Name of the Day: Emmeline

Today's Name of the Day is my new favorite girl's name: Emmeline. As a big fan of Emma (but not of her popularity), Emmeline appeals to me in a big way! Unfortunately, I think many other baby-namers who feel the same way will help to make this name popular soon. It fits in with mega-popular Emma and Emily, as well as all the Madelines, Adelines and Carolines.  It's a wonder this name hasn't caught on already!

In the real world, actor Christian Bale has a daughter named Emmeline; a famous English suffragette was named Emmeline Pankhurst; and there is an American journalist known as Emmeline Wells. In the fictional world, Emmeline Vance was a character in Harry Potter.  There are a couple other examples, such as Brooke Shields' character in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980).

Emmeline is currently sitting just outside of the Top 1000 chart at #1078 in 2012. She has never broken onto the chart, but I think her time is coming soon!  She is ranked just slightly higher today than she was in 1904 (#1296). Emmeline massively lost popularity through the 1940's and 1950's before beginning to spike upward again in the 70's. Take a look at this dramatic chart!

Source

Emmeline is an Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, which is a diminutive of other Germanic names that begin with "amal" which means "work". Having a little "hardworker" is adorable! The Normans introduced this name to England. It has always been around, but it has been very under-the-radar for years!

What do you think of this lovely name? Would you pronounce it Emme-line or Emme-leen? I go back and forth on that. There is a big debate about which is accurate but it may just come down to personal preference. I lean toward the -leen sound. Would you name your daughter Emmeline?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Adelaide, Imogen, Genevieve, Magnolia, Violet
Brothers: Atticus, Elijah, Jasper, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Emmeline Clara
Emmeline Scarlett
Emmeline Paige
Emmeline Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Julia Emmeline
Sarah Emmeline
Lily Emmeline
Sophia Emmeline

Stand-Alone Nickname-Names Vs. Proper Given Names

Baby Under The Towel by Vera Kratochvil

Many parents today choose long, proper names for the birth certificate but they call their little ones by a nickname. For girls, nicknames that end with -ie have always been popular.

For example, perhaps you love the idea of having a little Maggie but you aren't comfortable with Maggie as a given name. What do you do? Name her Margaret.   Now, some parents are skipping the proper name and using the nickname on its own.

While Maggie is a nickname for a specific name, some "nicknamey-names" could be short for any number of names.  What if you wrote Sadie or Callie directly on the birth certificate? And what about names that seem nicknamey but don't have an obvious long-form like Bonnie?

In the 1880's, Minnie, Annie, Bessie and Nellie ranked in the Top 20 as a whole name. So it begs the question, which of these nicknames can stand alone today, and which require a proper given name? 

Of course, there is no right or wrong answer but I will list some of the nicknamey-names that could possibly stand on their own for a modern girl.  I will break it down into three categories and put their possible long-forms in parenthesis, if applicable. 

Probably So:

Abbie (Abigail)

Allie (Alexandra, Alice, Allison)

Annie  (Ann, Anne, Anna, Annabelle, etc)

Bonnie 

Callie (Caroline, Charlotte, Calista, Calliope)

Cassie (Cassandra, Cassidy)

Edie (Edith)

Ellie (Eleanor, Elizabeth, Eliana, Estelle, etc)

Elsie (Elizabeth/Elspeth)

Evie (Evangeline, Evelyn)

Josie (Josephine, Josette, Joslyn)

Macie
Maisie (Margaret, Mary, Melissa, Marissa)

Millie (Mildred, Millicent, Camille)

Sadie  (Sarah)

Tessie (Tessa, Theresa)

Maybe:

Hattie (Harriet, Henrietta)

Lettie (Letitia)

Lottie (Charlotte) 

Mamie (Margaret, Mary)

Minnie (Wilhelmina, Minerva)

Nellie (Helen, Ellen, Eleanor, Penelope)

Tillie (Matilda)

Trudie (Gertrude)

Possibly Not: 

Bessie (Elizabeth)

Birdie

Dixie

Effie (Euphemia)

Lizzie (Elizabeth)

Trixie (Beatrix)

Vinnie (Lavinia)

There are also names that are legitimate French names or variations of names that end with -ie. These are considered full/real names as opposed to a nickname. Some of those include:

Aimee

Elodie

Jolie

Julie

Leonie

Lucie

Maelie

Marie

Sophie

Sylvie

Valerie

Of course there are probably many other examples that I missed. What do you think of the nicknamey-names?  Would you use any of these as a stand-alone or do you believe in a proper given name?

