Names of area children often have unique twists, back stories

Jun. 4—Over the years, the names parents give their children have changed throughout the U.S. — and Oklahoma is no exception, with many monikers in Cherokee County having their own twist.

According to the Social Security Administration, the most popular baby names in 2023 were Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Sophia, and Charlotte for girls, and for boys, Liam, Oliver, Noah, Elijah, and James.

Sylvia Smith's 6-year-old twins, Oliver and Olivia, both fall on the 2023 popular baby name list.

"I was throwing out names that matched to my partner at the time," Smith said. "And I originally wanted really unique names. But he was turning them all down because he's more traditional. I was also talking to nurses about the names because I ended up in the hospital at 27 weeks and didn't leave until July with them. I thought the name Oliver was really like elegant, like a British intellectual. Do I asked everyone about Oliver and Olivia and that ended up being the named we all loved the most."

At the time she named her children, Smith said, she did not realize how popular the twins names are, and she might have actually tried to find a different pair of matching names if she had known. Even though the names are quite common, Smith said she loves them, especially since the siblings call each other "Ov" and "Liv."

While some names may sound more traditional, the parent may put a twist on the spelling.

Holli Lynn Hamby's daughter's name, Charlette, may fall on the most popular list, but it has a more unique spelling with the added "E" in place of the traditional "O."

Charlette, who also goes by Charley, was named after Hamby's great aunt.

"That's how she spelled it and I thought it was pretty and different," Hamby said.

Marsha Taylor's 4-year-old daughter also has the popular name Amelia, which was picked out long before the baby was born. Taylor said Amelia is a twin to her brother Alexander — a life event that was mirrored throughout Taylor's childhood.

"When I was a kid, I would always play house and I would always have twins, one boy and one girl," Taylor said. "I don't know if it was telepathy or what. I was always fascinated by Amelia Airhart because we had a neighbor woman who flew planes and she would tell me stories of how hard it was for women back then to be in that industry, and she wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for Amelia. I have always loved the name and it's my way of also honoring my friend who passed away years ago."

Some kids have more traditional names, but others are quite unique. For example, T.K. Hughes' son was named "Ozark" due to the family's love for camping in the Ozark National Forest.

"People want to make something for themselves — something unique, that's possibly just theirs," said Hughes. "No offense to a Jennifer, but they're everywhere. No, my baby is special."

Hughes said she thinks a name is an important step in setting the tone for a child's life.

"It's so cool seeing signs or hearing about local areas with Ozark across them," Hughes said. "We favor those areas to camp, of course. But it makes me think about home. I think of a clear creek that he loves to fish in. Even though he's only 3 now, I can see him as a grown man with his family there as well."

Rachel Lee has three kids: Cactus Ray, Willa Kay, and Canyon Cross. These names also stem from Lee's love for the desert. Willa and Cactus, 6-year-old twins, have middle names passed down from their parents.

"I love old-time names and fell in love with Willa as soon as I heard it," Lee said. "We couldn't decide on a boy name. We were getting close and still came up empty on names we liked. I love cactus plants and had them in our wedding and at my house, so we tossed that around and it stuck. Canyon Cross is 2. His was difficult, as we wanted to find something that flowed with Cactus. But I love all things desert, so we tried to find desert our Southwestern names and fell in love with Canyon when we ran across it."

The names of Rachel Frie's children — Lyric Riannon, Reznor Glenn, and Gibson Dale — all come from the family's being part of a long line musicians. Lyric Riannon was named after a Fleetwood Mac song, as the lyrics are some of the most beautiful words Frie has ever heard. Reznor was named after Trent Reznor, a musician, and Frie's late father, Glenn Johnson. Gibson Dale is named after Frie's grandfather, Dale Stevens, and his favorite guitar, a Gibson model.

Frie said she doesn't see the unique names as difficult, other than when people have trouble with the pronunciation.

"Most of the time, we get nothing but positive compliments and questions about the back stories about their names, which can open up some amazing dialogue," Frie said. "It's a great ice breaker that I think they will be able to utilize in the future."

Frie said she believes her kids each live up to their names and what they represent.

"I think that a name can hold a lot of value in a person as far as their outward confidence in the world," Frie said. "This is partly why it's important we have the opportunity to change it later in life if we don't like it, or if it doesn't truly fit us."

Children grow into their names in more than one way. Some may do so like Frie's children, while they all physically grow and make their names their own. Terrill White said he was named after a Channel 6 News weatherman from the '70s. The man 's last name was "Terrill" and White's mother liked it, but she was torn between Terrill and Devon. After asking a nurse her thoughts on the name, White's mom went with the weatherman.

Since the name is less common, White said, many people get confused by how to say it or they think it something like Darrell, Carroll, or Merrill.

"Having a unique name with a pronunciation that kind of goes against what everyone is used to has been a little difficult at times," White said. "I am a minister and have sung and spoken in many churches around the area and rarely do they ever get my name correct — even when I tell them how to say it correctly multiple times. It has been frequently misspelled on church signs and programs. I have just learned to go with the flow. I also know when someone says 'Darrel' or 'Carroll', they are probably talking to me. I have just grown so accustomed to the misspellings and mispronunciations that it's almost like I have developed multiple identities."

White said he does not especially like his name because of the constant need to correct people, but he has learned to live with it, except for one factor — being called Terry.

"I have never liked that moniker," White said. "I had a fifth-grade teacher who called me 'Terry' the entire school year and I cringed every time I heard it. So, call me what you want, just don't call me 'Terry.'"