Sunday Rerun: Name Game! Shirley!

People just keep on having babies, which is great, because we need more people all the time! And every few years, someone with a very large broom comes along and sweeps up the overused names and replaces them a couple dozen fresher selections, just like they get rid of the rotisserie chicken over at the deli of the BuySumMor after it's been there a few days.

And so, as a public service to all those planning on blessed events later this year, here are what the good people over at babycenter.com figure are going to wind up as the most popular new kid in town names for 2018:




GIRLS                          BOYS

1 Emma                       Liam

2 Olivia                       Noah

3 Ava                          Oliver

4 Isabella                     Logan

5 Sophia                      Mason

6 Mia                          Lucas

7 Amelia                     Elijah

8 Harper                    Ethan

9 Charlotte                 Carter

10 Mila                        James

11 Aria                       Aiden

12 Avery                    Alexander

13 Ella                         Sebastian

14 Abigail                    Jacob

15 Layla                      Michael

16 Riley                      William

17 Scarlett                   Jackson

18 Evelyn                     Jayden

19 Penelope                 Julian

20 Chloe                     Benjamin

21 Zoey                      Grayson

22 Luna                       Gabriel

23 Emily                      Daniel

24 Sofia                       Matthew

25 Elizabeth                 Jack

Some of these names were popular when your grandfather's father was running around in his Stutz-Bearcat and are on the way back up. "Emma" was the name of my high school vice principal in charge of attendance, so I'm already pretty much Emma'ed out. The last two Laylas that I asked if they were named for the song looked at me quizzically and asked,"What song??" so I guessed not. 

And watch for Chloe to be in the top 10 next year, what with Chloe Kim doing so well at the Olympics.

As for the boys...I see that Noah is on an arc, landing right behind Liam, a name reserved for kids who have are a very particular set of skills, skills they will have acquired over a very long career.

A certain resident of Pennsylvania Av in Washington DC is insisting that "Donald" is the most popular name of all time, and that you have never seen a more popular name, believe him, but in fact, "Donald" checks in at #932 for 2018, having skidded down 145 places since 2017.

But don't get all insecure, POTUS.  "Oprah," a name I have expected to grow in popularity for decades now, is mired in 11,435th place.  Just ahead of "Olive Garden."