Top Baby Names 2013

fireflyrebirth

I saw this posted on May (yes, I shamelessly stalk the "current" months for birth announcements).  Interesting stuff!

https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

Do the most popular names affect your choices at all?  I know I shy away from the Top 10, maybe even the Top 20.  Back in the day my husband and I were all about Noah and Sophia but...I just can't do it.

It's also funny to see Elizabeth (my name) at #10!  We'll always be here, no matter what!

WiFiMom2be

I'm with you - I love Sofia but just can't do it. It's been #1 for the past 3 or 4 years. I think it would be annoying to go to school and have 4 other Sophias/Sophie/Sofias in your class. My husband doesn't think it should matter, but I'm pretty firm on it. Luckily Sofia is our second choice, not our first. If we end up having two girls, we'll have to decide eventually.

SusieBW

Noah was on our short list until this came out.  I didn't realize how popular it was - I don't know any kids named Noah.  So maybe it's not really popular around here, and it shouldn't get ruled out . . .

bumpuser10309732

For my popularity has changed my mind on names. I loved Jackson but everyone and their dog has a kid named Jackson!

fireflyrebirth

Another thing to consider, though, is the great diversity of names these days.  So even if a name is #1, there are fewer babies with that name than had the #1 name in 1980, or 1950.

Growing Up Geeky did a good post on this a while back:

https://www.growingupgeeky.com/2012/05/jennifer-sophia-breaking-down-baby-name.html

"Sure, they were both the most popular name each year, but looking at today's numbers - there just aren't nearly as many births for each name. Meaning, it's not nearly as likely that your Sophia, Isabella, Jacob, or Mason will have 5 others with the same moniker to contend with, like we Ashleys, Melissas, and Amandas did back in the day."

Jennifer18131

WiFiMom2be said:

I'm with you - I love Sofia but just can't do it. It's been #1 for the past 3 or 4 years. I think it would be annoying to go to school and have 4 other Sophias/Sophie/Sofias in your class. My husband doesn't think it should matter, but I'm pretty firm on it. Luckily Sofia is our second choice, not our first. If we end up having two girls, we'll have to decide eventually.

I grew up in the 80s and 90s with Jennifer as a name. I was never the only Jennifer in my class - not grade, class. It really wasn't that bad. Hell, my first cousin had my same first and last name. THAT got confusing at Kindergarten graduation.

My favorite girl name is on that list, and I pouted for about a minute, but I don't think it's going to change my mind. Same for cousins or friends naming their child the name I like. 

Littledeer84

I think they are posting the individual lists for states today. That gives a better idea of what is popular near you. I admit, I like names to be out of the top 100. I didn't know that DDs name was rising quickly when we named her (Nora). It has risen 60 spots since I named her, and before that it had risen hundreds in the last decade. So I like the SSA site because you can use it to spot trends.

fireflyrebirth

Littledeer84 said:

I think they are posting the individual lists for states today. That gives a better idea of what is popular near you. I admit, I like names to be out of the top 100. I didn't know that DDs name was rising quickly when we named her (Nora). It has risen 60 spots since I named her, and before that it had risen hundreds in the last decade. So I like the SSA site because you can use it to spot trends.

I know!  That feature of the site is so cool.

Taramocd

It used to bother me if the names i liked were popular. Now I think about it if I love the name who cares who else has it. I am all about spelling a little different.

raynes

This page is really cool: https://time.com/93911/baby-name-predictor/

It shows the past popularity of a name and predicts it's popularity for up to the next 25 years.

SusieBW

@raynes - I love your new siggy pic!  He looks like he's casting spells. 

The state-by-state lists are up.  Noah is #10 for my state, with 56 babies named that last year.  I generally say I want to avoid the top 10, but Noah might stay on the short list for now.

raynes

Thanks @SusieBW!  I figured it was time to get rid of the snow picture.  

Littledeer84

Dang, Nora went from not being on my state list in her birth year (Norah does show at 97) to being 24th in 2013!

Emerald27

I prefer uncommon names, so I would probably shy away from the top 20. DH is more about being "original" so he was a bit grumpy that a friend (who lives in a different state and whom we NEVER see) named their newborn daughter Cora. Apparently he doesn't mind if other kids have that name, but he doesn't want anyone to think our DD (if this baby is a girl) was named Cora because we saw that baby's name and liked it.

I love the SSA site to get ideas more for MIDDLE names than first names. We know a girl would be Cora Frances, and I think we've settled on Elliott for a boy, but we have NO IDEA what a good mn for Elliott would be. :P

AppleGrapeMSTK

I'm obnoxious and refuse to look at anything in the top 100.

ETA: I looked and my favorite boy name hasn't been in the top 1000 in 14 years.  Score!  Although my co-worker and my oldest both have mentioned how much they hate it.  Haters gonna hate!

I want a name that's old enough to be unique, but not unique enough that no one knows what it is/how to spell it.

SweetMandyB12

my SIL is naming her son Mason, it doesn't strike me as that popular, but apparently it's #4.  my cousin has an Emma, Sophia, AND Olivia.  I like Lucas, it's #26 or so.  And looking back, my husband and I were both top 3 for the year(s) we were born.

WiFiMom2be

@Jennifer18131 - good to know it didn't bother you growing up. I think what I wouldn't like is if there were multiple Sophias/Sofias in the class, then my daughter would probably be called Sofia F, which I think is kind of a bummer. But I don't even know if I'm having a boy or girl yet, so guess I shouldn't worry.

narabug

SusieBW said:

@raynes - I love your new siggy pic!  He looks like he's casting spells. 

The state-by-state lists are up.  Noah is #10 for my state, with 56 babies named that last year.  I generally say I want to avoid the top 10, but Noah might stay on the short list for now.

Only 56 in the whole state? That doesn't seem like that many to me. I would stick with it.

A more general comment... My name and my brother's are both really common for our age. I went by Katie B a lot, and he wound up just called by our last name for years, by his friends and teachers both. I'm not sure who started that. I really didn't like it growing up, and that's colored my opinion a bit on name popularity.

However, like @fireflyrebirth said the most popular names now are nothing like they used to be.

So if I really loved a name I wouldn't exclude it solely due to popularity, but it might make me think a little harder about whether or not it was really the right name.

JessAnnJ

I would exclude at least the top 30 because I have a common last name.

atraveller

My DH said he liked Jacob if its a boy - I told him it was in the top names and he ruled it out - he wants to be original but not esoteric. I just want a name that sounds nice - though maybe not one in the top 10 if I can avoid. I was thinking of Riley for a girl - the R for my grandmother who died too soon to see this Lo born.