Baby Name Popularity News

You think Lynn and Lee have disappeared? In this blog, Nick Turner proves that they’re just hiding inside other names. It’s Lynnsanity!

Three letters in particular are popping up all over the starbaby map, in first, middle and last place: look for lots of V, X and Z sounds, says Abby Sandel.

Unusual names for girls are becoming more prevalent and more usable every year. Here are the most recent crop of unusual girls’ names.

By Nick Turner Baby-name fads have come and gone over the decades, but one trend has held true: Names are getting longer. A hundred years ago, boys’ names were typically less than two syllables. John, James, George and Frank were all popular picks, and there were no three-syllable names anywhere in the top 20. In […]

Guest blogger Josie surveyed her fellow Berries to chart the popularity of first and middle names, and initial letters –and to see how they compare with the baby name world at large.

Predicting which names will hit the top of the list, and when, is an art….but it’s also a science. And we’ve got the numbers behind the hottest names.

Portuguese name blogger Filipa Lopes looks at the names trending in her country, one which has certain rules and restrictions.

Kelli Brady looks at the name Jo– its place in her family history and its variations and extensions.

You like a name that a lot of other people like too. Here, some worthy substitutes for too-popular baby names.

Some TV character names become mega-popular, like Samantha from ‘Bewitched’–but Angela Mastrodonato takes a look at some that didn’t make it.

Abby Sandel picks twenty of the best girl-name song titles–all offering readymade lullabies.

Here are 100 wonderful names given to fewer than 100 babies in the US last year.

Nick Turner investigates which presidential surnames have had an immediate impact on baby naming. You might find the results surprising!

As the seasons turn, Kelli Brady offers her analysis of the performance of the names Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn over time.

Eleanor Nickerson has spotted a new trend emerging across the pond–the Dolly girls. Do you see it happening here?

Many parents seek a name that will work well in several cultures: Anna Otto tells you which names are most popular in the most countries. You can’t go wrong with Ella or Alexander.

We’re so happy to share the news of the publication of Kelli Brady’s new ebook, “Name-alytics” which is chock full of interesting and useful data and stats. Heartily recommended!

Occupational surnames as firsts may seem like a recent trend, but Nick Turner traces them way back in his family two hundred years, and adds lots of interesting information on the subject.

Oliver and Amelia top the list of Most Popular Names in England and Wales. But is the Prince George Effect on baby names overrated?

Short, strong, and barely heard a generation ago, these are not your father’s or grandfather’s baby names.

How many usages does it take to bring a baby name to the top spot? Kelli Brady shows how drastically that number has decreased over time. (Or why you know so many grown Jennifers and no baby Noahs.)

If you’re shying away from these baby names because you believe they’re too popular, maybe you owe them a second look.

Have you noticed the sudden raft of boys’ names ending in ‘ett’–Beckett, Emmett, Everett–climbing on the popularity lists?

Which girls’ names are sailing off toward baby name oblivion this year, and which are merely taking a short nap? Our new intern Ren Williams looks at names we’ll be hearing less of.

A cool video by Matthew Woods shows how the most popular names have changed since the year 2000. Be sure to click on the individual names for more fascinating graphics on his site.