Nymbler Trendspotting #2: A History Lesson

The second trend we're going to look at takes us to many different places. The first stop may be your very own town. But before we can go there, we need to go back in time.

When cities and states were being colonized in “The New World,” many places were named after the people founding them or someone close to them. For example, Georgia was named after King George I of Britain. Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV of France. Pennsylvania for its founder, William Penn. And Maryland for Henrietta Maria de Bourbon, wife of Charles I.

Nowadays, we aren’t naming places after our loved ones or our contractors who build our homes. But, we are seeing a little bit of history repeating, only this time, in reverse.

Today we see names such as Brooklyn, Boston and Dallas appearing more and more. With the popularity of Paris Hilton, maybe city names will be the new trend.

If you’re thinking place names might be the way you want to go, Nymbler a few to find out. Get started with our short list: Camden, Trenton, London, Aspen, Austin. And be sure to let us know if your favorite place is missing.

Nymbler Trendspotting #1: From Surname to First Name

Nymbler’s been watching the trends for a while now, so we figured it was time we break down some of the more prevalent trends that we’ve noticed. What will we tackle first? Last names as first names.

In our list of Top Names of 2007, we found quite a few last names that have made their way to the front of a signature. While that short-list is dominated by male names, the last name chart topper was the female form of the androgynous Avery at #20. The closest contender was Riley at #62.

Boys’ (last) names that made the Top 100 of 2007 include Brady at #57, Grant at #65, Logan at #69 and Jackson at #76.

While we’ve split them into male and female names, many last names are androgynous when used as first names, including the aforementioned Avery and Logan. Others include Bailey, Taylor, Jordan and Morgan.

Using a last name as a first name is a good way to please multiple family members at once. Just think, you can please Aunt Mildred, Uncle Wilson and your Grandfather, William all by using their surname. Not all last names carry over as well as others, so just be sure you know where to draw the line.

Happy New Year Nymbler! (Part 3)

Last time, we dissected our numbers and broke down Nymbler’s Top Ten names of 2007. But now, we’re turning our eyes on popular baby names outside the US. What we learned is that, when English is the language, some names are truly global.

Worldwide, Jack has a strong showing on a few lists. (Remember, Jack was first in Nymbler’s Top Ten.) In England, Australia and New Zealand Jack took the top spot in the most popular boys’ names of 2007. Scotland made up its own mind though, with Lewis kicking the reigning Jack out of first place.

The girls’ lists are a little more complicated. In England, Grace topped the list and Ava (Nymbler’s #1) was nowhere to be found. Australians chose the name Olivia most for their newborn girls. And the close by New Zealand chose Ella as the top girls’ name. In Scotland, Sophie took the top spot.

In a completely different area of the world, the Japanese top ten list was led by Hiroto (male) and Aoi (female.) Hiroto is made up of two Japanese characters meaning “big” and “flying in the air.” Aoi’s character is representative of the mallow plant, a medicinal plant.

While the global lists don’t match up, one thing’s for sure, families will always be naming their new additions and Nymbler will be there counting the names.

Happy New Year Nymbler! (Part 2)

Yes, we’re still celebrating the New Year. But today we’re also celebrating Nymbler’s newest additions – more names!

We’ve just added a handful of new names that made the top list in the past year and some that you suggested. More names mean more inspirations and even better name suggestions. It’s the first of many enhancements planned for 2008.

So you may be wondering where those new names are hiding. Well, here’s a few starting places: Madigan, Gray, Lorelai, Cain and Ronin. Go ahead and poke around, we’re sure you’ll find even more names.

What!? Nymbler still doesn’t know your favorite name? Be sure to let us know, we’re adding to our name lists all the time.

Happy New Year Nymbler!

It’s 2008, and Nymbler is ready to see what baby names will be on top this year. But before we try to forecast what name will earn the #1 spot in 2008, let’s look back at some of the top names of 2007.

