Tuesday, December 23, 2014

2013 Preliminary Most Popular Girls' Names, England & Wales

Yes, I know it's almost 2015, and I'm just getting around to finishing the top names of 2013. Hey, Back In My Day (in the dark ages before the innernets), the most recent baby name popularity list I ever acquired was 5 years out of date! So here it is, grouped by spelling (only the most popular spelling is listed; more detailed list to come)

1. Amelia
2. Olivia
3. Lily
4. Emily
5. Sophia
6. Isabelle
7. Isla
8. Ava
9. Isabella
10. Poppy
11. Jessica
12. Mia
13. Ruby
14. Sophie
15. Scarlett
16. Evie
17. Ella
18. Grace
19. Chloe
20. Layla
21. Freya
22. Sienna
23. Maya
24. Holly
25. Molly
26. Daisy
27. Charlotte
28. Millie
29. Phoebe
30. Lucy
31. Alice
32. Darcy
33. Maisie
34. Eva
35. Lexi
36. Esme
37. Hannah
38. Florence
39. Annabelle
40. Lola
41. Imogen
42. Matilda
43. Lacey
44. Elizabeth
45. Erin
46. Rosie
47. Jasmine
48. Evelyn
49. Ellie
50. Alicia
51. Abigail
52. Maddison
53. Sarah
54. Elsie
55. Summer
56. Megan
57. Amelie
58. Eleanor
59. Georgia
60. Caitlin
60. Emma
62. Aisha
63. Amy
63. Harriet
65. Willow
66. Bella
67. Eliza
68. Maryam
69. Gracie
70. Leah
71. Aaliyah
72. Lily-Mae
73. Anna
74. Amber
75. Ivy
76. Keira
77. Zara
78. Brooke
79. Lyla
80. Macie
81. Rose
82. Mila
83. Katie
84. Niamh
85. Anaya
86. Tilly
87. Martha
88. Fatima
89. Faith
90. Bethany
91. Violet
92. Francesca
93. Victoria
94. Julia
95. Amina
96. Maria
97. Skye
98. Alexandra
99. Gabriella
100. Zoe
101. Inaaya
102. Eloise
102. Zainab
104. Khadija
105. Amira
106. Rebecca
107. Lydia
108. Beatrice
109. Paige
110. Lottie
111. Heidi
112. Aria
113. Aleena
114. Nevaeh
115. Elena
116. Casey
117. Alana
118. Orla
119. Nancy
120. Madeleine
120. Robyn
122. Seren
123. Lena
124. Catherine
124. Iris
126. Thea
127. Lara
128. Alyssa
129. Ayla
130. Alexis
131. Savannah
132. Ariana
133. Libby
134. Annie
135. Lauren
136. Miley
137. Lily-Rose
137. Nicole
139. Amaya
140. Clara
141. Tia
142. Emmie
143. Penelope
144. Beau
144. Eve
146. Betsy
147. Elise
147. Ellie-Mae
149. Hope
150. India
150. Naomi

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Fun With Data!


Here are the names with the most recorded variant spellings throughout the history of the SSA keeping track (1880 on):

