Popular Baby Names 2009: From here, there and everywhere
We’ve still got five months to wait before we get the official word on what the top names across America were in 2009, but in the meantime we can console ourselves with the lists that have started to come in of the most popular names in various US cities, states and even individual hospitals, and in in other cities and countries around the world.
One thing seems clear: the romantic trio of Isabella, Sophia and Olivia is running a three-way race for first place in many areas of the world, while Jack continues his reign in a number of English-speaking countries.
We’ve been looking at the lists that have been released so far and have put together a selection (or hodgepodge) of some of the more interesting choices: top-ranked international names that are barely known to us, surprising choices that have popped up in unexpected places, and just plain noteworthy names–and we’ll be updating it as more results come in.
GIRLS
ANDELA — #2 in Serbia
AOIFE — # 4 in Derry, Northern Ireland
AURORA — #8 in Finland
CHARLOTTE — #2 in Canberra, Australia
CHLOE — #1 in Sheffield, England and Queensland, Australia
DARYNA — #5 in Ukraine
ELLIE — #1 in Derry, Northern Ireland
EMILIA — #2 in Finland
EVIE— #4 in Sheffield, England
ISLA — #2 In Aberdeenshire, Scotland
JOVANA — #4 in Serbia
KAYLEE — #5 in Flagstaff, Arizona
LÉA — #2 in France
LEXI — #1 in Newcastle, England
LIEKE — #3 in Netherlands
LILY — #1 in South Yorkshire, England
LORE — #1 in Flemish Belgium
LOTTE — #4 in Flemish Belgium, #7 in Netherlands
MAISIE—fastest rising girls’ name in a UK survey
MILIKA — #1 in Serbia
NOOR — # 5 in Flemish Belgium
RIN— #1 on a Japanese survey
SANNE — #5 in Netherlands
SAKURA #2 on a Japanese survey
SIENNA — #8 in Australia
TEODORA — #3 in Serbia
BOYS
CHARLIE — #8 in Northern Ireland, #1 in South Yorkshire, England
CONNOR — #9 in Flagstaff, Arizona
COOPER — #4 in Australia, #1 in Queensland
DAAN — #1 in Netherlands
HARRY — #1 in Sheffield, England
HIROTO–#1 in Japan
JUHANI — #1 in Finland
KAI— # 5 in Newcastle, England
KOBE — #2 in Flemish Belgium
LACHLAN — #2 in Canberra, Australia
LARS — #1 in Flemish Belgium
LAZAR — #1 in Serbia
LUKA — #3 in Serbia
MAKSYM — #2 in Ukarine
MOHAMMED — #1 in Peterborough, England
NAZAR #1 in Ukraine
NIKOLA — #2 in Serbia
OLAVI — #5 in Finland
SEM — #2 in Netherlands
THIJS — #6 in Netherlands (pron. Tice, and used by Matt Lauer for his son)
WYATT — #7 in Flagstaff, Arizona
And just to show that alternative spellings are alive and well, in one hospital in Iowa where Olivia was #1, there were also girls named Alivia, Alivya, Oliviah and Alyvia–as well as babies called Cadilac, John Wayne, Thunder and Starrie.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
And welcome to the newest member of the nameberry community, SARIAH RAQUEL, born on December 18th to rkarczynski (aka Raquel).