I was dazzled by the outpouring of nominations for the official Baby Name Wizard Name of the Year. Thank you all for some outstanding suggestions, including angles I wouldn't have considered on my own. It was a tough year to make a choice as no single name truly dominated the landscape. (That's not necessarily a bad thing; consider Katrina last year.) I weighed a variety of factors including your votes, public awareness of the name phenomenon, a dramatic change in the name's social meaning or identity, and how the name reflected a broader zeitgest.
First, some runners up -- 3 names shaped by television in 2006:
Emmett. Back in August I identified Emmett as a name on the verge, one that parents were talking about a lot but hadn't quite pulled the trigger on. That was before retired football star Emmett Smith took home the top trophy on tv's "Dancing with the Stars." Zeitgeist bonus points: so who cares that you set the all-time NFL rushing record? You're nobody til you're a reality tv star. Points off for: the name is still a stealthy favorite, not really on everyone's lips (as the paucity of Emmetts in the nomination pool demonstrated).
Miley. A strong candidate for the out-of-nowhere role thanks to "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus (given name Destiny). Miley is a natural extension of Riley, Kiley et al. Points off for: Zeitgeist? What Zeitgeist? Besides, most Hannah Montana fans are still in the pre-procreation demographic.
Addison. I was surprised at first to see a flood of nominations for Addison. But the posters built a strong case: 2006 was a breakthrough year for Addisons as a character on "Grey's Anatomy" propelled the name out of Madison's shadow and into the the spotlight. It's clearly one of the hottest names of the year and an example of some of the strongest trends in naming. Androgynous surnames that contract to girlish nicknames are a soaring sub-genre. Even the baby step from Madison to Addison illustrates the constant but cautious hunt for novelty. Points off for: being more evolutionary than revolutionary in 2006. I had cited Addison as a hot example of the the "retractable surname" trend in the opening sections of The Baby Name Wizard.
Which brings us to the official Name of the Year:
Shiloh.
I don't know if you heard, but some couple named Brad and Angie had a baby girl this year and named her Shiloh. Ring any bells?
Yes, it's a celebrity baby name. But before you start yawning let me say that it's not just any name, and not just any celebrity. If there were a baby naming hall of fame Angelina Jolie would be a charter member. She chooses extremely unusual names: Maddox, Zahara and Shiloh. But while other celebrities earn snickers for their unconventional choices, nobody's laughing at the Jolie kids. Angelina is like that friend who shows up for a party wearing colors you never would have imagined putting together and maybe don't even like, but dang she looks good...and makes the rest of us in our basic black feel kind of timid.
When you think of the typical high-profile baby name, it's an island unto itself. Suri, Apple and Audio Science don't really belong to or influence any broader trends. Shiloh, in contrast, makes cultural connections. It's part of the revival of biblical rarities -- Shiloh is a place name from the Bible, adopted for towns in a number of U.S. states. It's also a nostalgic place name of the Savannah/Cheyenne family. By far the best known Shiloh is in Tennessee, where a horrific 1862 battle gave an early glimpse of the bloody years that were to lie ahead in the Civil War. The Battle of Shiloh claimed over 23,000 casualties and dominated the cultural meaning of Shiloh for generations to come.
Shiloh did have a history as a baby name long before Miss Jolie-Pitt hit the scene. You'll find occasional 19th-century Shilohs both before and after the Civil War, most of them male. The name tailed off after the 1880s and started to come back quietly starting in the late 1960s, this time chosen for girls and boys alike. Yet if you asked most Americans in 2005 their first association with Shiloh was surely still the battle, with second place going to the male beagle who headlined the 1992 Newbery-winning children's novel Shiloh.
You want a "change in the name's social meaning"? When I was writing my book I considered including Shiloh but decided that the battlefield associations were too strong. Now can you imagine leaving it out of the next edition -- or calling the name anything but feminine? And as little Shiloh was endlessly discussed in every known medium, the name sent out ripples into the great name landscape. Just as Maddox took the popular surname style and blew the doors off its preppy Payton-Tyler constraints, so Shiloh will make parents take a fresh look at the seemingly familiar realm of Biblical and Old-South place names. (Think Jericho for boys, Shenandoah for girls.) Massive public awareness, sudden change, portents of names to come...there is your Name of the Year.
