New Top Baby Names

With the release of the 2015 name data, I can now release an analysis on the new top baby names! Here are the interesting finds!

NEW GIRLS: Aurora, Clara, Cora, Hazel, Quinn, and Reagan.NEW BOYS: Elias, Ezra, Mateo, Sawyer, and Theodore.

Aurora is brand new to the Top 100 and has had a bit of an up and down history in the Top 1000. She had a run in the #300s during the 1920s, but was in the lower Top 1000 before and after that period of time. Then in 2008, Aurora broke in the #200s and has gradually rose until finally breaking into the Top 100 at #79 in 2015.

Clara enjoyed a lot of use in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Since the SSA started keeping the numbers in 1880, Clara‘s highest rank was #7 in 1885 and she remained in the Top 100 until 1938. The lowest she ever got was #593 in 1978 and now she is back in the Top 100 at #98.

Cora returns to the Top 100 after a 102 year absence. She was at her highest in 1880 at #15 and gradually fell to her lowest 100 years later… in 1988 she was at #879. What a quick turnaround Cora made to crack the Top 100 again only 27 years later at #88.

Hazel is another oldie but goodie. She was in the Top 100 between 1886 and 1936, with her highest ranking at #18 in 1897. Hazel actually fell out of the Top 1000 though; between 1976 and 1997, she was not used much at all. Another huge and fast rise took Hazel from #942 in 1998 to #63 in 2015.

Quinn is the first name that starts with a Q (boy or girl) to enter the Top 100! As a girl name, Quinn didn’t even enter the Top 1000 at all until 1995 (after a brief appearance in 1979), so she had another quick upsurge to get to #97 in 2015.

Reagan has flirted with the Top 100 for several years now, making it up to #97 in 2012 and now #99 in 2015. She has been a consistent presence in the Top 1000 since 1993, making her yet another sudden accelerator in use.

Elias is surprisingly new to the Top 100. He has been a consistent presence in the Top 1000 and hasn’t ranked below #644 (1957) since 1900, but has grown slowly in popularity since the 1950s and finally cracked the Top 100 at #100 in 2015.

Mateo has been gradually increasing in use since he entered the Top 1000 in 1995. He shot up from #997 to #85 in 20 short years. Matteo is also increasing at an accelerated rate, going from #936 in 1998 to #191 in 2015.

Sawyer has made a similar jump to Mateo. He entered the Top 1000 in 1991 at #952 and leaped to #94 in 2015.

Theodore has reentered the Top 100 at #99 after a 63-year absence. His highest ranking was #30 in 1904, while his lowest ranking was #314 in 1999, and he’s been in the Top 100 between the years of 1880-1944 and 1949-1952.

NAMES THAT HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE TOP 100…GIRLS: Alexandra, Hadley, Jasmine, Lauren, London, and Sophie.BOYS: Brody, Juan, Justin, Luis, and Tristan.

Alexandra was in the Top 100 since 1984 and ranked as high as #26 in 1995-1996. Hadley was brief in her Top 100 stint, reaching #99 in 2014. Jasmine was in the Top 100 since 1986 and ranked as high as #23 in 1993-1994. Of the names that dropped, Lauren was in the Top 100 the longest (since 1978) and ranked the highest (#9 in 1989). London was in the Top 100 since 2011 and ranked as high as #85 in 2013. Sophie is a true roller-coaster and is now on another downslide; she was in the Top 100 in 1914-1915, 1917, and then again since 2007, and her highest rank was #51 in 2011.

Brody was in the Top 100 from 2008 when he ranked his highest at #70. Of the names that dropped, Juan was in the Top 100 the longest (since 1970) and ranked as high as #46 in 1999, but Justin ranked the highest (7 in 1988) and was in the Top 100 since 1972. Luis was in the Top 100 since 1980 and ranked as high as #49 in 2000. Tristan dropped in and out of the Top 100 (1996-1999 and then again since 2006) and ranked as high as #68 in 1996.