GIRLS # Spellings BOYS # Spellings
Arianna 106 Giovanni 76
Kaylee 97 Kayden 74
Aaliyah 94 Jayden 58
Makayla 87 Aiden 56
Jocelyn 83 Nicholas 42
Kaliyah 76 Zachary 41
Mackenzie 76 Isaac 40
Kaelyn 74 Mekhi 40
Janiyah 72 Josiah 39
Kamiyah 71 Cameron 38
Madelyn 71 Kason 38
Alicia 66 Kian 38
Malia 62 Isaiah 37
Adalynn 61 Jaylen 37
Giselle 60 Kamari 35
Saniyah 59 Kalen 34
Jacqueline 56 Aaron 33
Aniyah 55 Caleb 33
Makiyah 55 Elijah 33
Amaya 54 Zayden 33
Jaliyah 54 Jayceon 32
Brianna 52 Zavion 31
Kiana 52 Arian 30
Alaysia 51 Brayden 30
Abigail 50 Jackson 30
Kaitlyn 50 Jamir 30
Samiyah 49 Javion 30
Annalise 47 Damian 29
Jaelyn 44 Kavin 29
Hailey 43 Xavier 29
Jamiyah 43 Darian 28
Liliana 42 Jeremiah 28
Riley 42 Jonathan 28
Talia 42 Malachi 28
Zariah 42 Michael 28
Aliana 41 Braylon 27
Elena 41 Davion 26
Kylie 41 Grayson 26
Nevaeh 41 Keshawn 26
Tiana 41 Kieran 26
Aiyana 40 Daylen 25
Zaniyah 40 Dylan 25
Amelia 39 Jayshawn 25
Kiara 39 Christian 24
Emily 38 Jason 24
Kennedy 38 Teagan 24
Lindsey 38 Antoine 23
Casey 37 Elias 23
Janae 37 Eric 23
Leilani 37 Jaron 23
Alana 36 Amir 22
Kaydence 36 Jamari 22
Liana 36 Christopher 21
Adriana 35 Colton 21
Chloe 35 Damarion 21
Eliana 35 Dominic 21
Madison 35 Jeremy 21
Natalie 35 Kamarion 21
Peyton 35 Mason 21
Riya 35 Riley 21
Ryan 35

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Coming Soon: Automation!

WARNING: nit-picky name nerd rant!

Every year for the past decade or so, when the SSA comes out with the top names, I go through the lists and put all the alternate spellings of different names together. Back before 2010, this didn't take that long, because the SSA only released the top 1000 names (names with instances of 200 or more for boys and 250 or more for girls). This was pretty accurate, but I wanted more! Then the SSA started releasing names with 5 or more instances for every single year going back to 1880!!!  This is awesome! However, it means that every year, there are 14,000-20,000 names for each gender. Sure, when you account for all the different spellings, there are only about 7,000 names, but still-- it's a task that takes me a couple of months. 

Enter my programmer friend who is a whiz at SQL databases. He has managed to put all the names from every year into a database! Wouldn't it be awesome if every year, I could feed a database some data when it is released, and have it spit out a top 7000 list with the names already sorted into like names with different spellings? YES! however, this is proving to be a daunting task. Putting names together isn't as easy as one would think. For example, one would pretty much argue that Katy, Katie, Kati and Katee are all the same name. Ditto for Eric, Erik and Erick. 

When you get into modern names, however, this gets confusing. Spelling names as creatively as possible has been the trend for at least a decade, and not every parents spells names so their pronunciations are clear. For example, Aleyah-- is it Aaliyah or Alaya? Alysa-- Alyssa, Aleesa, or Eliza? We would all pronounced Mia like /MEE a/ and Maya like /MY a/ (except for the couple of people I met who pronounce it /MAY a/. What is Miah? Is it like Maya (following in the footsteps of Maria/Mariah, Dina/Dinah?) or is it Mia with an extra h? In the 1990s, it probably would have been more likely to be Maya, since that name was more popular than Mia, and had more alternate spellings. However, now Mia is more common, and usually I would default ambiguous names to the more popular option. 


Unfortunately, the data can't really do that. I had originally decided to assign alternate spellings to a certain name permanently (i.e., Catherine would always be an alias of Katherine, even if that spelling was more popular). This is proving to be a really daunting task! 

Take another example: Adan and Aidan. Adan /ah DAHN/ is the Spanish form of Adam. In earlier days, it may also have been a typo or transcription error for Adam (these types of errors were common, especially with most documents being hand-written) Adan has been in the top 7000 since the early 1900s.