For a longer list of names ending in -ie, take a look at this article: Trendy Girl Names From 1900. This style of names was actually high-fashion at the time and they were all given names as opposed to nicknames! 

Name of the Day: Larkin

Today's Name of the Day is Larkin. It is Irish in origin and means "rough or fierce."  While "Lark" is a bird name that is generally used for a girl, "Larkin" is considered a masculine surname name.

Just over 1900 boys have been named Larkin since 1880, which is an average of 15 baby boys every year. It has steadily been used, but it has never been popular. Even though it was technically in the Top 1000 in the late 1800's, very few boys were given the name. 

The early data and ranks aren't comparable to today's data. For example, in 1880, Larkin was ranked at #454 with 16 boys carrying the name. In 2012, 20 boys were given the name Larkin and it ranked in at #4757. While the charts vary over the years, the amount of babies given this name is very steady.

Starting in the 1970's, parents began regularly giving this name to baby girls. Just over 1000 girls have ever been named Larkin, or an average of 25 girls every year. This rare name is classified as unisex. While more boys have been named Larkin overall, the name is vastly more popular for a girl, (55 girls to 20 boys in 2012).

But enough with the numbers and stats! Larkin is defined as Irish today, but it seems to also have Medieval English roots. One site says that it is a diminutive of Laurence. Most associate it as a relative of Lorcan, which is Irish and also means "fierce."

Either way, this is a steadily used but rare name that may appeal to baby-namers today! It can fall into the "nature" category because of "Lark", but also into the "surname" category. It would make a great sibling to both Daisy and Cooper.

What do you think of this name? It was suggested to me by a baby-namer on Facebook named Stephani. (Let me know if you have any names that you'd like to see featured for the Name of the Day.)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Dagny, Daisy, Harper, Kylie, Piper
Brothers: Cooper, Jasper, Parker, Titan,

Middle Name Ideas:
Girl:
Larkin Hesper
Larkin Marina
Larkin Bellamy
Larkin Willow

Boy:
Larkin Isaiah
Larkin Justus
Larkin Maris
Larkin James

As a Middle Name:
Girl:
Hadley Larkin
Eloise Larkin
Ava Larkin
Molly Larkin

Boy:
Philip Larkin
Max Larkin
Jeremy Larkin
Evan Larkin

Would you use Larkin for a boy or for a girl?

Quintuplets Born in Czech - What would you name 5 babies?

Alexandra Kinova

STANISLAV ZBYNEK/CTK/AP

This past Sunday, a Czech woman, Alexandra Kinova, 23, gave birth to quintuplets! This is the first recorded quint birth in the country!

They were conceived naturally and were born at 31 weeks without any complications. Their weights ranged from 2.3 lbs to 3 lbs. She delivered them by Cesarean section. The mother was originally told that she was expecting twins. She did wind up having identical twin boys, as well as a girl and two more boys.

They have chosen the following names:
Tereza
Michael and Deniel (Twins)
Alex
Martin

Their father, Antonin Kroscen, 26, told reporters that he is very happy to welcome these five little ones into the world. "I was crying all the way since I feared I would not manage it," he said. He was held up by a late train but made it on-time to be present for the birth of his children! The couple already had a young son together as well.

 We want to congratulate these new parents and wish them all the best in the years to come! What do you think of the names they chose?

If you were expecting quintuplets, what would you name them? Play our "Name the quints" game in the forums!

