The top baby names of 2010 for each state were released by the Social Security Administration today. Check it out to cluck disapprovingly of your neighbors.
To get a sense of geographical variations, I made a list of the top boy's and girl's name in each state that was not in the national Top 10. In other words, these are the names that you'll hear screamed across the food court at the local mall but aren't so common in other states.
Nationally, the top boy's names are Jacob, Ethan, Michael, Jayden, William, Alexander, Noah, Daniel, Aiden, and Anthony. For girls, the top names are Isabella, Sophia, Emma, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Madison, Chloie, and Mia.
BOY'S NAMES OUTLIERS (highest in state not in Top 10 nationally)
(rank within state in parentheses)
Several names are quite popular in states with a lot of white rural residents but don't show up very high in the national rankings. For example, Mason is the most popular boy's name in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, but it's 38th in California and 31st in New York, leaving it 12th nationally. The Irish-accented Ryan is still No. 1 in Massachusetts, but it's 23rd nationally.
I don't know why Brayden (40th nationally) is at No. 3 in Kentucky, but I wonder if there's a sports-related reason. It's comforting to see the ultimate Western name, Wyatt, in the top spot in Montana even though it's 57th nationally.
- Alabama: James (2)
- Alaska: James (2)
- Arizona: Angel (10)
- Arkansas: Elijah (3)
- California: Angel (5)
- Colorado: Liam (6)
- Connecticut: Matthew (4)
- Delaware: James (4)
- District of Columbia: Henry (3)
- Florida: Joshua (7)
- Georgia: Joshua (4)
- Hawaii: Elijah (3)
- Idaho: Samuel (2)
- Illinois: Joshua (9)
- Indiana: Mason (4)
- Iowa: Mason (2)
- Kansas: Elijah (5)
- Kentucky: Brayden (3)
- Louisiana: Mason (3)
- Maine: Owen (1)
- Maryland: Joshua (2)
- Massachusetts: Ryan (1)
- Michigan: Logan (4)
- Minnesota: Mason (1)
- Mississippi: James (2)
- Missouri: Mason (2)
- Montana: Wyatt (1)
- Nebraska: Mason (2)
- Nevada: David (6)
- New Hampshire: Logan (1)
- New Jersey: Ryan (2)
- New Mexico: Elijah (1)
- New York: Joseph (6)
- North Carolina: Elijah (3)
- North Dakota: Mason (1)
- Ohio: Mason (2)
- Oklahoma: Elijah (3)
- Oregon: Logan (2)
- Pennsylvania: Mason (3)
- Rhode Island: Logan (1)
- South Carolina: James (2)
- South Dakota: Mason (2)
- Tennessee: Elijah (3)
- Texas: Jose (2)
- Utah: Mason (2)
- Vermont: Logan (1)
- Virginia: James (7)
- Washington: Logan (6)
- West Virginia: Mason (2)
- Wisconsin: Mason (1)
- Wyoming: James (1)
GIRL'S NAMES OUTLIERS (highest in state not in Top 10 nationally)
(rank within state in parentheses)
Not as much variety with the girls. Looking at this list, it hardly seems possible that Addison didn't make the national Top 10, but, like Mason, its popularity seems to be populated in white, rural areas. It ranked 6th in Vermont but 43rd in next-door New York. And it was 3rd in Arkansas but 54th in California. Ella was apparently a Northern phenomenon, coming in 5th in Montana and 6th in Wisconsin but 37th in Texas.
- Alabama: Elizabeth (8)
- Alaska: Elizabeth (7)
- Arizona: Natalie (10)
- Arkansas: Addison (3)
- California: Samantha (6)
- Colorado: Elizabeth (8)
- Connecticut: Gabriella (9)
- Delaware: Leah (9)
- District of Columbia: Charlotte (3)
- Florida: none (same Top 10 as in US)
- Georgia: Addison (10)
- Hawaii: Hailey (8)
- Idaho: Elizabeth (6)
- Illinois: Grace (10)
- Indiana: Addison (6)
- Iowa: Addison (6)
- Kansas: Addison (6)
- Kentucky: Addison (4)
- Louisiana: Addison (8)
- Maine: Ella (7)
- Maryland: Elizabeth (10)
- Massachusetts: Ella (8)
- Michigan: Addison (7)
- Minnesota: Ella (7)
- Mississippi: Addison (3)
- Missouri: Addison (7)
- Montana: Ella (5)
- Nebraska: Addison (6)
- Nevada: Samantha (9)
- New Hampshire: Ella (8)
- New Jersey: Samantha (8)
- New Mexico: Nevaeh (5)
- New York: none (same Top 10 as in US)
- North Carolina: Addison (8)
- North Dakota: Addison (3)
- Ohio: Addison (6)
- Oklahoma: Addison (4)
- Oregon: Ella (8)
- Pennsylvania: Ella (9)
- Rhode Island: Ella (8)
- South Carolina: Elizabeth (9)
- South Dakota: Brooklyn (6)
- Tennessee: Addison (4)
- Texas: Natalie (10)
- Utah: Lily (5)
- Vermont: Addison (6)
- Virginia: Elizabeth (10)
- Washington: Elizabeth (8)
- West Virginia: Alexis (5)
- Wisconsin: Ella (6)
- Wyoming: Lillian (7)
Funny that there are so many Ella's (but no Eleanor). There is a popular book series out for girls (Ella Enchanted). Is the name popular because of the book, or is the book capitalizing on a popular name?
Posted by: Laurette Burgess | May 10, 2011 at 05:48 PM
Maybe Ella Enchanted had an effect. The name isn't as popular in the Bible Belt. Perhaps because the books are about sorcery and fairy godmothers and the like?
Posted by: Robert David Sullivan | May 10, 2011 at 06:09 PM