And 2007’s top names are… (drumroll, please…) Jack & Ava! Here’s a look at the overall top 10, broken down by gender:

Male
1. Jack
2. Benjamin
3. Owen
4. Noah
5. James
6. Reid
7. Max
8. Nathan
9. Finn
10. Hayden

Female
1. Ava
2. Charlotte
3. Elizabeth
4. Hannah
5. Sophie
6. Ella
7. Anna
8. Lily
9. Olivia
10. Abigail

We had a feeling Jack and Ava would take the top slots on our list. As far as the boys go, we see some trends including some Biblical names ¬– Benjamin, Noah, James – and some good, strong names that have stood the test of time – Jack, James, Reid. The girls also have a trend toward the Biblical – Elizabeth, Hannah, Anna – and some old-fashioned names – Sophie, Olivia and Charlotte.


With each name that’s added to the “Favorites” list, the overall rankings change. We’ve compiled the list of the fastest movers from Nymbler during 2007. These are the names that jumped in the rankings, some by more than 3,000 places!

Male
1. O’Rourke
2. Wright
3. Morton
4. Weaver
5. Milford

Female
1. Shawn
2. Ray
3. Joey
4. Marsha
5. Lois

It sounds like the boys are going more toward surnames and first names. And it looks as though the boys’ names are creeping over to the girl’s list. We’re anticipating some of these trends might hold for 2008.


We’re anxious to see if our names will match up with the US Social Security Data from 2007. Either way, we know our Nymbler statistics represent what you are looking for. And who knows, maybe our 2007 list, will match the 2008 data.

Happy New Year and Happy Nymblering in 2008!

November's Most Popular Baby Names

We've done it again! We looked what all Nymbler users were searching for during November. We're seeing some overall trends of 2007 here, but you'll have to wait till after the holidays to see what Nymbler's top names of 2007 were.

During November, there were more than 25,000 Nymbler users emailing, adding, blocking and seeking more information about names. Here's our overall Top Ten:

1. Ava
2. Jack
3. Benjamin
4. Hannah
5. Elizabeth
6. Sophie
7. Owen
8. Olivia
9. Charlotte
10. Abigail

Where are the boys at? It looks like everyone is expecting (or hoping for a little girl.) Other boys' names that just missed out overall top ten are Noah, James, Reid and Gabriel.


So what are the top blocked names? Well the leader is a boy's name that just missed the top ten. Here's our blocked names Top Ten:

1. Reid
2. Brayden
3. Lena
4. Victoria
5. Anna
6. Kenyatta (male)
7. Brady
8. Jack
9. Kwame
10. Hayden (male)

Again, it looks like girls' names are getting more love than male names. Maybe we're all just pickier when it comes to our little boys. We were surprised to find Jack in the list of the top blocked names. He was #1 last month for the guys!


Lastly, we've found that many Nymbler users start off knowing the names they'd like to use for inspiration. We add those to our "User Inspiration" list. Here's our inspired Nymbler users' Top Ten:

1. Grace
2. Ava
3. Elizabeth
4. Olivia
5. Jack
6. James
7. Henry
8. Emma
9. William
10. Noah

Looks like Nymbler users know what they want. And your own inspirations have factored into our Top Ten list overall. It just may be that the Nymbler karma of adding your own name is rubbing off on other Nymbler users.


Is your favorite name missing from the Top Ten? Or is there a name you hate on our top ten that you can't wait to see on the blocked list? Get over to Nymbler right away and start e-mailing those names around.

Are you ready for some football?! Baby name-style!

Football season is in full swing. And while we're not exactly following all the games, we are always checking out the names that are making headlines. You never know where you'll find baby name inspiration. And with more and more searching for unique baby boy names, why not look to the roster of your favorite team?

While you can find out the standings of your favorite team, it takes a little more digging to find out how their quarterbacks match up against one another. So, we've done the work for you. No, we didn't compare passing yards and touchdowns. We compared their first names, of course!

So here it is, the top ten NFL teams' quarterbacks face off to see where their names rank. (Teams are listed in NFL rank.)

