about Pretty Little Liars, so I don't associate the name with it. As for the guy in the bible... he's not so well known that people think "Dude in Bible!" when the name is said. If you were thinking of Zaccheus or Jonah or Cain or something it would be another story.

[You]

I had never heard the name Ezra (on a real person or any character) until recently. I'd known it for awhile since when we decided we were going to start a family I searched many baby name sites just looking at names. The first time I actually heard the name on a real person was when I saw a commercial for a new movie out, and one of the actors names is Ezra (can't remember last name). I think it's a really neat name. No associations to TV shows or bibles in my head.

Hope I helped!
~Rhys

[Remy Hadley]

Madi, I feel like thats what happened to me I said it over and over, then it started appealing to me more and more I didn't even think of that :L If I use Aria, then I guess Ezra would be out, and vice versa. Hmm.. thanks though!

Addisons Mommy (is Amber your name? ), is there any reason you dislike it? Or is it just one of those names? <3

Ninan, its so unfortunate its becoming trendy! I was just looking at the SSA, and its at 204 with a whopping 1735 babies given this name! I honestly had no idea it was that popular until I just looked now! Though I had an idea that it would be becoming so. It jumped 38 spots from last year to this year :/ I wish I could check previous years to see how fast it took to get so high up there. I feel like it sounds so unique, but I guess 1735 other parents thought the same thing :/ It's not a dealbreaker for me, because I definitely have names much more popular than Ezra on my list. (Mike insists Jacob stay on our list, and its #1 middle name only for me haha). Its funny though, cause I can't say I've ever met a person named Ezra. I didn't know modern society thought much of it until I saw it on TV the one time I saw PLL. Ah well. Glad I looked it up And true. I suppose Adam or Cain or Abel or something would bring up more visions of the bible than Ezra - which is getting so trendy.

Rhys, Same! I've been a name nerd for years and Ezra never popped up anywhere, really! I swear I never heard much of it until this year when I was reading a Nameberry post about how Ezra is climbing up due to PLL I'll have to look up the actor, just because I'm interested now haha.

Thank you so much everyone!! I really appreciate it! Now I just need to find some suiting middle names

[Katie-Nana]

Ninan, its so unfortunate its becoming trendy! I was just looking at the SSA, and its at 204 with a whopping 1735 babies given this name! I honestly had no idea it was that popular until I just looked now! Though I had an idea that it would be becoming so. It jumped 38 spots from last year to this year :/ I wish I could check previous years to see how fast it took to get so high up there. I feel like it sounds so unique, but I guess 1735 other parents thought the same thing :/ It's not a dealbreaker for me, because I definitely have names much more popular than Ezra on my list. (Mike insists Jacob stay on our list, and its #1 middle name only for me haha). Its funny though, cause I can't say I've ever met a person named Ezra. I didn't know modern society thought much of it until I saw it on TV the one time I saw PLL. Ah well. Glad I looked it up And true. I suppose Adam or Cain or Abel or something would bring up more visions of the bible than Ezra - which is getting so trendy.

In 2010 - 1439 boys named Ezra
In 2009 - 1339
In 2008 - 1156
In 2007 - 945
In 2006 - 909
In 2005 - 848
In 2004 - 725
In 2003 - 649
In 2002 - 564


My guess, if Ezra stays on trend, their will be close to 2,000 boys named Ezra born this year. Which would account for about 0.1% of boys born, or 1 in 1,000 male births.

[Remy Hadley]

In 2010 - 1439 boys named Ezra
In 2009 - 1339
In 2008 - 1156
In 2007 - 945
In 2006 - 909
In 2005 - 848
In 2004 - 725
In 2003 - 649
In 2002 - 564


My guess, if Ezra stays on trend, their will be close to 2,000 boys named Ezra born this year. Which would account for about 0.1% of boys born, or 1 in 1,000 male births.

Oh wow, thanks Katie! Hm, 0.1% seems like such a small number, but when said as 1 in 1,000 it feels so common! I know there are thousands upon thousands born each year, so that really makes it not that huge, but still. So interesting. Is there a chart somewhere on the SSA that does that?? Or did you do it a different way? <3

[Ninan]

Yeah... I'm a name graph nerd, too. If you go to http://www.ssa.gov/O...babynames/#ht=1 and click the "Popular Names By Birth Year" tab you can choose to view percentages or number of births out of total babies born in a given year. Just make sure to pick "top 500" on the drop-down list as Ezra is #204 in 2011.

As for percentages... yep Ezra's percentage looks small. Buuuuut, Jacob's percentage also looks small (1%) and we know from experience that there are plenty of baby Jacobs out there, lol.

For me however, it isn't the popularity of Ezra that bothers me - it is the SUDDEN popularity of it, its trendiness. Names like Jacob or Michael or David are consistently popular, they are just solid, timeless names. If Ezra becomes that way that's great. However, it seems to be one of those names (albeit nice) that is piggybacking on a style trend for the 2010's.

