Seth

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Seth

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Seth is a Hebrew name meaning “Placed,” or “Appointed” from “sheth.” In the Bible, Adam and Eve’s son Seth was given to them in place of their slain son Abel. The name, therefore, carries the connotations of “compensation.”
-and-
Seth is also an Indian name possibly meaning “bridge” or “white” from the Sanskrit “setu” or “sveta.”

History:
Like many minor Biblical names, Seth was rare during the Medieval world. After the Reformation, it became a fairly popular name among the English Puritans, often given to a child born after the death of an older brother (á la the Biblical Seth). After the Puritan era, Seth entered into a slow, steady decline and by the mid-20th century became relatively rare. By the 1930s, the name Seth was considered a rural, rustic name.

But by the 1970s Seth entered into a revival in the United States and has since regained its former popularity.

Pronunciation: seth.

Famous Bearers:
Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Seth Luther (-1848)
American social reformer.
Seth Low (1850-1916)
President of Columbia College.

Miscellaneous:
Seth Wyman (1784-1843)
American criminal.
Seth Thomas (1785-1859)
American clock maker.

Religious Figures:
Seth (Biblical)
Son of Adam and Eve.

Scientists:
Seth Carlo Chandler (1846-1913)
American astronomer.
Seth Barnes Nicholson (1891-1963)
American novelist.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.048 % named Seth

Popularity of Seth:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 258th most popular.
1875: 380th most popular.
1880: 341st most popular.
1881: 268th most popular.
1882: 308th most popular.
1883: 324th most popular.
1884: 386th most popular.
1885: 284th most popular.
1886: 357th most popular.
1887: 392nd most popular.
1888: 330th most popular.
1889: 338th most popular.
1890: 489th most popular.
1891: 371st most popular.
1892: 348th most popular.
1893: 479th most popular.
1894: 543rd most popular.
1895: 476th most popular.
1896: 674th most popular.
1897: 438th most popular.
1898: 574th most popular.
1899: 613th most popular.
1900: 431st most popular.
1901: 506th most popular.
1902: 744th most popular.
1903: 505th most popular.
1904: 611th most popular.
1905: 574th most popular.
1906: 567th most popular.
1907: 538th most popular.
1908: 566th most popular.
1909: 543rd most popular.
1910: 782nd most popular.
1911: 666th most popular.
1912: 667th most popular.
1913: 532nd most popular.
1914: 616th most popular.
1915: 647th most popular.
1916: 633rd most popular.
1917: 665th most popular.
1918: 619th most popular.
1919: 670th most popular.
1920: 594th most popular.
1921: 607th most popular.
1922: 652nd most popular.
1923: 668th most popular.
1924: 728th most popular.
1925: 658th most popular.
1926: 692nd most popular.
1927: 804th most popular.
1928: 744th most popular.
1929: 805th most popular.
1930: 898th most popular.
1931: 837th most popular.
1932: 782nd most popular.
1933: 726th most popular.
1934: 726th most popular.
1935: 839th most popular.
1936: 845th most popular.
1937: 793rd most popular.
1938: 758th most popular.
1939: 778th most popular.
1940: 831st most popular.
1941: 739th most popular.
1942: 703rd most popular.
1943: 704th most popular.
1944: 774th most popular.
1945: 698th most popular.
1946: 686th most popular.
1947: 715th most popular.
1948: 675th most popular.
1949: 567th most popular.
1950: 576th most popular.
1951: 651st most popular.
1952: 618th most popular.
1953: 540th most popular.
1954: 491st most popular.
1955: 504th most popular.
1956: 482nd most popular.
1957: 487th most popular.
1958: 439th most popular.
1959: 467th most popular.
1960: 435th most popular.
1961: 442nd most popular.
1962: 446th most popular.
1963: 461st most popular.
1964: 428th most popular.
1965: 431st most popular.
1966: 409th most popular.
1967: 380th most popular.
1968: 334th most popular.
1969: 319th most popular.
1970: 269th most popular.
1971: 272nd most popular.
1972: 244th most popular.
1973: 196th most popular.
1974: 170th most popular.
1975: 136th most popular.
1976: 126th most popular.
1977: 119th most popular.
1978: 106th most popular.
1979: 101st most popular.
1980: 99th most popular.
1981: 95th most popular.
1982: 102nd most popular.
1983: 98th most popular.
1984: 99th most popular.
1985: 105th most popular.
1986: 97th most popular.
1987: 89th most popular.
1988: 91st most popular.
1989: 94th most popular.
1990: 105th most popular.
1991: 102nd most popular.
1992: 100th most popular.
1993: 95th most popular.
1994: 96th most popular.
1995: 99th most popular.
1996: 106th most popular.
1997: 100th most popular.
1998: 89th most popular.
1999: 65th most popular.
2000: 65th most popular.
2001: 70th most popular.
2002: 73rd most popular.
2003: 81st most popular.
2004: 82nd most popular.

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999
The Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names, Mcleod and Freedman, 1995

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)