| So, it's a healthy, bouncing baby boy....now | | | | This trend towards less conservative names in |
| what are you going to name him? | | | | the UK is increasing; at the beginning of the |
| | | | century, 7 out of the top 10 baby boy names |
| Well, if you want him to grow up to become a | | | | were biblical names. This has now reduced to |
| rough, tough icon of manliness, I suppose you | | | | 5, while at the same time, the names William |
| could call him "Marion" - at least that's | | | | ("Valiant, protector") and Harry (derivative |
| what John Wayne's parents did! | | | | of the traditional name Harold) have both |
| | | | entered the top 10 - anything to do with a |
| But seriously, if you are an American, there | | | | certain pair of Princes perhaps?? |
| is a big chance that the baby boy name you | | | | |
| choose will be something biblical. My own | | | | Part of the trend away from traditional boy |
| name, "Michael" was the most popular baby boy | | | | names is the tendency to use names that are |
| name in America every decade from the 1960s | | | | more modern - or "modern-sounding" - |
| through to the end of the century. I | | | | derivatives of traditional names. As shown, |
| supposed I'm biased, but I love the name. The | | | | Jack is the ultimate example of this and |
| literal meaning is "Who is like God"; Michael | | | | Harry is the other derivative name in the UK |
| was one of the original archangels and the | | | | top 10. And there are a host of other |
| leader of God's armies. Pretty powerful | | | | derivative names in the top 100, including |
| stuff for all the rest of us Michaels to live | | | | Jake (from Jacob), Charlie (Charles), Alfie |
| up to, eh? | | | | (Alfred), Joe (Joseph), Billy (William) and |
| | | | Freddie (Frederick). |
| Since the start of the new century, Michael | | | | |
| has been at number 2 in the list of American | | | | But is there any evidence of a move towards |
| baby boy names, beaten into first place by | | | | much more unique or unusual baby boy names? |
| Jacob - another biblical name meaning "Held | | | | Well, sadly, the answer is No. In the UK the |
| by the heel". 3rd in the list is Joshua ("God | | | | most unusual names in the top 100 list last |
| is salvation") - the biblical figure who led | | | | year were Kian at number 65, Kai ("Sea, |
| the Israelites into the promised land, and | | | | willow tree") at 67 and the Italian name Luca |
| 4th is Matthew ("A gift of God") - one of the | | | | ("bringer of light") at 83. Meanwhile, over |
| 12 Apostles. With Andrew ("Manly, | | | | in the US, Angel ("Angelic) at number 44, |
| courageous") and Daniel ("God is my judge") | | | | Hunter at 49 and Jayden/Jaden ("God has |
| also in the top 10 baby boy names, it is | | | | heard") at 62 and 83 respectively, were the |
| clear that Christianity is alive and well in | | | | only slightly unusual names. |
| America - at least in the baby boy names! | | | | |
| | | | The overall evidence is that, when it comes |
| The evidence is that Americans are quite | | | | to baby boy names, we tend to keep it |
| conservative in choosing baby boy names - | | | | traditional. Probably this has something to |
| much more so than with girls. The UK is a | | | | do with our expectations of the roles of |
| little less conservative - over the last 5 | | | | males in society and the need for them to be |
| years, the most popular baby boy name has | | | | respected. This is understandable, but |
| been Jack. Interestingly, this name has no | | | | perhaps we should be thinking a little |
| special meaning and is just a derivative of | | | | creatively about how we name our baby boys. |
| the biblical name John ("God is merciful"), | | | | Mr and Mrs Morrison did when they called |
| which now seems to have fallen out of favor. | | | | their son "Marion" - and look what happened |
| | | | to him..! |