The Baby Name Wizard

Does anyone else find it amusing that that list is mostly girls names? 80% in both cases. I admit, I did it, too with most of my answers coming from the girls list. The trends seem more variant in the girls lists than the boys.

ya.. the same boys names seem popular for many years with few changes. I also noticed.. and some of my baby name loving friends have said ... that girls names they like seem to change quickly, where as boys names they like seem to last and they feel exactly the same about them years later. Not sure why that is.

On the vowel trend 80% of rising start with vowels and only 20% of falling. Interesting that two names appear on both lists.

Also, I'm from the twin cities and last night I was at a pub quiz and the question was, "which American metropolitan area has the greatest concentration of the name Stacy?" The answer was the Twin Cities, but I'm wondering where that person might have found that statistic. Any ideas?

Jessica,

Great question!

The Social Security Administration does post baby name data by state, but I don't think that data would tell you which babies left the state after birth or how many adult women named Stacy moved there later. Plus the data is given by state, not by metropolitan area, so you'd have to make some heavy assumptions about which counties from the two states contained the highest concentration of Stacys.

Does the Census Bureau release data like that? I doubt it. I bet it's a made up statistic.

Jessica:

The company Stacy's Pita Chip Co. has reported that factoid in its press releases. See, for example, this news article: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/01/a_super_stacy_s.html

I have no idea whether it's true!

I was not quick enough to get my entry into the baby pool, but if I had voted I would say fastest risers around here are Addison, Asher, and Axel. Fallers - Riley and Britney (can't think of a third!)

I can't believe Grace is not in that top ten...it will be for 07.

Funny that Madison and Emma are on both lists!

Shoot! I was too late to vote...I would have voted for Lila shooting up the charts...I'm hearing it a LOT on message boards. Hearing Evangeline a lot too.

Evangeline is a good one. I heard that a lot when I frequented name boards last year.

I don't think Emma is going to fall.

I will be curious to see what Madison does. In some circles, the name has sparked a lot of negativity and less-than-positive associations. However, the emergence of Addison could just reinforce it. I've also heard a lot of interest in Madelyn, leading me to think there will be a lot of Maddies and Addies on the playground in a few years.

I worked for a photographer who shoots little league baseball over the weekend. The most common names were Cole, Jacob, and Michael. Jacob and Michael don't surprise me in the slightest, but Cole did. Other runners up were Gavin, Brandon and Jayden/Aidan of various spellings. Ayden was the oddest spelling IMO. There were mostly boys in this league, but the most popular name for the "playing little league" girls was Emma/Ema. Technically, the league is for 2-14 year-olds, but mostly I had 2-6 year-olds. Thought these were interesting findings.

I had a conversation this w/e with a friend who has a 1-1/2 year old daughter named Ashley. She picked the name specifically because it is a common, well-known name (although not "trendy"). She wanted her daughter to feel like she fits in easily, and to be able to find pencils and other trinkets with her name printed on.

It was a striking concept, what with so many people specifically picking unusual, uncommon, or invented names these days to make their kids feel special and stand out (me included).

The only thing is, I wonder if kids with the more common names will actually feel like they "fit in," since lots of other kids will have the more unusual names.

Or, will they end up "fitting in" because their names are considered common, fewer parents pick them, and they end up being just as unusual with this new generation?

Anyway, it was the total opposite of how I am approaching the baby naming game, so I was intriged.

Lee: Very interesting. I think I am drawn to some of the names that were popular maybe 10-15 years ago, maybe cuz I loved them as a teenager, and I do think these might be unique now becuase everyone thinks they are so outdated! I also think I like the name Ashley better now than when it was everywhere!

Arlo's Mama: I had the sense that Madeleine had already run its course. I guess I think this because I know a Madeleine that is about 2, one that is elementary school age, and another one somewhere in between. And I don't know a LOT of kids since I don't have them myself yet. Or are you differentiating Madelyn from Madeleine? Maybe this name was never as popular as some others though.

I definitely think the -yn ending for girls' names is becoming more popular. My prediction is that Madelyn will rise and Madeline will fall (posters on name boards also didn't like the ambiguous pronunciation of the latter). This is a continuation of the current trend. I don't see Madeleine very often.

