What names do you think of when you think of the typical Canadian? Maybe for boys, it is Gord (which transitioned to Gordon), Lorne, and Justin (Beiber, that is)? Maybe you have watched Bob and Dog MacKenzie most of your life, and those names stick in your head. For girls, it could be Beverley, Sheila, Gwendoline, or Alanis (Morrisette).
Quintessential Canadian names are inspired by the different waves of immigration that have recharacterized what it means to be Canadian. While today’s popular names, like Sophia and Liam, are more Americanized, older Canadian names are much different.
Whether the stereotypical names of the past (Gorde is no longer popular, but Gordon is) or the names of Canadian celebrities of the past and present, Canadian names are eclectic. Read on to discover all about the history of Canadian names and how it inspired the names of the past all the way up to the popular Canadian names of today.
A Wave of European Immigration Inspired a Wave of Canadian Names
The history of Canadian names has been inspired by the different waves of immigration this vast country has encountered over its time as a country. Canada’s confederation established it as a country in 1867, yet the country itself is more than 10,000 years old, long before the Europeans arrived for inspiration in the 19th century.
The most popular last names in Canada undoubtedly have a European influence. Over the last century, names like Smith, Brown, Tremblay, and Lee have been the most common surnames for more than 100 years. The fact that last names in Canada have not changed over a century tells a story in itself, a story of European immigration.
In the early 1900s, the seven most popular Canadian surnames were all influenced by Europe. English, Scottish, and Irish influence reigned from the great immigration influx from those countries into Canada. Tremblay was the most common in Quebec, but Smith was the most popular overall. The top eight during that time were as follows:
- Smith
- Brown
- McDonald
- Wilson
- Johnson
- Martin
- Tremblay
Nearly 100 years later, Tremblay is still the most common surname in Quebec. The name Smith can still be heard across all of the provinces, as can Brown and McDonald. However, European immigration did not just influence the most popular last names of Canadians. For a time, Canada’s popular first names were British, Scottish, and Irish.
The Great Migration of Great Britain, Scotland, and Ireland and Its Influence
Immigration continued to define what it meant to be “Canadian.” The Great Migration of 800,000 immigrants from 1815 through 1850 may have inspired names of the early 1900s, but this inspiration would change as new immigrants would continue to arrive. Immigration would end up being a major inspiration for baby naming for years to come.
If one can map out Canada’s immigration over time, the changes in Canadian names can also be mapped out following this theme. For example, immigration started from Great Britain—England, Scotland, and Ireland. However, this was then replaced by immigrants from Italy and South Asia, which then began the next wave of names.
Knowing the history during this time tells the story of how Canadian naming conventions were formed. Most of these immigrants settled at the top of Canada and were mostly from the British Isles. This marked the foundations of a British province on the west coast of Canada. It also began to settle some new names for Canadian boys and girls.
A Second Wave of Canadian Naming Inspiration
In the 1920s and 30s, British and German names flooded the Canadian landscape. For example, the German-inspired name Archibald became popular among Scotland’s royalty before moving through Great Britain and to Canada in the early 20th century. In fact, the birth name of English-American actor Cary Grant was Archibald Leach.
Another famous European name that made its way to Canada in the early 20th century was Lorne. This Scottish name was the title of the Marquess of Lorne, the first Governor-General of Canada. Originally John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, he used the courtesy title Marquess of Lorne. It would be a popular first name for Canadian boys.
Lorne would become popular among everyday Canadian boys as well as well-known men in the entertainment world. Just think of Canadian actor, singer, and radio personality Lorne Greene or Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels. Both men hailed from Canada and were born in 1915 and 1944, respectively.
For girls, the Welsh-inspired name, Gwendoline, donned little girls’ birth certificates throughout the early-20th century. Yet, this name and others would drastically fall as European immigration changed from Great Britain to Italy. By the middle of the 20th century, Italian names like Antonietta, Giuseppina, and Paolo built new identities.
History Influences the First Realm of Canadian Male and Female Names
Some of the stereotypical staples of Canadian history can be seen in the male and female names of the early 20th century. Now, these names may not be as popular today. That is, we do not see as many Archibalds, Lornes, or Gwendolines walking around in the 21st century. At one point, though, these were the names of Canada.
Below is a list of these European-inspired names you do not hear today:
| BOYS | GIRLS |
| Lorne | Gwendoline |
| Archibald | Lilian |
| Ian | Georgina |
| Colin | Beverley |
| Graham | Sheila |
Archibald, also known as “Archie,” has fallen out of character in Canada and around the world (except for the name of the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor). You also may be hard-pressed to meet a Canadian named Lorne since parents are no longer inspired by the British nobleman.
