Sibling names for Howard
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Howard usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Howard, whose busiest decade was the 1920s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Howard
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret | pearl | #112 | 11,281 | 1920s |
| Frances | Frenchwoman (feminine of Francis) | #318 | 4,105 | 1920s |
| Verna | #3,513 | 158 | 1920s | |
| Irma | "whole, great" | #3,181 | 316 | 1920s |
| Eunice | "good victory" | #2,362 | 466 | 1920s |
| Irene | peace (Greek) | #651 | 2,228 | 1920s |
| Marian | from Marion (Mary), or Mary + Ann | #1,103 | 1,023 | 1920s |
| Pauline | feminine of Paul, 'small' | #2,986 | 271 | 1920s |
| Louise | famous in battle (feminine of Louis) | #516 | 2,577 | 1920s |
| Rosie | pet form of Rose | #283 | 4,298 | 1920s |
Brother names for Howard
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ralph | wolf counsel | #1,048 | 933 | 1920s |
| Francis | Frenchman, Frank | #420 | 3,442 | 1920s |
| Milton | mill town or middle town | #1,440 | 670 | 1920s |
| Lloyd | gray, gray-haired | #1,549 | 506 | 1920s |
| Edmund | "wealth" + "protection" | #1,082 | 913 | 1920s |
| Virgil | #1,417 | 548 | 1920s | |
| Rudolph | "famous wolf" | #4,231 | 142 | 1920s |
| Alfred | elf counsel | #840 | 1,380 | 1920s |
| Maurice | Moorish, dark-skinned | #1,020 | 1,205 | 1920s |
Howard's era
Howard ranked #1,004 for boys in 2025, against #1,038 in 2015. Its best year was 1919, at #24. Names that rose and fell with it share its period feel, which keeps the set consistent.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Howard included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Lydia, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam. Boys: Samuel, Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor.
Same era, but close to Howard
These names follow Howard's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Howard. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Howard's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Howard's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Howard or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Howard itself are excluded.