Elvis Drops Off Top Baby Name List While Jacob and Isabella Remain At The Top
Names inspired by reality television are the fastest-rising among parents-to-be.
May 5, 2011— -- Jacob and Isabella remained at the top of the list of the 1,000 most popular baby names in 2010, while Elvis dropped off for the first time since 1955, according to the Social Security Administration.
See where your name falls on the list here.
The name Jacob first topped the list 12 years ago and has remained there ever since. Nearly 22,000 boys were named Jacob last year, followed by Ethan, Michael, Jayden and William.
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Meanwhile, almost 23,000 baby girls kept Isabella at the top slot last year. It is currently being followed by Sophia, Emma, Olivia and Ava.
Parents Gravitate Towards Reality TV
Baby-naming experts said Americans have conflicting views towards baby names. Many gravitate toward ones that are more popular, suggesting that they want their child to fit in with their peers, but they also look for names that are unique to differentiate them with their classmates.
While many have turned to the Bible for inspiration, parents are increasingly looking to television, and more markedly reality programs, to name their kids. The fastest rising baby names this year, Maci for girls and Bentley for boys, came from the mother-son duo from the popular shows "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom."
Khloe and Kourtney, the uniquely-spelled names of the popular reality superstars the Kardashians, saw a huge uptick in popularity since the trio debuted on the Hollywood social scene. In 2006, Khloe was ranked at No. 952, and today it's No. 42. In 2006, Kourtney wasn't even ranked, and now it's at No. 637. Their most-famous sibling, Kim, although losing popularity over the years, is still ranked at No. 68.
"It certainly tends to say this is what people are watching and what they are connecting with," Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue told the Associated Press. "I'll leave it to others to explain the phenomenon."
Baby names are getting more diverse, according to Laura Wattenburg, author of "The Baby Name Wizard." Thirty years ago one third of all babies had names that are on the top 20 of the list. Last year, only 14 percent of babies born had names in the top spots.
Religious names, even those that have been updated over the years, have stayed popular. Navaeh, or heaven spelled backwards, debuted at No. 266 in 2001. Today it has risen to No. 25.
The Social Security Administration began providing a list of the top names in 1880, when the top names were John and Mary. The list includes the most popular names in each state and typically draws millions of visitors to the site.