Hoke is a unique and distinctive name of American origin. It is believed to have been brought over by settlers from England during the colonial period. The name Hoke has several possible meanings depending on its derivation.
One interpretation suggests that Hoke is derived from the Old English word "hōc", which means "rooster". This could imply that someone named Hoke was perceived as having the qualities of a rooster, such as being lively and energetic. However, there is no evidence to support this theory directly.
Another possible origin for the name Hoke is that it was derived from the Middle English word "hok", which means "hoe". This could indicate that someone named Hoke was associated with farming or agriculture in some way. Again, this interpretation is not definitively proven but is a plausible suggestion.
There is also evidence to suggest that Hoke may have been used as a diminutive of the name Thomas. In this case, Hoke would be considered an abbreviation or pet form of Thomas, similar to how Tommy is derived from Thomas. This explanation seems more likely than the others due to its widespread use in historical records.
Despite its obscure origins and meanings, Hoke has been used as a given name in America for generations. It was particularly popular in the Southern states during the 19th century but has since fallen out of fashion. Today, it is still considered an unusual but intriguing choice for a boy's name.
In conclusion, while the exact origin and meaning of the name Hoke remain unclear, it is undeniably a unique and historic American name with several possible interpretations. Its obscure nature makes it all the more fascinating to those who are interested in etymology and onomastics.
Based on the provided statistics, we can analyze the usage of the name Hoke in the United States over time.
From the early 1900s to the late 1950s, there was a moderate number of babies named Hoke each year. The highest peaks were seen between 1927 and 1938, with around 10-17 births per year during this period. However, it is important to note that these numbers represent total births in the U.S., so they are not reflective of a particularly high concentration among parents choosing this name.
After the mid-1950s, the number of babies named Hoke started declining significantly. From 1957 onwards, there were fewer than 10 births each year with the name Hoke until the late 1960s when it picked up slightly to around 12 births in 1968.
Between 1970 and 2011, there were only five births per year on average with the name Hoke. This shows a considerable decrease in popularity for this name during these years.
However, we see a slight resurgence in recent years with 5 births each year from 2016 to 2021, including 6 births in 2021. Although this is still not a particularly common name, it seems that some parents have recently started considering Hoke as an option for their children's names again.
In conclusion, while the name Hoke was moderately popular at certain periods between the early 1900s and late 1950s, its popularity has significantly decreased since then. It remains a relatively uncommon name today but has seen some recent interest among parents in the United States.