By the 21st century, a new wave of Italian immigration redefined what people believed it meant to be Canadian. Italians immigrated to Canada in two waves. During the first wave, from the 1900s through World War I, from 1914 through 1919, nearly 120,000 Italians arrived in Canada through the US, and they brought new names.
World War II ended up causing a shortage of the workforce in Canada, making the country receptive again to Italian immigrants. After World War II, post-war Italian immigrants comprised nearly 70 percent of the Italian-Canadian population. These two Italian surges also inspired a new surge of Canadian names amongst boys and girls.
From the Italians to the South Asians
The Italian families who had immigrated during the first and second World Wars were content in naming their newly born children after their European home. These names would inevitably spill over into Canadian culture during the 1950s and 60s. These two decades would say goodbye to Scotland, Britain, and Irish names and hello to Italian.
Male names like Paolo, Franco, and Giuseppe—intrinsically Italian names—could now be heard throughout Canada. On the female side, Italian-inspired names like Antonietta, Giovanna, and Giuseppina were lovely Italian-motivated names that spilled into Canadian culture. Giuseppina, in particular, was inspired by entertainment media.
In 1960, a short film called Giuseppina followed the story of the title character observing different individuals passing through her father’s petrol station. The Oscar-winning film was incredibly successful and rebroadcast on the BBC. But, how did an Italian film broadcast on the BBC influence Canadian names?
The BBC’s programs were often rebroadcast on Canadian television. Since the popular British network used the Oscar-winning short film as a color test during those early years of television, it undoubtedly also made the name Giuseppina a very popular name amongst Canadians. Italian immigration and Italian entertainment were iconic.
The Next Wave of Immigration Comes from South Asia
Just as the wave of British, Scottish, and Irish names was replaced by Italian immigration, the Italian influence was superseded by the next wave of immigrants into Canada: the South Asian. The first immigrants entered Canada in 1903, but the influence of South Asian names would occur much later in Canadian history.
Canada welcomed thousands of South Asians and Africans in 1972, and this migration continued throughout the 1970s until, around 1977, the Canadian economy reduced South Asian immigration to around 15,000 per year. By this point, however, a rise of South Asian and Middle Eastern names shone through in Canadian culture:
- Zainab
- Muhammad
- Syed
- Gurleen
- Jasleen
- Harleen
- Ximran
- Zahra
- Armaan
- Simran
South Asian names have become staples of children of the 21st century. For example, other South Asian names like Zahra, Armaan, and Simran have appeared in Canadian schools. In addition, Punjabi names like Gurleen, Jasleen, and Harleen became a part of Canadian culture in the 2000s. Canada has always been a melting pot of names.
Middle Eastern names such as Syed and Muhammad also started to enter Canadian culture. Zainab, in particular, has become a distinctively Canadian namesake. It is the Arabic term for beauty and, when spelled “Zaynab,” prominently represents the name of the Islamic prophet Muhammed’s wives, daughter, and even his granddaughter.
Inspiration Changes from Immigration to Entertainment And Sports
As Canada entered the 21st century, the influence of immigration began to wane for the parents who had grown up towards the end of the 20th century. Their parents may have been inspired to name their children Zainab, Giuseppe, and Archibald over the years, but immigration influence waned as the 20th century began to come to an end.
Immigration has not been the only influence that has redefined the history of Canadian names. The sports and entertainment world has also been a strong inspiration for many of the Canadian names you may hear today. Have you heard of a famous Seth, Liam, or Justin? What about an Alanis, Avril, or Celine? Maybe even a Jim or Keanu?
There are plenty of famous Canadians who inspire first names for both males and females. English names include Jim (Carrey), Hayden (Christensen), and Justin (Beiber). The Hebrew name Michael (J. Fox) continues to be popular for boys. Female artists include Greek (Alanis Morissette) and French (Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne).
Just take a look at these first names and see if any hold true in Canada today:
- John Candy
- Elliot Page
- Ryan Reynolds
- Seth Rogan
- Eugene Levy
- Jim Carrey
- Michael J. Fox
- Justin Beiber
- Alanis Morrisette
- Celine Dion
Sports figures also became a staple of baby-naming throughout the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. From Canadian ice hockey player Darcy Tucker to the Canadian golfer Graham DeLaet who plays on the PGA Tour, athletes born in the 1970s and 1980s influenced Canadian baby-naming thereafter.
Sports Figures Reign Supreme in Canadian Inspiration
You can track some of Canada’s most popular names based on the country’s most popular sports figures. Gordon is a typical Canadian name for boys, and it is also the namesake of ice hockey superstar Gordie Howe (as well as Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot and actor Gordon Pinsent). However, another ice hockey namesake reigns.
