Social Security releases top 2012 baby names

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Huh. I thought we were using it more as a derogatory term for a kid's name. Are we calling each other Larla now? (makes note in journal of mean-spirits)

Yup. I think of "Larla" as another term for "special snowflake"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few other interesting details from the new list:

"Arya and Major were the fastest-rising names for 2012. Arya’s popularity stems from the show and book Game of Thrones, while Major is a military name featured on reality TV show Home by Novogratz. The second fastest rising names were Gael and Perla, popular with families of Spanish descent.

Other fastest-rising names include Catalina, Elisa, Raelynn (and Raelyn), Rosalie, Haven, and Briella (2011?s fastest-rising) for girls; Jase, Messiah, Brantley, Iker, King, and Rory for boys.

Notably, both Messiah and King were on the recent list of names banned in New Zealand.

In the Top 20, names making significant rises include, for girls:

–Avery, at Number 13 up from 18

–Aubrey, at Number 15 up from 20

–Charlotte. at Number 19 up from 27

–Zoey, at Number 20 up from 28

Notable increases on the boys’ side were seen by:

–Ethan, at Number 3, up from Number 7

–James, at Number 14 up from 17

–Benjamin, at Number 16 up from 19"

Who the heck is naming their kid Iker?? Or Messiah for that matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few other interesting details from the new list:

"Arya and Major were the fastest-rising names for 2012. Arya’s popularity stems from the show and book Game of Thrones, while Major is a military name featured on reality TV show Home by Novogratz. The second fastest rising names were Gael and Perla, popular with families of Spanish descent.

Other fastest-rising names include Catalina, Elisa, Raelynn (and Raelyn), Rosalie, Haven, and Briella (2011?s fastest-rising) for girls; Jase, Messiah, Brantley, Iker, King, and Rory for boys.

Notably, both Messiah and King were on the recent list of names banned in New Zealand.

In the Top 20, names making significant rises include, for girls:

–Avery, at Number 13 up from 18

–Aubrey, at Number 15 up from 20

–Charlotte. at Number 19 up from 27

–Zoey, at Number 20 up from 28

Notable increases on the boys’ side were seen by:

–Ethan, at Number 3, up from Number 7

–James, at Number 14 up from 17

–Benjamin, at Number 16 up from 19"

Who the heck is naming their kid Iker?? Or Messiah for that matter?

I know a Messiah. He's a little brat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But at least we aren't regressing to Jennifer and Michael. I'm a kid of the 70s and everyone and their grandmother/grandfather had those names back in the day.

I'm in my mid-30s and a professional. There are these meetings I go to for work where there will be 3 or 4 Amys and 3 or 4 Jen/Jennifers out of maybe 30 people. They are all from 30-40. It's ridiculous. We have to use last names and I hate mine. but then again, I don't like my first name either. (hint...it's listed above)

What's also annoying is when those names are given "clever" spellings, like "Amie or Ami" Or "Jenafer" and "Mikeal" Uh, at the end of the day it's still Amy, Mike and Jen. Sorry, but society is too lazy to french-afy these names. Target pronounced "Tar-jay" is still good ole' Target!

Or "Mazen."
http://www.babykerf.com/mazen-duke-younger-monson/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few other interesting details from the new list:

"Arya and Major were the fastest-rising names for 2012. Arya’s popularity stems from the show and book Game of Thrones, while Major is a military name featured on reality TV show Home by Novogratz. The second fastest rising names were Gael and Perla, popular with families of Spanish descent.

Other fastest-rising names include Catalina, Elisa, Raelynn (and Raelyn), Rosalie, Haven, and Briella (2011?s fastest-rising) for girls; Jase, Messiah, Brantley, Iker, King, and Rory for boys.

Notably, both Messiah and King were on the recent list of names banned in New Zealand.

In the Top 20, names making significant rises include, for girls:

–Avery, at Number 13 up from 18

–Aubrey, at Number 15 up from 20

–Charlotte. at Number 19 up from 27

–Zoey, at Number 20 up from 28

Notable increases on the boys’ side were seen by:

–Ethan, at Number 3, up from Number 7

–James, at Number 14 up from 17

–Benjamin, at Number 16 up from 19"

Who the heck is naming their kid Iker?? Or Messiah for that matter?

Spanish-speaking soccer fans. Iker Casillas of Spain was the hero of the 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euro. Fast-rising doesn't mean tons of people named their kid Iker, just means it went from probably a completely unused name (especially in this country) to suddenly showing up in some delivery rooms.

[Anonymous]

So, 5 years ago DH and I picked a classic girls name that we loved. We knew no one with the name. Then we had 2 boys. And now #3 is coming (don't know sex yet), but I keep hearing the girl name now. It's moved from about 700 on the SS list to about 100, so I'm thinking it might be the next Sophia. Our second choice doesn't even make the top 1000.

WWYD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, 5 years ago DH and I picked a classic girls name that we loved. We knew no one with the name. Then we had 2 boys. And now #3 is coming (don't know sex yet), but I keep hearing the girl name now. It's moved from about 700 on the SS list to about 100, so I'm thinking it might be the next Sophia. Our second choice doesn't even make the top 1000.

