Word Names from 1912

Word names are always an interesting bunch. How do parents choose a certain word for their child's name? Does the meaning of the word matter or is it just the sound of the word they like? No matter how the word is chosen, it needs to be done in a way that considers what the word stands for. We know the current popular word names consist of Grace, Faith, Lily, Hunter, Mason and Parker, but I was curious what words were popular as names 100 years ago. So, I went through the Top 1000 from 1912 and picked out the names that are also words, but not including any spelling variations. There are some very interesting monikers on this list...

Boys
Angel 876
Arch 855
Axel 857
Basil 360
Berry 649
Bishop 897
Booker 282
Brown 881
Buck 521
Bud 409
Buddy 736
Caeser 765
Carol 766
Champ 861
Christ 940
Christian 404
Cliff 840
Coy 389
Dock 434
Earl 34
Early 705
Forest 343
Foster 391
Gale 653
Gardner 951
General 683
Golden 675
Green 977
Gust 902
Hardy 760
Hunter 845
Ivory 808
Ivy 726
Jasper 262
Jewel 575
Judge 630
Junior 536
King 465
Lacy 493
Loyal 631
Major 476
Mark 201
Marlin 462
Mason 519
Miles 400
Miller 662
Minor 930
Noble 468
Noel 435
Oral 699
Palmer 467
Park 848
Parker 748
Pat 459
Patsy 348
Pearl 554
Porter 479
Prince 579
Ransom 815
Ray 77
Reed 646
Roman 423
Ruby 566
Sandy 634
Sterling 385
Turner 753
Urban 690
Wade 261
Walker 491
Ward 362
Worth 734

Girls
Bell 660
Carol 247
Charity 673
Crystal 516
Daisy 112
Easter 559
Era 523
Eve 466
Fairy 879
Faith 599
Fern 167
Garnet 458
Golden 896
Grace 24
Hazel 25
Hope 493
Iris 309
Ivory 862
Ivy 451
Jewel 222
Kitty 676
Lily 291
Magnolia 469
Marvel 628
May 153
Meta 528
Olive 131
Opal 85
Pansy 369
Pat 915
Patsy 481
Pearl 54
Prudence 803
Queen 439
Ray 646
Rose 15
Rosemary 259
Ruby 23
Tiny 936
Violet 83

What word names from 1912 do you like?

Kel's Story

My name is Kelli. I've never really had a strong feeling one way or the other about my name. I know I love it when people call me Kel. I know that I was always frustrated that there were other Kellys in my class, especially in my middle school Spanish class in which the other Kelly had a last initial that was alphabetically before mine, so she got the pretty Catalina as her Spanish name and I was stuck with Chabela (yes, my friends did end up calling me Chubs because of this, all in good fun of course). And I know that even though I'm a purist in name spellings, I like that my name ends in an -i. It is a pain to specify how my name is spelled, but I like the look of Kelli. And DO NOT spell my name with a -y. I don't know who Kelly is, but it's not me.

Historically, when looking at the Top 200 for the decades, a name with the Kel- beginning didn't appear until the 1950s, and that was Kelly for boys. The boy Kelly had been on the Top 1000 since the beginning of record (1880) and was at its peak at #97 in 1968, but fell out of the Top 1000 after 2002. Kellen is the current top boy Kel; it overtook Kelly in 1999, is still gradually rising, and reached #337 in 2012. As you will see below, other boy Kels have also surpassed Kelly, as it has firmly been taken over by girl Kelly in the United States.

Kelly was also the first girls Kel- name to appear in the Top 200 for the decades, doing so in the 1960s. The girl Kelly has been ranked since 1944, started ranking higher than the boy Kelly in 1958, and reached its highest rank at #10 in 1977. (Side note: Kelli also ranked the highest in 1977 at #117; I was born in 1975. Kelli fell out of the Top 1000 after 2004.) Kelsey is the new top Kel- girl name, passing Kelly in 1989, but they are both falling gradually.

I was curious how my spelling of Kelli ranked in terms of other spellings in 2012 (number of births):

Kelly 890
Kellie 68
Kelli 66
Kelley 44
Keli 11
Keleigh 8
Kellee 8
Kely 6
Kelee 5

Because of the popularity of girl Kelly in the 1970s and 1980s (it didn't fall out of the Top 100 until 2000), I know people consider it to be "dated." I fully accept that opinion, but it doesn't keep me from thinking it is a pretty name and I smile when I find out it is still being used.

Thank you for following this somewhat narcissistic random stream of consciousness. In conclusion, and for your reading pleasure, I have grabbed all names beginning with Kel- from the 2012 list...

Top 2012 Boy Kels (Over 100 boys named, with the various other spellings given)

1. Kellen - Kelan, Keland, Kelen, Kelin, Kellan, Kellin, Kellon, Kellyn, Kelon, Kelyn

2. Kelvin - Kelvyn

3. Kelton - Kelten, Keltyn

4. Keller

5. Kelly - Kelley


Top 2012 Girl Kels (Over 100 girls named, with the various other spellings given)

1. Kelsey - Kelcee, Kelcey, Kelci, Kelcie, Kelcy, Kellsey, Kelsea, Kelsee, Kelseigh, Kelsi, Kelsie, Kelsy

2. Kelly - Kelee, Keleigh, Keli, Kellee, Kelley, Kelli, Kellie, Kely

3. Kelis

Note: Kelsey is also given to boys. Kellen, Kellan, Kelin, Kellyn, Kelyn, and Keller are also given to girls. Kelynn is a version of Kellen that is only given to girls.

