2011 Name Highlights

Here are the highlights of the 2011 name lists (biggest gaining names, biggest losing etc.)

2011 Name Highlights: Girls

2011 Name Highlights: Boys

Revised List

I posted the top 7000 boys' names of 2011 before I had a chance to nit-pick the spellings and compare them against last year's list. So, here is the newly revised list:

Top 7000 Boys Names of 2011 - revised

nothing really radical has changed, most of the differences between this list and the last one I posted are among the names with popularities in the bottom 3000.

Thematic Names in the top 7000

In 2011 there were a lot of themed-names in the top 7000. While it's nothing new to name a baby after a hero or favorite character, these names seem to be on the rise. We'll start with boys' names (in parentheses is the # given that name):

SPORTS:

• Zinedine (7)
• Shaquille (32)
• Satchel (12)
• Rondo (8)
• Ripken (9)
• Messi (11)
• Magic (10)
• Lebron (57)
• Kobe (552)
• Jeter (27)
• Gehrig (27)
• Garnett (5)
• Dimaggio (8)
• Beckham (356)
• Sneijder (28)
• Neymar (190) - this was the highest rising name in 2011!

 STAR WARS:

• Solo (7)
• Lando (12)
• Jedi (11)
• Anakin (96)

 And for girls:

• Padme (5)
• Leia (345)

MUSIC:

• Vedder (12)
• Tupac (5)
• Shyne (15)
• Ringo (6)
• Reznor (14)
• McCartney (7), girls: (13)
• Lyriq (8)
• Lyfe (7)
• Lennon (302)
• Lemmy (5)
• Juelz (157)
• Jeremih (154)
•  Jagger (362)
• Jodeci (11) girls: (8)
• Hendrix (200) girls: (10)
• Edge (5)
• Dio (13)
• Danzig (5)
• Coltrane (13)
• Cobain (13)
• Bowie (50) girls: (10)
• Bonham (6)
• Axl (73)
• Avant (23)
• Akon (7)

And for girls:

• Aretha (5)
• Danity (17)
• Fergie (15)
• Beyonce (39)
• Madonna (6)
• Pantera (6) - probably not named after the band, but still!

 Girls tend to get named things that stress beauty and grace, for example:

• Angelic (43)
• Beauty (19)
• Beautiful (39) and 15 Beautifulls!
• Charm (17)
• Cherish (383)
• Comfort (5)
• Passion (44)
• Princess (301)
• Radiance (14)
• Finesse (5)
• Purity (15)
• Lovely (55)
• Precious (195)
• Pretty (7)
• Gorgeous (19)
• Gracious (6)
• Fancy (16)

Boys are more likely to get names stressing strength and prosperity, such as:

• Worth ( 10)
• Valor (17)
• Valiant (8)
• Tuff (36)
• Triumph (8)
• Swift (5)
• Supreme (10)
• Success (8)
• Righteous (10)
• Noble (91)
• Fortune (8)
• Courage (10)
• Clever (7)
• Bravery (5)
• Brave (5)
• Awesome (7)
• Epic (9)
• Champ (31)
• Champion (25)

Then there are some virtues and concepts that both sexes get, such as:

• Favor (boy: 14 girls:  19)
• Freedom (boys: 11, Girls: 24)
• Courage (boys :10, Girls: 7)
• Praise (boys: 14, Girls: 31)
• Solace (Boys: 7, Girls: 8)
• Victory (boys: 13, girls: 39)
• Treasure (boys:6, girls: 189)
• Rogue (boys: 15, girls: 17)
• Rebel (boys: 19, girls: 8)
• True (boys: 28, girls: 40)
• Trust (boys: 11, girls: 7)
• Truth (boys: 29, girls: 19)
• Unique (boys: 14, girls: 213)
• Hero (boys: 14, girls: 17)
• Marvelous (boys: 6, girls: 5)
• Loyal (boys: 37, girls: 6)

Boys tend to get names stressing rebellion and having an outlaw nature:

• Gotti (5)
• Corleone (6)
• Jessejames (20)
• Rowdy (127)
• Maverick (634), there were 7 girls named Maverick, too though!
• Brazen (5)
• Riot (36)
• Pistol (8)
• Gatlin (102)
• Dragon (5)
• Bronco (10)
• Cannon (491)
• Wrangler (16) 
• Notorious (5)
• Trigger (21)

Girls get... well, these!

• Diva (11)
• Breezy (18)
• Bunny (6)
• Honey (56)
• Peaches (311)
• Mirage (6)
• Pixie (15)
• Sparkle (13)
• Starlet (12)
• Sundae (5)
• Tequila (5)
• Chardonnay (9)
• Gypsy (13)
• Goddess (21)
• Geisha (5)
• Jinx (6) (I know it's a super hero, but still!)

2011 Girls' Names - long list

The top 7000 girls' names of 2011 is finally complete! See it here (Google Doc)

2011 Top Names: Girls