First, Happy Birthday to me. Well, actually, my birthday is tomorrow. And so I’ll be doing something I haven’t done since shortly after I started writing Name of the Day posts in May 2008 – I’m choosing the names. All week. And I’m starting with my discarded given name tomorrow.
But enough about that. The big news in baby naming this week was Baby Name Wizard’s report on the fastest rising names of 2010. As usual, the coverage missed the critical fine print: these are the fastest gaining searched names, not names being inked on birth certificates by parents. Not everyone searching is expecting a child; not everyone searching and expecting would ever choose a daring name. And yet, it’s interesting to see the list, and there are definitely trends to be spotting among the fastest rising.
They are as follows, girls first:
1. Tenley
2. Harper
3. Everleigh
4. Martina
5. Sookie
6. Navi - There’s been plenty of speculation about Avatar’s impact on baby naming. Combined with actress Navi Rawat, could this be the film’s big contribution?
7. Charlotte
8. Eloise
9. Lorelai
10. Ursula
11. Briella
12. Kinley
13. Tinsley - The next Kimora?
14. Mhairi – It’s a twist on the Scottish form of Mary, but would probably be pronounced Mary in the US, so is she anything more than an impressively creative spelling?
15. Leighton
16. Maelle
17. Ever
18. Kinsley
19. Lux
20. Everly
There are some interesting picks for boys, too:
1. Castiel
2. Bentley
3. Eoin
4. Easton
5. Lucian
6. Aarav
7. Zion
8. St. John
9. Kaiden
10. Sterling
11. Callan
12. Leland
13. Harper
14. Mikah
15. Dashiell
16. Eliah
17. Dawson
18. Kayden
19. Lennon
20. Dorian
Other than the rise of the Ever- names, my real take-away is this: I suspect Charlotte is headed for the US Top Ten. She’s gently French, literary, and feminine without being fussy. Her nickname options are great. She’s also climbing rapidly, without any sign of hitting a plateau.
Putting my crystal ball away, here’s the rest of the news:
- Here’s a list that’s subject to the same flaws, yet seems more likely to suggest future US name trends: Luke Eales of babynames.co.uk guest posted at Nameberry, sharing the fastest rising names on his site. Jude and India, anybody?;
- Nymbler posted their June 2010 update. The Top Ten were the usual snooze of nice-but-oft-heard choices: Charlotte, Ava, Noah, Oliver, Owen, Amelia, Ella, Olivia, Grace, Henry. But the Top Four brand new names? A delight as always: Saylor, Loki, Zadie and Sookie;
- Speaking of Sookie, anyone want to take the over/under on when we’ll hear of a baby girl named Snooki? For real, that is … Jersey Shore’s Snooki was born Nicole;
- Forget New Jersey – what’s up with North Carolina? Check out these names spotted by For Real Baby Names: Fanny Celeste Marin, Jenton Stone, River Cruz, Kwynn Patricia, Mayden Jane. There are some really unexpected combos on that list. But she also found some lovelies: Ingrid Julieth, Emily Miranda. If Maylee is the new Kaylee, I guess Mayden might be the next Jaidyn;
- Speaking of -ayden, check out Nancy’s tally of boys receiving -ayden names in 2009. I won’t spoil the grand tally, but there were lots. No, really. There are more than you think, including seven Xhaidens and six Sheadons. All of a sudden, Castiel and Jenton sound as sensible as Joseph and James;
- This one is just for fun: Listicles posted the 12 Worst Name-Generating Websites. My Sarah Palin baby name is Fire Patriot. My vampire name? Mary Maundrell. What does it say when Twi-fying yourself produces the better result;
- File this under Only Vaguely Related: Mr. Clean’s first name is Veritably;
- While I’m on a random tangent, here’s another, this time via Fritinancy. The French word for weasel is belette. I had no trouble finding Bellette listed on baby name websites;
- Let’s end where we began – remember Lennon from the Baby Name Wizard list? If you’re a fan of the Fab Four, John, George and Paul are fair game, and Lennon and Harrison, why not? But Ringo? Names4Real spotted a Ringo Isaac.
It was a quiet week for starbabies. Juan Pablo Montoya – who is racing on our TV as I type this – welcomed a daughter, Manuela. The NASCAR notable is also dad to Sebastian and Paulina.
That’s all for this week, as always thank you for reading!
well i’ve got my laugh of the day with castiel! i love the tv show supernatural where the character is a fallen angel (the actor who plays him, misha collins, is my tv crush
) but it’s probably the weirdest name on there and i can’t think why anybody would actually name their child that, so i really hope it’s just a case of fans wanting to check out the origins of the name. charlotte is a top twenty name in the uk so it’s not a suprise to think it’s heading that way in the states too, it was on my original long list of girls names but is a little bland now for my liking.