Name of the Day: Amabel

A name that was very common in the 12th and 13th centuries, Amabel is a rarity today. It was revived during the 19th century when a medieval fad swept through England.  Amabel is the feminization of the Late Latin male name "Amabilis" who was a Saint in the 5th century in France.

Amabel is a much older name than the popular Annabel. However, its shortened form Mabel has had much more popularity in recent times.  Amabel (and Mabel) mean "Loveable" in Latin which may appeal to parents who have high regard for name meanings.

This distinctive name would be adorable on a modern day baby girl. It fits right in with other old-fashioned names that are seeing a strong revival, as well as the popular -bel/-belle names. However, Amabel is much more unique (even though it feels familiar) because it has never once ranked on the US Top 1000.  As of 2013, there has been a total of 98 girls named Amabel on record since 1880. There were only 10 girls named Amabel in 2013 for a ranking of #10,209 which is very far from being the most popular name in the country.

Revision:  A few more girls were named Amabel since the previous stats were recent. There were 9 births in 2016 putting our grand total at 120.

If Amabel is too different for your tastes, Mabel is an adorable alternative to consider. A huge hit in the late 1800's and early 1900's, Mabel hit its highest ranking of #15 in 1891. It remained in the double-digits until it steadily declined starting in the 1920's. As of 2013, Mabel has jumped back onto the Top 1000 chart for the first time since 1964.  Now considered vintage-chic, Mabel ranked at #707 in 2013.  Revision:  Mabel was #513 in 2016, which means it is gaining more popularity.

Either of these two lovely names would be a refreshing choice today!  I think Amabel deserves some usage! What do you think? Would you use Amabel or Mabel?  Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Beatrice, Caroline, Estella, Lavinia, Pomeline, Rebecca
Brothers: Augustus, Benedict, Dominic, Marcus, Peregrine, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas:
Amabel Celeste
Amabel Corinne
Amabel Frances
Amabel Grace
Amabel Josephine

Middle Name Ideas:
Mabel Aveline
Mabel Christine
Mabel Elizabeth
Mabel Joy
Mabel Tabitha

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

First Published: 6/4/13
Revised: 12/25/14
Revised: 5/14/17

Name of the Day: Arlo

I'm a fan of names that are somewhat under the radar but still have a solid history. I like names that were popular in the 1880's-1920's and never heard from again until modern times. I have been focusing on these for my "Name of the Day" report, and am doing so again today with the name Arlo.

Primarily a boy's name, Arlo is short, sweet and full of character. Two celebrities recently named their sons Arlo, (Natasha Kaplinsky in 2008, and Toni Collette in 2011). Johnny Knoxville named his daughter Arlo in 2011, which suddenly throws this name into the "possibly unisex" category. (Popular girls names Harlow and Marlowe are similar, which may be the reason for Arlo going female.) It will always be a boy name in my mind since it has never ranked for a girl.

It ranked in the 600-1000 range on the US Top 1000 chart between 1910 and 1944.  It did not rank again until 2011 when it hit #916, and jumped 98 spots to #818 in 2012. If you read my previous post about trending boy names that end with the letter -o, you'll notice that Arlo was one of my "Names to Watch".  I really think this one is going to boom up the charts in the next few years.

Of Spanish origin, Arlo means "barberry tree", so it also puts it into the "nature name" category, which can sometimes be tricky for boys. Along those lines, Arlo would be a fascinating sibling for Jasper and Dahlia.

If you are looking to honor a relative, Arlo has also been known to be a variation of the following names: Harlow/Harley, Carlos/Charles, Arlene.  It could also be spelled Arlow, Arlowe, or Arrlo.  Because of this, the meaning of Arlo may be more relative to these other names. But as its own name, Arlo is indeed Spanish for Barberry tree.