WWYD?

If the first name is 4 syllables long (and it's the one DH and I like as well) I wouldn't worry too much about it being the next Sophia. I think certain names get more popular from time to time, but aren't Top 10 material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, 5 years ago DH and I picked a classic girls name that we loved. We knew no one with the name. Then we had 2 boys. And now #3 is coming (don't know sex yet), but I keep hearing the girl name now. It's moved from about 700 on the SS list to about 100, so I'm thinking it might be the next Sophia. Our second choice doesn't even make the top 1000.

WWYD?

What's more important to you, that the name is one you absoultely love and always will, or that it's not crazy popular? (Not being snarky--genuine question). I tend to lean towards more unusual names, but DH really loves a certain classic name for a girl (expecting our second but don't know boy or girl yet), and I'm thinking it might be the one. It's jumped in popularity and I couldn't ever imagine myself picking a top-10 name, but really... how much does that matter? This will be your child's name forever, and as PPs have pointed out, it's unlikely that even the #1 names will ever has as much popularity as the top names of previous generations did. I totally understand wanting something that isn't a really trendy/hot name, but personally I'd rather go with MY #1 choice, and not care if it ends up being the rest of the country's #1 choice too.

[Anonymous]

Who the heck is naming their kid Iker?? Or Messiah for that matter?

Spanish-speaking soccer fans. Iker Casillas of Spain was the hero of the 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euro. Fast-rising doesn't mean tons of people named their kid Iker, just means it went from probably a completely unused name (especially in this country) to suddenly showing up in some delivery rooms.

2009: not in top 1000
2010: #646
2011: #379
2012: #230

Clearly those two tournaments influenced a few parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few other interesting details from the new list:

"Arya and Major were the fastest-rising names for 2012. Arya’s popularity stems from the show and book Game of Thrones, while Major is a military name featured on reality TV show Home by Novogratz. The second fastest rising names were Gael and Perla, popular with families of Spanish descent.

Other fastest-rising names include Catalina, Elisa, Raelynn (and Raelyn), Rosalie, Haven, and Briella (2011?s fastest-rising) for girls; Jase, Messiah, Brantley, Iker, King, and Rory for boys.

Notably, both Messiah and King were on the recent list of names banned in New Zealand.

In the Top 20, names making significant rises include, for girls:

–Avery, at Number 13 up from 18

–Aubrey, at Number 15 up from 20

–Charlotte. at Number 19 up from 27

–Zoey, at Number 20 up from 28

Notable increases on the boys’ side were seen by:

–Ethan, at Number 3, up from Number 7

–James, at Number 14 up from 17

–Benjamin, at Number 16 up from 19"

Who the heck is naming their kid Iker?? Or Messiah for that matter?

I know a Messiah. He's a little brat.

With a name like that, you don't say...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks! Now I can tell all the snarks that my kid's name is 105th on the list for 2012 despite what they think!

Max or Paige?

I swear Max is the most common name around. I know 6 or 7 under 2.

Max is insanely popular. Looking up "Max" on the SSA list is misleading because who just names their kid "Max"? It's often short for something.
SO plain old Max is 105 but Maxwell is 116 and Maximus is 206. Maxim is 600. Maximo is 920. Add in a few Maximillians and you have a TON of Maxes. Probably the number one boy's name if you add them all up. That's why we all know 10 under age 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks! Now I can tell all the snarks that my kid's name is 105th on the list for 2012 despite what they think!

Max or Paige?

I swear Max is the most common name around. I know 6 or 7 under 2.

Max is insanely popular. Looking up "Max" on the SSA list is misleading because who just names their kid "Max"? It's often short for something.
SO plain old Max is 105 but Maxwell is 116 and Maximus is 206. Maxim is 600. Maximo is 920. Add in a few Maximillians and you have a TON of Maxes. Probably the number one boy's name if you add them all up. That's why we all know 10 under age 10.

I agree that Max may be more popular than the list suggests, but I doubt it's #1. Look at all the different ways to spell Aiden--Aidan, Aaden, Ayden, Aydan... you can even go Teen Mom-style with Aydenn or Aidyn. My bet would be on THAT being the #1 name.

[Anonymous]

I learned to my chagrin that even choosing what appears to be an uncommon name doesn't guarantee that there won't be others around you. My second child's name has two spellings, and if you add them both together it puts it in the 180s on the SS list -- and that's for 2012, it was even less common when we chose it in 2009. So I wouldn't say that I expected to NEVER encounter another one, but I definitely didn't expect there to be TWO others that use the child care at my gym! They come at the same time as me, and the attendants joke, "we call out X, and three kids turn around." I'll be honest -- I'm annoyed by it, and I don't even know the moms. I have no "right" to be annoyed, but I still am.

OTOH, my third child's name is in the 130s, and I knew that when I chose it so I expected to encounter other children with the name -- but we haven't met one in the past two years. So you just never know.