Exactly, Fran – I’m sure that the Wizard searches for Castiel cannot POSSIBLY be about people really planning to name their kids Castiel … or I hope not!
Is St. John being pronounced correctly if it’s being used over here (US)? Just wondering.
Nancy’s list makes me gasp in horror – and I named my son Ethan, the number 2 name in the US. Looks like the placement on the list doesn’t really count.
And can someone plese explain the attraction to the name Leland? I’ve been seeing this one everywhere and hate it. It makes me think of froggy facial features.
I like Sebastian and Paulina, but Manuela, not so much.
My Palin’pellation is Rifle Panzer. Love my Twilight inspired name: Guinevere d’Angoulême, aka Kiku of Blood.
Great post!
I don’t understand Leland either. Maybe they are all HUGE Walter Cronkite fans (his middle name was Leland.) :.)
I’d LOVE to know how they’re saying St. John. Sinjin is a neat sound, but it doesn’t seem like a child’s name. But if it is in the key of Lexus/Chanel/Bentley, I suppose they are saying Saint John. If you’re really a high-end knitwear junkie, the obvious name choice isn’t St. John. IMHO, it would be Gray. St. John was founded by the Gray family, and daughter Kelly was the brand’s first model.
I love the name Leland, and have no love for Walter Cronkite, so no connection there. And definitely don’t see a frog connection.
For me, I think it’s the L sound. L sounds get me just about every time. The name seems strong without being all Manly McTestosterone.
See, what you did there was attack me personally. A little uncalled for, hm?
Sorry there. You’re right. I just found your tone a little maddening to me personally and didn’t think before posting, something I’m not prone to doing.
Happy Birthday!!!!!
Thanks for the mention as always.
Sarah
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to a fellow Leo! Mine’s next Sunday.
Is the sudden interest in Sookie because of True Blood or is there some other Sookie out there inspiring name searches??
Azul, the timing suggests it is definitely all about Sookie Stackhouse, or should I say it’s all about True Blood? I remember reading one of the Southern Vampire novels early in the series’ shelf life – 2003, maybe? And I can’t recall if Sookie is a nickname. It sounds like it should be. Anyone know?
In the series, Sookie says it’s not. In the book, it hasn’t been addressed. I always pronounced it SUE-kee, having known a Sukey growing up. My parents had a friend Sookie-rhymes-with-bookie, though. Both of them were Suzanne.
Happy Birthday, Abby!
Thanks for sharing your birthday present with us. I look forward to having you choose all week long!
Happy Birthday! Looking forward to this week’s name picks.
Being as I’m in NC, I’m just going to say that it doesn’t surprise me to find some less palatable names on the list. I’ve found that I have come across few babies that don’t fit into one of two buckets: so run of the mill it hurts or fantastically, erm, creative? Not long ago my daughter was playing at a playspace with two boys named things so abnormal I can’t remember them reliably (I make them more outrageous whenever I try to recall them, but I think one was Maylon… I do know it had “male” in the name and sounded sci-fi to me)… but the mom quite happily told me that her husband “just made them up” (NO! Really?) And my prenatal class featured a woman who told us all she was naming her soon to be daughter Tia…. Tia Maria… To be fair, I know an Alice and a Camille born recently and I’m wondering about Ingrid now – I have encountered two locally and now there’s one on names4real’s list.
Dear Lord! My palinized name is Loin Falcon – loin is a bit too mavericky for me!
Happy Birthday!
Could you bloggieland name lovers please keep Jude on the down-low? Stop spreading the Jude-love until after my imaginary future son is born please.
Or could you please spread more light on religious classics that become trendy. If I choose Jude, will he just be a trend or will he be a classic?
Happy birthday Abby!
Happy birthday, Abby!
Also, while I like my name, I’m selfish enough to wish that every other little girl I meet was not named Charlotte. Sadly, it seems like little Charlottes are springing up everywhere. Furthermore, almost every new acquaintance I make tends to call me Roseanna and my daughter Charlotte, not vice versa. I guess that’s what happens when your own name is suddenly popular and your daughter bears your late mother-in-law’s name.
Wow, Everly/Everleigh, has a certain appeal, but I wonder why so many people are looking it up. Also, Castiel is interesting as I have never heard of it.
Bellette was used as a nickname for Isabelle in the middle ages, I don’t know if they still use it though. It is very similar to belette.