Other Kels

Boys
Kel
Kelby
Keldon, Keldan, Kelden
Keldrick, Keldric
Kelijah
Kelechi
Kelson, Kelsen
Kelso
Kelston
Kelvis

Girls
Kelaiah
Kelani
Kelby, Kelbie, Kelbi
Keleah, Kelia, Keliah, Keliyah
Kelechi
Kelilah
Kelisha
Kelissa
Kella
Kellis
Kellyann, Kellyanne
Keltie, Kelty
Kelyse, Kelise

What is your favorite Kel- name?

It's In the Cards

So, I'm playing a game of Sequence with my daughter while brainstorming on what my next post will be about. When she plays a card and says "four of clovers" it hits me. Names are everywhere around you and always within reach.

Granted, they are technically called clubs, but I love how she only sees the Clover. And while "heart" may not be as an attractive a name as Hart, there are quite a few names we can get from cards and the games we play with them. Some of the following games may not be immediately recognizable, but trust me, they are card games. :) Maybe the following can be inspiration to any avid card-players out there!

Abyssinia - Also another name for historicial Ethiopia, this card game could offer up a very pretty full name alternative for the nickname Abby.

Ace - Already a usable name for parents, this was given to 494 boys in 2012.

Alkort - This is a card game from Iceland, and the name has a decidedly masculine feel about it, paying homage to the boy Courtney of old.

Aluette - It sounds French, and it is. Another option for those who like -ette names.

Bridge - The popular game (or the structure) has already inspired parents to name 6 boys this in 2012.

Calypso - Besides the card game, there are many references from which you can get to this name, including comic books, flora, space, and music. 19 girls were given the name in 2012.

Camicia -An Italian game with an Italian name that flows rather nicely, and can give lovers of the nickname Cami another option.

Cricket - Besides the animal, the English bat and ball game is the first game that comes to your mind I am sure, but it is also a card game and was given to 5 girls in 2012. It's actually pretty adorable and could also be a nickname for several names including Christian or Christina.

Diamond - This is the most popular of the suit names, given to 344 girls as well as 17 boys in 2012.

Gin - The game is probably trumped by the drink, but the name was given to 5 boys in 2012. I see it more as a girl name though, similar to Jen.

Jack - No need to go into the popularity of this name, but cards could be a small hidden inspiration behind it.

Kaiser - Here is another one to add to the Rank and Title list as it is also the German title meaning "emperor" and was given to 45 boys in 2012. This Canadian game offers a strong full name for the nickname Kai.

King - This title has already gathered quite a bit of steam over the past year, and maybe some of the 1,423 boys named this in 2012 were because of a parent's love of cards. ;)

Pepper - There are several other means of inspiration to reach this name, and Pepper was given to 132 girls and 7 boys in 2012.

Razz - There's Chazz and Jazz, why not Razz?

Rummy - Maybe the alcoholic drink would keep people from using this name, but doesn't it sound like it could work with Remi and Emmy out there?

Telesina - Yet another Italian card game with a pretty name.

Tressette - This is an elegant and attractive name for an Italian game, offering several nickname options such as Tess, Tressie, and Etta.

Whist - I can't help but be captivated by the English card game as it is mentioned a few times in Jane Austen's books; it has a fresh sound, but could it be wearable today?

What is your favorite card-inspired name?

What's New, What's Lost?

Nothing really new for this busy Friday, but something I really enjoy checking when the new SSA popular names list comes out is what is new and what is lost in the Top 1000. So, without further ado, here are the names that have entered and exited the Top 1000 in 2012!

New Boys
Ameer
Anton
Apollo
Augustine
Austyn
Axton
Brentley
Briggs
Dariel
Denzel
Eliot
Emory
Foster
Graeme
Immanuel
Jael
Jarrett
Jionni
Juelz
Karsen
Kase
Kaysen
Kylen
Kyree
Kyrie
Leroy
Lucca
Mack
Maison
Neymar
Oakley
Sheldon
Simeon
Thiago
Titan
Truman
Yael
Yousef
Zaid

Lost Boys
Braylin
Brysen
Coen
Corban
Cortez
Cristiano
Deven
Dimitri
Elvis
Enoch
Ethen
Haiden
Irvin
Jair
Jakobe
Jaron
Jaydan
Jaydin
Jean
Jeramiah
Jerimiah
Kamren
Keon
Keyon
Kyan
Kyron
Lathan
Leighton
Maksim
Mariano
Maxx
Miller
Pierre
Quinten
Ralph
Tyrese
Yadiel
Zachery
Zackery

