Interesting local article on baby names

(cross posted to misc.kids and misc.kids.pregnancy)

Given the recent discussion on misc.kids on Names in Preschool, I
thought you all might enjoy this. This is a report that my hometown
paper does every year on the babies born at the main hospital in the
area. This is from a mostly rural community in Idaho. Lucky me, I
have an Ethan that is 5 1/2. I always tell DH that we started
something because it wasn't near this popular in Idaho 5 years ago.

~ Sher, due with boy #3 on Saturday


UP FRONT/COMMENTARY: A.L. ALFORD JR. ... For the boys, it was a
definite winner

Alford is the Tribune's editor and publisher.

It was decisive for the boys.

Ethan was the most popular baby name for boys in the last year in the
11th annual Lewiston Morning Tribune Stork Report.

For the girls, well, it wasn't that easy. For the first time, four
names were tied as being the most popular: Emma, Emily, Madison and
Taylor. (In only one other year, the first in 1993, more than one name
was the most popular, with a tie between Ashley and Jessica.)

Ethan replaces Dylan as the boys' most popular name. Dylan was No. 1
in both 2002 and 2001. Emma, Emily, Madison and Taylor replace
Madison, the solo 2002 champion.

By national standards, Ethan was popular, too, being the ninth
favorite name. It was preceded by No. 1 Matthew and then in order by
Nicholas, Jacob, Ryan, Michael, Andrew, Joseph and Zachary.

Throughout the United States, Emily was the most popular girl's name
last year, followed by Lauren, Emma, Olivia, Abigail, Sarah, Hannah,
Grace, Samantha and Megan in the top 10. Madison and Taylor, popular
here, were not in the top 24 nationally.

The Stork Report is based on births for the 12 months through midyear
at Lewiston's St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. It's a fair
representation of baby names from throughout the Inland Northwest.

The number of named babies through midyear, as published in the
Lewiston Tribune, was 692, an increase of 3.8 percent from 667 in the
prior year. The records in the 11-year period? It was 701 in 1999 and
a low of 644 in 1998. The 692 births are an average of 1.9 per day on
St. Joseph's third floor.

For the seventh time in 11 years, more girls were born than boys.
Barely. The girls' birth number was 349, or 50.4 percent, versus 343
boys, 49.6 percent.

The top 10 boys names in the last year (and, in parentheses, the
name's popularity nationally, if in the top 20): 1. Ethan (9), used 12
times; 2. Dylan (22), including one spelling of Dillon, eight times;
3. Cole (not ranked) and Ryan (4), seven times each; 5. Jayden (not
ranked), including spellings of Jaiden, Jaden and Jaeden), six times;
6. Brayden (not ranked), including a spelling of Braden, Connor (17),
including one Conner, Isaiah (not ranked), including Isaiha and
Isaigh, Michael (5), William (10) and Ian (not ranked), including one
spelling of Ean, five times each.

The top 10 girls names we 1. Emma (3), with one spelling of Ema,
Emily (1), with one spelling of Emilee, Madison (not ranked), with
spellings of Madyson and Madysen and Taylor (not ranked), six times
each; 5. Hailey (not ranked), with one Haleigh, Megan (10), with one
spelling of Meigen, Olivia (4) and Samantha (9), five times; and 9.
Allison (21), including one Alison and one Allisyn, Alexandria (19),
with one Alexsandra, Cassandra (not ranked), including one Kasaundra,
Gabriel (not ranked), with one spelling of Gabrielle, and Isabell (not
ranked), including single spellings of Isabel and Izabelle, four times
each.

Honorable mention in boy names went to Issac, Keaton, Matthew and
Zachary.

For girls, the next most popular were Alyssa, Destiny, Elizabeth,
Madeline and Riley.

No sets of twins were born, quite a turnaround from the prior year's
seven sets of twins.

As always, parents showed creativity with names.

Among the boys were Aslyn, Calek, Chutuk, Declan, Jeryk, Lestat,
Misael, Ryle, Spender, Tamahsat, Xicigu and Yovane.

Creative girls names included Ashauntay, Aliyah, Averyauna, Brentiyah,
Dawnieshia, Jenalyne, Kaiah, Keauna, Nevaeh and Navaeh, Nikomis,
Sancia, Sakin, Tiersa and Vernis.

As always, there were unusual spellings to my eyes: For boys, Damyen,
Grayedn, Kaelub, Ostin and Zakary. For girls, Aaliah, Alyzae, Camrynn,
Ellayna, Ellyxis, Jewl and Madysen.

Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

Favorite names with a western flavor? For boys, Cody, Hunter, Logan,
Levi and Roan. For girls, Breeze, Destiny, Rain and Talon.

What were the most popular names in Washington state? They were Jacob,
Luke, Samuel, Jack and Joseph, and Emily, Lauren, Hannah, Abigail and
Emma. In Idaho? They were Nicholas, Andrew, Cooper, Lucas and Adam,
and Amber, Chloe, Hannah, Adeline and Emma.

For the 11th consecutive year, we had no Tom, Dick or Harry names.
There was one Tom (well, Tommy).

Tribune Librarian Phyllis Collins was pleased with Ethan being the
most popular boy name.

She reported: "A survey conducted by librarian Phyllis Collins, with
extreme prejudice and bias, shows that my nephew, Ethan Ryan Watkins,
born on my birthday, May 7, to parents Shawn and Heather Watkins, is
without a doubt the cutest baby born in Lewiston in 2003."

There's no argument from this corner. Case closed.

As always, parents showed creativity with names.

Among the boys were Aslyn, Calek, Chutuk, Declan, Jeryk, Lestat,
Misael, Ryle, Spender, Tamahsat, Xicigu and Yovane.

Creative girls names included Ashauntay, Aliyah, Averyauna, Brentiyah,
Dawnieshia, Jenalyne, Kaiah, Keauna, Nevaeh and Navaeh, Nikomis,
Sancia, Sakin, Tiersa and Vernis.

As always, there were unusual spellings to my eyes: For boys, Damyen,
Grayedn, Kaelub, Ostin and Zakary. For girls, Aaliah, Alyzae, Camrynn,
Ellayna, Ellyxis, Jewl and Madysen.

Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!


Tribune Librarian Phyllis Collins was pleased with Ethan being the
most popular boy name.

She reported: "A survey conducted by librarian Phyllis Collins, with
extreme prejudice and bias, shows that my nephew, Ethan Ryan Watkins,
born on my birthday, May 7, to parents Shawn and Heather Watkins, is
without a doubt the cutest baby born in Lewiston in 2003."

There's no argument from this corner. Case closed.

Very cute

Sophie wrote in :

Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!

I would count Alex as perfectly normal name, and has been used in
the UK since my parents' generation was being named.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

In article ,
says...
Sophie wrote in :

Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!

I would count Alex as perfectly normal name, and has been used in
the UK since my parents' generation was being named.

Nothing wrong with Jordan, either.

Michelle
Flutist

--
In my heart. By my side.
Never apart. AP with Pride!
Katrina Marie (10/19/96)
Xander Ryan (09/22/98 - 02/23/99)
Gareth Xander (07/17/00) Zachary Mitchell
Theona Alexis (06/03/03) (01/12/94, fostered 09/05/01 - 07/23/03)

"Penny Gaines" wrote in message
...
Sophie wrote in :
Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!

I would count Alex as perfectly normal name, and has been used in
the UK since my parents' generation was being named.

I wonder if Sophie thought that these were paired names for sets of twins?
That's what I thought when I read it, and I think it *would* be cruel to
name a set of boy/girl twins Alex and Alix or Cameron and Camrynn!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [18mo] mom)
See us at http://photos.yahoo.com/guavaln

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"No parking passed this sign" -- hotel parking lot sign

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

"Circe" wrote in message
news:KpEcb.1743$hp5.1548@fed1read04...
"Penny Gaines" wrote in message
...
Sophie wrote in :
Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!

I would count Alex as perfectly normal name, and has been used in
the UK since my parents' generation was being named.

I wonder if Sophie thought that these were paired names for sets of twins?
That's what I thought when I read it, and I think it *would* be cruel to
name a set of boy/girl twins Alex and Alix or Cameron and Camrynn!
--
Be well, Barbara


The *different* spellings are stupid. Alix and Alex. What - Alex for a boy
and Alix for a girl? Where I live Cameron, Jayden, and Jordan (and all
their spellings) just need to be done too. Way too common.

Also someone snipped my post. I included all the made up names as well as
boy/girl versions of names. I really can't think of one name I like for a
boy *and* a girl.

--
Sophie

The *different* spellings are stupid. Alix and Alex. What - Alex for a
boy
and Alix for a girl? Where I live Cameron, Jayden, and Jordan (and all
their spellings) just need to be done too. Way too common.