What do you think of this unique moniker? Would you use it for your son? Or do you see it better suited for a girl?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Claire, Dahlia, Lily, Olive, Sabrina
Brothers: Henry, Finley, Jasper, Luca, Miles

Middle Name Ideas:
Arlo Maxwell
Arlo Sebastian
Arlo James
Arlo Thomas

As a Middle Name:

James Arlo

Dean Arlo

Benjamin Arlo

Ryan Arlo

New Trend?: Boy Names Ending with the Letter O

I keep hearing talk about a new trend in boys names and I wanted to do some research to see if this is a real thing yet or not. Apparently the new favorite thing is boys names that end with the letter -o. Some examples that I keep hearing about are Hugo, Arlo, Milo, and Leo.

Now, when I went through the Top 500 names of 2012, I found so many more names ending in -o than I imagined that I would. However, the Top 100 was very absent of a single -o name. It wasn't until I hit #110 that I found my first, Diego. In all, there were 37 names between #110-500.

As a woman of Hispanic heritage, I have to imagine that most of these -o names are legitimately used by Spanish and Italian families. It leaves me wondering how many of these are truly gaining popularity across the race spectrum, and how many have always lingered around their respective ranks.

I have no way of looking up the race of the parents, but I had to dig deeper to see which of these are climbing the charts and which are reliably stable.

Names ending with the letter -o ranking in the US Top 500 in 2012:

Diego: #110
Antonio: #118
Santiago: #122
Leo: #134
Mateo: #138
Alejandro: #148
Leonardo: #150
Francisco: #225
Ricardo: #226
Fernando: #243
Mario: #253
Marco: #269
Sergio: #283
Emilio: #297
Emiliano: #302
Lorenzo: #307
Roberto: #308
Angelo: #310
Pedro: #317
Maximiliano: #320
Romeo: #323
Milo: #330
Armando: #366
Pablo: #367
Gerardo: #371
Julio: #383
Gustavo: #408
Matteo: #412
Rocco: #415
Enzo: #417
Rodrigo: #431
Hugo: #436
Alberto: #446
Arturo: #459
Orlando: #461
Mauricio: #472
Alfredo: #492

Most of these climbed or dropped an average of 10 spots. I can't mention all of them individually (and still keep your attention) but I will show you the following:

Biggest climbers from 2011 to 2012:

1. Romeo (#323): Climbed 38 spots!
2. Leo (#134) and Mateo (#138) tied for 2nd. Both jumped 33 spots!
3. Milo (#330) Shot up 30 spots!
4. Gustavo (#408) Climbed a surprising 29 spots!
5. Orlando (#461) Jumped up 21 spots! (Haven't heard this in a while!)

Biggest Fallers from 2011-2012:

1. Fernando (#243) Fell 34 spots!
2. Mario (#253) and Maximiliano (#320) Both dropped 30 spots!
3. Mauricio (#472)  Fell 28 spots!
4. Matteo (#412) and Arturo (#459) Both fell 27 spots!
5. Alberto (#446) Dropped 26 spots

Of the names that I hear about most often this year, I will predict that these names will continue to move up the ranks of the 2013 chart:

1. Arlo (#818 in 2012)
2. Leo  (#134 in 2012)
3. Mateo (#138 in 2012)
4. Thiago (#862 in 2012)
5. Hugo (#436 in 2012)

Absent in 2010, Arlo placed at #916 in 2011 before jumping a whopping 98 ranks to settle at #818 in 2012. This is one to watch!  Leo and Mateo seem to be gaining popularity. Both climbed 33 spots last year, but I think they'll continue to climb the ranks and quiet possible break into the top 100 in the next couple years.

Thiago is an interesting one. Its counterpart Santiago moved up 9 spots to sit at #122 in 2012; however Thiago has just burst onto the scene for the very first time, landing at #862 in 2012. I'd like to keep an eye on this one.  Lastly, Hugo gets thrown around the baby name forums regularly so it may seem more popular than it actually is, but I'll include it on the list despite only climbing 3 spots from 2011 to 2012. Hugo rests at #436 for now.

