You Can’t Call It “It”!

I think it’s safe for us to share now.  What, pray tell, did you enter on your Baby Name Wizard ballot for the SSA’s fastest risers and fallers?

My Ballot:

Risers

1. Adelyn-  I had to do it.  I debated between Adelyn, Adeline and Adelaide– the latter two being better known names with history.  Adelyn struck me because it’s appeared only once on the SSA list in 2007, yet I see it on name boards often.  It’s resemblance to Madelyn and Camryn is what made me opt for this spelling on the ballot.  Adelaide and Adeline already show fast rising tragectories, and either of those would have been a good, safe choice.  

2. Finn-  This one popped up out of nowhere for me this year.  Suddenly, not only do I hear it everywhere, but it seems to be a real crowdpleaser with the online crew as well.  I know a Fenton, a Finley, a Phineas, and one potential Finnegan on the way.  Nameberry posed it as “the new Max.”  I’m inclined to agree.  

3. Harlow-   It’s that catchy O.  People of all different backgrounds went gaga for the name of Nicole Richie’s baby girl born in January last year.  This is my attempt at prophecy, for it has not yet entered the top 1000.  If it doesn’t this year it will next.  I probably should have just stuck with my original choice of Willow, which has gained steady favor over the last few years.  2009 will see an even bigger jump in Willow after the Palin exposure.  I’ve also run across some real life baby Shilohs born in ‘08– another good choice I *almost* wrote in.  

Fallers

1. Brittney

2. Paris

3. Lindsay

Total cop-out.  Except in the case of a massive calamity like Hurricane Katrina, I find it desperately hard to chart the fallers.  These three are already on their way down.  The namesakes just don’t have the same allure they once did.  

As for the ranking for Bella?  I’ll bet my guess was a lowballer at 132.

Laura Wattenberg, the poll’s creator, posted her own ballot here, along with the most popular guesses.

First it was Apple, now it’s Clementine.  Then it was Moses, now they give us Levi. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE WORLD OF CELEBRITY BABY NAMES?  So many names of late have been utterly tasteful:  Honor Marie, Vivienne Marcheline, Colette Zoe, Clementine Jane, Levi Alves (mother’s maiden name).  Myriad lovely names are turning celebribaby.  It’s really irritating. While yes, I’m happy for the child and it gives me a bit of insight into the parents’ philosophy, I’m a bit miffed.  Particularly about the lovely Clementine, which works well on so many levels for us and has been on my long list for a while.  Why must THEY use OUR names?  Where are Rogue, Scout, Rebel and Moxie?

I never realized until now, that I actually take comfort in these outrageous names.  I take comfort in them because not only are they far from the usual spectrum, but they are far from my own set of name ideals.  When a celebrity uses a name, that name suddenly has a bright spotlight on it.  Not only is there high risk a name will skyrocket in popularity, but if it doesn’t, the name is associated with a singular individual.  I don’t know which is worse.  We’ve witnessed the astronomic rise of Ava and Isabella due to the celebribaby effect (Heather Locklear & Richie Sambora have an Ava, as do Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe; Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise’s Isabella seems to have launched that one).  Clementine Hawk also far from the first in Hollywood:  adult daughter of Cybill Shepherd and Claudia Schiffer’s three-year-old baby girl precede her.  Yet when I hear “Poet”, I think solely of Soleil Moon Frye’s little girl.  When I hear “Soleil”, I think of Poet’s mama. Rafferty distinctly brings to mind Jude Law’s son, and although I know a Shiloh in real life, I will now never be able to disassociate that name from the Jolie-Pitts.  I think that’s what these celebrities were going for:  a name that on its own presents one face to the world. 

I see a lot of parents considering Hollywood-induced monikers for their little one.  Among them:

Ava (Ava Elizabeth is the combo for Miss Sambora and Miss Philippe, and Martina McBride and Kevin Dillon also have Avas)

Brooklyn (Infamous conception of David and Victoria Beckham)

Camryn (Ms. Manheim was the unlikely forbearer for this spelling, but Cameron Diaz gave the name a boost as well)

Charlize (It’s hard to compare to Ms. Theron)

Cohen (A character from the O.C., who is called by his surname)

Delilah (A song by The Plain White Ts called “Hey There Delilah”, and the child of Risa Rinna and Harry Hamlin

Ella (daughter and third child of Annette Benning and Warren Beatty; also may be subconsciously transmitted through repetition in the lyrics of Rhianna’s “Umbrella.”

Grier (Brooke Shield’s baby girl)

Harlow (Patricia Arquette’s Harlow Olivia Calliope precedes Nicole Ritchie’s Harlow Winter Kate by five years)

Hayden (Hayden Panettiere is a famous female bearer, who rose to the scene right around the same time as male counterpart Hayden Christensen)

Heath (So sad about Heath Ledger.  Would a tribute be sad or sweet?)

Jaden (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett derived this in honor of her)

Jagger (Surprising number of Jaggers in Hollywood: Lindsay Davenport, Tiffany Fallon, and Soleil Moon Frye all have little Jaggers; of course The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger was the first)

Jude (Jude Law made this name exude sex appeal)

Kingston (Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale may be influencing the birth of quite a few babies with this geographical appellation)

Lola (Lolas abound: Kelly Ripa, Annie Lennox, Jennie Garth, Lisa Bonet, Mary Jo Eustache, Carnie Wilson, Denise Richards, Madonna [born Lourdes], and Chris Rock all have little Lolas)

Maddox (The first Jolie baby spawned an interest in this name that hits all the right notes with its “mad” prefix and quixotic X ending)

Madison (Lest we forget, Daryl Hannah’s mermaid character in “Splash” chose this for herself after the Manhattan shopping avenue, which was named for the president)

Scout (Bruce Willis and Demi Moore have a daughter named Scout, now grown;  Tom Berenger also has a Scout)

Tallulah (The Willis-Moore union also produced a Talullah; musician Simon Le Bon has a Tallulah)

Willow (Gabrielle Anwar has one, as do Will Smith and Jada Pinkett– like her  brother, she was named after a parent)

Can you think of more?

Though some are lovely, these names will likely be tied to a particular time, place, and culture, à la Barbara, Jennifer, and Dylan.  I hope this isn’t the case for my darling Clementine.  At least I can still take comfort in newly born baby girl Jagger Joseph Blues and baby boy Peanuts.  Now that’s entertainment.  Much better fodder for the baby name blogger.