New Girls
Adley
Alaysia
Alisa
Annalee
Ariah
Aubriana
Aubrielle
Aya
Azalea
Azariah
Bayleigh
Cataleya
Celine
Charlize
Colette
Collins
Coraline
Dalilah
Dallas
Devyn
Elissa
Emmaline
Emmalynn
Emory
Estella
Estelle
Evalyn
Everly
Harlee
Jazzlyn
Jessa
Katalina
Katrina
Kenia
Kora
Landry
Lillyana
Litzy
Milena
Monroe
Paislee
Raylee
Scarlette
Sofie
Winter
Zahra

Lost Girls
Abbey
Adyson
Alianna
Amalia
Bentley
Caydence
Dalia
Damaris
Diya
Esperanza
Gwyneth
Isabell
Jacey
Jaden
Jadyn
Jaiden
Jaidyn
Janet
Jaylyn
Jazmyn
Julieta
Kamille
Karly
Kelsie
Kiersten
Kinsey
Leigha
Liv
Milagros
Neveah
Pamela
Payten
Princess
Rivka
Rory
Samiya
Sanaa
Shania
Shaniya
Stacy
Tegan
Tianna
Yamilet
Yazmin
Yoselin
Yuliana

What do you like seeing on the new lists? What do you miss from the lost lists?

From Feminine to Unisex

As I go through the Top 100 girl names from the late 1800s and early 1900s, I notice quite a few are the feminine form of male names. A big difference from the current trend of unisex names. Most of those feminine form names have disappeared from the top in favor of names that either are unisex or were originally male names. Take a look:

Top 100 from 1880-1930 
Twist on Male Names                                           Male/Unisex Names Given to Girls
Caroline                                                                   Billie
Charlotte                                                                 Carol
Georgia                                                                   Marion
Geraldine                                                                 Ollie
Jacqueline                                                                Willie
Josephine
Leona
Louise
Maxine
Norma
Patricia
Pauline
Roberta

Top 100 from 2012 
Twist on Male Names                                           Male/Unisex Names Given to Girls
Brianna                                                                    Ashley
Caroline                                                                   Aubrey
Charlotte                                                                 Avery
Makayla                                                                   Bailey
                                                                              Brooklyn
                                                                              Harper
                                                                              Kennedy
                                                                              Mackenzie
                                                                              Morgan
                                                                              Peyton
                                                                              Reagan
                                                                              Riley
                                                                              Skylar
                                                                              Sydney
                                                                              Taylor

We all know of the trend toward unisex names. I just thought it was interesting to see the "masculine" preference change from a form of a masculine name to the actual masculine (or unisex) name.

How do you feel about the change in preference? Are there any feminine form names you wish would return to the Top 100?

Mix and Match

As I went through the Top 1000 for the Playground Analysis, I got lost in all the different combinations of the same syllables. Kaylee, Kaylyn, Ashlyn, Ashlee, etc. Further down in the field, you will find even more less common names but with the same or similar sounds: Brynlynn, Shayden, Kayton and Jayten. Whether these are names in their own right or ones the parents constructed of sounds they liked, I'm not sure. But I find it interesting how certain sounds are selected to be put together and how interchangeable they can be.

So, for some name fun... how many combinations can you make with the following sounds? What are your favorite combinations?

Ann             +               -by/-bee/-bey/-bie
Anna                            -cy/-sey
Ash                              -don/-den/-dyn
Ava                              -ett/-ette
Bay                              -la
Bran                             -lan/-land
Bray                             -lee/-lie/-ley/-leigh
Bry                               -lon/-len
Bryn                             -lyn/-lynn/-line/-lin
Dar                               -son/-sen/-cyn
Day                               -ton/-ten/-tyn
Emma
Eva
Ever
Hay                            
Jay                              
Kay
Kel
Lay
Lyn
May
Oak
Pay
Quin
Ray  
Ry            
Shay
Shel
Tay
Ty                    
Zay

Diverted by a Name: Melusine

Image via Wikipedia

As I read through Philippa Gregory's historical fiction books about the Plantagenets, a name pops up here and there that I cannot ignore. It is the name of a European legend, a woman who is half human and half fish or serpent, like a mermaid. There are several different stores about her, but I am mostly diverted by the beauty of her name: Melusine.

Melusine, or Melusina, is not a name to be taken lightly. In the most common folk story, the fairy Pressyne and Elynas, the King of Albany have three girls, Melusine, Melior and Palatyne. Pressyne made Elynas promise not to walk in on her while she was bathing the girls, but when he broke that promise, Pressyne took the girls away from him. When Melusine later found out about her father's betrayal, she locked him away, which made her mother very angry. Melusine was then cursed to turn into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She married Raymond of Poitou, and told her husband never to come to her on a Saturday. He promised, but eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he broke that promise. During an argument he called her a serpent at court, and in her anger, Melusine turned into a huge serpent or dragon and left him forever. This being a fable, there are several other stories that can be found here along with more information on the story and name here.