New England Patriots – Tom Brady
His team may be first, but his name isn't! Tom peaked in 1959 and currently is not ranked in the top 1000 baby names. (His full name is Thomas which comes in at #40)

Dallas Cowboys – Tony Romo
Tony peaked soon after in 1961 and is currently #320. (Although it's usually a nickname for Anthony, Tony's full name is Antonio which is ranked #92.)

Green Bay Packers – Brett Favre
Most popular in 1986, Brett is currently #242 and dropping at about a 25% rate.

Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning
Now at #138, Peyton is at its highest rank ever among boys’ names. (Maybe that's due in part to Manning's 10-year career – the name is still climbing at about a 60% rate!)

Pittsburgh Steelers – Ben Roethlisberger
It was at its peak in 1918, but today Ben comes in at #543 in the top 1000. (Although it's usually a nickname for Benjamin, this QB's full name is just Ben.)

Detroit Lions – Jon Kitna
Currently at #433, Jon hit its peak in 1964 and is declining at a 16% rate. (The more popular John is #18.)

Jacksonville Jaguars – David Garrard
Although it peaked in 1955, David is still ranked in the top 20 boys' names – it's #14.

New York Giants – Eli Manning
Ranked #152, Eli is in its peak and still on the rise. (Looks like the Manning parents had a knack for naming and raising QBs!)

Tennessee Titans – Vince Young
Most popular in 1962, Vince is no longer ranked in the top 1000 boys' names. (It's another nickname too! This QB's full name, Vincent, is #111 and on the rise.)

Buffalo Bills – J.P. (Jonathan Paul) Losman
The first in the bunch to stump Nymbler! J.P. isn't included in our database. (But Jonathan is! It's at #19.)

Did we miss your favorite team or player? Nymbler your top NFL name and let us know where it stands.

What OTHER baby name sites?

Yes, there are other baby name sites out there. And yes, we admittedly look at a few of them from time to time. Don't get us wrong, Nymbler is by far our favorite. And in our bias opinion, it's the best baby name tool around. But, there are a few baby name sites that are fun to play with. Here are a look at the best from around the web and around the world.

Baby Name Wizard – Developed by Nymbler's own Laura Wattenberg, this is one of the best baby name tools out there. We just love the way it charts the names. This one will definitely keep you busy at work on a dull morning.

Baby Name Game – All the way from the UK, this one caught our eye because of the fun certificates you can print out. While the database doesn't include all names, it can give you a "prediction" of how rich your baby might be when he or she grows up. (Note: It says you need to input your postcode… we just used their example so we could play too!)

Name by Numbers – It's not exactly a baby name site, but it's still fun. Input your baby’s full name (or prospective full name) and see what the "expression or destiny" of the name is. Also find out the "Soul Urge" number of the name is.

Celebrity Baby Names Blog – We think it's important to keep up with the Hollywood trends, so we're always sure to read as many blogs as possible. This is one of our top picks since it features news specifically about, as its name implies, celebrity baby names. (There's also a celebrity baby bump watch which we love to check up on.)


Nymbler, and all of these resources, can help you find a name that is perfect for your baby. But, your search shouldn't end with what the numbers say about a name or what the latest baby name craze is on Rodeo Drive. You should choose a name that you and your partner agree on. And when you find that perfect name, chances are you'll know it when you say it.

It’s a two-newspaper town

Boston, that is.

Nymbler is nestled right outside of Boston so we were excited to see this news story. It turns out a couple in Tyler, Texas has named their baby boy after one of our two daily news sources.

According to the Houston Chronicle the baby, born October 8, was named “Boston” after the famous rock band. The middle name came in a moment of inspiration while the couple was watching a TV show that mentioned the Boston Herald. Apparently, “Harold” is a family name on both sides, and so was named “Boston Harold Morgan.”

As for the Boston Globe, well, we’re not giving up yet. We haven’t heard of any babies with the name, but you never know. Although “Herald” and “Globe” aren’t in Nymbler’s database, “Boston” is, along with other city names including Troy, London, Hudson and Austin.

