Friday, May 25, 2007

Aiden is #1!

I just re-did the SSA's top baby names by spelling. This year Aiden (the most common spelling) supplants Jacob (although it means "the supplanter")! Aiden has 9 different spellings, which, taken separately, didn't even crack the SSA's Top 20 Names for 2006. Jacob has been in the top spot since 1999, so de-throning this name was no easy task!

Here's what the SSA got vs. what I got for dudes, spellings grouped separately:
Rank SSA top 25 my top 25
1 Jacob (24418) Aiden (11430), Aidan (9888), Ayden (3551), Aden (1382), Adan (1087), Aydan (424), , Aydin (288), Aedan (272), Aidyn (206)
2 Michael (22220) Jacob (24418), Jakob (1143)
3 Joshua (21875) Michael (22220), Micheal (674), Mikel (184)
4 Ethan (20254) Joshua (21875)
5 Matthew (19991) Matthew (19991), Mathew (1001)
6 Daniel (19652) Ethan (20254), Ethen (192)
7 Christopher (19439) Christopher (19439), Cristopher (511), Cristofer (249)
8 Andrew (19425) Nicholas (15414), Nicolas (2888), Nickolas (918), Nikolas (772)
9 Anthony (19101) Daniel (19652)
10 William (18645) Andrew (19425)
11 Joseph (18037) Anthony (19101), Antony (245)
12 Alexander (17940) William (18645)
13 David (17248) Alexander (17940), Alexzander (380)
14 Ryan (16219) Jayden (9469), Jaden (4863), Jaiden (1711), Jadon (744), Jaydon (680), Jaeden (336), Jadyn (274), Jaydin (187)
15 Noah (16088) Joseph (18037)
16 James (15945) Jonathan (14110), Johnathan (2262), Jonathon (786), Johnathon (460)
17 Nicholas (15414) David (17248)
18 Tyler (15285) Christian (14210), Cristian (2989)
19 Logan (14974) Ryan (16219), Rayan (182)
20 John (14924) Noah (16088)
21 Christian (14210) James (15945)
22 Jonathan (14110) Caden (4708), Kaden (4681),Cayden (1738), Kayden (1546), Kaiden (1391),Caiden (1021), Kadin (361), Kaeden (280), Kadyn (202)
23 Nathan (14031) Tyler (15285)
24 Benjamin (13524) Logan (14974)
25 Samuel (13372) John (14924)

Without the help of the variant spellings, notice that the -aden brothers (Aidan, Jayden and Caden) don't make the top 25 at all!

Here's the comparison for chix:

rank SSA top 25 NameNerds Top 25

Emily (21118) Emily (21118), Emilee (850), Emilie (622), Emmalee (406), Emely (1052)
2 Emma (18838) Madison (18395), Maddison (782), Madisyn (760), Madyson (769)
3 Madison (18395) Isabella (17954), Isabela (664), Izabella (1112)
4 Isabella (17954) Emma (18838)
5 Ava (16741) Sophia (13313), Sofia (5008)
6 Abigail (15429) Hailey (8330), Haley (4230), Haylee (1362), Hailee (683), Haleigh (479), Hailie (356), Halie (275)
7 Olivia (15244) Caitlyn (1738), Caitlin (1636), Kaitlyn (5991), Kaitlin (940), Kaitlynn (566), Katelyn (4830) Katelynn (1201 ), Katlyn (343)
8 Hannah (14294) Abigail (15429), Abbigail (623), Abigayle (348), Abigale (295), Abagail (293)
9 Sophia (13313) Ava (16741)
10 Samantha (12316) Olivia (15244), Alivia (1304)
11 Elizabeth (12193) Hannah (14294), Hanna (1202), Hana (390)
12 Ashley (12172) Brianna (9224), Briana (2750), Breanna (2724), Breana (314), Bryanna (733)
13 Mia (11851) Sarah (10910), Sara (4314)
14 Alexis (11078) Ashley (12172), Ashlee (958), Ashleigh (405), Ashly (346)
15 Sarah (10910) Jasmine (7391), Jasmin (1915), Jasmyn (280), Jazmin (2204), Jazmine (1507), Jazmyn (462)
16 Natalie (10791) Natalie (10791), Natalee (601), Nataly (795), Nathalie (546), Nathaly (346)
17 Grace (10780) Mia (11851), Miah (352), Miya (266)
18 Chloe (10249) Kaylee (5924), Kailey (1264), Kayleigh (1214), Kaylie (1,181), Kaleigh (628), Kali (537), Kailee (494), Kaley (420), Kayley (379), Kayli (296)
19 Alyssa (10039) Samantha (12316)
20 Brianna (9224) Elizabeth (12193)
21 Ella (9080) Alyssa (10039), Alissa (844), Alisa (295), Elisa (536)
22 Taylor (8480) Alexis (11078), Alexus (533)
23 Anna (8442) Katherine (6197), Katharine (288), Kathryn (2364), Catherine (2749)
24 Lauren (8387) Anna (8442), Ana (2377)
25 Hailey (8330) Madeline (4426), Madelyn (2916), Madelynn (527), Madeleine (962), Madalyn (906), Madalynn (339) Madilyn (719 )


Katherine has long been divided between the C and K spellings. When you count them all, it makes the top 25, along with Caitlin et. al. Basically, there will be a lot more little Katies out there than you would think! Also, Madeline, Jasmine and Kayley break into the top 25 when you list all spellings.

* I know most people would pronounce Alyssa and Elisa differently, however, I know an Alisa who is pronounced like /a LISS a/ and an Alyssa who is pronounced like "Lisa" with an "a" on the front, so that's why I group them together.

Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS, AIDEN!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love how you've reorganized the names - I've been working on that myself. I'm curious about the Mia/Maya thing. I have encountered Mias who pronounced the name like Maya, which leads me to combine the spellings for statistics as you did with Alyssa/Elisa. What are your thoughts?

Scooter B. said...

I had a hard time with this one too. In past years, I always grouped Miah and Miya in with Maya. They totally look like Maya to me. however... Mia has become oddly super popular in the past year or two, and usually if there is a question (I've had inner turmoil over Anya/Aniyah/Ania and Callie/Kayley/Kali/Cali), I put it with the more popular name.

The more I think about it, though, the more I think Miah and Miya should be Mayas. Usually variant spellings follow pretty predictible patterns, i.e., the next most popular spelling should be Mea or Meea, followed by Meah (looks like Leah) or Meeya or something...

Darnitall! If I all the Mia/Maya names together, it just wouldn't feel right.

The SSA used to send me all the names with occurences greater than 16. Now I have to make do with what's on their site (I think the lowest occurrence is 150 or something), so I really don't know what the Mia-variation situation looks like. I'll keep my eyes open.

Thanks for the note!

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your response. I've had the same issue with Callie/Kayley/Kali/Cali for years. To me Callie and Kayley are two completely different names, but Kali/Cali bridges the gap between the two. I end up lumping them together. In the long run it probably doesn't matter too much. I'm just a stickler for details!

Anonymous said...

you forgot the spelling adin...