And with that, I bid you a happy naming year. See you in 2007...and start thinking about your entries for this year's edition of the baby name pool!
Comments
Laura J-
Larkin is one of my favorite names ever, but I've always thought of it for a girl. The natural nn would be Lark, which strikes me as very feminine.
Best 1-syllable names for a girl:
Blythe
Miette (sorta like 1 1/2 syllables)
Lise
Brook
Tyne
My wife and I chose Shiloh for our son, 2 years before Bradgelina. My wife is Jewish and I am Swedish. In Jewish custom we named for a desceased relative, so we chose Shiloh for a my wife's grandmother Sandy and Erik (Swedish spelloing) for my grandfather Eugene.
I love the name Shiloh for a girl. We have two sons, Caden and Judah. We are trying for baby number 3, hopefully a girl!! But for a boy we both love Abram. We are kinda doing the 5 letter thing. So, for a girl we were kinda thinking of Megan or Lilah. Any suggestions?
Shiloh's dad - nice to be in advance of the popularity. Pity the Jolie/Pitt's didn't think of the anagram with Shiloh and Pitt - poor girl's going to suffer.
Amy - I like Lilah - easy to spell and different enough to make sure she won't be sharing it with dozens. Megan is a little old now - sad because its pretty.
We're due any day now and are considering Addison if we have a girl. Do you think it's too trendy? We have a 3 year old Payton and seriously didn't know at the time that it was going to be a trendy name, we just saw it in the book and liked it. I keep going back and forth between Sophie and Addison. Help!!
Juliana - What about Dylan? Or is it too close to Daniel? Or how about Logan, Aiden, Braden or Owen?
Amy: I like both Megan and Lilah. I think Lilah could be misspelled without the "h" but it's very pretty. I used to have a bad association with this name from the Sweet Valley books but I think that has almost faded. (i bet it's pretty faded from other people's memories too.)
Amber: If I'm not mistaken, I think Sophie is pretty popular too now. I still like both those names though. Maybe go in with both and see what name seems more appropriate at the time?
Amy - We have a cousin that named her daughter Lila. I think it's a great name! It's very sweet and simple.
Amber- I think Sophie is very pretty. Right now, I think Addison is hitting it's popularity stride.
I have a 2 month old lovely daughter. I have christened her first name as TESSA, I wish to give her a second name, please suggest one.
Marc
I agree that Lyra is pretty for a short name. It is a constellation and also the endearing protagonist in the upcoming movie The Golden Compass, based on the book of the same name.
Sophie is pretty. It has gotten popular lately--I know a 3yr and 4yr Sophie or Sophia, but also is more classic than Addison, IMO.
Piers is a bully--friend of the cousin--in the Harry Potter books.
Pansy is also in the HP books and not portrayed very favorably.
I know a ~33yo Pearl.
Violet is pretty, and for the younger gen has probably the more positive connotations of The Incredibles and Lemony Snicket than the brat in Willy Wonka.
Instead of Kari, maybe Karey or Karie? Kari does have good connotations to me--the cute, smart Mythbuster is Kari. She was the people's choice 'hot geek' in Wired online poll. ;P
These things are so interesting to read! I'm not planning on having kids anytime soon, but my sister just had her first child. They had a hard time choosing, but went with Ethan. I was surprised to see how pop it is!
we are trying to decide on a name for our baby. if its a girl, we are between the following:
adeline (pro-nounced ADD-A-LINE) with a nickname of addie, middle name: grace
or
elizabeth grace (nickname ellie)
I've loved Hannah and Emma for ages and hate how trendy they've become : (
any thoughts?
Marc - how many syllables in your surname and what does it begin with?
Tessa May
Tessa Louise
Tessa Felice
Tessa Ruth
Tessa Helene
Tessa Camille
Tessa Victoria
Tessa Rose
Tessa Estelle
Tessa Elizabeth
What of the name Rodion?
What of the name Rodion?
What of the name Rodion?