OCT. 26 - UPDATE: With the Boston Red Sox in the World Series now, we wanted to include another story about the "Boston" naming trend. Apparently it's a more popular name that you might have imagined.

It's Baby-Blog Action Day!

All around the world, all around the web, it's Blog Action Day. So,
we're taking a break from talking about the most popular baby names
today (just one day) to join with more than 11,000 blogs to discuss
the same issue -- the environment.

But how could we stray too far from baby names when we're talking
about our beloved Mother Earth? So, we scoured the web to come up with this handy tip.

Baby Name Books -- We all have them, we all love them. But what good are they when we're finished naming babies? Whatever you do, don't throw them away! Here's a clever idea -- save the book for your child when he or she grows up. Keep all your notes, ideas and annotations in there too! This way you can explain you didn't just pick the first name that came to mind.

If you'd rather your child not hold grudges on why their name is
"Michelle" instead of "Melissa," here are some other ideas.

Hand it off to a friend or family member. Or, donate it to a library.
If you're the auctioning type, resell your book on eBay, Half.com or
Amazon. As a last resort, you can always take it to your local
recycling center.

There are recycling centers for more than just books out there. If
you're thinking it's time to replace that computer you're Nymblering
on, be sure you don't bury your old PC in the dump.

There are many great programs and ideas out there. Be sure to share your Mother Earth-friendly tips with our team.

A Busy September

Results are in from our September Nymblers – that is, folks who have visited the site. Once again we have some interesting data to share…

The top names last month were Ava and Benjamin. These are the names marked as a favorite the most times. Ella was more than 100 votes behind Ava. For the boys it was a tighter race, with Jack only 11 votes short of the top spot.

We saw some new names jump in the popularity ratings as well. For the girls, the biggest gainers were Sanne, Farrah, Peggy and Clotilde. The boys’ fastest movers were Konner, Sven, Tyme and Nigel.

New names that had never been marked as favorites before included Missy, Sotiria, Wilhelm, Milan and Peta. In contrast, those that saw no love include Corey, Justice, Sandrine and Chancellor.

Our most recent feature addition was the “Blocked Names” list. From the looks of it, either we’re all searching for girl names or we’re just more picky about them.

So what names end up on that list most often? (The number after indicates the total number of times blocked.)
Reid (655)
Victoria (644)
Anna (641)
Ivy (606)
Lena (602)
Naomi (599)
Rachel (599)
Antonia (598)
Sarah (581)
Rebecca (579)


The true measure of names that must be the top favorites are those e-mailed to friends and family. Most often the top names are the most e-mailed, and they are:
Charlotte
Ava
Benjamin
Jack
Olivia
Nora
Audrey
Owen
Reid
Caleb

We were surprised to see Reid end up on both the “Top Blocked” and “Top Emailed” lists. We figured it would be one or the other. But that’s the best part of Nymbler, you never know what names you’ll end up with.

What Nymbler suggestions have surprised you most? Finnegan? Arwen? Whisper? Let us know!

Nymbler's Other Side

No, Nymbler doesn't have an alternate, darker side. It's just that we’ve also found some new ways people are using Nymbler.

Check out some of these ideas from around the Web and around the Nymbler Nest:

- Over at brandy.vox.com, Brandy said,
I've been collecting baby name books since I was a little girl because I'm fascinated by names and because they're always handy for naming characters in stories or role-playing games.
Looks like Nymbler is great for all those writer’s blocks out there.

- Candace at Webware.com says:
The site seems to be intended for naming a child, but is probably a handy tool for soon-to-be dog owners…

- Daphna right here at the Nest suggested putting in your sibling’s names to see what you should’ve been named.

- Also around the office we heard that Kelly has been naming her friends' cars. (The most recent took the name "Mitch.")

What have you named with Nymbler? Or do you have an office game of “weirdest name” going around? If so, let us in on the fun.

How about them Cubbies?

We’ve heard of babies named after celebrities and film characters. And there’s the new trend of naming your children after cities we’ve never been to (Paris, Brooklyn, Madison.) And recently to-be parents have made the news with names like “@” and “4Real.”