In any case, such a grand and somewhat tragic story may keep people from using the name for their baby girl. In fact, it has no recorded use in the United States, and has not charted in any country that I know of. There are a few though, including Melusine von der Schulenburg, born in 1667 and German mistress of Great Britain's King George I. Melusine was actually her middle name; her first name was Ehrengard. Melusine and King George had three daughters together, and one of them was named Petronilla Melusina. More recently, there is a young French actress named Mélusine Mayance, who was born in 1999. In fiction, there is a Belgian comic book character Mélusine, who has relatives with other great names: Adrazelle, Mélisande, Pirouline, and Malicella.

Just like a lot of -ine names, Melusine can be pronounced several ways: mel-yoo-seen, mel-yoo-sin or mel-yoo-sien. I tend to favor the first syllable. If it sounds familiar to you, maybe it's because Melusine may or may not be a variant or of similar root to Millicent.

As for nicknames, Mel, Ellie, Millie and Lucy would make great ones for this legendary moniker.

What do you think of Melusine? Could it be used favorably today?

When Variations Surpass Originals

I am a huge fan of classic names. And while there are always exceptions, I prefer original spellings (which is funny since my name is Kelli). In looking at the 2012 Top 1000, I have found several variations of names that have surpassed their originals.

So, what determines the original spelling? I am using common sense (Kaydence is not the original spelling of Cadence) as well as historical information from Behind the Name and other baby name sites. I am also using the English form of the name as "original", but I know different languages have a translation of the name and consider its spelling original. It is understandable that, in the United States, the Spanish version of a name could be more popular than the English version, I am just noting the difference in the list below.

This post is meant to spark curiosities and discussions. Discuss away!

Boys - Numbers are how many boy babies were given the name in 2012.

Agustin 215 versus Augustine 197 - Agustin is the Spanish version of Augustine.

Aiden 14,779 versus Aidan 3,189 (Ayden also outnumbers Aidan) - Aidan comes from the Irish and Scottish Aodhán.

Blaze 301 versus Blaise 222 - Yes, Blaze is a word name, but as a name, Blaise is the original.

Brayden 8,451 versus Braden 1,126

Bryan 3,064 versus Brian 2,804

Bryce 3,159 versus Brice 217

Jayden 16,013 versus Jadon 315 (Jaden, Jaiden, and Jaydon also outnumber Jadon) - Some might say Jayden is a made up name capitalizing on the popularity of Aidan, but Jadon is in the Old Testament and that is pretty original.

Jaylen 1,422 versus Jalen 576

Kane 476 versus Cain 288

Kason 767 versus Cason 581 - Not sure of the origination of this name, but I can't help but think a C is original over a K. Also, one can say it comes from Case.

Kayden 3,825 versus Caden 2,669 (Kaden also outnumbers Caden)

Luis 4,349 versus Louis 1,049 - Luis is the Spanish form of Louis.

Mohamed 624 versus Muhammad 580 - Mohamed is a variant transcription of Muhammad, meaning when words in languages with different alphabets are translated into English, spellings may vary.

Phillip 873 versus Philip 705

Ruben 951 versus Reuben 205 - Ruben is the Spanish form of Reuben.

Steven 3,214 versus Stephen 1,549


Girls - Numbers are how many girl babies were given the name in 2012.

Aileen 601 versus Eileen 324 (Ayleen also outnumbers Eileen) - Aileen could be pronounced differently (ay-leen instead of eye-leen), but enough pronounce it the same as Eileen to include it here.

Annabelle 3,025 versus Annabel 579 (Anabelle also outnumbers Annabel) - Annabelle can be considered a variant of Annabel, which came from Anna, or as Anna + belle.

Brianna 4,605 versus Briana 1,057 - May be a little stickler on this, but Behind the Name shows Brianna as a variant of Briana, which is the feminine version of Brian.

Brynn 1,650 versus Bryn 353 - Brynn is the feminine variant of the male Bryn.

Camila 4,776 versus Camilla 706 (Kamila also outnumbers Camilla) - Camila is the Spanish form of Camilla.

Camryn 913 versus Cameron 531 (Kamryn also outnumbers Cameron) - Camryn is a feminine variant of the male Cameron.

Isabelle 2,483 versus Isabel 2,363 - Isabelle is the French form of Isabel.

Jaelyn 647 versus Jaylin 364 (Jaylynn and Jaelynn also outnumber Jaylin) - Jalen is the male form, but Jaylin could either come from Jalen or be a feminine variation of Jay.

Jordyn 2,554 versus Jordan 1,408 - Jordyn is a feminine variant of the male Jordan.

Kaelyn 746 versus Kaylyn 275 (Kaelynn, Kailyn, Kaylin, and Kaylynn also outnumber Kaylyn) - Kaylyn is the combination of Kay and -lyn.

Kaitlyn 2,581 versus Caitlin 738 (Katelyn and Caitlyn also outnumber Caitlin)

Kara 850 versus Cara 402

Karissa 299 versus Carissa 262 - Both are variants of Charissa, but it's hard to overlook the K replacing the C.

Karla 757 versus Carla 365 - Hard to tell if Karla is the German/Scandinavian version of the feminine version of Charles or another K replacing the C.

