These Names Had to Wait for Their Moment
Two of today’s “brand new” girls’ names were actually born in Hollywood in the 1980s. It just took a few decades for parents to be ready.
A New Direction for Boys’ Names
Vowel endings are poised to reshape the sound of America’s male baby names
These Names are Moving in Opposite Directions in the US and England
Name style is a moving target. You can learn as much from the direction names are heading as from their current popularity rankings. And when it comes to fashion in the US vs. England, some names are moving in very different directions.
These Names Were Once Hidden Gems. What Happened?
It’s the ultimate baby name dream: a name that’s stylish and appealing, yet undiscovered. I published my first “Why Not?” list back in 2004. How well have those choices stood the test of time?
Boyish Nicknames for Girls Are Coming Back Again—With a Twist
You should expect to meet a lot more Frankies, Stevies and Georgies in the years ahead. And you should expect most of them to be girls.
The Many Faces of X
The letter X has put its stamp on the past generation of American baby names. X is now a force to be reckoned with—but not for everyone.
To “Infinity” and Beyond
Once upon a time, there was only Charity. Today, dozens of different -ty words grace America’s baby name stats, and the concepts they express range to, quite literally, Infinity.
Add H: America’s Silent Trend
There’s a new letter in town, and it’s just for show. Allow me to introduce the “ornamental H,” an alphabetic flourish that’s adding a stylistic—not phonetic—note to names like Whyatt, Khadence and Ameliah.
4 Things We Learned From the 2020 Baby Name Data
Some quick notes on themes emerging from the new national baby name statistics. 1. Masculinity Through Word NamesOver one thousand names made their all-time debuts in this year’s name stats, 500+ each for boys and girls. Common English words appeared three times more often among the boys’ names. I suspect […]
The Fastest-Rising Names of the Year, 2020
2020 was a year like no other. In a time of loss, division and moral reckoning, the fastest rising names of the year were not hot new celebrity names, but memorials. Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in January, 2020. Kobe was […]
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