SSA 2011 Name List!

[chex]

It was released today.

http://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/popularnames.cgi

[Wesley]

Wow, that is the first time Sarah/Sara and Jennifer have not made it in to the top 25.

[chex]

Gee, thanks for that, Mom and Dad. (My middle name is Sarah)

[Shay]

Is it odd for me to be happy that the names I have picked out for our kids are nowhere on that list?

[chex]

Nope! Mr. chex really wanted to name Corn Pop Lillian, but I vetoed it because it was too damn popular. I would have been fine with Elizabeth, which is even more popular, because of all the nickname possibilities.

[Shay]

If I had a daughter named Elizabeth, the nickname I would probably go with is Izzy. Me and my requirements of being the odd-ball out.

[chex]

I would have gone with Lily. Which is what we would have called a Lillian. But Lillian doesn't give any other options, like Elizabeth does.

[Shay]

I just noticed this name on the list: Nevaeh. I have never seen/heard that name ever, and yet it's on the top 25? I don't even know how to pronounce it.

[chex]

nuh-VAY-uh. It's a horrible horrible "name." Parents always feel the need to explain that "it's heaven spelled backward." Barf. Ten bucks says little Nevaeh will be working the pole as soon as she hits 18.

[Shay]

I didn't even notice that. Yeah, definitely not a pick I would ever go with, regardless of my religious affiliation.

[chex]

I should have named one of my kids Lleh.

[Shay]

That's effing awesome. How would you pronounce it? Lay, Jay, Yay, Leh, Jeh, or Yeh? (different double 'L' sounds)

[chex]

My intuition says Leh, but Lay could be a nice creepy nod to conception.

[Shay]

I was thinking that as well when I typed it.

[chex]

I always wonder if children with place names were named after their place of conception. Froot Loop's name would be Shower!

[bella]

Brooklyn and Paris, only two examples.

[LaLou]

Oh god, NO! Imagine my name being Beek.

[Mouse]

LOL My sister's name would have been Moose Jaw!

If I did a location-based name for a kid (which I likely wouldn't), it would be inspired by this line from a Modest Mouse song.... "We named our children after towns that we'd never been to.."

[Beany]

Some location names are okay, such as Florence.

I did a Google search and instantly found people asking for city names that they could use for their kids' names. What happened to originality?

[Mouse]

Too much originality and you end up with a name nobody can pronounce.... or spell... seriously, it sucks having a different name.