Kaydence 1,193 versus Cadence 1,084

Lindsey 574 versus Lindsay 393

Madelyn 3,764 versus Madeline 3,137 - Yes, this is one of contention. Is Madeline "mad-uh-lien" with with long "i" or "mad-uh-lynn'? To throw in another wrench, it can also be pronounced "mad-uh-leen". But for the purposes of this post, I see Madelyn as a variant... parents changing the spelling to clarify how they want it pronounced.

Makayla 3,739 versus Michaela 713 (Mikayla also outnumbers Michaela)

Reyna 378 versus Reina 247 - Reina means "queen" in Spanish. Rayna and Raina also outnumber Reina, but they could be considered another language version of Regina.


Other Notes

Kellen 924 beats Kellan 805, but I'm not sure which is the original, if there even is one.

Cael/Cale/Kale is complicated. Cael is an Irish name, Cale could be a shortened form of Caleb, and Kale could either be a variant of Cale, the Hawaiian form of Charles, or from the vegetable. It's hard to say what is "original." In any case, Kale is the most popular spelling, followed by Cale, Cael and then Kael.

Skylar/Skyler is a weird one. Skyler is a variant of Schuyler and more popular with boys, while Skylar is listed as a variant of Skyler and more popular with girls. It seems to be a true unisex name with each spelling being more popular with a different gender. Since they both came from Schuyler, I'll just say they both outnumber their original spelling and not worry about comparing them to each other.

The Rare Debuts

There are some interesting finds at the lower end of the 2012 SSA baby name list. The only qualifications required to make the following list were that the name was on the beyond 1000 list in 2012 but not in 2011, and that it caught my eye. Lots of place names, celebrity and other surnames, and more attention-grabbing monikers to peruse...

Girls
Abbott (5) - I like it... and Abby would be a cute nickname.
Adaire (8)
Amelianna (5) - interesting name smush.
Anemone (6)*
Athens (7)
Atlas (7)
Bae (5)* - I am fond of "ay" names, and this is a cute alternative to Bay.
Bambi (6)
Beata (10) - one of my favorite Polish names!
Bette (5)
Beulah (12) - this dropped off briefly in 2011, but has made a somewhat strong reappearance after less than 10 births per year since 2004.
Bobby (6)
Breslin (14) - Michigan State fans?
Callisto (7)
Calloway (5)
Cambridge (9)
Copper (5)
Crawford (7)
Daenerys (21)* - from Game of Thrones, no doubt.
Debby (13)
Emrys (6) - Merlin?
Eponine (7)* - Les Misérables anyone?
Fairy (6)
Faustine (6) - a popular French name.
Fedora (5)
Ferrari (5)
Gardner (5)
Gertie (5)
Gilda (8) - reached its heights in the 1920s and 1940s.
Happy (5)
Houston (6)
Hyacinth (6) - the pretty flower name makes an appearance after a brief disappearance.
Ikea (5)
Jase (10) - the Jase craze transferred over to the girls as well.
Kae (6) - I love the simplicity of this.
Katniss (12)* - Hunger Games love.
Letitia (6) - such a pretty name that was more popular in the 1960s and 1970s.
Lively (6)* - there's something about this that is just nice and maybe inspired by actress Blake Lively?
Louisiana (7)
Manning (6)
Merida (19) - Brave!
Noble (6)
Primrose (16) - beat out her sister Katniss.
Psalm (13)
Sistine (5)* - as long as her last name isn't Chapel.
Texas (5)
Vail (7)
Vegas (5)
Wallis (7) - hasn't been recorded since 2005.
Yoko (6)

Boys
Anchor (5)*
Athos (8) - all 3 Musketeers have great names! This is Athos' first appearance since 1926, Aramis has been a pretty steady presence since 1969 and had 50 appearances in 2012, but Porthos has yet to show up.
Bogart (6)
Bolton (7)
Brees (11) - I wonder if these parents are New Orleans Saints fans?
Bridge (6)
Chaplin (6)*
Churchill (5)
Connery (6)
Crash (6) - maybe baseball-inspired? ;)
Detroit (5)
Emperor (5) - another rank or title name to add to the list.
England (7)
Finnick (9)* - more Hunger Games love.
Germany (11)
Gin (5) - also appeared in 1988.
Grimm (6)* - I wonder if the TV show inspired this.
Harding (6)
Hawkeye (6)* - possibly due to The Avengers.
Hawthorne (10)
Hinckley (6)
Hutchins (6)* - Hutch is a great nickname.
Jacks (5) - has only appeared in 2010 and 2012.
Jenkins (7)
Khan (16) - the Star Trek geek in me loves this.
Knightley (5) - you have no idea how much this makes me happy.
Mecca (12)
Mercury (5)
Mitt (8) - some Romney fans?
Morocco (9)
Myers (9)
Optimus (5)* - because we need the leader of the Autobots.
Patriot (5)
Phelps (5)
Poe (5)
Portland (6)
Radford (6)
Rage (6)
Rawlings (5)* - I just talked about this name on my baseball-inspired list.
Renly (10)* - more Game of Thrones love.
Rutherford (5)
Saban (5) - Alabama fans?
Savage (8)*
Scholar (5)*
Severus (6)* - some late Harry Potter love.
Sherlock (6) - love it.
Sovereign (7)
Steeler (5)* - from Pittsburgh maybe?
Thailand (5)
Theon (12) - even more Game of Thrones love.
Vader (5)
Vin (12)
Xerxes (12)
Yale (9)

*First time ever captured on the SSA list.

