The most popular baby names now are pretty traditional: Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia, and Ava for girls; Jacob, Mason, Ethan, Noah, and William for boys.
Yes ... thank you ... it is indeed fascinating. I taught computers in a catholic elementary school for a short while. My 7th grade class was composed of: Christines, Christinas, Kristines and Christophers. I still recall the age of the “Jennifer’s and Lisa’s” and now, my neighbor’s 1st grader is named “Ava”. Somewhere in between, though, I recall a spate of odd names - there was a girl named ‘Stardust’ in one shop and I know several African Americans who caved to the notion of giving their children “unique” identities with unpronounceable names. I guess it is all part of the circle of contemporary life. One disadvantage, though, is the impact on ancestral research. In trying to locate family records, the process was facilitated by the fact that during the 19th century, the common practice was to name children for their grandparents. That proved most beneficial in sifting through hundreds of records, trying to pinpoint which one might be a relative.
