letter K (Photo credit: Leo Reynolds)
Love ’em or hate ’em, the Kardashian clan’s influence is tough to ignore. In the land of baby names, they’ve helped keep alternative K spellings alive, with the name Khloe getting a big boost from her family’s reality endeavors.
Kourtney gets kredit (couldn’t resist) for helping propel Mason to the height of heights. In 2009, Mason ranked #34 and was climbing steadily. Then Kourtney and boyfriend Scott Disick gave the name to their son, and Mason skyrocketed, reaching #12 a year later, and #2 in 2011. I’m reluctant to attribute all of our madness for Mason to Keeping up with the Kardashians, but hey – they family is inescapable, and even if you would never, ever, ever name a child after a a celebutante’s kid, all that exposure for Mason surely put him on the radar of many more parents.
Now she and Scott have welcomed a daughter named Penelope Scotland. The scenario is eerily similar. The name has been trending up, up, up, with a few other notables using the name in recent months.
Does this mean that Penelope will follow Mason’s trajectory?
My suspicion is that she will. Penelope went from #200 in 2010 to #169 in 2011. And here’s the thing: she’s on everyone’s list. She’s smart, quirky, undeniably stylish. Like her big brother, this Kardashian kid has a flat-out great name.
I’m more intrigued by Scotland. Clearly a spin on dad’s name, Scott, akin to Mason’s middle, Dash, from KarDASHian. Scotland has never been a common given name in the US, but why not? Now that Scott is firmly in dad name territory, Scotland feels like a fresh spin.
A handful of girls were named Scotlyn, Scottlyn, Scottlynn, and yes, Scotland in 2011. Of course, Scotland also seems like a possible place name for a boy.
So if Penelope is the new Olivia, could Scotland be the new … Brooklyn? And what do you think of the reality star’s choice?
I also dislike Mason (it’s always sounded bland and reminded me of mason jars, and now it’s too common). But I love, love, love Penelope. I love its sound, its slightly quirky image, its meaning (“weaver”), its connection to literature…such a great name. But– I wouldn’t use it, because I think as time goes on it will be quite dated…not in a way that tarnishes its appeal terribly, but in a way that it makes it very clear what generation its bearer belongs to. And I want to avoid that. I have a feeling it might end up a bit like Chloe (though Chloe had no extensive use in the English speaking world before current times, and Penelope did). Penelope is definitely headed for the top 50 now, and maybe even the top 20 or 10. But I think the latter will only happen if her general sound comes in style. Maybe whenever the frilly-ends-in-‘a’ era begins to wane– could be quite soon.
I’m another who dislikes Mason but really liikes Penelope. I’d use it anyway, if I was having a girl this year (which I’m not). But I’d much rather swim in a sea of Penelopes than a lot of other names.
All in all, a lovely choice that really surprised me, I too was expecting something horrible!
This is actually really disappointing to me- Penelope has been on my list for years, and I’d hate to see it rise up like Mason did. However, I’m pretty convinced it’ll never make it to the top ten, and I’d still use it, even if it hit top 100. I know I should be pleased they chose something so nice, but really, I’m not.
I was really pleasantly surprised by the name choice and have to say that I like it a lot (as celebrity names go). That said, I’m surprised to hear so many people like Mason, to my English ears Mason and Penelope are very different names and don’t sound like a sibling set. I guess that’s probably because Penelope has an image here of an upper class lady in a large-brimmed hat tending her roses (think Lady Penelope in The Thunderbirds)…
Penelope is on my short short list, and I think I am going to chance using it anyhow. Unlike Mason, it is pretty complex, long, and it doesn’t go with a whole lot of last names. I think it will rise more in popularity, but not into the top 20 range or anything. It will always be a little too quirky to be totally mainstream. Maybe I am just being optimistic, but I spent too long choosing the perfect name to let a Kardashian ruin it all for me! lol
I think you are right, Jen! Go for it.
Well I don’t care for Peen-a-lope and I can’t stand Penny, but she’s definitely on the rise. I think she is what people *thought* Pippa would become.
Really like both of these kids’ names. I wonder if Penelope will get a nn, and which one.
Penelope is a name I love, but would never use so I actually really like seeing it used. I’m impressed, as I expected something horrible to be honest!
I love Penelope, but after this announcement I’ve taken it off my shortlist as I have a feeling it’s popularity will skyrocket
Ooh yes, can really see Penelope taking off in a big way. Look how quickly the Ks managed to get Mason to #2, so I’m betting on Penelope zipping up fairly smartly as well.
I also dislike Mason. But I love Penelope and hope against hope it doesn’t totally take off. But it so will.
I’m pleasantly surprised, actually. I was hoping for (but not expecting) something nice.
I do have to say that although everyone and their grandmothers likes Mason, I still can’t stand it, but it’s not because of Kourtney Kardashian’s son… I just don’t like it.