Hard times are hitting economies around the world, and hard choices have to be made. Even in my baby-name bubble I recognize that tracking the rise and fall of Nevaeh doesn't make any top-10 list of national priorities. Still, it was a shock to learn to that UK Office of National Statistics has decided to stop reporting on popular baby names as a cost-cutting measure.
The announcement of the year's most popular baby names has quickly become a tradition around the globe. It's a happy tradition: a rare moment when our government tell us something just because it's fun and interesting. It's also a unique barometer of our changing national mores. As an American, I learn something new about my country with every new name list. Similarly, looking at the England & Wales stats each year taught me a lot about how our countries are the same, and how we differ. I'll sorely miss watching names like Alfie and Poppy climb toward the top 10.
There's no substitute for true national statistics. They capture the full range of the nation's tastes, while private listmakers -- web sites or newspapers that poll their readerships -- systematically ignore large swaths of the population. As the UK experience demonstrates, we shouldn't take the government data for granted.
The United States first started tracking popular baby names in 1996. As I understand the story, a Social Security Administration actuary by the name of Michael Shackleford compiled the first name popularity lists, simply because he could. After a couple of years Shackleford left the SSA to dedicate his mathematical skills to the gambling industry (see wizardofodds.com). By that time, though, the name stats were so popular that the other actuaries had to continue Mike's pet project. Eventually the SSA realized they could use this popular feature as a showpiece to lure in parents and educate them about other family programs. Thus the current name stats website was born.
The SSA's approach to name data keeps evolving. They've gradually tweaked and expanded the figures they make available, which are now the the world's best. Last year they tried to jazz things up, making the data release a Parade Magazine "exclusive" and adding some freaky talking babies to their website. This year, who knows?
On behalf of the name-loving public, let me beg the SSA to keep doing what it does so well. (No, dearest actuaries, that does not mean more talking babies. Please, no.) Baby name statistics deliver a lot of cultural bang for the buck. We love them, and we love you for providing them. See you in May, SSA! I hope.
In Memoriam: UK Baby Name Statistics
01/07/2009, 10:39AM
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Comments
Sibsets--Lindsey and Lauren. Know a few of these combos born in late 70s, early 80s.
I have an Eloise and don't plan on using a nickname (until her friends pick on for her, I guess). I like the suggestion of "Lee-see" (don't know how to spell it). It's fresh and not "Wee-see." People tend to call her "wee-see" and it drives me mad. I didn't foresee that when we named her. Still love the name Eloise though.
I don't think its a big deal that baby Seraphina Affleck recieved 2 middle names while her older sister Violet only got one.
For my daughter I chose 2 middle names and will do so for all my children... but that is only because I would such a hard time narrowing it down to one... have way too many names that I love.
I grew up with only one middle name, yet both my brother and sister have two and its never bothered me that they got an extra middle name... in most cases the middle name really isn't used to much anyways.
Re: A non-"Ella" nn for Eloise -- is Weezy too 70s sitcom? Has a hipsterish appeal, maybe?
@Tirzah - "If you have a cool house, there's a good chance that your kids have cool names!"
Well, if not cool names, then at least interesting ones. Have you heard of the Robert & Cortney Novogratz? (Maybe we've talked about them here before?) They're this hip NYC, home renovation/design couple with 6 children, and are featured in this month's issue of "O At Home" (Oprah's home decor mag.) Their kids names are:
Wolfgang
Tallulah
Bellamy
Breaker
Five
Holleder
Tallulah & Bellamy are the only girls (they're twins). Five & Holleder are twin boys.
All of those names scream artsy & eclectic. But Five? Seriously? Yikes!
Re: NN 'Weezy'-it's terrible! As a Louise I sometimes get called this and strongly dislike it! I love the name Eloise and almost wish I would have been it instead...
Re: 2 Middle names. This is something I am struggling with at the moment! It is a family tradition/cultural tradition (German and Dutch) for us to use 2 middle names although we could definately get away with only one. We have 2 middle names picked out for our little pikelet if it is a boy but for a girl, 2 just seems superfluous. I want to be fair but REALLY don't want to resort to a 'filler' middle name for the sake of equity!
To keep you updated, the boy name is:
Eli Benjamin Jacob
And girls name, as it has been for sometime, is TBA. (I'm hoping this is a sign it is NOT a girl!)
Not long to go now...
Finally, sib-sets that keep popping up?
Jack and Henry (sorry J&H's mom!)
Caleb and Zachary/Zac
Nicole S.-
I am assuming from the order that you have the kids listed that Five is the fifth child... any chance that it's just a nickname? I sure hope it is!
I like the name Seraphina only a little and only because I hear Sara/Sarah in it, although I know it's an unrelated name. I've never called my granddaughter Sarah "Sarah-fina" but I do sometimes call her younger sister Sophie, "Sophina" -- just for fun. I wonder if the Afflecks chose Seraphina after a relative named Sara(h) but went with the similar-sounding longer name because it sounds newer and more unique. Reportedly their older daughter was given family names, and it may be that Seraphina Rose Elizabeth all relate to family names too.
I did a quick Wikipedia bio search for the Afflecks, but found no one with any of their new daughter's names. However Ann(e), their older daughter's middle name, is the middle name of Jennifer Anne Garner, as well as of her mother (Patricia Ann) and Ben's mother (Christine Ann). Having given Violet Anne two family names (Violet being the name of a grandmother or great-grandmother, as I recall), it's likely that at least one of the names of Seraphina Rose Elizabeth is a family name too -- and perhaps more than one and that's the reason she has two middle names. I like the names of the Affleck girls and even more so when considering other recent 'star baby' names.
Btw, Jennifer has 2 sisters -- Melissa and Susannah Kay.
Nicole S-Those are horrible if I can be so blunt since they are celebs and not actually realted to anyone here?? (forgive me if they are). Five is not a name imo and Holleder makes me say "Hold-her-there" in a dialect like someone shouting to someone operating an oil rig or something. It also makes me think of the word holiday or the much better name of Hollis. In fact, there's a girl in my son's class named this. Strange on a girl but much better than Holleder.
@Bethany - I'm pretty sure Five is his actual name, and he's the 5th child. I suppose were he not the fifth-born, his name would be even stranger than it already is.
@zoerhenne - I completely agree with you. Hollis is a perfectly good name; Holleder, not so much.
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If you want inspiration for a slightly more unusual name, the top 100 list is useless: most of the names on it are really boring. You need a top 1000 list or comprehensive list. National Statistics, like every big public service in the UK is completely pathetic.
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