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.

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.

It's time to get (un)inspired

We blog a lot about where to look for baby name inspiration. From football stars to relatives to celebrities, it seems name ideas are everywhere you look.

But what about those times you’re not looking for your baby name muse to put the perfect name in your head? What about those times when you want to knock names out of the running?

To help out with this, we put together a list of un-inspiring situations. It’s those times you’ll want to listen up for names you might want to weed out of your potential name collection.

The New Neighborhood. You just moved in, so the neighbors, and their new baby, swing by with a Jello Mold to welcome you. Listen closely to the name of that little one. It could get plain confusing when Kate comes over to play with your Kate. Or Justin is out back playing ball with your Justin. We’re confused already!

Your Favorite Places. When you’re out at the mall or walking by the local playground, listen up for those names that are shouted out as little ones bounce too far away from mom. “Davis, come here!” “Madison, stay with Mommy!” You can’t change other children’s names, so if you’re seeking a unique name, don’t look for inspiration by the jungle gym.

Your Morning Read. Whether on the train or on the back porch, look at that newspaper. Most newspapers publish birth announcements weekly, so check out who’s who in your hospital’s nursery. (If you can’t find it in the paper, some hospitals have online nurseries you can peek into.)

The Dirty Dog Salon. You may really like the name Roman. Just remember, as a child your spouse had a puppy called Roman. And that four-legged stigma will probably always go right along with the name. Besides when neighbors holler “Lassie!” from the front porch, you don’t want your little one to run to their doorstep.

Where do you look to get uninspired? Old yearbooks? History documentaries? Let us know!

(Also, be sure to check in next week. We’ll be recapping November’s top names. It might be a close race! See if you can predict Nymbler's most popular names.)

October's Most Popular Baby Names

It’s the first Friday of the month, so we’re going to check on some favorite names (and some not so favorite names) according to you, the Nymbler community.

Here at Nymbler we hope everyone had a great October. As far as names go, just like last month, Ava had the best month among female names. And fighting his way back to the top spot is Jack, who was slightly edged out by Benjamin (#2 in October) in September. The runner-up in female names is Elizabeth, followed by Hannah, Anna and Sophie. For the boys, Benjamin is trailed by James, Owen and Simon.

Our top blocked names were mostly male in October, with only two female names (Anna and Rachel) making the top 10. The male-dominated blocked list includes Reid, Brayden, Vaughn, Levi and Brady.

The top emailed names in October were Benjamin, Ava, Jack, Noah and Owen. And names most often suggested by Nymbler include Rachel, Sarah, Anna and Max.

Another "Top 10 Names" list we compiled is made up of the names that are manually added to inspirations, but Nymbler doesn’t have enough information about quite yet. That top 10 list looks like this:

Lilah
Zach
Mila
Cate
Sloan
Zara
Gray
Tegan
Scarlet
Scout

We can only guess that Mila is becoming popular because of actress Milla Jovovich (and she’s due this weekend!) Zara might be gaining speed because of the clothing line of the same name that is becoming more popular. Gray might be rising because of television's Grey's Anatomy. And we have a feeling Tegan is requested because of the sister-singing sensation Tegan and Sara.

What names do you wish Nymbler knew? Let us know so we can add them to our "Names to teach Nymbler" list.

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.”