But here’s something different: Wrigley.

Yes, as in the infamous Wrigley family -- the gum, the building and the stadium where the Chicago Cubs play all their home games.

And is it a bad first name? No, not really. But when you pair it with the last name Fields, it becomes “Wrigley Fields.” The new parents, devoted Cubs fans, actually have been planning the name for 15 years.

Dad says “he can go by his middle name if he wants to… we’ll go with Wrigley for now.” Wrigley’s middle name is Alexander.

What do you think? Is your baby's name the place to show your fanaticism?

The Twin Test

We’ve mentioned before that one of Nymbler’s many talents is finding sibling names. So, when we came across a list of the most popular twin names of 2006, we decided to put Nymbler to a test.

The Challenge: Put in one name and see if its match (according to the list) appears as a suggestion.

The List: According to the Social Security Administration this is the top ten list of twin names given in 2006. (The number shows how many times the pair was used.)

1. Jacob / Joshua (67)
2. Matthew / Michael (54)
3. Daniel / David (52)
4. Ella / Emma (38)
5. Isaac / Isaiah (38)
6. Madison / Morgan (36)
7. Landon / Logan (35)
8. Taylor / Tyler (35)
9. Brandon / Bryan (34)
10. Christian / Christopher (33)

The Results: Four sets of the names showed up as matches for each other in the first try. Three sets showed up on the second page. Another two showed up on the third page. And only one set (Brandon/Bryan) didn’t appear in the first five pages of results.

Nymbler’s Conclusions: We learned a few things after our little test. First, we saw that Americans stick to a twin naming recipe for boys more than girls. (Eight out the top ten twin pairs are male.)

Second, we learned Nymbler is thinking along the same lines as you. And we’re excited to know we’re on the right track.

Big things are developing here at Nymbler. Continue checking in to see what the fall holds for “Your Personal Baby Name Assistant.”

Choosing a name is hard work

When you’re planning for a new baby, there are a million things to think about. And while we think choosing a name is one of the most fun parts, it can also seem to be the most daunting.

So, to help make the naming process even more fun, we’ve put together a list of naming tips from around the Nymbler office. Here’s what we’ve come up with so far:

1. The Laundry List: First, brainstorm and think of all the names you like. Make a list. Then, make a separate list of all the names you dislike. Have your partner do the same and compare lists. You may find some common names on each. Or, you may find some difference in opinion that may help you narrow down your choices.

2. Name Tests: We’ve written about the presidential test, the judicial test and the cyber-space test. But don’t limit your baby to just those categories. You never know, your son or daughter could grow up to be a rock star, an astronaut or a journalist for the New York Times. If you only like your favorite name in one of these situations, think twice before pigeonholing your baby into a career.

3. The Full Name: Write it down, say it aloud, yell it across the back yard. If you can imagine yourself sounding like a broken record as you tell your son or daughter to clean their room, then you might have found a winner. Saying the full name will also eliminate problems such as rhyming names or too much alliteration.

4. Take your Time: Who says you have to have your mind made up? You don’t name a puppy without seeing it, so why your baby. Have your list narrowed down and make your decision when you hold your baby for the first time. If the name is right, you’ll feel it.

Do you have name tips you are sticking to? How does a name make it to your “top names list?” Share your name tips with Nymbler.

Nymbler is missing my name!

Here at Nymbler we get e-mails all the time about names, spellings and gender differences you wished were in our database. While we’ve included more than 6,000 names, there are some great names coming across our desks every day.

Some gender differences include:
Indigo – as a girl’s name, not just for boys.
Harper – as a boy’s name, not just for girls.
Sky – also for a boy, as in short for “Schyler.”
Karol – for a boy too. (One Nymbler user reminded us it was the given name of Pope John Paul II.)

Some suggested names to add:
Calder (boy)
Rosamund
Saskia
Philomela

Not only do we look at names you e-mail to us, we also see all the names our users enter that they don’t find in the database. Here’s a list of the top ten names you’ve requested that Nymbler hasn’t learned about. (The number after the name is the total number of times it has been requested.)