And if you like it and want to use it, that is absolutely fine I like the name, I just think about the numbers too much, lol. Names that have been on my list for years are becoming trendy and it makes me go "grrrrr MY NAME" *is ridiculous*

[Katie-Nana]

Oh wow, thanks Katie! Hm, 0.1% seems like such a small number, but when said as 1 in 1,000 it feels so common! I know there are thousands upon thousands born each year, so that really makes it not that huge, but still. So interesting. Is there a chart somewhere on the SSA that does that?? Or did you do it a different way? <3

If you go to the SSA.gov website, and clink on Beyond the top 1000 you can download the actual list with the number of births for each name by year for the US overall or by state -> http://www.ssa.gov/O...mes/limits.html. It is really easy to search by clicking control F and typing in the name you want to find. It will list each name, with M or F to indicate male or female (females are listed first and males second) and then the number of total births. It goes all the way to names with only 5 births but it won't list any names that occured less than 5 times that year for privacy reasons.


As for percentages, I use Babynamesworld.com, search the name, and click on the popularity tab at the top. The bottom graph shows percentage verses overall births which I find helps to put the numbers in perspective. To determine how popular Ezra would be this year, I looked at how much the name increased and guesstimated it would come in at around 2,000 births. I looked on the SSA.gov list and found a name that had about 2,000 births last year -> Jorge and then looked up what percentage that was verses overall male births and found it made up 0.1%.


Sounds like a lot of work but it really only took me about 10 minutes.

[Remy Hadley]

I frequent the SSA charts fairly often.. but I've never seen the beyond the top 1,000 part!! <3 I know how to find everything in the top 1000, and percents and number of births... did you go back by each year and look at all the numbers? <3

And haha yeah Ninan, I do get a little bothered. I used to delete names off my list if they reached a certain level of popularity... but I guess I got to a point where I just want to use a name I love, you know? When I name my child, I want to use the name I'll enjoy calling him or her by for the rest of their life, no regrets. And unfortunately, they include some fairly popular names </3 I'd love to have a less popular name, but it'd be by chance for me to use one I guess x I am adoring Linnea for a girl lately though, and thats not in the top 1000 <3

[Lazuli]

Hmm. I don't like it but I don't dislike it. The name is just neutral for me. LOL.

Ezra Rhys
Ezra Connor
Ezra James
Ezra Michael
Ezra Holden

[Remy Hadley]

All of them are really nice <3 I want to love Ezra Rhys, but the R's repeat a bit too much GRR. Ezra Connor is pretty great though, Ezra Michael would be awesome as well. Honor Mikey in the name He likes his name a lot for whatever reason, and put a zillion stars next to it in my namebook as he REALLY likes it :L weirdo haha. But I wonder what he'd think of Ezra Michael. On Ezra in general, he said he likes it.. but would never ever use it >:l Maybe if he has a name he likes with it...

Though, he also told me I could name our second son Theodore. And I'd still have to fight with him over it, but he might possibly let me :/ Real nice, haha.

[Mika Casey]

Loooove Ezra. It's one I considered putting on my list. (:

Though, for the LONGEST time, I thought it was a girl's name...

[Starlight]

I don't like it, I don't strongly dislike it either. I watch Pretty Little Liars occasionally but the name didn't remind me of that show at all. It does make me think Biblical however. I am not a fan of Ezzy, I think Ezra is already short enough to not need a nn.

Ezra Benjamin or Ezra Bennett WDYT?? (from your other list )

[Remy Hadley]

I don't like it, I don't strongly dislike it either. I watch Pretty Little Liars occasionally but the name didn't remind me of that show at all. It does make me think Biblical however. I am not a fan of Ezzy, I think Ezra is already short enough to not need a nn.

Ezra Benjamin or Ezra Bennett WDYT?? (from your other list )

Hehe, I do like Ezra Benjamin or Ezra Bennett! I think these will have to be Guilty Pleasure names though, cause even though Mike likes it he said he'd never really use it. Plus apparently theres an alcohol called "old Ezra" thats like 120 proof that dad told me a story about when I mentioned Ezra to him :S I still do like it, but I think it'll have to remain a GP for now<333

[PaperHeart]

I know you said Ezra would be on your GP list, but I thought I'd put in my 2 cents!

Ezra is on my list and is my father's middle name as I've mentioned before... so I clearly love it.

It does make me think of PLL and, of course, the bible. But it's not the main thing I think about .

