This was all I wanted for Mother’s Day.
SSA published the list. Here’s a look at the fast risers from vast wealth that is the Social Security Administration top 1000 names from 2008.
People are quicker to take chances on their girls.
Who woulda’ thunk it? The fastest female riser was Khloe with a K, catapulting 469 places from #665 to #196. Jacoby, top choice for boys in 2008 plus a superfluous Y, rose a mere 200 points by comparison from 623 to 423. Khloe konspired with Chloe, who cracked the top 10 for the first time up from #16 in 2007. Khloe has gained attention as an alternate spelling from Keeping Up With the Kardashians, all of whom have names that begin with K (the sisterhood includes Kourtney, Kim, Kendall and Kylie). And all of this goes back to O.J., remember? Jacoby rides on the coattails of Jacob as an intriguing cognate. He saw the limelight last year on the baseball field with Red Sox rookie Jacoby Ellsbury.
Couch Potatoes:
Khloe- Kardashian, up a staggering 469 points from #665 to #196
Audrina- The Hills, up 354 to #353
Kimora- Kimora Lee Simmons of reality TV, up 73 to #291
Penelope- Ms. Cruz, LOST- up 51 to #358
Aaden- Debuted at an insane #323, “the professor” (one with the glasses) on Jon and Kate +8.
Cohen- The O.C., up 35 landing at #356
Sawyer- LOST, up 15 to #225
and many, many more…
L is where it’s at.
Non-consecutive double Ls prevail. Lilah, Lyla, Delilah, Lila, Lola, Leila, Lilly, Laila, Leilani, Lilliana, Lillian, Lily, and Liliana all prove much more appealing to parents in 2008 compared to previous years. When you combine Lilah, Lyla, and Lila alone, they rose at total of 384 places, bringing it to 4th on the list of climbers.
K is also masculine.
The hard C sound connotes strength on the boys’ side, in several forms. Only two of the top 10 male risers are missing this sound– August and Braylon. The other top eight here? Jacoby, Kane, Beckett, Paxton, Kale, Ryker, Kingston and Kolton. Gotta love the K.
Spell it any which way but Jadon.
While Jadon, a bonafide Biblical name, fell 48 spots last year from #473 to #425, his brothers (and sisters) bumrushed the list: Zayden leaped the most, 103 points from #591 to #488. Braydon rose 39 points, from #364 to #325. Braiden, Kayden, Caiden, Kaiden, and Jaiden all jumped 24 places or more. Jaydon and Braeden were the only other double digit droppers in the clan.
The ever feminine Peyton and Payton broke through the top 100 girls’ names at #60 and #90 respectively. While still qualifying as androgynous, they are much less popular for boys with he-Peyton at #130 (fell 5) and he-Payton at #276 (rose 3). She-Hayden rose 69 points to #126. She-Kayden rose 117 to #391.
The Break Throughs.
Boys inducted into the top 1000 of note include Odin, Pierre, Callum, Cassius, Leonidas, and Tripp.
Amongst the new girls are Sloane, Nola, June, Isla, Matilda, Gemma, and Kenley.
Above: An overnight baby name celebrity, Khloe Kardashian.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t forget Gemma for girls! It’s my number one name, and I’m attempting to come to terms with it’s breakthrough. Sad, I know…
Thanks Corinne. I will had her momentarily. It’s hard to catch all the newbies, so by all means, alert us to them!
And I had to be the one to say this, but Gemma has been in the top 100 of overseas lists for a very long time. She also sounds like Emma, but is “different”, and is genuinely Italian, a la Gianna and Gabriella. Brace yourself, Corinne. Gemma has nowhere to go but up. Lovely name indeed… maybe it doesn’t matter? True love lasts forever.
It was the “like Emma, but not really” that drew me to it! I was fully aware of its European popularity, but was really hoping it would wait for a few years to come over here
And yes, true love lasts forever. Gemma’s been on my list since I was 9. I’m 17 now.
Corinne, I’m also dealing with the sad breakthrough of my favorite name.
Matilda’s been a favorite for years, since as a kid I was a huge fan of the book/movie, then the “Waltzing Matilda”/Australia connection means a lot to me too, as I traveled to Australia as a young teen as a student ambassador.
I’m only 18 myself, and have a good ten or so years before I’ll get to use it.
Darn Heath Ledger and his baby naming influence
My condolences. It’s a horrible feeling, isn’t it?
It’s not like I have anything against popular names, my #2 is Abigail for God’s sake!, but I was really hoping MY Gemma wouldn’t break through!
And Matilda is a gorgeous name, Kelley!
So sad about Nola, Matilda, Isla and especially June breaking into the top 1000. It’s so fascinating to look at the changes from year to year. Last year, Miley was the newbie. At least these newcomers are breathtaking whereas Miley was……not.
So sad to see Isla breaking through! I’ve always loved the name Isla Evangeline…and now both of them are on the rise!