Raymond is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old German elements "rad" meaning "counsel" or "advice," and "mann" meaning "man." Therefore, the name Raymond means "wise protector" or "wise leader."
The name Raymond first appeared in France during the Middle Ages, where it was brought by Normans who settled in the region. It quickly became popular among the French nobility and eventually spread throughout Europe.
Some famous individuals with the name Raymond include:
* Raymond Chandler, an American-British novelist and creator of the fictional detective Philip Marlowe.
* Raymond Kurzweil, an American inventor, futurist, and author.
* Raymond Aron, a French sociologist, philosopher, and journalist.
While Raymond was once quite common, it has fallen in popularity in recent decades. However, it remains a classic choice for parents looking for a traditional yet strong name for their son.
Based on the provided statistics, the popularity of the name Raymond in the United States has shown a significant decline over the past century.
In the early 20th century, the name Raymond reached its peak popularity between 1913 and 1928. During this period, there were consistently high numbers of births with the name Raymond each year, with a peak of 104 births in 1928. This can be interpreted as a time when the name Raymond was highly favored among parents.
However, from the late 1930s onwards, the popularity of the name began to decrease steadily. By the 1950s and 1960s, the number of births with the name Raymond had dropped significantly, with annual birth counts ranging between 30 and 50.
This downward trend continued into the late 20th century and the early 21st century. From the 1980s onwards, there were fewer than 30 births with the name Raymond each year. In recent years, the number of births with the name Raymond has been even lower, with only 5 or 6 births recorded in 2002, 2004, and 2005.
In total, over the span of these statistics, there were 3,517 births with the name Raymond in the United States. While once popular, particularly during the early to mid-20th century, the name Raymond has become relatively uncommon in recent decades. Despite this decline, it is still a historic and distinguished name with a rich history of use in the United States.