Here's a few middle name ideas:

Ezra Michael

Ezra Theodore

Ezra Charles

Ezra Peter

Ezra Jacob

Ezra Duncan

Ezra Benjamin

Ezra Gabriel

Ezra Wilson

Ezra Nathaniel

Ezra Samuel

Ezra Alexander

Ezra Thomas

Ezra Vincent

Ezra Colin

Ezra Nicolas

Ezra Beckett

Ezra William

Ezra George

Ezra Phineas

Ezra Quentin

Ezra Damien

Ezra Wyatt

Ezra Flynn

Ezra Clarke

Ezra Samson

Ezra Robert

Ezra Logan

Ezra Connor

Ezra Maxwell

Ezra Julian

Ezra Chase

Ezra Christopher

Ezra Jude

Ezra Lawrence

Ezra Dominic

Ezra Blake

Ezra Lucas

Ezra Carlton

Ezra Daniel

Ezra Liam

Ezra Preston

Ezra Jonathan

[Remy Hadley]

I know you said Ezra would be on your GP list, but I thought I'd put in my 2 cents!

Ezra is on my list and is my father's middle name as I've mentioned before... so I clearly love it.

It does make me think of PLL and, of course, the bible. But it's not the main thing I think about .

Here's a few middle name ideas:

Ezra Michael

Ezra Theodore

Ezra Charles

Ezra Peter

Ezra Jacob

Ezra Duncan

Ezra Benjamin

Ezra Gabriel

Ezra Wilson

Ezra Nathaniel

Ezra Samuel

Ezra Alexander

Ezra Thomas

Ezra Vincent

Ezra Colin

Ezra Nicolas

Ezra Beckett

Ezra William

Ezra George

Ezra Phineas

Ezra Quentin

Ezra Damien

Ezra Wyatt

Ezra Flynn

Ezra Clarke

Ezra Samson

Ezra Robert

Ezra Logan

Ezra Connor

Ezra Maxwell

Ezra Julian

Ezra Chase

Ezra Christopher

Ezra Jude

Ezra Lawrence

Ezra Dominic

Ezra Blake

Ezra Lucas

Ezra Carlton

Ezra Daniel

Ezra Liam

Ezra Preston

Ezra Jonathan

Ohhh, I always accept suggestions Yas! <3 Mike listened to me read the list off as I was going through and he even liked some of them <3 He wont let it be on the "for future use" list, but he likes some <3 I like these ones:

Ezra Michael
Ezra Theodore
Ezra Charles
Ezra Jacob
Ezra Benjamin
Ezra Wilson

Ezra Alexander
Ezra Beckett
Ezra William
Ezra Phineas
Ezra Damian
Ezra Flynn
Ezra Logan
Ezra Connor
Ezra Maxwell
Ezra Chase
Ezra Christopher
Ezra Lawrence (Mike really liked this)
Ezra Blake
Ezra Liam
Ezra Daniel

Lmao, I basically like all of them :L You know me too well! :') A lot of these work well as middle names, like Daniel or Alexander. Cause I don't really like nick names on either <3

Thanks bunches, Yazzie! <333

[Mishada]

1. Does it sound too Pretty Little Liars - or too Biblical? I also don't watch the show, and I'm not familiar with the biblical side of things, so neither.

2. How do you feel about the name overall? I could really go either way here. Think it depends on the guy, whether this name is great or not. I have it on my list, but more as an interesting middle name. Maybe a 7/10? I like Ez/Ezzy as middle names ok, though I think they might be confused with Iz/Izzy.

3. Middle names please!! I spent the last few hours on nameberry blogs but none of them stuck out.

Ezra Benjamin - I know I've heard Ezra Benjamin before, and I think that's my favorite middle for it. But, then again, Benjamin is my favorite "classic" boy name.

Ezra Damon - I'm sorry, I'm on a Damon/Damian/Damien kick at the moment. I think Ezra would work well with any of these because they both have kinda dark/mysterious images for me. Not sure why for Ezra, really.

Ezra Matthias // Ezra Matteo - mainly because I didn't want to only give you -n ending names. I do really like these though.

Ezra Warren - ok, just another name I like that I think 'handsomes' up a name.

Ezra Maxwell - haven't thought of Maxwell in a while, not my favorite of my suggestions, but I always try to suggest outside of my tiny pool of favorites. This one is pretty dependent on last names; wouldn't suggest for 2 syllable or one with strong 'a' sound. I do really like the idea of a Max name in the middle, since they pretty much always seem to be at the front for the nickname.

Ezra Dominic - I confess, D is my absolute, bar-none fave for boy names. Like a full third of my favorites are D- names. No idea why. Dominic, for me, has a semi-foreign feel to it. But a really friendly, easy to pronounce foreign-feel. Ezra is in that same category for me. A bit strange, but still very friendly.

Ezra Gabriel - wow, just thought of this. Absolutely love this. Haven't suggested Gabriel in ages. Is it too biblical? Nothing is particularly biblical to me so my meter on it is defective.

Any of these strike a note? Sorry for any dupes - haven't sifted through the PPs.