Aidan is an unrelated Irish name. Aidan, with two As is the original and traditional Irish spelling, and it first appeared in 1936, although we didn't see it again until 1957. Aiden, by far the most popular spelling now, didn't make an appearance until 1970. What do Aidan and Aiden have to do with Adan? Today, many parents are using Adan as an alternative spelling of Aidan  (there were 44 different spellings in 2013 if you include Adan: Aiden, Ayden, Aidan, Aden, Adan, Aydin, Aydan, Aidyn, Aaden, Aedan, Aayden, Adin, Adyn, Aaiden, Aydenn, Aiyden, Aeden, Eiden, Aydon, Adon, Aedyn, Aydyn, Aadyn, Aidin, Aidon, Eidan, Aydden, Aidden, Ayeden, Ayiden, Eyden, Aydn, Aadan, Aidenn, Aaidyn, Eydan, Adynn, Aedin, Aadon, Aidynn, Aedon, Aadin, Aiiden, Aiydan)



So, do we count Adan as a separate name, or as an alias of Aidan? And do we put Aidan as the base name, or Aiden, being that it is much more popular in the long run? If we take Adan out of the Aidan/Aiden count, Jackson becomes the #1 name for boys in 2013! See? This *does* effect statistics! 

There isn't an easy way to make spellings 100% consistent over time without going through every single year by hand and then checking it against previous years. It takes me an average of 3 months to go through the girls' and boys' name tables for each year and put them in order by spelling. At this rate, it would take me  33.25 years to do all the years going back to 1880! See why automation is appealing? But oh my, is it opening all sorts of new cans of worms!

Sunday, September 07, 2014

Apologies... the CORRECT link

I won't bore you with the details, but the links I posted to the Top 7000 Boys' Names of 2013 went to a sheet that actually had the data from 2012 by accident. 

Here is the true link! (It has been updated on all the previous posts as well)

Top 7000 Boys' Names of 2013

Friday, September 05, 2014

Top 250 of 2013 with rank changes

Want to know how much your top favorite names have changed in the past year? Here's the top 250, with changes in rank. The names are grouped by spelling, but for simplicity's sake, I've only listed the most popular spelling. For more detailed information, see the spreadsheets: the top Boys' names for 2013, and  Top 7000 Girls' Names of 2013