Music made it's first appearance ever on both the Male and Female charts, each with 6 babies.

Plus, there were more than 20 different spellings of Cataleya that made their debut in 2012, some that start with C and some that start with K.

What is your favorite Rare Debut?

Thanks to Nancy's Baby Names for numbers help.

Playground Analysis 2012 - Top 50

Note: You can also see this information on Nameberry!

Why do I call this the Playground Analysis? Well, when you are on the playground with your kids and you hear a name, you don't know how it is spelled, but you do know how often you hear it. Some names might actually be more popular than the SSA list shows because it ranks names by their spelling, not by their sound. To see how popular a name actually is, I have gathered the various spellings of each name in the 2012 Top 1000 and come up with a new Top 50 for each gender!

Note: The main name listed is the spelling given to the most babies in 2012 (SSA Rank is in parentheses). The others are in alphabetical order. Opinions vary on how different spellings are pronounced. I am very aware of the differences between Madeline and Madelyn, as well as many others, but the fact remains that parents will pronounce names differently no matter the spelling. Some may pronounce Madeline with the long "i", while others may pronounce it with "lynn" at the end. The Mia and Mya name groupings are another contested issue. A lot of people also say Katherine and Kathryn are different. There is no way we can know for sure how each parent intended on pronouncing the name. So, I gathered the names using my best judgment. In the grand scheme of things, it may or may not influence the list order. But, as with all data analyses, there is no guarantee for perfection. :) Enjoy!

Girls

1. Sophia (1) - Sofia
2. Isabella (3) - Isabela, Izabella
3. Emma (2)
4. Olivia (4) - Alivia, Alyvia
5. Ava (5) - Avah
6. Emily (6) - Emely, Emilee, Emilie, Emmalee
7. Zoey (20) - Zoe, Zoie
8. Chloe (11) - Khloe
9. Madison (9) - Maddison, Madisyn, Madyson
10. Aubrey (15) - Aubree, Aubri, Aubrie
11. Abigail (7) - Abbigail
12. Mia (8) - Miah
13. Madelyn (67) - Madalyn, Madalynn, Madeleine, Madeline, Madelynn, Madilyn, Madilynn
14. Lily (16) - Lillie, Lilly
15. Layla (31) - Laila, Lailah, Laylah, Leila, Leyla
16. Hailey (32) - Hailee, Haley, Haylee, Hayleigh, Hayley, Haylie
17. Addison (14) - Addisyn, Addyson
18. Riley (47) - Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie
19. Elizabeth (10) - Elisabeth
20. Natalie (17) - Natalee, Nataly, Nathalie, Nathaly
21. Aaliyah (36) - Aleah, Aleigha, Alia, Aliya, Aliyah
22. Avery (13) - Averi, Averie
23. Kaylee (34) - Caylee, Kailee, Kailey, Kayleigh, Kaylie
24. Arianna (49) - Ariana, Aryana, Aryanna
25. Ella (12)
26. Brooklyn (29) - Brooklynn
27. Amelia (23) - Emelia, Emilia
28. Allison (38) - Alison, Alisson, Allyson, Alyson
29. Hannah (22) - Hana, Hanna
30. Kaitlyn (118) - Caitlin, Caitlyn, Kaitlin, Kaitlynn, Katelyn, Katelynn
31. Mackenzie (71) - Makenzie, Mckenzie
32. Kylie (59) - Kiley, Kylee, Kyleigh
33. Peyton (53) - Paityn, Payton
34. Lillian (25) - Lilian
35. Evelyn (27) - Evalyn, Evelynn
36. Leah (33) - Lea, Leia, Lia
37. Charlotte (19)
38. Sarah (43) - Sara
39. Grace (21)
40. Harper (24)
41. Katherine (64) - Catherine, Kathryn
42. Gabriella (37) - Gabriela
43. Anna (35) - Ana
44. Samantha (26)
45. Alyssa (44) - Alisa, Alissa, Elisa, Elissa
46. Brianna (51) - Breanna, Briana, Bryanna
47. Victoria (28)
48. Makayla (69) - Mckayla, Michaela, Mikaela, Mikayla
49. Adalyn (198) - Adalynn, Addilyn, Adeline, Adelyn, Adelynn
50. Elena (139) - Alaina, Alayna, Elaina

The top 5 do not drastically change, but Zoey jumps from #20 to #7. Adalyn, Elena, Kaitlyn and Madelyn make huge gains after adding all of their various spellings.