I'd like to also throw in a couple "noteworthy mentions." The name Milo is definitely gaining popularity and is regularly suggested on forums. After shooting up 30 ranks in 2012, I will be starring this one on my list as a major popularity gainer for 2013.  A name that surprised me was Gustavo. It climbed 29 places on the chart. Then I thought perhaps its increase in popularity comes from creepy-cool bad-guy Gustavo "Gus" Fring from AMC's hit TV show "Breaking Bad." I expect this one to begin dropping back down over the next year. No spoilers for those who haven't watched.  ;)

That is my assessment of the -o name trend for boys. This is one trend that I can get behind, especially considering how tiring the -n names are becoming.

What do you think of my list? What is your favorite boy name ending with -o?  Let me know in the comments below!

Name of the Day: Calliope

Today's featured name is a lovely and truly rare gem in the US: Calliope (Cuh-LIE-oh-pee). The nickname Callie is adorable for this big, strong name.  The meaning of this name is "Beautiful Voice."

Straight out of the Greek Myths, Calliope was the name of one of the nine muses, inspiring epic poetry.

Since this name is so bold and creative, it would be recommended for artistic parents who enjoy literature, poetry and music. Hopefully your daughter will also enjoy these things and be able to live up to the image that this name portrays, namely, a beautiful artistic muse.

In the real world, there is an American actress who wears the name, Calliope "Callie" Thorne.  In the TV world, there's a Dr. Calliope "Callie" Torres on Grey's Anatomy.

The original form of this name is actually spelled Kalliope. The meaning "Beautiful Voice" comes directly from the root of the name:  from Greek καλλος (kallos) "beauty" and οψ (ops) "voice".

This name is a unique and lovely find! Calliope has never ranked on the US Top 1000 chart at any time between 1880-2013, so your daughter would truly be one of a kind in her school! Although, I have seen the name tossed around baby name forums more and more frequently and the name is on a very slight increase.

In 2000, there were only 9 girls named Calliope in the US. By 2013, the number has climbed to 186 births, ranking the name at a record-high #1264. It is gaining a bit more usage every year, but don't expect it to become "popular" anytime soon.  If you're looking for an unusual, rarely-used name, Calliope is still a safe bet for the time being.

What do you think of the name Calliope? If you're interested, here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Beatrix, Demetra, Helena,  Isadora, Sybil
Brothers: Christopher, Damian, Hadrian, Leander, Sebastian

Middle Name Ideas:
Calliope Reese
Calliope Eve
Calliope Jane
Calliope Harper
Calliope Grace

As a Middle Name:
Aria Calliope
June Calliope
Mia Calliope
Wren Calliope

Would you consider using it for your child? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

First published: 6/2/13
Revised: 12/25/14

Name of the Day: Gideon

The Name of the Day for June 1, 2013 is Gideon, a boy name taken straight from the pages of the Old Testament.

Biblical Gideon was known as a modest and humble young man of the tribe of Manasseh. With the help of an angel, he was divinely called upon to save the Israelites from Midianite oppression. Before he could do this, he had to be tested to prove himself worthy for battle. God asked Gideon to destroy his father's alter to Baal and to cut down the sacred pole that stood with it.

For this reason, the name Gideon means "Destroyer" or "Feller [of trees]" or even "One who cuts down".  It may also mean "Hewer" or "Great Warrior", depending on where you look.

Many parents opt for biblical names for their sons, but for those who are tiring of the traditional Benjamin, James or Jacob, Gideon offers a fresh approach to naming. This name has began climbing the charts in recent years. It was always rather popular among the Puritans of the 16th-18th centuries who preferred Old Testament names.

You may hear the name Gideon and think of the Gideon Bibles in every hotel room across the country, but this isn't necessarily a bad association. They were named because Gideon symbolizes great work done by few people. He famously led very few men against a larger army and won.

Take a look at this popularity chart. Gideon has been used since the US began keeping baby name records in 1880. However, there were several years that had single-digit births per year or none at all. It wasn't until 1912 that the name received regular usage and it finally hit triple-digit births in 1993. Gideon received a spike in popularity starting around 2000, and it currently sits at #390 on the US Top 1000 chart in 2012.

