Photo by Richard Whitaker via Flickr

Happy Sunday!

The big noise in the naming world this week came from Baby Center’s top names of 2011 list.  Their list reflects user data, so while it is a huge set – and certainly can reflect trends – it isn’t nearly as accurate, or as revealing, as the Social Security Administration data.  But it is enough to prompt a flurry of articles about Sophia and Aiden being the most popular names of the year.  Their Spanish list is out, too, but it isn’t getting as much press.

Which reminds me, the birth announcements section at BabyCenter is growing, and it is pretty addictive.  November includes babies called Whitaker and Jett Elle Ryleigh.  Flippng through other months, I found a Prinz, plus Ember, Hendrix, Bryson Risk, and – be still my heart – Ondine Willa.  Visit at your own risk!

Elsewhere online:

• Speaking of addictive, have you bee following British Baby Name’s Advent Calendar?  She started here with Robin.  I’m hooked!
• This article at the Huffington Post took the Baby Center data in a whole other direction, with a look at the most obscure names reported to the site: Air or Favor, anyone?
• Lou mentioned that the names of the elves on her Cadbury Advent calendar are Lloyd and Esther, rather than Jingle or Buddy.
• With the year drawing to a close, it is time for round-up lists of celeb baby names.  This one is interesting, mostly because the author is British – and some of the celebs are barely on my radar.  Oh, and you can vote!
• Actress Elisabeth Rohm was recently quoted saying that she thought up her daughter’s name, Easton, in a dream.  Read the story at Nancy’s Baby Names.
• For Real’s recent list from Iowa included girls with Bliss and Lux in their names.  It feels like there’s a category for names like these – they’re not quite everyday words, but they’re not obscure, foreign, or archaic, either.
• Tyne, Maranoa, and Kalinka all appeal to me from Eponymia’s recent list of names inspired by folk songs.
• I’m intrigued by Mollie Bee and Indigo Sally, both from Aussie BAs at Waltzing More than Matilda.
• What do you think of Boyd?
• Hat tip to Photoquilty for the link to this genius video – more proof that creative people give their kids great names!

That’s all for this week.  As always, thank you for reading – and please stop by Nameberry tomorrow for my weekly round-up of the nine newsiest names!