By the way, I'm a little obsessed with baby names, even before I was contemplating having a baby.
With 2011 coming to a close, MSN posted a list of the top baby names of the year:
Girls: Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia, Ava, Lily, Chloe, and Madison
Boys: Aiden, Jackson, Mason, Liam, Jacob, Jayden, Ethan, Noah
I think these are really especially trendy names, especially the boys names. In 80 years, the stroke unit in hospitals is going to be filled up with Madisons, Jaydens, and Masons.
Of all the boys names, I had one Aiden and one Jacob in my year in public school. For girls names there was an Olivia. So yes, I would agree they are trendy names that might not be popular for as long as, say, Michael or Matthew. As someone who had 2 other girls with the same name throughout elementary school, plus a girl with a very similar name, I would not choose a name on this list for my child - I didn't like having such a common name, it got confusing at school. Although I don't know any younger children with my name now. That being said, I think all the top baby names this year are quite nice, none stick out as being weird or anything.
ReplyDeleteI have a strange first name. When we named our children, we looked for common, classic names. I have been spelling my name to people for the last 50 years or so.
ReplyDeleteI think the female names are all classic names that have been around forever. The boys names I am over. All of them practically. And I am tired of parents spelling their kids name dumb, trying to set them apart. It just makes it look like they could not spell and/or google. Like the actor Jason Lee who named his child Pilot Inspektor. Seriously??
ReplyDeleteFive years ago we almost named our youngest Mason, which at the time was the 40th most popular name. I'm glad we went with Myles (which was the 360th that year but is now up to the 250s, with Miles having gone from around 250 to the 130s). Our oldest child's name (Mercer) hasn't cracked the top 1000 baby names ever.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever get bored you can look up US name popularity on the social security site: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
And they'll all have piercings and tattoos.
ReplyDeleteKnot Telling, I have piercings and tattoos. I figure we're all going to be old and wrinkly one day anyway, at least the tattoos will give my care providers something interesting to look at.
ReplyDeleteThat MSN list is probably by a poll instead of actual data. The SS list from last year has more classic names, and the trend lately is actually going to solid, older names spelled correctly. Fewer names that defy phonics (Nevaeh, anyone?). Fewer Cadences (hey, my kid's a drum beat!), Sayler for girls (yep, she's a misspelled sailor! thankfully not a seaman), fewer Braydens (hee-haw), Kraydens (did they mean Kraken? and yes, sadly, there's a little girl in this world with that name) and fewer Mykynzie and Mykaylas.
ReplyDeleteThere are more Victorias, Tabithas, Lilies (Lily), Amelias, Julie/Julias, Georges, boys named Nicholas, Luke, Michael, Sophias now. Those fucking odd tryndy names do a huge disservice to kids, I think. Tryndy is for those weird names that have popped up recently and taken naming by storm (all those misspelled Mykynzie and Mykah Mikah Maika). There are also trendy names (like Noah) and popular names, not the same thing (Michael has made SS top 10 list for 50 years or more, it's popular).
It's going to be hard to take a fucked up name seriously when you have two equal resumes. Would you want an Ivy or a Princess representing your company?
They did a study a few years ago that compared equal resumes, and they just switched the first names from something like Michael to Ta'Quwereus, and overwhelmingly the former name was chosen as someone they wanted to work with them. That was really comparing names popular in the black community now, to names popular with whites now. The same thing is going to happen to these kids with the names that can't be pronounced the way they are written, regardless of race. Plus, it's been shown that kids that are born in a recession struggle more as adults to find good solid employment with a good income. Shit's already against these kids born right now. At least give them a name that will help them get ahead. Ethnic names don't fall into this same boat, there's a big difference between a Jesus and a name that is entirely made up because mommy wanted a "unique" name, just like all the other mommies making "unique" names.
Nevaeh is heaven spelled backwards and I seriously have to think really hard about it when I use it. One of our friend's daughter is named that. I was like ok...it has a lovely meaning and everything...but it is awkward. (For me.)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Moontoad about the unique names. Those children will probably resent their parents for that. My hippy mother was going to name my sister Chewbacca Anthony. I cannot even make something like that up. I was going to be Bo, after Bo Derek, the perfect 10. Luckly I didnt look like a Bo at birth because that would have been alot of pressure growing up!!
My sister and I ended up being named after rock songs. Of course she picked the most depressing Rolling Stones song ever!