I was reading "Crime and Punishment" by Feodor Dostoevsky, and found that the first name of the main character was Rodion. Even though I am not of Russian descent, I think "Rodion Archer" would sound pretty cool. I also like the names Ray, Edmond, and Vahe.
Mary - definitely different. To me it sounds a little too much like a business venture or a group of lawyers but hey - who knows what he'll end up doing. Ray, Edmond and Vahe are so different from each other I'm completely amazed! Your taste is very eclectic:-)(that's not an insult at all - I'm impressed!)
love livia
more list of the names of baby boy
D'lon , pronounced as Dee-lawn has hebrew roots.
Hello! Just found this group and am loving the discussions!
Currently have 3 kids, Alexis Marie, Kiara (rhymes with "tiara") Christine, and James Matthew (nns Lexi, Kiki, and Jay). Just found out we're expecting boy/girl twins. I really love alliteration for twins. Any suggestions?
Thanks! =)
Carrie
For boy/girl twins I like Christian Alexander and Courtney Amanda. Very cute :-)
I never thought of double alliteration, but I like those two Michelle, thanks!! =)
We have a son named Wyatt Timothy Lukie and need a sibling name asap as I am due in two weeks. We'd love opinions/suggestions.
Ideas:
Girl - Maya Lukie, Ava Lukie Cate Lukie
Boys - Gabe(Gabriel) Lukie, ???
Does anyone have an opinion on how popular Violet will become? Do you think it is going to be an overused name? I am looking for something unusual and am running out of time - only 2 weeks left. I thought I had settled on Violet but now it seems it is becoming a trend?
What name would go best with the Surname Perdue?
Much help is needed and appreciated, I, the father am extremely indecisive. We have thought of going with Louella for a girl, short, calling her Lu-lu, after my grandmother, or maybe Jayden for a boy.
what are your thoughts on Adeline (Add-a-line)?
As you can see, my name is Shiloh. I am 40 yrs old and find it hilarious that my name is getting all this press after so many years of people trying to pronounce it-or saying they know a dog named Shiloh. My parents weren't hippies, but my dad has always loved different names. My sibling are Orion, Tamar, Byron and Kylan (they made this one up, but I saw it in your book!)
I've carried on the tradition and have a Seamus, Griffin and Eowyn.
I love having a different name, but I guess its cool that others finally like it too!
What about the name Rafferty!!!! Raff for short I love it. Jude Law/Sadie Frost have Finley. Rafferty. Iris and Rudy.
boy names:
Drew Logan
Ryan Michael
Rory Maxwell
Dexter Larkin
Sawyer
Conner
We're done so I'll offer up one we were going to use if #4 was a boy: Everett. We have Ella, Henry, Calvin and Cara...for what it's worth.
Big jazz fans...so Ella Fitzgerald inspired. We're ahead of the Ella trend that we've seen. Henry isn't way up there and it's classic. Calvin was another older name that we loved. After Ella, we had EXTREME difficulty coming up w/Cara.
We tend to like Irish Gaelic names. Also, we had some luck researching the Soc Sec admin baby name registry. I liked the idea of going back 100 years from the due date year, and seeing what names were popular then.
Like Lena if we had another girl. It would be another tip of the hat to jazz aka Lena Horne.
Forgot two more that I loved but wifey didn't:
Linus for a boy. Even as a middle name...that's gonna remain unique, at least in the US cause not many peeps would have pull the trigger on that name. I love it.
Gladys for a girl. It was my grandma's name. I thought it was a good throw-back name.
Here's my offering for names:
Boys
DeMario
Armando
Alexander
Girls
Perri
Alexandra
I wish I had more children, I'd use a few of these.
Going to be having baby #2 (girl) in the next 3-5 weeks...really need name suggestions. My husband has a few 'requirements' 1) nothing to far fetched 2) easy to spell 3) easy to pronounce Our son is named Weston. The middle name of our daughter will be Jewell. Would love to hear some ideas...as of right now Lauren and Chloe are the choices, but neither are jumping out with "PICK ME" feelings. Would love to have a name we love as much as we loved Weston (who happen to be a Henry up until the end, and then boom became Weston) :)
Pop- I think that Linus is awesome, but hubby couldn't get over the Peanuts associations.
