The New Top 100 Names

Yesterday the Social Security Administration released the new name data. I was sure it was going to happen before Mother's Day as it usually does. Yet, since they delayed the announcement to September last year, part of me felt like it was going to be that way from now on. It turns out that we've gone back to normal, though. 

No new names have entered the girls' top 10. Yet, my predictions for Olivia, Charlotte, Sophia, Amelia, and Isabella turned out to be correct. However, Ava did not outrank Emma, Evelyn rose to #9 instead of leaving, and Harper dropped to #10 instead of rising to #8. For the boys' names, Henry and Alexander returned to the top 10, replacing Mason and Ethan. Unlike the girls' names, I guessed fewer positions correctly: Liam, Elijah, and Henry. Oliver did not outrank Noah, William still outranks James, and Benjamin still outranks Lucas. 

For the girls' top 100, there were five newcomers: Brielle, Jade, Everleigh, Leilani, and Natalia. Brielle ranked in the top 100 in 2018 before leaving, and now it's back again. Brielle works nicely as an update to the dated Gabrielle and Brianna. Jade, too, ranked in the top 100 in the early 2000s for a short time. It's about time for Jade to return, especially in our age of gemstone, color, and nature names. Everleigh makes Everly much more popular than it already is at #43. Leilani is officially the first Hawaiian girls' name to make the top 100, as Kai was for boys in 2019. Leilani adds a Hawaiian spin to Arabic Layla. Finally, Natalia fits in with Olivia, Amelia, Emilia, and other elaborate girls' names ending in "a". With Natalie falling in use, Natalia makes a nice update. Natalia was popular in 2006 and 2010. Ten years later, Natalia is at its current peak at #84. I did not expect Natalia and Brielle to return to the top, but my guesses for Jade, Everleigh, and Leilani were correct. 

If five girls' names entered the top 100, then five have left: Vivian, Rylee, Clara, Julia, and Arya. My guesses for Rylee and Julia were correct. Yet, I was shocked Vivian, Clara, and Arya left. Vivian returned to the top 100 in 2014 and bounced around in the 90s until recently. This is a shame because Vivian peaked higher in its first heyday. Clara, too, is due to return to its peak in the top 10 soon but something's holding it and Vivian back. I don't know what that thing is. Arya dropped out of the top 100 as quickly as it entered. It jumped from #116 to #92 in 2019. Now it dropped back down to #112. Aria has also declined to #26 from #20. If parents are losing interest in Aria, then they might not want to use another spelling of the same name. 

Regarding the boys' top 100, there were only two newcomers: Silas and Brooks. I did not expect Silas to hit the top 100 this year because it jumped just three spots between 2018 and 2019. Yet, Silas is the type of name parents are looking for: a short antique nature name. Brooks, the other newcomer, was a name I predicted would enter the top 100. It has a natural connection and ends in "s", like Silas. Brooks is also a surname-name fitting in with Carter and Hudson. 

The two names that left the top 100 were Declan and Evan. I did not expect Declan to leave the top 100 because it just entered in 2019. The thing I've realized about top 100 newcomers, though, is that they have a risk of falling back out again if they come into the 90s. Declan ranked at #95 in 2019. I expected Evan to leave the top 100, though, because it ranked in the top 100 since the 1980s. Even though it is not dated, it's definitely not fresh anymore. 

One other memorable thing about the 2020 top 100 is Gianna's dramatic rise from #78 all the way to #12. It went from not being in the top 50 all the way to being in the top 20 because parents wanted to honor Kobe Bryant's daughter, who died in early 2020. Names that have risen that quickly are rare, but Gianna wasn't the first one. Addison jumped from #106 in 2005 all the way to #28 in 2006. 

Anyway, here are the new top 100 lists with the predicted names on the left. 

TOP 100 GIRLS' NAMES:

