The Top 100 Baby Names Tell an Interesting Story

It’s interesting what story the top 100 baby names have to tell. Every few years you hear that new name popping up and you immediately know what everyone was watching on TV or who the nation’s hero was in sport a few years back.

Then you look at those names that remain constant, those that never get knocked off the winning post no matter what’s going on below. Take for instance, Jack has remained in top position (boys, UK) for 11 years, Jacob (boys, US) for seven years and Emily (girls, US) for 10 years.

I do wonder why people just follow a trend and go for the #1 in the top 100 it’s just like a best seller where the more people read something the more other people want to read the same book. Yet, for baby names, following the common line takes away an element of individuality, sometimes making one child feel the same as the next and taking away that little element that makes a child feel special.

Then there’s the really weird names which make you wonder how on earth so many people decided it was a good name for their baby. I was looking through the top 100 baby names (US) the other day and noticed Angel as #32, now Angel to me is a really weird name for a boy that I would detest being called as a lad but them obviously I’m well off the mark given it’s popularity.

At the end of the day people tend to have very differing opinions as to the best baby names and whether they should be common, unusual or down right weird. For me, a child should love their name it should make a statement and make them feel special. For me baby names should be chosen with care, not to popular, with an element of originality but never weird. Your baby has to live through life from childhood to grave and should love and be proud of the name they have been given and not made to feel one of a crowd or mocked and abused.

Terry Ross is the author for and the creator of: 1st-4-baby, a site dedicated to pregnancy, baby names and baby care.