The most popular baby names of the year
Categories: Babies, Pregnancy & birth, Baby names, Latest news
Surprise, surprise - Jack was the most popular name for a baby boy born in 2009, it has been revealed.
It's been the most common name chosen for the last 15 years.
It's a great name for a boy, but I'm amazed so many people still choose it - do you really want your son to have the same name as six other kids in his class?
Olivia was the most popular name for a girl in 2009, keeping the top spot having taken over from Grace in 2008.
The highest climbers of the year were Lucas, which rose 24 places in the table to number 15, and Maisie, which soared 29 places to 41st.
Other girls' names increasing in popularity were Layla, Lexi, Lola, Madison, and Sienna, the name of actress Sienna Miller.
Boys' names to rise up the list included Joel, Oscar, Noah, Aiden, Logan, Archie and Sebastian. Oh dear. I wonder why?
The list was compiled from a national survey of 580,000 babies born in 2009 by Bounty.
Girls' names which dipped in popularity included Caitlin, Rebecca, Keira, Eve, Abbie and Hannah.
Faye Mingo, spokeswoman for bounty.com, told the Telegraph: "Parents continue to be influenced by popular culture and celebrity trends relating to films, sports personalities and TV stars.
"The rise in popularity of the name Lucas could well be attributed to the EastEnders' preacher turned murder character, played by Don Gilet."
Er, yeah. Because you really want to name your son after a murderous soap character?
The top ten lists for boys and girls stayed pretty much the same. Mingo reckons this could be down to the recession.
''In previous years there has been more movement in the top 10 boys and girls names," she told the Telegraph.
''The economic downturn could be affecting the mood of the nation and those parents, who would usually be more creative and inspirational about the names they choose for their children, are sticking to safer options.
"Common baby naming tips often warn against naming your baby something too trendy, unpronounceable or difficult to spell. But, in general whatever name moniker you give your child they always grow up to make it their own."
That must be more difficult for the Jacks of this world, though.
Did you call your son Jack? Does it bother you that it's such a common name?
Source: Daily Telegraph
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jo angel 1-18-2010 @ 8:10AM
yes, I called my son Jaxson, pronounced (jack-son) part of the Jack name family, lots of people comment on how nice it is. I loved the name Jack, as it was my fathers name, but being a modern society, I decided to do some jiggaling about, and thats what I came up with, luckily my son was born just before the desperate housewife series, at the point where a character was also called Jackson...
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miss s 7-04-2010 @ 4:22AM
I work in a day nursery and names like olivia, matthew, harry and josh were very popular in 2008 ish. late 2009 would of been ella and mariella we had like 6 children called this! I personally love the names harper and paige for girls rhiley-scott for a boy. . i had four girls besides me in my class with the same name in high school. i always hated my name untill then but now i hate having such a popular name up untill the age of like 12 i never knew anyone with the same name!
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brendadaley 8-28-2010 @ 10:41AM
my grandson's name is Jack, and he suits it, he is 5 years old.
Harry is a popular name now, my second grandson is called Harry, he is 2 years old. and for a girl Isobel is getting popular, she is my grandaughter.
old names are coming back, which is nice.
brenda daley. proud nan
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