Gordon is quintessentially Canadian, but it has not been the most prominent name for Canadian boys throughout history. That designation goes to the name Linden, which is historically the most popular male Canadian name. Where does this moniker come from? The inspiration comes from the last name of a Canadian ice hockey superstar.
Trevor John Linden played for an impressive 19 seasons on four hockey teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s: the Vancouver Canucks, the New York Islanders, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Washington Capitals. It is not surprising, then, that the popularity of the name Linden hails in British Columbia, where he achieved his fame.
Linden is not the most popular name for males today, but it was definitely the most popular “Canadian-based” name throughout the 2000s. Yes, Gordon did reign in the 1920s and 1930s, but Liam replaced this designation once the immigration-influence diminished. However, the top Canadian names today are much more Americanized.
Immigration May Have Become Insignificant, But Origin Continues to Be Powerful
Canada is a melting pot, so immigration is not as influential on baby naming as it was 100 years ago. However, the origin of a name can be seen as influential, including the original ancestries from English and Irish origin and new representations from Hebrew, Latin, and Greek origins. Below are some popular examples today:
| English and Irish | Hebrew | Latin | Greek |
| Colton | Asher | Amelia | Charlotte |
| Connor | Benjamin | Ava | Daphne |
| Declan | Ethan | Emma | Lucas |
| Hailey | Jacob | Felix | Margaret |
| Harper | Jeremie | Grace | Sebastian |
| Hunter | Lea | Lawrence | Sophia |
| Jackson | Matheo | Maple | Theo |
| Liam | Michael | Myles | Zoe |
| Lily | Noah | Olivia | |
| Logan | Peace | Victoria | |
| Oliver | Seth | ||
| Peyton | |||
| Scarlett |
Where do these influences come from that have made Hebrew, Latin, and Greek names lead the male and female names of Canadians during the second decade of the 21st century? Is Logan named after X-Men? Is Sophia from Sophia the First? Or are they from sports figures today? It seems there is an eclectic top 10 for each gender.
The top male and female baby names of today are a bit different than their US counterparts. Believe it or not, the most popular baby name in 2019 for American boys was a well-known Canadian name: Liam! The top name that year for girls was Olivia, a name that used to be number one but moved down to number two that year.
Some names were definitely between the two countries, such as Emma, Sophia, Noah, and Benjamin. Still, knowing which country influenced what name is difficult to comprehend. That being said, the top baby names of today are still a melting pot of culture and ancestries that date back hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Today, Canadian Names Circle Back to Tradition
The most popular Canadian baby names do not have this Canadian flair. Instead, they are just as common in the US as they are in Canada. It seems North America has given way for a flurry of boy and girl names that have made the continent one. What has once defined an individual as “distinctively Canadian” plummeted in the 2000s.
At the beginning of the early 2000s, the top three boys’ names were Ethan, Liam, and Jacob. For girls, the top three names were Olivia, Emma, and Isabella. They were a mixture of culture and ethnicity and represented a move away from the immigration influence and a shift towards the more modern Canadian melting pot of cultivation.
In 2019, nearly 400,000 babies were born in Canada alone. Were they inspired by immigration or sports figures? Not exactly. As Canadians finished this decade, they were inspired to name their children after origins that had nothing to do with their Canadian culture. The names were much more Americanized than ever before.
Many top names today for Canadian boys and girls come from Greek-origin names, while others from American history. For example, the Greek-based girl’s name, Sophia, moved an impressive 17 spots from 18 to number one. As for boys, the popular Liam was replaced by the American-based name Jackson.
The Top Boys Baby Names Today Are an Eclectic Mixture of Origin
Today, Liam is still in the top 10 when it comes to the most popular names for boys. However, it is no longer number one, eclipsed by Jackson and Noah. Jackson has historically been used as a last name but rose in popularity in both America and Canada. Noah is a Hebrew name that means rest and comfort. Here are the top 10:
- Jackson
- Noah
- Liam
- Lucas
- Benjamin
- Oliver
- Ethan
- Jacob
- Leo
- Logan
As you can see from the list above, Liam still made the top five, and English-based names also made a comeback with Jackson, Oliver, and the Irish-based Logan. However, Hebrew names now dominate the top 10: Noah, Benjamin, Ethan, and Jacob. One Italian-inspired name, Leo, and the Greek-based Lucas, also hit the top 10.
The top boys’ names are also very traditional and common. One probably thought Canadians named their sons after their country’s inspirations, such as Calgary, Jasper, Montreal, or Ottawa. This is certainly not the case. Maple could represent the popular Canadian maple syrup, but Jackson could represent a United States president.
