The Top 20 Most Popular Baby Names (Warning: Stupidity alert!)

Netscape News ^ | 1/9/04 | anon.

[VeritatisSplendor]

The Top 20 Most Popular Baby Names

For the first time in more than a decade, the year's most popular baby name for boys is not Biblical. Move over Michael and Matthew and make room for Aidan, Jaden, and Caden--the top three boys' names for 2003, according to BabyNames.com.

Meanwhile, Madison has hung on for another year as the top name for girls, which as near as anyone can figure comes from the 1984 movie "Splash," starring Daryl Hannah in the role of a mermaid named Madison.

Top 20 boys' names:

Aidan/Aiden/Aden

Jaden/Jayden

Caden/Kaden

Ethan

Caleb

Dylan

Jacob

Jordan

Logan

Hayden

Connor

Ryan

Morgan

Cameron

Andrew

Joshua

Noah

Matthew

Addison

Ashton

Top 20 girls' names:

Madison

Emma

Abigail

Riley

Chloe

Hannah

Alexis

Isabella

Mackenzie

Taylor

Olivia

Hailey

Paige

Emily

Grace

Ava

Aaliyah

Alyssa

Faith

Brianna

BabyNames.com compiles this annual ranking of the top 20 most popular baby names using the favorite name lists created on the Web site by more than 100,000 expectant parents.

The shift in the choice of boys' names is really quite notable. "Traditionally, you see more of a fluctuation and creativity in girls' names, but this is the first year we have seen such a big change in the boys' name list," admitted Jennifer Moss, a senior partner with BabyNames.com.

"In the past 20 years, Celtic and English names--such as Ashley, Caitlyn, and Brianna--have been extremely popular for girls," adds Moss. "And now that trend is entering the boys' list with Aidan, Dylan, Logan, and Connor--a huge break from the usual trend of Biblical names like Michael and Jacob. We think as names become uni-gender for girls, parents are taking more risks and being more creative and unique with naming their boys."

[sneakers]

OMG! I'm laughing so hard I'm crying!!! (re: post 179 wedding pictures)

[sneakers]

I think my mom is one of the last 'Josephines' left in the world.

[DouglasKC]

on't believe this. I think someone hacked the site. The top 3 boys' names are all too similar and I've never heard of two of the three.

My first thought too..I've never heard of anyone naming their kids any of those. I've never known anyone by those names as a matter of fact.

[Revolting cat!]

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[Skibane]

Why do they all have to sound like characters on some soap opera?

Many of them do seem to have an air of pretentiousness about them, don't they?

[LouD]

MULVA?

/ obligatory Seinfeld reference

[ChefKeith]

Hey TT You're #9

[L`enn]

Best name story I ever heard was a ballplayer for the KC Royals in the 80's. His name was UL Washington. When asked what the UL stood for, the answer was nothing! That was his freaking name. UL. Unbelievable. Like to know the logic behind that. Mebbe was born under a lamp cord. Who the hell knows.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

The name will come back big time.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Well, what do THEY know?

LOGAN'S #1!!!!!! (hehe)

[Libertina]

These actually seems like nice names. I've heard worse. (much)

[mikrofon]

What about Hugh -- that should have been a big favorite...

[nmh]

I am still glad I named our daughter Sarah, Elizabeth (middle name). She is our little Princess ;) We don't need trendy or pretentious names.

[Think free or die]

"When asked what the UL stood for, the answer was nothing! That was his freaking name."

My husband's grandfather was named UL. It didn't stand for anything either. When the newspaper reported his death, they called him Ewell. I suppose they couldn't understand how he could be without a name and gave him one.

[Straight Vermonter]

Actually it means mountain of worms. Really.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Where are good solid names like, Michael, John, Stephen?
I have not even heard of some of the names mentioned.
Might as well have a boy named Sue!!!!!!!!!!LOL

[nmh]

BTW, it's no surprise names are moving away from Biblical names ... look at the direction our social mores are taking ... in the toilet. We purposely picked Biblical names. Helps bring the Bible alive since they are her namesake.

[DeepDish]

Quashod? Quahog An edible clam (Venus mercenaria) of the Atlantic coast of North America, having a hard rounded shell. Also called hard-shell clam, round clam. Maybe they named the kid after a clam, sort of.

[ChefKeith]

We know He's #1 but then again We did not make the list.

[Ichneumon]

There is a query tool that you can ha ve some fun with. Try, for example, "Hillary." 1991, 1992, it was very popular. By 1994, it had crashed, and for 2002, it didn't even make the top 1000. Next, how 'bout monica? took a dive in 98 and never recovered.

That's hilarious (Hillaryous?). Thanks for the observations, and the link to the cool site.