Category: Baby Names Popularity
The Social Security Administration’s 2017 baby name data is now in, charting the Top 1000 names on its card applications for newborns dating back to 1880. They also help track our ever-changing tastes and trends in baby names.
One of those trends suggests that we’re increasingly enamored with some lovely—and sometimes unlikely—girl names ending with -ley and and its variants. So move over Ashley. Everly has arrived.
This week’s news includes the US state data, names from the royal wedding, and some long-expected starbaby arrivals.
Top names of 2017: local favorites
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement over the new US name data for 2017. Highlights include some surprises in the Top 10 (with props to the readers who guessed the Top 10 boys’ and girls’ names almost right), and the ever-fascinating alternative popularity list of combined spellings. We’ve seen some exciting new entries to the Top 1000, and creative names rising further down the charts.
A week later, the most popular names in each state in 2017 were revealed. There’s a lot of data to chew over, but here are some state-level stories of the past week.
By Eleanor Nickerson
Following on from my analysis of the top Welsh names in Wales and the top Scottish names in Scotland, it’s time to have a look at one of the most overlooked, yet up-and-coming, areas of Celtic naming — Cornish names.
Unlike their Irish, Scottish and Welsh cousins, Cornish names are still the relative under-dogs in the world of Celtic names. When you look at the overall statistics for England and Wales, Cornish names—with the exception of long-since-adopted-by-the-western-world Jennifer and Tristan—are pretty well hidden.
However, times are changing, and there are signs of Cornish names such as Elowen, Jago and Lowenna getting more wider exposure and usage every year. Quite possibly some of these choices will be the next Dylans, Ryans, Erins and Megans.
By Katinka
Nicknames as full names: where do you stand? It’s a question that divides the crowd here on Nameberry, but — like it or not — this is one trend that is really picking up steam in the US at the moment, having long been popular with our British and European neighbors.
The proof? Just take look at America’s new #1 boys’ name: Liam, traditionally an Irish diminutive of William, which was given to over 500 more babies in 2017 than the previous year. Meanwhile, more than 800 fewer baby boys were named William.
Here are 17 of the hottest nickname names of 2017:
A couple weeks back, we asked Nameberry readers to submit their guesses for the 10 most popular baby names for boys and girls in 2017. You responded enthusiastically, with so many users posting their ideas.
When the Social Security Administration released the actual list of the year’s most popular names, it became clear that no one had gotten all 20 names right. There were too many surprises!
Many of you guessed that Olivia would become the new Number 1 girls name — but instead, Emma held onto her title. And while most people thought the boys’ winner from last year, Noah, would hold onto the top slot, it was actually claimed by Liam for the first time.
And almost no one predicted the meteoric rise of Logan — up 25 percent from the previous year — to Number 5.
So we look at all the entrants to see who guessed the most of the Top 10 for boys and girls correctly, giving extra weight to the top few slots. Two of the entrants correctly picked the Top 4 boys’ names and the Top 3 girls’ names.
Of these two, the runner up was user Sarah1800. In addition to the top few, she correctly picked that Evelyn would be the Number 9 girls’ name. She also guessed one slot high or low on Sophia, Mia and Oliver. Excellent work, Sarah1800! You were just barely beaten out by…
Our winner, Miranda T. Gamboa, username CherryBomb50, who guessed four of the girls’ top 10 and five of the boys’ top 10 correctly. Here are Miranda‘s full lists, with correct answers italicized:
Girls
1. Emma
2. Olivia
3. Ava
4. Amelia
5. Sophia
6. Isabella
7. Mia
8. Charlotte
9. Abigail
10. Emily
Boys
1. Liam
2. Noah
3. William
4. James
5. Jacob
6. Michael
7. Mason
8. Ethan
9. Benjamin
10. Elijah
In addition, Miranda was one away on Mia, Charlotte and Abigail. Overall, 17 of the names Miranda guessed made the real Top 20. Congratulations, Miranda, on your victory! Your prize, a $100 Amazon gift certificate, should be in your mailbox.
Thanks to all who entered this contest! And if you didn’t win, we hope you try again next year.