RANK NAME rank change NAME rank change
1 Aiden 0 Sophia 0
2 Jackson 0 Emma 1
3 Jayden 0 Olivia 1
4 Jacob 0 Isabella -2
5 Mason 0 Emily 0
6 Liam 4 Ava 0
7 Noah 1 Mia 5
8 Kayden -1 Zoey 0
9 Ethan -3 Abigail 0
10 William 1 Aubrey 1
11 Michael -2 Chloe -4
12 Alexander 0 Madison -2
13 Elijah 0 Madelyn 1
14 Daniel 1 Arianna 6
15 Matthew -1 Layla 2
16 Jace 42 Riley 3
17 James 0 Kaylee -4
18 Benjamin 2 Aaliyah -3
19 Lucas 7 Avery 5
20 Caleb -2 Amelia 7
21 Anthony -5 Lily -5
22 Logan 2 Addison -1
23 Joseph -2 Elizabeth 0
24 David 1 Adalynn 12
25 Christopher -6 Hailey -7
26 Joshua -4 Natalie -4
27 Andrew -4 Brooklyn -2
28 Christian 0 Charlotte 14
29 Dylan 4 Mackenzie -1
30 Isaac 2 Evelyn 7
31 Gabriel -1 Lillian -1
32 Samuel 2 Allison -3
33 John 4 Ella -7
34 Landon -5 Hannah 0
35 Carter 5 Peyton -3
36 Jonathan -5 Harper 11
37 Nicholas -1 Kylie -5
38 Brayden -11 Elena 1
39 Ryan -4 Aria 26
40 Nathan -1 Maya 0
41 Cameron -3 Kaitlyn -10
42 Connor -1 Leah -4
43 Luke 0 Grace 3
44 Isaiah -2 Makayla -9
45 Hunter 11 Victoria 5
46 Henry 7 Camila 6
47 Grayson 13 Katherine -3
48 Owen -4 Anna 0
49 Wyatt 2 Sarah -4
50 Colton -5 Gabriella -1
51 Jack 6 Samantha 0
52 Dominic -4 Scarlett 16
53 Eli -3 Jocelyn 0
54 Aaron -5 Brianna -13
55 Julian 0 Liliana 0
56 Jordan -9 Alyssa -13
57 Sebastian 10 Savannah 0
58 Gavin -12 Audrey 2
59 Josiah 13 Isabelle -1
60 Levi 5 London 9
61 Jeremiah -9 Jasmine -7
62 Oliver 24 Nevaeh -6
63 Adrian -1 Kennedy 11
64 Evan -10 Annabelle 11
65 Charles 5 Lyla -3
66 Jason 0 Mila 29
67 Austin -4 Nora 20
68 Zachary -7 Bailey -9
69 Thomas 2 Claire -6
70 Tyler -11 Juliana -6
71 Robert -2 Alexis -11
72 Brandon -8 Sadie 67
73 Angel -5 Kaelyn -6
74 Kevin 2 Eliana 10
75 Carson 3 Reagan -3
76 Bentley -3 Skylar 13
77 Damian 6 Genesis -1
78 Chase 1 Serenity 0
79 Eric -5 Amaya -2
80 Xavier -4 Paisley 24
81 Ian 0 Melanie -1
82 Blake -2 Kayla -11
83 Parker 7 Ashley -17
84 Bryan 1 Taylor -14
85 Jose -3 Adriana -4
86 Tristan -11 Penelope 73
87 Camden 24 Callie 5
88 Giovanni -1 Ellie 13
89 Adam -1 Caroline 20
90 Colin 3 Jordyn -11
91 Nathaniel 0 Bella -5
92 Cooper -3 Gianna -9
93 Miles 2 Alexa -8
94 Bryson -2 Lucy 2
95 Justin -11 Lauren -13
96 Nolan 1 Violet 21
97 Easton 6 Vivian 14
98 Brody -4 Sophie -25
99 Hudson 2 Naomi -5
100 Mateo 19 Autumn 2
101 Steven -5 Carly -2
102 Kason 6 Charlie 22
103 Silas 27 Stella -5
104 Lincoln 30 Aniyah -16
105 Luis -6 Julia -12
106 Micah -2 Kaydence -6
107 Alan 10 Sydney -17
108 Ryder -1 Kendall -17
109 Juan -9 Nicole 24
110 Zayden 35 Alexandra -3
111 Cole -9 Mariah 2
112 Vincent 2 Maci -15
113 Elias 8 Keira -8
114 Asher 4 Jayla 22
115 Carlos -10 Malia 0
116 Max -6 Alana -10
117 Emanuel -2 Molly -14
118 Jesus -6 Ruby 9
119 Maxwell 10 Faith -11
120 Sean -22 Eva 0
121 Bryce 2 Lydia 0
122 Alex -13 Hadley 19
123 Declan 8 Piper 0
124 Brantley 28 Eleanor 24
125 Leo 24 Kimberly -13
126 Derek -13 Mckenna -8
127 Braxton -1 Ariel 17
128 Malachi -3 Natalia 6
129 Hayden -23 Trinity -19