Boys

1. Aiden (10) - Aaden, Adan, Aden, Aidan, Aidyn, Aydan, Ayden, Aydin
2. Jackson (22) - Jaxen, Jaxson, Jaxon
3. Jayden (7) - Jaden, Jadon, Jaeden, Jaiden, Jaidyn, Jaydon
4. Jacob (1) - Jakob, Jaycob
5. Mason (2) - Maison, Masen, Mayson
6. Ethan (3)
7. Noah (4)
8. William (5)
9. Liam (6)
10. Michael (8) - Micheal
11. Kayden (99) - Caden, Caiden, Cayden, Kaden, Kaeden, Kaiden
12. Alexander (9) - Alexzander
13. Matthew (12) - Mathew)
14. Elijah (13) - Alijah
15. Daniel (11)
16. James (14)
17. Anthony (15)
18. Caleb (32) - Kaleb
19. Benjamin (16)
20. Christopher (23) - Cristopher, Kristopher
21. Joshua (17)
22. Andrew (18)
23. David (19)
24. Joseph (20)
25. Logan (21)
26. Lucas (27) - Lukas
27. Christian (33) - Cristian, Kristian
28. Landon (34) - Landen, Landyn
29. Gabriel (24)
30. Brayden (39) - Braden, Bradyn, Braeden, Braiden, Braydon
31. Samuel (25)
32. Jonathan (35) - Johnathan, Johnathon, Jonathon
33. John (28) - Jon
34. Ryan (26)
35. Dylan (31) - Dillon
36. Nicholas (49) - Nicolas, Nickolas, Nikolas
37. Isaac (30) - Issac
38. Nathan (29)
39. Carter (36) - Karter
40. Cameron (54) - Camren, Camron, Camryn, Kameron, Kamron, Kamryn
41. Connor (59) - Conner, Conor, Konner, Konnor
42. Isaiah (42) - Isiah, Izaiah, Izayah
43. Luke (37)
44. Owen (38)
45. Gavin (40) - Gavyn
46. Dominic (70) - Dominick, Dominik, Dominique
47. Jordan (48) - Jorden, Jordyn
48. Wyatt (41)
49. Colton (65) - Colten, Kolten, Kolton
50. Henry (43)

Aiden and it's various spellings (there are NINE) take the top spot away from Jacob, and Jackson jumps from #22 to #2! Jacob doesn't show up until #4 after all the spellings of Jayden. And Kayden and Dominic look like the names with the biggest gain.

What do you think? Does this sound about right? Or are there any surprises?

Names on the Cusp - An Update

Remember my predictions of 12 names (6 boys and 6 girls) that would jump into the Top 1000? Well... 4 of the 12 made it to the list:

Oakley ranked at #880 with 237 births, up from 191 births in 2011.

Thiago ranked at #862 with 244 births, up from 187 births in 2011.

Milena ranked at #965 with 262 births, up from 230 births in 2011.

Everly ranked at #907 with 286 births, up from 222 births in 2011.

So, I was 1/3 right. :)

Popular Baby Names of 2012

The new list is out! Nothing has drastically changed on top... Jacob and Sophia are still #1. But there are some interesting things beyond the top for sure!

My fellow name enthusiasts have pushed out a ton of great analyses and there are several articles already out there, so I thought I would share some here:

Nameberry gives a great synopsis of the new list.

Eponymia looks at the names that broke into the Top 1000.

OMG posted an article about the influence of celebrities on the popularity of certain names.

In Name Only talks about names that are skyrocketing in popularity.

The Baby Name Wizard looks at the fastest-rising baby names for boys.

The Baby Name Wizard looks at the fastest-rising baby names for girls.

The Baby Name Wizard looks at the fastest-rising baby names outside of the Top 1000.

and

The SSA posts a list showing the rank changes between 2011 and 2012.

An Update and Exciting News

Update: Remember the request for a name for a 4th Sister? Well... she was born on May 5, and I have updated the blog post to announce the name they chose! Just scroll down to the bottom of the post. - Wanted: A 4th Sister's Name!

Exciting News: I hope you all have been visiting the newly upgraded Nameberry site! Besides the new look, they have expanded the list pages, simplified name ratings, and added a Bonus Blog, to which yours truly has now contributed. Check it out! - Literary Character Surnames: Wentworth, Gatsby and Holmes

photo credit: Wikipedia

Fonzie Names: Ending with "-ay"

Henry Winkler as "Fonzie" via Wikipedia

Happy Days was on when I was very little, and my mom said that I used to run from wherever I was in the house to the television just to dance to the opening theme song. Even though I don't remember watching the show, I do remember the characters, including the iconic Arthur Fonzarelli, a.k.a. "Fonzie" or "The Fonz." His catchphrase, "Aaay", played over and over in my head as I was making the following list of names, so I had to go with it and call them Fonzie Names.

So, I met a 2-year-old Jay yesterday. I haven't met very many little Jays lately, but I have been thinking a lot about other -ay names, like Bay and Ray. This train of thought led to the conclusion that I needed to compile a list. Going through the alphabet and adding -ay to the end of every letter gave me this list of one-syllable names:

Bay - Bay could be a boy or a girl, and I'm surprised it's not used more often. Why not, with Bailey, Baylor, and Baylen out there. It could also be used to pay homage to a chef or a sailor in the family.