1. Scout (21)
2. Finnegan (12)
3. Lennon (12)
4. Gray (11)
5. Arwen (11)
6. Zara (10)
7. Zach (9)
8. Zahara (8)
9. Tegan (8)
10. Eben (8)

Just because these (and many other) names didn’t make Nymbler’s list, don’t worry… they’re still great names. And remember, Nymbler will continue to grow.

Here are some other interesting names Nymbler users have entered:
Topher
Paisley
Lorelai
Case
Auden
Maile

What names do you wish Nymbler had included in the database? Share your favorite names and any information you have about them right here in our blog. We’re listening and your contributions will help us increase the size of Nymbler’s name list.

Nymbler’s guilty pleasure

We have to admit… we’re addicted to celebrity baby gossip! Important topics we think about:

· We’d like to stick a pin in Salma Hayek – she's ready to pop
· We think Nicole Richie looks pretty, happy and healthy – a welcome change
· Christina Aguilera - baby bump?
· And, we think Elizabeth Hasselbeck should consider having the baby on The View, then we'll all be a part of it.

And being based in Massachusetts, we couldn’t help but notice the buzz about New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Bridget Moynahan’s (Coyote Ugly; I, Robot) new baby. While the newspapers and radio talk shows have been filled with different reports on what the baby’s name is, we’ve heard it is Jonathan Edward Thomas Moynahan.

This name is a little more calm than others we’ve heard recently. Here is the short list of names that caught our attention.

· Jacinda Barrett (The Last Kiss) & Gabriel Macht (The Good Shepherd) – Satine Anais Geraldine
· Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg) & Bodhi Elfman – Story Elias
· Naomi Watts (King Kong, I Heart Huckabees) and boyfriend Liev Schreiber (The Manchurian Candidate, The Painted Veil) – Alexander Pete
· Grant Hill (Phoenix Suns) & Tamia (R&B singer) – Lael Rose


What’s your favorite celebrity baby name – Suri, Pilot Inspektor, Apple?

Yet another baby name test

There’s the presidential test, – President insert baby’s name – the judicial test – Supreme Court Justice insert baby’s name – and now we can add one more to the list: the Internet test – www.insertbaby’sname.com.

According to the Associated Press, some parents are leaving the hospital with a new baby and a new Internet domain to take care of. In fact, one parent interviewed said that was a requirement for names he and his wife liked – they must have an available .com.

But it doesn’t stop there. Some parents are registering e-mail addresses in baby’s names too. Maybe it will help stop the annoying and forgettable numeric phrase found at the end of most e-mail addresses, but does it leave children with any privacy?

Perhaps purchasing your baby’s name as their own personal domain may serve them in the future, but there is also an opportunity to serve your family now. Everyone who wants to see pictures of the new baby will know the name, so why not post a password-protected photo site to share with all your friends and family.

Many services including Bundlo.com offer baby blogs for parents to share updates on their newest addition. Purchasing your baby’s name as the domain might just be one way for the family to easily remember where to go.

Do web sites raise privacy concerns for your baby? Or is a baby's blog a useful tool to share baby updates with loved ones?

“@! Clean your room!”

We recently wrote about a New Zealand couple wanting to name their baby “4Real.” It seems a Chinese couple is trying to one up them with the baby name “@,” pronounced “ai-ta.”

According to Reuters News, the parents said the Chinese translation of the common e-mail symbol is “love him,” a sentiment obviously felt for their child.

The Chinese language has no alphabet but instead uses thousands of complex characters to represent words. Nonetheless, “@” is an extreme example of people’s new exploratory approach to the language according to the State Language Commission deputy chief.

While we don’t think “@,” “&” or “#” will be added to the Nymbler database anytime soon, this naming conundrum is still quite interesting. In a society where language is represented by characters, is “@” pushing the limits too far?

And what would the American equivalent be? Pronouns? Product names? Phonetic spellings? While this could lead to some strange names, maybe that's part of the beauty of America - you can name your baby whatever you wish.