Sunday Summary 5.14.17By now, you’ve almost certainly heard the news. The US Social Security administration has released the new most popular baby names data, and we’ll be talking about it … well, really until next Mother’s Day.

You can watch some of my first reactions to the list here, and some quick observations on the Top Ten are here. And, of course, I’m linking to some great analysis below, and have plenty of more stories in the works over the next few weeks.

This July, we’ll be bringing back the new names showdown. Last year’s winners, Wilder and Arden, both remained in the Top 1000 in 2016. Wilder jumped an impressive 238 places, while Arden actually fell slightly.

Now in the name news, some it (gasp!) not data related:

  • Shonda Rhimes’ latest series is a sequel to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I’m hooked! Still Star-Crossed debuts at the end of May. One of the all-time genius namers paired with a creative powerhouse of our time? That could be magic. Names to watch: Rosaline, briefly mentioned in the original play, now the main character; Benvolio, a stretch of a name except we love Ben and Oliver and Leonardo; and maybe even the original star-crossed lovers themselves, because Romeo and Juliet have become mainstream favorites in recent years.
  • Thanks to all who shared this with me – the 60 best names from the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. Ryan Lambert – a.k.a. Puck Daddy – is as into ice hockey as I’m into names. But somehow our worlds overlap once in a while. Based in Calgary, the Western Hockey League draws mostly from the western part of Canada, but also neighboring US states. Since my son is a Bantam right now – that’s hockey talk for 12, 13, and 14 year old players – this list hit home. Love this line: As always, there’s some joker in the group who has a perfectly normal name. Weirdly, there were actually a lot of normal names that any person born since 1970 is likely to have. Robert Kincaid? Ben King?
  • A Sarah reflects on the challenges of having a very common name.
  • We’re all talking about Kylo, but Nancy points out that another Star Wars name is making waves: Rey.
  • Proof that Harry Potter influence hasn’t died out? Nancy’s boy debuts list includes Olivander.
  • “I loved my daughter so much, I couldn’t name her.” This happens more than anyone would guess!
  • British Baby Names makes the case for Ellen. It’s a great stands-out/fits-in name for a child born in 2017.
  • This is fascinating – thoughts on the violence of naming, or more precisely, refusing to use someone else’s name. Found via Clare’s always amazing Scoop.it page.
  • One more find from Clare: Calixtine!
  • Duana tackles a question from parents who are all set for a third son, but don’t quite know where to begin naming a girl. This happens all the time! We could cheerfully name octuplet daughters, but even one more son would leave us staring at a blank list.
  • The annual Aiden count, courtesy of Roses and Cellar Doors. It wouldn’t be May without it …

That’s all for this week! As always, thanks for reading – and have a great week!

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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