For the past two years, I’ve looked closely at the Fastest Rising Baby Names. Instead of examining change in rank, I’ve looked at the total numbers of births. Why does that matter? Especially near the top of the charts, a relatively significant gain or fall in use is overlooked easily. If a name climbs from #15 to #12, we […]
READ MORE >>Fastest Rising Names for Girls 2016
What were the fastest rising names for girls 2016 in terms of actual births? We often look at change in rank. This name rose by 15 places, or that one leapt over 100 spots. Those changes signify name trends. And yet, when the list is re-ordered to reflect increases in numbers of births, things shift. Prime […]
READ MORE >>Nine Years!
Nine years ago, on January 23, 2008, Appellation Mountain went live. Like many bloggers, I had no master plan or idea. Thanks to a lifelong obsession with baby names, I knew quite a bit about the subject – and because I was alone in a new city, with a toddler for a constant companion and a […]
READ MORE >>Baby Names: Trendwatch 2017 Predictions
Trendwatch 2017 predictions have arrived! For the past few years, I’ve tracked rising names. Annually, I make my guesses about the names most likely to crack the US Top 1000 in the coming year. A note about dates: strictly speaking, the Trendwatch 2017 Predictions will be evaluated against 2016 data. But I do factor in a […]
READ MORE >>Baby Names: Trendwatch 2016 Report
Time for the Trendwatch 2016 Report. If you’ve been following Appellation Mountain over the years, you might recall that I like to watch specific baby names every year. Some of them I choose specifically for the Trendwatch Reports, but often they’ve been on my mind for months. Trendwatch 2016 Report: Boy Names My Trendwatch 2016 […]
READ MORE >>New Names Showdown 2016 Boys Final
Our summer fun challenge has simply flown past! It’s already time for the New Names Showdown 2016 boys final. If you’ve been playing along, you’ll know our goal is simple – and incredibly difficult, too! We started with eight boy names that returned to debuted in the US Top 1000 in this year’s data set. […]
READ MORE >>New Names Showdown 2016 Girls SemiFinals
Time for New Names Showdown 2016 Girls SemiFinals! The first round was packed with action and surprises. We started with just eight of the 47 girls names that recently returned or debuted in the US Top 1000. Our goal: to narrow down those eight names to one. One name likely to rise rapidly through the rankings, […]
READ MORE >>Ten Noteworthy Baby Names March 2016
Time for the noteworthy baby names March 2016 edition! When I first started this series, I expected it to be a straightforward list of the most-viewed names at Appellation Mountain for the prior thirty days. Instead, it quickly evolved into a list of the most noteworthy baby names for the prior month, from headline news […]
READ MORE >>Look Back: New Names for Boys 2014
In May 2016, the US Social Security Administration will release the official data on the most popular baby names given to children born in 2015. Let’s take a look back at the names that made their mark on the current list! P.S. You can read the girls’ version of this list here. First, the numbers: in […]
READ MORE >>Look Back: New Names for Girls 2014
In May 2016, the US Social Security Administration will release the official data on the most popular baby names given to children born in 2015. Let’s take a look back at the names that made their mark on the current list! First, the numbers: in 2014, 49 girls’ names and 38 boys’ names charted in […]
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