It’s become a truism that once a name gets too popular, no one wants to use it anymore. (Which reminds me of the famous Yogi Berra saying: Nobody goes to that place anymore. It’s too crowded.)
So what do they use instead? Often, a name that’s the same but different.
Consider Emma, 2008’s Number One girls’ name. Part of Emma’s success, I’m sure, is that it resembles Emily, long the girls’ top name, but has an individual pedigree and style all its own.
An older spin on this theme was Jessica, which took over the top spot from big sister Jennifer. It works on the boys’ side too, with Jacob and Justin picking up where Jason left off.
More interesting, though, are the names that are just now appearing on the horizon as similar-but-different substitutes for names that are becoming overly popular. The appeal of these names is obvious: They seem to offer fresh spins on favorites that are feeling a bit tired.
The down side is that so many people tend to flock to them, they’re often in danger of becoming – like Emma – overexposed themselves.
Here, some current favorites and the daughters (and sons) they’ve spawned. Interestingly, some popular names inspire new choices that may cross gender lines.
Girls
Adelaide, Adeline, Adriel, Adele
Alexa, Alexis, Alexia, Alec, Alexei
A couple of weeks ago, we looked at the favorite girls' names on a Nameberry Message Board thread--led by the lovely Beatrix, Penelope and Clementine--and now it's time to look over at the boys' side.
When we talk about vintage names, we’re usually harking back to the 
When we parse the annual Social Security list, we usually focus on the top names–what’s the new Number One, which names have made it into the Top 25, even the Top 100. But there are many names on the Popularity List that actually aren’t all that popular– certainly not commonly enough used to deter parents who are looking for a distinctive name.
When we wrote our first book, Beyond 
