| Popular baby names for girls and boys and how they | | | | When I attended grad school, of a class of |
| have changed over the years plus tips for choosing | | | | approximately forty students, there were no less than |
| one for your baby. | | | | three baby boomers named Barbara. Should I thank |
| Lists of baby names are always fun to look at, | | | | the actress Barbara Stanwyck for this ? Alas, my first |
| whether you're seeking a name for your | | | | name later suffered a slow, steady decline and placed |
| soon-to-be-born baby boy or baby girl, wondering | | | | at a pitiful number 628 position on the baby names |
| about the popularity of your own first name, or just | | | | popularity list for the U.S. in 2003. |
| curious about what baby names are currently hot. | | | | Robert, on the other hand, has survived the vicissitudes |
| What I find particularly interesting is tracking the | | | | of baby name popularity. It held a coveted spot on the |
| popularity of baby names over the decades. In looking | | | | top ten most popular baby names list every year from |
| through U.S. government baby name lists from 1880 to | | | | 1896 to the late 1980s, often peaking at number 1 |
| the present, some amusing patterns emerge, | | | | between the 1920s and the 1950s. It has gradually |
| particularly in regards to baby names for girls. | | | | slipped since the 1990s, but still managed to hold the |
| For example, in Victorian times Biblical names, such as | | | | respectable slot of number 35 in 2003. |
| Mary, Sarah and Ruth were very popular for baby | | | | When naming a baby there are, of course, many other |
| girls. There were also many baby names that sounded | | | | points to consider besides how popular or unique a |
| very old-fashioned to me, as a kid growing up in the | | | | name is. Here are some helpful tips that you can use |
| 1960s, including names like Martha, Alice, Bertha and | | | | with your other children to get them involved in |
| Minnie. | | | | choosing a name for the new baby and to make the |
| From the 1920s to the 1950s certain baby names rose | | | | process fun: |
| in popularity. For example, I went to school with many | | | | 1. Baby names need to go nicely with the sound of |
| Susans, Debbies, Patricias, and Lindas. All of these | | | | your last name. Also, pick a first name and a middle |
| baby names have since waned, to be replaced, by the | | | | name that go together well. (So maybe not something |
| 1980s, with fancier names such as Jennifer, Jessica | | | | like Erasmus Beelzebub Smith !) |
| and Nicole. When I was a children's librarian in the | | | | 2. When your family finds a name you all like, look at |
| 1980s my preschool storyhours were populated with | | | | the initials to be sure that you don't give the new baby |
| little girls named Lauren and Jenny, and little boys | | | | a name with initials that will make people laugh. (So |
| named Alex and Matthew. | | | | maybe not Pamela Iris Green, which equals P.I.G. !) |
| More recently there's been a lot of renewed interest in | | | | 3. You might not want a baby name that is so unusual |
| more "old-fashioned" baby names like Hannah, Abigail | | | | that the other kids will make fun of your little brother or |
| and Ethan, plus many Biblical names such as Sarah, | | | | sister as he or she grows up. (So maybe not Rosebud |
| Rachel, Joshua, Jacob, and Samuel. There's also been | | | | or Molasses !) |
| a surge in nontraditional baby names including Madison, | | | | 4. You also might not want a baby name that is so |
| Ashley and Brianna for baby girls, and Brandon and | | | | trendy that it will sound funny by the time the baby is |
| Logan for baby boys. | | | | ten years old. (So maybe not Sunshine !) |
| It's interesting to consider the whys and wherefores of | | | | 5. You probably shouldn't pick a name that's really cute |
| such developments. Sometimes, I suspect, the | | | | for an adorable little baby but will sound silly when the |
| popularity of a specific actor or fictional character | | | | baby grows up. (So maybe not Dimples !) |
| might result in many babies with a particular name. For | | | | 6. Avoid baby names that might produce insulting |
| example, were some of the Lauras born in the 1970s | | | | nicknames when people shorten them. (So maybe not |
| and 1980s given a name suggested by older brothers | | | | Smellonius, or Smelly for short !) |
| and sisters who were growing up watching "Little | | | | 7. You and your family might not want a name that is |
| House on the Prairie ?" Were some attributable to the | | | | so hard to spell or to pronounce that people will |
| super popular Laura of "General Hospital" fame ? | | | | always get it wrong and your poor little brother or |
| Today Madison is a very highly ranked baby name for | | | | sister will have to go through life correcting people. (So |
| girls (ranking number 3 in 2003) but, when the film | | | | maybe not something like Incandescence, or is it |
| "Splash" came out in 1984, Tom Hanks' character told | | | | Incandessints ? ) |
| Daryl Hannah's character that Madison was not a | | | | 8. You and your family might want to pick baby names |
| bona fide first name. | | | | in honor of favorite relatives or ancestors, or special |
| While baby girls' names seem quite subject to the | | | | names that show your family's ethnic roots. You might |
| whims of fashion and the top ten lists can change | | | | even find a special name from a book or movie that |
| radically over time, I've noticed that, in general, the top | | | | you love. (Like Harry ?) |
| baby names for boys remain far more stable. Names | | | | 9. You might want to look through books of baby |
| like John, William and James are perennials, perhaps | | | | names and pick one that has a special meaning that |
| because baby boys are often named for their fathers, | | | | you like - maybe something that means "sweet" or |
| perpetuating the popularity of certain baby names | | | | "kind" or "brave." (So maybe not wimp !) |
| from generation to generation. The "Junior" factor | | | | 10. You might want to think about names that will go |
| aside, baby boys are also less apt to be given fanciful | | | | nicely with your name and your other brothers' and |
| names. | | | | sisters' names, so that if mom or dad are calling you all |
| A comparison of the changing fortunes of my own | | | | for dinner or signing a birthday card to grandma it |
| first name, Barbara, with those of my husband's name, | | | | won't sound too crazy. |
| Robert, gives a good illustration of the difference in | | | | (So maybe not "Happy Birthday, Grandma ! Love, |
| stability between baby girl names and baby boy | | | | Joey, Cindy and Dweevo !") |
| names over time. | | | | There are hundreds of names waiting for you out |
| My name grew in popularity in the 1930s, '40s and '50s, | | | | there. Visit Popular Baby Names Across Space and |
| peaking at the number 2 position in baby name | | | | Time for lists of many of them. Good luck on your |
| popularity, which it tenaciously held from 1937 to 1944. | | | | search for the perfect name ! |