For the First Time, Sarah and Michael Drop Out of Top Ten
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 19 -After four years at the top, Jacob has been taken down a peg by Aidan as the most popular boy's name in the United States. Emma, meanwhile, remains the most popular girl's name for the second year in a row.
Today, BabyCenter, LLC, released its 10th annual BabyCenter(R) Top 10 Baby Names List. With over 320,000 names compiled from BabyCenter members who gave birth in 2005, BabyCenter has the largest private database of baby names available in the U.S. Unlike the Social Security Administration's baby name ranking, which is usually released in May, the BabyCenter(R) Top 10 Baby Names List combines names with the same pronunciation but different spellings to give a more accurate view of popularity. In 2005, nearly 1 in 8 children were given a name with a spelling that's included in the top ten -- and parents found over 340 ways to spell those names.
Boys - BabyCenter Top 10 Baby Names for 2005 (2004):
Aidan (Jacob)
Jacob (Aidan)
Ethan (Ethan)
Nicolas (Ryan)
Matthew (Matthew)
Ryan (Michael)
Tyler (Tyler)
Jack (Joshua)
Joshua (Nicholas)
Andrew (Connor)
Girls - BabyCenter Top 10 Baby Names for 2005 (2004):
Emma (Emma)
Emily (Madison)
Madison (Emily)
Kaitlyn (Kaitlyn)
Sophia (Hailey)
Isabella (Olivia)
Olivia (Isabella)
Hannah (Hannah)
Makayla (Sarah)
Ava (Abigail)
Top ten rankings for both sexes showed more volatility in 2005 than in years past. For the first time in the history of the BabyCenter Top 10 Baby Names List, Michael and Sarah have been knocked off the list. Connor also fell out of the top list this year, with Jack (for the first time) and Andrew moving up into the top ten. In addition to Sarah, Hailey and Abigail fell out, and were replaced by Sophia, Makayla, and Ava, which all made their first appearance in the top ten for girls.
Expectant parents can find fun, useful, and free baby naming tools and information, including the BabyCenter Baby Name Finder, and the complete list of the BabyCenter Top 100 Baby Names of 2005 at http://www.babycenter.com/babyname.
Creative Spelling
Parents are displaying real creativity in spelling, perhaps in an effort to add a touch of individuality to the most popular names on the list. Topping the list for spelling variations, Makayla leads girl names with 77 variations, while parents of boys found 37 ways to spell Nicholas. In general, parents are more creative with spellings of girl names, finding 219 ways to spell the top ten, while there were only 123 spellings of boy names among the top ten.
"We were surprised by the increase in alternative spellings. We thought this trend had reached its popularity peak, but it seems today's parents have unlimited imagination when it comes to the spelling of names. The use of apostrophes, in particular, shows real creativity," said BabyCenter executive editor Linda Murray.
"When it comes to choosing a name, new parents often find themselves walking a fine line between tradition and individual expression. Some parents will stop at nothing to find a truly one-of-a-kind name for their one-of-a-kind baby, while others want a classic, solid name that will help their children fit in. Selecting a traditional name with a non-traditional spelling is a way to satisfy both desires," she added.
About BabyCenter(R)
Founded in 1997, BabyCenter LLC operates http://www.babycenter.com, the most popular online resource for new and expectant parents, http://www.parentcenter.com, the leading online resource for parents of children ages 2 to 8, and http://www.babycentre.co.uk, the leading U.K. resource for new and expectant parents. BabyCenter also publishes BabyCenter(TM) magazine, the first and only stage-based print publication for pregnant women and new moms, which is offered as a free benefit of membership to the BabyCenter.com site. Offering extensive content approved by a medical advisory board, BabyCenter's Web sites attract over 3.5 million visitors each month, as measured by comScore Media Metrix, and have been honored with numerous awards, including the 2005 People's Voice Webby Award for Best Family/Parenting Web site. In addition, BabyCenter's sites offer an array of interactive tools, a supportive online community, and an online store featuring thousands of products for parents and children.