1. Olivia-Olivia (correct)
2. Emma-Ava
3. Ava-Emma
4. Charlotte-Charlotte (correct)
5. Sophia-Sophia (correct)
6. Amelia-Amelia (correct)
7. Isabella-Isabella (correct)
8. Mia-Harper
9. Evelyn-Mia
10. Harper-Luna
11. Camila-Evelyn
12. Gianna-Camila
13. Abigail-Ella
14. Luna-Abigail
15. Ella-Elizabeth
16. Elizabeth-Emily
17. Sofia-Mila
18. Emily-Sofia
19. Avery-Penelope
20. Mila-Scarlett
21. Scarlett-Aria
22. Eleanor-Avery
23. Madison-Layla
24. Layla-Eleanor
25. Penelope-Chloe
26. Aria-Nora
27. Chloe-Hazel
28. Grace-Victoria
29. Ellie-Emilia
30. Nora-Grace
31. Hazel-Everly
32. Zoey-Violet
33. Riley-Willow
34. Victoria-Madison
35. Lily-Hannah
36. Aurora-Aurora (correct)
37. Violet-Riley
38. Nova-Stella
39. Hannah-Zoey
40. Emilia-Lily
41. Zoe-Zoe (correct)
42. Stella-Ellie
43. Everly-Isla
44. Isla-Lillian
45. Leah-Nova
46. Lillian-Lucy
47. Addison-Leah
48. Willow-Eliana
49. Lucy-Natalie
50. Paisley-Paisley (correct)
51. Natalie-Audrey
52. Naomi-Bella
53. Eliana-Ivy
54. Brooklyn-Elena
55. Elena-Valentina
56. Aubrey-Naomi
57. Claire-Genesis
58. Ivy-Aubrey
59. Kinsley-Claire
60. Audrey-Brooklyn
61. Maya-Ruby
62. Genesis-Addison
63. Skylar-Skylar (correct)
64. Bella-Maya
65. Aaliyah-Caroline
66. Madelyn-Savannah
67. Savannah-Alice
68. Anna-Arya
69. Delilah-Anna
70. Serenity-Cora
71. Caroline-Ariana
72. Kennedy-Josephine
73. Valentina-Kinsley
74. Ruby-Everleigh
75. Sophie-Gianna
76. Alice-Aaliyah
77. Gabriella-Sophie
78. Sadie-Kennedy
79. Ariana-Madelyn
80. Allison-Alaia
81. Hailey-Hailey (correct)
82. Autumn-Delilah
83. Nevaeh-Serenity
84. Natalia-Sadie
85. Quinn-Gabriella
86. Josephine-Piper
87. Sarah-Quinn
88. Cora-Eva
89. Emery-Clara
90. Samantha-Sarah
91. Piper-Autumn
92. Leilani-Leilani (correct)
93. Eva-Allison
94. Eveleigh-Samantha
95. Madeline-Athena
96. Lydia-Emery
97. Jade-Vivian
98. Peyton-Jade
99. Brielle-Lydia
100. Adeline-Nevaeh

TOP 100 BOYS' NAMES:

1. Liam-Lian (correct)
2. Noah-Oliver
3. Oliver-Noah
4. Elijah-Elijah (correct)
5. William-James
6. James-William
7. Benjamin-Lucas
8. Lucas-Benjamin
9. Henry-Henry (correct)
10. Alexander-Mason
11. Mason-Ethan
12. Michael-Alexander
13. Ethan-Logan
14. Daniel-Daniel (correct)
15. Jacob-Jack
16. Logan-Sebastian
17. Jackson-Michael
18. Levi-Jacob
19. Sebastian-Mateo
20. Mateo-Levi
21. Jack-Jackson
22. Owen-Owen (correct)
23. Theodore-Samuel
24. Aiden-Joseph
25. Samuel-Aiden
26. Joseph-Julian
27. John-Wyatt
28. David-Matthew
29. Wyatt-Theodore
30. Matthew-John
31. Luke-Grayson
32. Asher-Leo
33. Carter-David
34. Julian-Lincoln
35. Grayson-Luke
36. Leo-Isaac
37. Jayden-Carter
38. Gabriel-Asher
39. Isaac-Josiah
40. Lincoln-Anthony
41. Anthony-Ezra
42. Hudson-Gabriel
43. Dylan-Jayden
44. Ezra-Maverick
45. Thomas-Hudson
46. Charles-Thomas
47. Christopher-Christopher (correct)
48. Jaxon-Jaxon (correct)
49. Maverick-Andrew
50. Josiah-Dylan
51. Isaiah-Adrian
52. Andrew-Colton
53. Elias-Charles
54. Joshua-Elias
55. Nathan-Joshua
56. Caleb-Isaiah
57. Ryan-Christian
58. Adrian-Santiago
59. Miles-Ezekiel
60. Eli-Caleb
61. Nolan-Miles
62. Christian-Nolan
63. Aaron-Roman
64. Cameron-Nathan
65. Ezekiel-Jameson
66. Colton-Aaron
67. Luca-Ryan
68. Landon-Jonathan
69. Hunter-Eli
70. Jonathan-Cameron
71. Santiago-Luca
72. Axel-Angel
73. Easton-Landon
74. Cooper-Axel
75. Jeremiah-Easton
76. Angel-Greyson
77. Roman-Jeremiah
78. Connor-Brooks
79. Jameson-Hunter
80. Robert-Connor
81. Greyson-Leonardo
82. Jordan-Robert
83. Ian-Cooper
84. Carson-Nicholas
85. Jaxson-Everett
86. Leonardo-Kai
87. Nicholas-Ian
88. Dominic-Declan
89. Austin-Waylon
90. Everett-Dominic
91. Brooks-Wesley
92. Xavier-Jaxson
93. Kai-Carson
94. Jose-Xavier
95. Parker-Emmett
96. Adam-Jose
97. Jace-Bennett
98. Wesley-Jace
99. Kayden-Austin
100. Silas-Jordan

I guessed 11 positions correctly for the girls and 7 for the boys. Not bad, I guess.