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Parents of new babies sought unique or unusual baby names in 2012, according to BabyCenter. Sophia was the most popular girl’s name, while Aiden reigned as the most popular boy’s name. Parents want names with significance, whether it’s from the name itself – such as Sophia, which means wisdom – or because the name is associated with loved ones.
Pop culture continues to influence names. The book 50 Shades of Grey is credited with bumping Grey up 20%, Anastasia up 10%, and raising Ana 35 spots in 2012. However, the name of the book’s leading man, Christian, declined in popularity.
Technology and fairytales also serve as inspirations for names. Apple rose 15% for girls year-over-year, Mac for boys jumped 12%, and Siri climbed 5% among girls. Meanwhile, the increases in popularity of Hamish, Belle, Ruby, Angus, Finn, and August are attributed to the TV shows and movies Snow White and the Huntsman, Once Upon A Time, and Brave. [Note: Name variations such as different spellings are combined for the purposes of the survey.].
Source: BabyCenter, Mike Fogarty, SVP/Global Publisher, 163 Frelon St., San Francisco, CA 94107; 646-487-6380; 21centurymom@babycenter.com; www.babycentersolutions.com.
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