The second decade of the 21st century is no longer influenced by immigration or sports figures. Instead, it is an eclectic mixture of representation. This holds true not just for the top 10 boys’ names of today but also the names that don Canadian girls born after 2010. Greek and Latin, in particular, have been influential in the female realm.
The Top Girls Baby Names are Inspired by Greeks and Latin Flairs
A Greek-based name, Sophia, leads as the most popular girl’s name today, but it would be Latin influence that dominates the top 10 Canadian girl’s names. Absent are the European-influenced Gwendoline, Lilian, and Beverley. They are now replaced by a mixture of Greek, Latin, French, Scandinavian, and even Slavic names in the top 10.
Not too long ago, the name Sophia did not even crack Canada’s top 10 for the most popular girl’s names. Today, the name that literally means wisdom and skill reigns at the number one spot. It may be from the popular Disney film Sophia the First or the fact that it was the most popular name in the US from 2011 through 2013.
- Sophia
- Olivia
- Emma
- Amelia
- Aria
- Charlotte
- Ava
- Mia
- Mila
- Chloe
Greek influence can be seen in the most popular female names today, with Sophia and Chloe bookending the list. Yet, Latin reigns dominant: Olivia, Emma, Amelia, and Ava all come of Latin descent. Aria represents Italian influence, and Charlotte is French, but the new influences of Mia and Mila represent Scandinavia and Slavic inspirations.
Olivia moved from first to second over the last decade, but its Latin origins are inspirational. Emma was the second most popular name in the US, so it is no surprise it is number three in Canada. Amelia’s popularity actually dates back to the 1800s, and Aria may have been influenced by entertainment and Game of Thrones.
Unique Canadian Inspirations Can Go Beyond Tradition
Maybe you are not Canadian but would like a Canadian-inspired baby name. You can go against the Canadian grain of tradition and name your child after a famous Canadian. Or, you can find a more emotional connection to the countryside, cities, or even rivers, to name your little boy or girl. Some examples of places include:
- Edmon after the city of Edmonton
- Edward after Prince Edward Island
- The cities of Montreal and Ottawa
- Calgary, Nova, and Van (for Vancouver)
- Winnie (a cute take on the city of Winnipeg)
Some river-inspired names could also be creative and give off Canadian flair.
- Peace (River)
- Lawrence (River)
- Yukon (Great River)
St. Margaret’s Bay can be an inspiration for Margaret, or you could always go with a Canadian staple—Maple. Jasper is popular after Jasper National Park, while Nadine is an inspirational word for “hope.”
Canada is also well-known for its cold weather, and it can be a unique inspiration for a baby name. Yes, Canada may be known for ice hockey, which has been an inspiration for boys’ and girls’ names throughout time. Yet, some original names for Canadians have been inspired by the cold, snowy climate that Canadians bear every year:
- Fria (cold)
- Lumi (snow)
- Noel and Carol for a Christmas theme
- Solstice
- Yuki (Japanese for snow)
- Snow, Winter, or Frost
If you want to go against the conventional but still have a Canadian inspiration for your little one, looking past the most popular children’s names and, instead, looking at Canada itself can come up with adorable, unique names. Not only will your little ones represent Canada, but they will have memorable and unique names as well.
17th Century French Canadian Names
It is important to talk about another side of Canadian history, well before Canada was even a country. In the 17th century, Canada was a French colony. French colonist Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in 1608. Back then, names in the area were obviously French. That area of Canada still has strong ties to its French beginnings.
In modern-day Quebec, French is still the most widely spoken language. In the whole of Canada, 22 percent of the population speak French as their native language. Usually, only those with French ancestry consider themselves French-Canadian. These are a few of the most popular French-Canadian names that thrive in Canada today:
- Aimée
- Antoine
- Juliette
- Emile
- Rosalie
- Olivier
Conclusion
Canada’s names have changed dramatically, with European immigration playing a major role throughout the 20th century before Greek and Latin realms began to dominate the 21st century. Greek-origin names, in particular, dominate the top 10 and will probably continue to do so until a new wave of baby name fashion enters.
There have been some minor changes over the years when it comes to what Canadians name their kids. Jackson moved from number three to number one in only two years, while Noah moved from one to two and Liam moved from two to three. Olivia was number one in 2017, while Sophia was number four and Emma was number two.
The names may have been the same over the last decade, but they do tend to switch over time. Canada’s history no longer plays a key role in baby-naming like it did in the early 20th century. Instead, names are much more traditional in a sense and mirror the names of the US.