130 Xander -2 Morgan -14
131 Elliot 9 Cora 32
132 Marcus -10 Andrea -10
133 Sawyer 28 Delilah 14
134 Emmett 30 Alice 20
135 Riley -19 Emery 18
136 Wesley 18 Kinsley 19
137 Santiago -1 Elise -12
138 Timothy -5 Destiny -24
139 Antonio -7 Jaelyn -20
139 Weston 20 Jade -14
141 Maddox 7 Marley 28
142 Jameson 31 Amy 0
143 Corbin 14 Brooke -14
144 Jesse -9 Giselle -16
145 Devin -25 Brielle -8
146 Diego -22 Maria -15
147 Ivan -20 Clara 10
148 Leonardo 17 Rebecca -16
149 Roman 20 Quinn 24
150 Miguel -3 Jada -19
151 Jonah -5 Brynlee 15
152 Victor -9 Paige -17
153 Ashton -14 Kinley -14
154 Joel -1 Mary 4
155 Ezra 32 Jacqueline -12
156 Richard -14 Rachel -10
157 Jayceon 640 Daniela -6
158 Ezekiel 13 Valentina 47
159 Axel -3 Raelynn 9
160 Preston -22 Allie -15
161 Edward 9 Juliet 4
162 Jeremy -21 Kamryn -10
163 Amir 19 Emerson 24
164 Gage -6 Ashlyn -26
165 Luca 18 Alina 4
166 Kyle -22 Kaliyah 1
167 Jaylen -30 Reese -17
168 Patrick -13 Journey 16
169 Mark -2 Alicia -10
170 Ryker 52 Cassidy 21
171 Muhammad 6 Stephanie -15
172 George 6 Ivy 40
173 Braylon -22 Gabrielle -12
174 Harrison 15 Valerie -1
175 Jude -1 Vanessa -26
176 Alejandro -14 Angelina -15
177 Bradley -2 Gracie -6
178 Jake -12 Isla 57
178 Zane 8 Harmony -3
180 Theodore 20 Aurora 23
181 Grant -6 Nyla 12
182 Reid 12 Eliza 13
183 Peyton -20 Eden 7
184 Oscar -5 Presley -1
185 Brady -35 Hazel 26
186 Gael -26 Willow 28
187 Kai -7 Kiara -8
188 Abel 8 Jessica -24
189 Cash 19 Leilani -4
190 Rylan -22 Lexi -3
191 Gunner 23 Talia 16
192 Everett 21 Cecilia 0
193 Kingston 19 Josephine 7
193 Tucker 0 Melody 0
195 Calvin -6 Michelle -14
196 Kenneth -15 Hayden 6
197 Abraham 6 Ximena 57
198 Cody -26 Jazlyn -26
199 King 41 Alexia 68
200 Avery -12 Brynn -23
201 Graham -4 Teagan 5
202 Bennett -4 Annalise 11
203 Keegan -18 Kaia -23
204 Tanner -20 Daisy -15
205 Paul -3 Valeria -30
206 Maximus -1 Joanna -6
207 Jeffrey -16 Aiyana -19
208 Omar -1 Kate 16
209 Jax 72 Kendra 637
210 Jorge -9 Arabella 39
211 Peter 0 Jennifer -29
212 Andres -17 Summer 3
213 Zion -14 Margaret 4
214 Kellan -4 Janiyah -14
215 Beau 47 Melissa -19
216 Phillip 5 Sienna -12
217 Garrett -8 Cheyenne -8
217 Griffin 0 Delaney 1
219 Eduardo -13 Alexandria 10
219 Francisco 14 Luna 42
221 Brendan -29 Christina -13
222 Charlie 5 Annabella 19
223 Skyler -4 Brylee -7
224 Javier -8 Kenzie 1
225 Rafael 4 Fiona 19
226 Iker 6 Leslie -16
227 Johnny 18 Megan -49
228 Simon 28 Zariah -6
229 Lane -6 Angela 2
230 Cade 17 Genevieve 11
231 Rhys -7 Sierra -33
232 Trevor -28 Camille 4
233 Seth -18 Emmalyn 18
234 Israel 2 Braelyn -13
235 Travis -15 Liana -3
236 Andre -18 Jayden -39
236 Chance 2 Erin 0
238 Dante -12 Jenna -15
238 Donovan -10 Lena 8
240 Dean 25 Katie -12
241 Corey 8 Amira 11
241 Lorenzo 53 Kelsey -23
243 Cruz 18 Casey 1
244 Finn 35 Harley 24
245 Mekhi -15 Gemma 1
246 Shane -15 Esther 17
247 Cesar -8 Ayla -27
248 Clayton 8 Jaliyah -14
249 Trenton -24 Lola 26
250 Jasper 18 Selena -16
Cataleya 26