Top 10 Jumpers in the Top 100 – Girls

1. Alexa – #63 to #32 (+1,786)2. Hazel – #105 to #63 (+1,373)3. Mia – stayed at #6 (+1,336)4. Charlotte – #10 to #9 (+1,238)5. Scarlett – #30 to #22 (+1,106)6. Amelia – #15 to #12 (+1,025)7. Riley – #47 to #35 (+925)8. Aurora – #116 to #79 (+882)9. Penelope – #42 to #34 (+843)10. Eleanor – #78 to #60 (+680)

Top 10 Droppers in the Top 100- Girls

1. Isabella – #4 to #5 (-1,523)2. Sophia – stayed at #3 (-1,236)3. Annabelle – #57 to #92 (-1,093)4. Emily – #7 to #8 (-895)5. Alexis – #65 to #86 (-813)6. Arianna – #40 to #56 (-757)7. Ella – #17 to #18 (-673)8. Aubree – #62 to #78 (-649)9T. Chloe – #18 to #17 (-623)9T. Natalie – #23 to #27 (-623)10. Alyssa – #76 to #93 (-583)

Top 10 Jumpers in the Top 100 – Boys

1. Oliver – #32 to #19 (+2,181)2. Grayson – #63 to #47 (+1,296)3. Mateo – #106 to #85 (+1,258)4. Lincoln – #87 to #66 (+1,150)5. Theodore – #126 to #99 (+895)6. Ezra – #118 to #92 (+893)7. Hudson – #80 to #65 (+779)8. Asher – #93 to #83 (+754)9. Wyatt – #39 to #34 (+750)10. Henry – #33 to #29 (+706)

Top 10 Droppers in the Top 100 – Boys

1. Jayden – #15 to #20 (-1,448)2. Joshua – #25 to #33 (-1,123)3. Andrew – #22 to #30 (-1,097)4. Michael – #7 to #9 (-1,079)5. Jacob – stayed at #4 (-996)6. Anthony – #21 to #25 (-974)7. William – stayed at #5 (-967)8. Jace – #68 to #75 (-965)9. Alexander – stayed at #8 (-902)10. Gavin – #61 to #70 (-862)

Notables:

The names that dropped out of the Top 100 are included in the master list from which the top jumpers and droppers above were taken; the importance of that is to show that the top droppers listed above are names that stayed in the Top 100.

The only Top 5 girl name that increased between 2014 and 2015 is Ava. Emma, Olivia, Sophia, and Isabella are all decreasing in use.

Alexa is the surprising top jumper in the Top 100. Last year’s top jumper, Olivia, is now on the decrease. And while Alexa is on the rise, Alexandra and Alexis are falling.

Both Aubree and Aubrey are decreasing in use, continuing their trend from last year. The same with Chloe and Khloe, and Lillian and Lily.

While Ariana and Arianna both rose last year, they are now both falling.

Clara is on the rise, but Claire is falling.

While Isabella is decreasing in use, Isabelle is on the slight increase.

Madeline has slightly decreased in use, and Madelyn has slightly increased in use.

Is it a coincidence that both Eleanor and Nora are on the rise?

Just like last year, Sofia is rising, while Sophia and Sophie are falling.

Opposite of last year, Zoey is now falling and Zoe is now rising in use.

Noah is the only Top 5 boy name that rose in use from 2014 to 2015. Liam, Mason, Jacob and William have all decreased in use.

Jaxon and Jaxson are rising, while Jack and Jackson (down by 1) are falling.

Aiden has increased in use by 13 babies, while Ayden, Brayden, Jayden, and Kayden all fell in use.

Elias has entered the Top 100 on a rise, while Eli and Elijah are falling.

Nathan and Nathaniel are falling.

As always, be careful not to assume that if a name falls in rank that it’s also falling in use. For example, Ryder went down from #95 to #98 in rank, but 43 more babies were named Ryder in 2015 than 2014. Zoe fell one spot, from #32 to #33, but had an increase in 138 babies from 2014 to 2015.