WORLD> America
Most popular baby names change dramatically in US
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-09 15:34

The diversity in US baby names has exploded since the 1950s. Back then, a quarter of all boys and girls got one of the top 10 baby names, according to Laura Wattenberg, author of "The Baby Name Wizard" (Broadway, 2005). In recent times, the top 10 names account for only one tenth of all baby names, Wattenberg writes. Her blog has an interactive tool that displays the historical popularity of thousands of names from the 1880s to now.

When it comes to contemporary inspiration, the days of the week are just one of the everyday resources from which folks snag new baby names.

Related readings:
 Want scientific immortality? Name a sea worm
 Man asks court to change his name to 'In God We Trust'
 What's in a name? Everything - emperor, commoner, soldier
 Variety in name not a bad thing
Celebrities especially seem to reach far and wide lately, with baby names ranging from fruits (Apple Blythe Alison Martin, born to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin) to colors (Fuchsia Catherine Sumner, born to Sting and Frances Tomelty) to plants (Poppy Honey Oliver, born to Jamie Oliver and Juliette Norton.

Movies can also cause a name to leap in popularity. While historically, the name Madison was more associated with boys than girls, the feminine usage took off in the 1980s and became ranked 29th as a female baby name in the 1990s, according to the Social Security Administration. Some say the movie "Splash," which came out in 1984, is behind the boom.

   Previous page 1 2 Next Page