Just out of curiosity, do you think Alex for a boy is particularly bad? Im
just wondering because we have Alexander picked for one of our boy names and
we may call him Alex (or Xander) for a nickname. Has Alex become really
unisex? I love the name Alexander but it sounds so...boarding school-ish I
guess that I dont think I'd be calling him that all the time.


Also someone snipped my post. I included all the made up names as well as
boy/girl versions of names. I really can't think of one name I like for a
boy *and* a girl.


I dont like unisex names much either, for example Riley to me sounds boyish
but I only know girls with that name. And Jaden (Jayden) sounds girly but
I've only heard it for boys. I like to hear a name and know if its a boy or
a girl without having to wonder.

And I agree that most of those names on the list were pathetic.

Kari
mom to Kaylie (7) Noah (4) and #3 due Sunday

"Sophie" wrote in message
...
The *different* spellings are stupid. Alix and Alex. What - Alex for a
boy
and Alix for a girl?

Well, this is one where I'll have to disagree with you. While I'm not fond
of either Alex or Alix as a girl's name (though it could certainly be a
nickname for a longer name like Alexander or Alexandra), different spellings
of the same name for boys versus girls have a quite long and respectable
tradition in many languages. There's Rene/Renee, Loren/Lauren,
Michel/Michelle, and so on. In some cases, there are *slight* variations in
pronunciation, but often it's subtle enough that only native speakers hear
the difference.

Where I live Cameron, Jayden, and Jordan (and all
their spellings) just need to be done too. Way too common.

Well, I hear ya on that one!

Also someone snipped my post. I included all the made up names as well as
boy/girl versions of names. I really can't think of one name I like for a
boy *and* a girl.

I tend to agree, but my husband and I were discussing a recent article I
read in the paper about the problem of children born with undifferentiated
or ambiguous sex organs. In about 1% of births, it's nearly impossible to
determine whether the baby should be a boy or a girl. Since the '60s, the
standard of care has been to assign a gender--typically female--to the baby,
correct the sex organs to "look right" for that gender, and then raise the
child with that gender regardless of what the genes say. But it looks now
like this policy might not be the best thing for the kids, so there's some
movement towards thinking that gender assignment ought to wait until the
child is old enough to decide for him/herself. Problem is, PARENTS don't
like this because they can't figure out how to raise a child who is neither
a boy or a girl. What do you tell people if your child isn't either a boy or
girl yet when you're asked whether its gender? Which pronoun do you use when
referring to the child in the third person? And what name do you give that's
appropriate for both genders.

My husband and I came down on the side that we would want to wait until the
child was old enough to choose to do gender assignment and that we'd try to
a choose a name that would be suitable for either sex so they wouldn't have
to change it later. We agreed, however that given our cultural
preconceptions and predispositions, it would be very, very hard to raise a
genderless child.

Interesting topic for discussion, really!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [18mo] mom)
See us at http://photos.yahoo.com/guavaln

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"No parking passed this sign" -- hotel parking lot sign

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

"Sophie" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
snip
I really can't think of one name I like for a
boy *and* a girl.

When we started making the list of baby names, the unisex names we liked
were Jordan, Justin/Justine and Loren. We vetoed all of them, except leaving
Jordan as an option, but only for a boy.

Elly
38 weeks + 4 days
(11 days to go!)
EDD October 6th

"Sophie" wrote in message ...
"Circe" wrote in message
news:KpEcb.1743$hp5.1548@fed1read04...
"Penny Gaines" wrote in message
...
Sophie wrote in :
Boys and girls share some names, too, respectively: Alex and Alix,
Cameron and Camrynn or Kamryn, Dominic and Domique, Jaiden (for both)
and Jordan and Jordyn.

I hope these parents were picked up for child cruelty. Gimme a break!

I would count Alex as perfectly normal name, and has been used in
the UK since my parents' generation was being named.

I wonder if Sophie thought that these were paired names for sets of twins?
That's what I thought when I read it, and I think it *would* be cruel to
name a set of boy/girl twins Alex and Alix or Cameron and Camrynn!
--
Be well, Barbara


The *different* spellings are stupid. Alix and Alex. What - Alex for a boy
and Alix for a girl?

They're different names. Alex, a dimunative for Alexander, is
pronounced Al-Ex. Alix, which is more of a girls name, is pronounced
Al-leex with the accent on the second syllable.

Marjorie


Where I live Cameron, Jayden, and Jordan (and all
their spellings) just need to be done too. Way too common.

Also someone snipped my post. I included all the made up names as well as
boy/girl versions of names. I really can't think of one name I like for a
boy *and* a girl.