Lee - Interesting thoughts. I was thinking about the popular vs. common yesterday while looking at all those little baseball players (have you ever seen a 2-yr old in a 1-size-fits-all baseball cap? How adorable). The weird spellings and out-there names (Neftali, anyone?) made me cringe and lean towards traditional spellings and names, or at the very least phonetic ones. We've also been leaning towards names of 15-20 years ago lately, though still in the top 100 today (Allison, Megan, etc.). Makes me cringe at my old favorites, Angili and Chandelay (from when i was about 13).

"Neftali" isn't really "out there"--it's just the Spanish spelling for the biblical name Naphtali (one of Jacob's sons).

I think Kate is a rising (nick)name (or at least a currently very popular one). In my immediate circle of friends, I know 3 Kates,1 Katie (most are some version of Kathryn), and 1 Lily Kathryn - all under the age of 3. I also know a few more that have some version of Kate/Kathryn/Catherine as a middle name.

I love the name Madeline. Pronounced Mad-i-line, as in straight line. I haven't heard that one much, or is that what you're talking about? I know a Madeline at work, but she pronounces it Madelyn. How do you differentiate between the two?

I know two little Madelines, both pronounced Madelyn. I also know a Madeleine, pronounced like Proust's cookie.

And Christiana, Cole is a huge hit here in NC!

I think the name 'Cordelia' is going to make a come back after the fish in the new movie.

Shan, that list is NOT predicting what names will be in the Top 10. The game is to predict which names will have the biggest percentage change, either rising or falling. So a name that is #975 could be a Hot Riser by soaring up to #432. Not common, but by being what Billboard calls a "Hot Riser," worthy of note.
Julie and Arlo's Mama, I totally predicted Evangeline is going to jump in there, too. Wouldn't hurt if Ms. Lilly had her name splashed across the tabloids by finally marrying her hobbit fiance this year.
Jo.f, I've been looking for Cordelia to make a jump as soon as "Buffy"/"Angel" fans really get cracking with the baby making. ;-)

Ooh, I'm a Buffy fan and I love Cordelia. DH is a fan, too, but can't get past the negative attitiude she had on the show, so no go for now.

Naftali, while I'm sure was originally supposed to be in reference to Naphtali, one of the tribes of Israel, was pronounced Naff-TAL-ee at the ballpark this weekend. Sounds weird to me if you're going to screw with both the spelling and the pronunciation.

I have always loved the name Cordelia, but I got it from the play, "King Lear." Interesting.

It's interesting to look at the names that are making jumps. I find it very interesting how pop culture plays such a major roll in what people name their children.
Example: Remember Dr.Quinn? How popular Michaela became after that show?
~~

Michaela was THE name where I lived at the height of Dr. Quinn's popularity. Michaela and Mikayla (which i thought was a dumb misspelling).

I like Claire or Valerie for a girl and Thomas for a boy. My name is Jennifer and I always HATED having three or four other Jennifer's in the class. I will never pick a top ten name for my child. Some of these names are just silly. For example Arden or Dakota are really stupid names. Be original for Gods Sake.

I like Valerie. It's pretty and not supercommon.

Yay for Valerie! When I grew up, I was one of the later Valeries and always felt it was a dated name. I'm delighted to see it making a come back. I shall be very trendy this time...:)

PS In 2005, Valerie was the 167th most popular name for babies, according to the SSA. Valeria was 137 (possibly more used by Spanish-speakers). Much more popular than I would have guessed. Haven't met any under 35, except in France, where it's much more common.

I'm not a big fan of overused names. I like old fashioned names like Hazel, Mabel, and Anna. People who try to hard to come up with new names spelled in weird ways need to get a clue.

Valerie is a beautiful name. My friend named her daughter Valerie Suzanne. I just love it!!!!!!!!!

Where is the accent in Valeria? I went to high school with a Valerija but everyone just called her Val.

Just to put it out there: my favorites are Ella Grace (1st/middle), Alexis Morgan, Aiden James, & Austin Caleb.

I didn't enter the name pool this year, but I would vote for Cora, Adelaide and Georgia as up and coming.

My name is Claire and my best friend is Valerie! (we're are in our 30's).