Source

Perhaps Gideon is a name that you'd consider for your son. It certainly has a strong history and a positive, biblical association!   What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annika, Esther, Olivia, Simone, Violet
Brothers: Aaron, Caleb, Ezra, Isaac, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Gideon Oliver
Gideon James
Gideon Andrew
Gideon Alexander
Gideon Blake

As a Middle Name:
Henry Gideon
Theodore Gideon
Nathaniel Gideon
Zane Gideon

Fastest-Falling Names of 2012

by Vera Kratochvil

Maybe you've noticed it, maybe you haven't, but there was a naming phenomenon that swept the country for the past decade until now. In 2011, more than 700,000 American baby boys had names that ended with the letter N. Maybe you haven't thought about it, but now you're able to recall all the little Aidens, Masons, Ethans and Jaydens that you know.

With all the recent data released for 2012, it looks like the "era of the -n" is finally starting to wind down. The 5 fastest falling boy names last year all ended with N.

Boys:
1. Jaden - Dropped by 40 ranks. (It went from #100 in 2011 to #140 in 2012.)
2. Rylan  -Down by 33 ranks. (#146 in 2011 to #179 in 2012.)
3. Ashton  -Fell 32 spots (#109 in 2011 to # 141 in 2012.)
4. Hayden -Moved down 19 spots.  (#90 in 2011 to #109 in 2012.)
5. Justin - After 40+ years of popularity, it finally fell 15 ranks.  (#59 in 2011 to #74 in 2012.)

Jaden has embarked on its journey down the chart due to most parents choosing Jayden as their standardized spelling. Jayden actually also fell since last year from #4 in 2011 to #7 in 2012.  Ashton has finally seen its day; perhaps partial blame is on Mr. Kutcher's name being splashed all over the news in the past couple years?  Justin has notoriously been a "cute-boy" name, from Timberlake to Bieber, parents are finally weening off of it after a long run of popularity.

As for the girls, 3 of the 5 the fastest-falling names were trend-based celebrity names:

1. Dulce - Dropped a whopping 159 ranks! (#415 in 2011 to #574 in 2012.)
2. Danna - Fell an impressive 125 spots!  (#365 in 2011 to #490 in 2012.)
3. Audrina - Another big mover, 122 ranks down! (#318 in 2011 to #440 in 2012.) 
4. Alexis - Fell 14 spots after years of usage at the turn of the century. (#26 in 2011 to #40 in 2012.) 
5. Alyssa - Only fell 7 spots but it's notable after its huge popularity. (#37 in 2011 to #44 in 2012.)

The top 3 names were the celebrity-inspired names that lost popularity along with the "stars" they were named after: Dulce María, Audrina Partridge, and Danna Paola.  The reason Alexis and Alyssa are noteworthy on this movers-and-shakers list is that they've both seen mega popularity in the 1990's and 2000's. It seems as though their day has come to an end. While the names will remain on the Top 1000 for many years to come (perhaps forever), their decreased usage puts a time stamp on them.

What do you think of these names? Are there any other big-movers that are worth mentioning? Let me know in the comments below!

Name of the Day: Lavinia

I chose this name for my very first "Name of the Day!" It is one that I've recently discovered and fell in love with.

The name Lavinia ranked on the Top 1000 chart from 1880-1929 and hasn't been seen since then! An old name that dates back to Roman Mythology, Lavinia was considered the mother of the Roman people. She was the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas and he named the Town of Lavinium, Italy after her.

In Literature, Lavinia was the protagonist's daughter in Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus" which includes the line "She is Lavinia, therefore must be lov'd."  There is also a Lavinia in "The Hunger Games" series, which may have caught the eye of our younger name-enthusiasts!

American actress Ava Lavinia Gardner wore the name gracefully during the Old Hollywood days.  Emily Dickinson's younger sister was known as Lavinia "Vinnie" Dickinson. And an Italian painter wore the name from 1552-1614, Lavinia Fontana.

In Pop Culture, (and where I first heard of this lovely moniker,) there was a character on the British period drama "Downton Abbey" named Lavinia Swire.