Lindsey- Tell us what letter your last name begins with and how many syllables, and, if you can, what it is that appealed to you about Weston over Henry and maybe somebody will have a great idea.
I chose Shiloh as the name for my first daughter about six months before Angelina's baby was born and the name hit big! I was shocked and kind of disappointed at all the publicity it has gotten since then!
My husband and I still want to use it, but we recently found out that we are actually having twin girls!!!
Anyone have a suggestion for a name to go with Shiloh?? I don't want rhyming and I don't want something ending in -a or -ah. I am at a loss to think of something!
We are expecting #5 and we are completely stumped. We have James Callahan (Cal), Catherine Mary (Cate), Matthew Steven, and Thomas John. All the names have family connections, significance, etc. Have exhausted the usable family names not already taken by other family members, but need ideas for names that would fit. Don't know baby's sex, but our last name is a Polish mouthful.
I think Sophie goes well with Shiloh. Sophie and Shiloh. they are kind of like opposites in where the vowel sounds fall. Plus it's an older name with a new "hit" name. Good luck with your girls!
EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY IS HAVING BABIES FOR STARTERS BUT SOME ARE OLD NAMES AND SOME ARE NEW EVEN FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD NAMES NOT HEARD OF. THIS IS THE ACTUAL LIST OF THE KIDS SO FAR (MAY I POINT OUT I HAVE 4 SISTERS AND A BROTHER SO THEY ALL HAVE A FEW KIDS EACH):
ANNA
JONATHAN
RHYS
ROSS
DECLAN
RHIANNON
ERIN
MEGAN
ALEX
SAM
NIAMH
CALEB
Max
Evan
Carley
Mia
Good luck!
Amelia, Charlie....
Annabella
Ariel
Christine or Christiana
or you could fill it in with a name beginning with B: Then you would have ABC names....
Brooke
Brianna
I love Bethany as a name, it is my daughter's, and, when I first named her, it was very unique. Now it is extremely popular.
I am about to go insane with the whole baby naming dilemma...I have 4 girls, Danielle Sheree, Madeline Harmony, Summer Rose and Claire Helena. My hubby Andrew has 3 children Anthony James, Brittany Cay and Shane Bill. OUR baby boy is almost due for arrival(less than 4 weeks) and I have no idea what his name will be!?!
We can't agree on anything and I can't help placing so much importance on my little boys name after having 4 girls. I have read through all the comments here in relation to boys names and still nothing sticks. I found the posts on nn most interesting, as well as not being able to find my name on a mug either. I managed to purchase a pen with my name on it and have always cherished it. Sounds silly to some but very special to me.
To narrow things down we are staying away from already used first initials.
Help me please!
I like the name Cyrus for a boy. I think it is different, but not too far fetched.
Okay, so Pearl is out? We are adopting and last name is Kelson. We like Keaton for a boy. For a girl we like Pearl, Grace,Katherine,Caroline, and Elizabeth. We are white and our child will likely be African American so I don't want to pick a totally anglo name for the child. Also, can't think of a middle name for Pearl (if we boldly went there -even though it's gotten such bad press).
Help.
I have not been following this debate and probably won't be back but the name Symphony...I HAVE LOVED IT FOR YEARS. Since I was a little girl I wanted to name my daughter Symphony and my son Lyric. I am now 11 weeks pregnant with my first. You may think theyre weird, I think theyre different and beautiful and as a mother, that is all that matters.
Do you think Nico is a cool nn for the name Dominic? Rather than Nick or Dom? Or just name him Nico rather than give him a full name?
Is it a bad idea to name a child and then call them by their middle name because you really like the middle name better, but the flow of the name didn't sound right when It was used first. Like Sienna Bianca rather then Bianca Sienna?
Shelly, I think Symphony is a beautiful name! I guess I should because I named my daughter Symphony Christine. She is 11 and I love her so dearly! Once, when she was about 6, I took her to see "Cinderella" at the Landmark Theatre in Richmond. It was performed with the Richmond Symphony. When she noticed her name on the marquee, she smiled from ear to ear and said, "Daddy, how did they know I was coming?" :)
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