I was just thinking about the name Cora! Specifically, how it ends in "a," is a little old-fashioned, is not commonly used, rhymes with Dora (which has too strong a connotation--not a bad one, just that it already belongs to someone "famous") and just plain sounds good!

Robyn T- I think Valeria is pronounced Val-EH-ri-a (more or less) at least in Spanish. Actually the V is more like a B in some cases! I prefer the English/French Valerie.

Christina -- I can imagine a 2 year old in a one size fit all baseball cap, but what I can't imagine is signing a 2 year old up for a baseball league!!!

As to finding trinkets with a child's name on it, my daughter can never find hers. I am glad. I tell her if she can find her name I will buy her the trinket for her and then when it isn't there, oh well.

And least you feel bad for the child, realize that this usually happens at Disneyland where we spend way too much time and money (we have passes). And she has plenty of things with her name on it thanks to internet ordering.

Robyn T.- Now I'm thinking about the name Cora too, and it's a very nice name. Thanks for mentioning it.

Hmmmm...

RISING
...
6. Madison
...

FALLING
1. Madison
...

I love the name Raquel. I had a HARD time finding a name and then my mother said it and it was the one. Never thought of it before.

I'd say the thing on the decline is originality.

I sort of like Valeria/Valerija but it seems like it either rhymes with diarrhea or malaria! :(

Weird weird weird. A few days ago before these comments showed up I was twiddling with Cordelia and Cornelia on the Name Voyager, and I thought to myself, "Cordelia is a great, totally underused name." I've always liked it since I read Margaret Atwood's *Cat's Eye.* Alas, I think of myself as non-trendy but into classic names, and then my every idea shows up on this board (Audrey, Hester).

Cornelia, alas, may not make a comeback as the child might be driven crazy by being called "Corny"

But Gina -- the trendy names are always the ones people think are original (think of all the babies named "Unique"). Anne=not original, not trendy. Madycynn=pseudo-original, trendy. Gina, however, is a cool name from my 70s childhood. Time for a bring-back.

If Cora, Cordelia, and Cornelia are working for you, maybe also put Corinna in the mix... or even Clara... or Cecilia...

Valeria (a minor weekly character on CSI: Miami) is pronounced like Malaria. Never thought of that but I'm sure the kids on the playground will :)

Cordelia is a great name which is originally from King Lear - she's the good daughter (unlike Regan and Goneril which are horrible names) who won't kiss her father's butt for an inheritance. It's where the quote "Nothing will come of nothing" comes from. Great play.

Oh dear - I'm definitely out of the loop, coming from the generation where every girl was Valerie, Jill, Christine, Gaylene, Cheryl etc, I loathe these names and shudder to see them back, just as I can't imagine Joan, Nancy, Doris and the like reappearing any time soon.
Monica - my niece now 10 is Raquel - a very hard name I feel as its pronounced 'rack-elle'.
The name Anne is having a major resurgence here while Madeline is on the way out, generally because people are put off by all the different spellings. Madison also did its dash when the TV programme Moonlighting was in its heyday some two decades ago. It could be that the simple names - the Janes and Sallys and Sarahs are on their way back along with the growing popularity of flora and fauna names.

Btw, as an avid Buffy fan, I have to point out that Joss Whedon (creator) did originally get Cordelia's name from King Lear... He's well known as a Shakespeare enthusiast. And if her personality on Buffy puts you off the name, try watching Angel. She actually did get much more friendly and kind of grew a heart... at least after the first couple of episodes.
On a different note, the name Valeria always reminds me of the Pixies song "Velouria" which is actually a really beautiful song.

Julia and Valeria are two of my favorite names. They were common names in the great families of Old Russia. Whenever I hear those names in public, I always turn to see how beautiful the bearers are.

On Cordelia: My friend who's due this month was into this name, but not the nn Cordie. Or maybe she was into Cordie, but not Cordelia?

On Raquel: I heard this is a version of Rachel.

On Tansey's list of outdated names: I kind of like Nancy. I'm finding myself "into" some of my aunts' (b. in late '40s) names. Also Karen.

Hey all -
I need a list of derivatives of Mary (more modern version, preferably) for a friend's baby. She wants to name the baby after her grandmother, Mary, but the family thinks it's too outdated, etc. She also likes for her children to have a connection to her name, Nicole/Niki Lee. Suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!