Have you ever heard of this old-fashioned gem before? If not, I'm proud to introduce it to you. I would personally love this name paired up as a middle name to Ivy.  Ivy Lavinia sounds beautiful to me!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Cassandra, Eveline, Delilah, Genevieve, Marina
Brothers: Alistair, Elijah, Lachlan, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Lavinia Rose
Lavinia Katherine
Lavinia Aveline
Lavinia Eve
Lavinia Wren

As a Middle Name:
Ivy Lavinia
Ava Lavinia
Olive Lavinia

What do you think? Tell me in the comments below!

Top 10 Boy and Girl names for 2012

by Petr Kratochvil

This is old news by now, but I thought I would post the Social Security Administration's Official Top 10 names for boys and girls in 2012.

Boys:
1 Jacob
2 Mason
3 Ethan
4 Noah
5 William
6 Liam
7 Jayden
8 Michael
9 Alexander
10 Aiden

Jacob has been sitting at the top since 1999. Interestingly, the actual amount of babies being named Jacob has declined over the years despite the name holding steady at the #1 rank. In 1998, roughly 1.8% of boys born were named Jacob, and it was still second to Michael on the charts. In 2011, slightly less than 1% of all baby boys born were named Jacob, and the name still held its top rank. It was higher than 1% in 1990 when the name originally began its ascent to the throne.

The reason for this has been described as the "name diversity revolution". More and more names are being used that are not on the top 100 so the "top names" aren't used as frequently as they might have been a couple decades ago.  It begs the question whether or not this list is accurate. On a state level, there is a greater variety of names that occupy the top slots.

Parents seem to really like the name Liam (#6). Some choose to use it as a full name, and others opt for the more classic William (#5).

As for the name Aiden (#10), many are speculating that this is actually the true #1 boy name when all of the spelling variations are combined such as Aidan, Ayden, Aydan, Aidenn, etc.

 Girls:
1 Sophia
2 Emma
3 Isabella
4 Olivia
5 Ava
6 Emily
7 Abigail
8 Mia
9 Madison
10 Elizabeth

The top girl name, Sophia, has come back with a vengeance! An older name, it previously peaked at 132 in 1880. After a decline through the turn of the century, it remained in the 400-800 range through the mid-20th century. It jumped from #489 in 1975 to breaking into the Top 100 in 1997 at #94. It steadily gained popularity throughout the 2000s before taking the #1 spot in 2011.

Emma is another older name, popular in the 1800's that has risen to fame in the past decade.  Isabella is one of the fastest climbing names in recent history. In 1990, it sat at #895, by 1995 it jumped to #174. In 2000, Isabella hit 45 and was crowned in 2009 as the number one name, losing its position to Sophia in 2011.

I could talk all day about the rise and fall of these Top 20 names, but I will stop there for now. Which of the top 20 names are your favorite? Would you use a popular name or do you tend to shy away?  Let me know in the comments!

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting us here at The Art of Naming!

 First, let me introduce myself. My name is Kara and I have been a self-proclaimed "name nerd" for many years. While there is always more to learn, my fascination with names has finally led me to do something more than browse naming websites. I decided to start this blog/forum so that I can not only personally share my opinions on names, but also help others find the perfect name for their children. 

My goal with this blog is to help broaden the general public's naming horizons. Many people stick to familiar or popular names, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I want to expose others to names that are a bit more unique or underused.

Therefore, this blog is dedicated to discussing and analyzing everything having to do with names. I also have a forum section that allows you to post your own questions and thoughts. I believe that community and interaction are important. Sometimes, it truly takes a village! Finding the perfect name is no long as simple as deciding between Mary and Margaret like some of our ancestors have done in the past.

As this "name diversity revolution" continues, more and more parents find themselves overwhelmed by all the options. I'm here to help you narrow it down to something you truly love instead of settling for an "easy choice" off the Top 10 list.

I hope you'll bookmark this page and tell your friends! Join in the conversation by commenting below or on the forums! I appreciate your company!

Kara