For years I've wondered where the name "Kaitlyn" (and all its many spelling variants) came from. Last year there was an article in the New York Times that tells us what the most popular babies' names of 2006 were. The article doesn't help me understand where trendy names come from but it pointed me to The Baby Name Wizard that lets us see how names have come and gone in the last 110 or so years. It's a fascinating tool that I keep going back to.
"Charles" has gone way down since I made my appearance (though it is still a popular name). "Xzavier" is picking up.
I still want to know where the fashionable names like "Brianna" come from.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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None of my kids names show up (well, I didn't check Belle, which is probably gaining popularity)
My first name sank like a stone about the time I was born., It was a really hot name when Gram was born.
Belle was hot when Grandma Murphy was born and dropped off in the 30s. We are not a popular named family
Margaret and Peggy are both declining in popularity. I, however, remain a legend in my own mind!
--PegBert
Some come from Soap Operas: http://www.babynames.com/Names/Soaps/ If you search by "character" in the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com). you'll see that there are several Briannas. So it would seem TV scriptwriters influence baby-naming. I was named after a friend of my mother's. And I have come across many Colleens about my age or younger.4@
Some come from Soap Operas: http://www.babynames.com/Names/Soaps/ If you search by "character" in the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com). you'll see that there are several Briannas. So it would seem TV scriptwriters influence baby-naming. I was named after a friend of my mother's. And I have come across many Colleens about my age or younger.
Freakonomics has an interesting answer to your very question, Chuckbert!
Karen was #4 in the 1960s! Yeah, baby! Isabel is gaining.
Thanks for the cool link.
Roberta hit big in the 1950s and nothing now. Boo hoo. I should go back and check Bobbie...brb...
Bobbie topped out in the 1930s and made a comeback in the 70s...still nothing now...
Poss, a few weeks ago a waitress with your first name served us! She was about my age.
Check out the rank of Jesse as a girl's name in the 1990s
if anyone cares here is a site with bad baby names http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23631411/?GT1=43001&pg=1#TDY_Names_Bad
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