Clay - Some say it's a nickname for Clayton, others say it's strong on its own. Both names have consistently been in the Top 1000, but the highest Clay has ranked was #261 in 1961, whereas Clayton has reached #146 in 1988.

Fay - Fay fell off the Top 1000 after 1968, but saw a lot of use in the 1910s through 1930s. The spelling Faye has been used more often, falling off the Top 1000 after 1979. On the plus side, both spellings have seen a slight increase in use in recent years.

Gray - Short for Grayson, or a great color name on its own, Gray is rising in popularity. Grayson has reached #97 in 2011 for boys, but I know girls are also given the name (sometimes spelled Gracen). The Grey spelling is even more popular nowadays and therefore Greyson is also catching on.

Jay - Jay was at the heights of its popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, reaching #78 in 1960, and has continued to fall since then (although it was still at #401 in 2011). It could also be a nickname for the recent Top 10 star, Jayden.

Kay - Kay was at its height in 1941 at #70. It has a simple beauty about it, but it's been lost among the Kay- names that have taken over: Kaylee, Kayla and Kaylynn. Do you love Katherine, but want a slightly unexpected nickname? Go with Kay.

May - May is considered an "old-fashioned" name that is ready for a comeback. May and its superior cousin, Mae, reached their heights around 1920, but the Mae spelling has recently re-entered the Top 1000 after 40 years of absence. As a month name, May is pretty and elegant.

Ray - Ray was in the Top 100 from 1880 until 1949 and has been falling in popularity since. While it's a consistent and ever-present name so far, I do not think it will be back in the Top 100 for quite a while. The full name Raymond has been more popular all along and while it's also falling in popularity, it will stick around longer.

Shay - More commonly seen as Shea, Shay is given to both boys and girls. As a baseball fan, my first thought is the old Shea Stadium in New York, which could be the inspiration for several of the Sheas walking around currently. Shea ranked in the Top 1000 from 1999 through 2008.

There are also quite a few multi-syllable names ending in "-ay"...
Barclay
Conway
Corday
Finlay
Ismay
Janay
Kenway
Lindsay
Murray
Ramsay
Soray
Tiernay

Do you have a favorite "-ay" name?

Thanks to Nancy's Baby Names for numerical help.

Hidden Gems: Names Ending with "L" Sound (Girls)

Jewel via Wikipedia

Yesterday, I listed boy names that ended with the "l" sound. Today we will look at the girls!

The majority of the Top 100 girls names in 2011 end with an "ah" or "ee" sound. There are also quite a few that end in an -n. But only ONE name ends with the "l" sound: Abigail. Others are close, but not quite because they add the "a" to the end: Isabella, Bella, Ella, Gabriella, Camila. If parents want to go a different way when naming their baby girl, they should consider the hidden gems on this list...

Abigail
Adele
Angel
Annabel
April
Ariel
Avril
Belle
Brielle
Camille
Carol
Cecile
Cheryl
Coral
Cristabel
Crystal
Danielle
Elle
Estelle
Ethel
Gabrielle
Gail
Giselle
Gretel
Hazel
Isabel
Jewel
Jill
Joelle
Kendall
Laurel
Liesl
Lucille
Mabel
Maribel
Marisol
Meryl
Michelle
Muriel
Myrtle
Nell
Nicole
Noelle
Odell
Opal
Pearl
Rachel
Raquel
Rochelle
Rosabel
Sybil
Vale

What is your favorite?

Hidden Gems: Names Ending with "L" Sound (Boys)

Denzel Washington via biography.com

In a world of names ending in -n, -y/-ie/-i/-ey, and -a, some parents may want a different feel for their child's name. As I was thinking about this, the fact that my daughter's name ended with an "l" sound jumped out at me and made me want to gather similar names. What I found was a tremendous group of hidden gems!

There are quite a few so we'll start with the boy names. Only seven names ending with an "l" sound were in the Top 100 in 2011: Michael, Daniel, Gabriel, Samuel, Angel, Nathaniel, and Cole. Here are some others I found...

Abdul
Abel
Adriel
Al
Angel
Ansel
Aristotle
Axel
Bartle
Basil
Bill
Brasil
Burl
Cal
Cale
Campbell
Carl
Carlisle
Cashel
Castle
Cole
Cyril
Dale
Daniel
Darrell
Dashiell
Dell
Denzel
Earl
Emmanuel
Emile
Errol
Ezekiel
Gabriel
Gale
Gil
Hal
Hale
Hansel
Herschel
Ishmael
Jamal
Joel
Kyle
Lionel
Lowell
Lyle
Manuel
Marcel
Marshall
Maxwell
Merle
Merrill
Michael
Miguel
Mitchell
Montel
Nathaniel
Neil
Neville
Nigel
Noel
Odell
Orel
Orville
Pascal
Paul
Percival
Phil
Randall
Raphael
Raul
Russell
Sal
Samuel
Saul
Steele
Terrell
Tyrell
Uriel
Val
Vidal
Wendel
Will
Zuriel

Do you see any hidden gems? What is your favorite "ends with an 'l' sound" boy name?

The girls list will come tomorrow.