Eloise

Eloise was a fairly common name in America during the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Although she never achieved a spot on the Top 100 list, she maintained high-moderate usage for the first half of the 1900s. In 1955, children’s book author Kay Thompson published “Eloise”, the first of her five book series about an off-beat little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York with her Nanny, her pug, and her turtle. Eloise became an instant classic for children everywhere while the name itself was going out of style. In 1966, Eloise dropped completely off the female naming charts. Her lengthy hiatus from usage would last over 40 years. The name finally returned to the charts very recently in 2009, mainly due to the renewed interest in turn-of-the-century favorites. Plus, in 2011, celebrity Denise Richards named her adopted daughter Eloise, reminding prospective parents of this charming, long neglected moniker. Eloise is still a relatively underused girl's name, making her a unique but classic choice. The French add some sophistication to the name, while the children’s book character gives it a sweet and spunky quality. Ellie and Elsie are possible nicknames, and so is Weezy for that matter. Eloise is indeed a “robustly healthy” name with “wide” appeal. It’s an underused gem right now. Before long, we predict more parents will discover her innate charm.