by Kelli Brady

　　For several years now, I have been putting together the Playground Analysis as a fun way to view the true popularity of names. When you hear a name on the playground, do you know how it is spelled? A lot of people may name their child a name after hearing it and liking it, and decide to spell it as a variant of the traditional spelling. So, you may hear more “Aiden!” yelled on the playground than “Liam!” and wonder why Liam is ranked #1 on the SSA’s 2018 Popular Names list, well above Aiden. Since the SSA list is done purely by spelling, the Playground Analysis combines the different spellings of names to reveal the true Top 50 most popular names of 2018!

　　Note: These are the combined spellings of the names in the Top 1000 only. When the numbers from the entire list are added, positions could change. The main name listed below is the spelling given to the most babies in 2018 (SSA Rank is in parentheses). The others are in alphabetical order. Opinions vary on how different spellings are pronounced. Keep in mind that when you hear “Alayna” vs “Elena” on the playground, the sound differences that make the names unique may not be clear. In any case, I went with my best judgment.

　　

GIRLS MOST POPULAR NAMES

Emma still remains on the top of the 2018 SSA list for girls. But while Sophia is #5 on the SSA list, it still remains on the top of the 2018 Playground Analysis. When looking at the PA’s Top 50, the largest jumps that take place after adding the alternative spellings are by Adeline (#78 to #7), Madelyn (#72 to #16), Elena (#66 to #29), Ariana (#68 to #35), Eliana (#83 to #37), and Hailey (#79 to #49). Some variations of names have risen into or fallen out of the SSA Top 1000, and any differences from last year have been noted in the list below.

　　Birth numbers are another way of showing how this analysis explains what you hear around town. When combining the Top 1000 names in spelling, there were more than 2,000 girls named Sophia and Sofia in 2018 than named Emma. It is also interesting to consider the continuing spread of name popularity, meaning the popular names are being used less than before even though they are ranked the same or even increasing in rank. For example, Zoe went down in usage from 5,129 girls in 2017 to 5,062 girls in 2018 but increased in rank from #41 to #40. In fact, out of the PA’s Top 50, only 12 popular spellings went up in usage: Amelia, Charlotte, Aria (all spellings of Aria went up except Ariah), Harper, Layla, Camila, Mila, Ella, Luna, Eliana, Everly (all spellings went up), and Eleanor.

　　Sophia (5) – Sofia

　　Olivia (2) – Alivia

　　Emma (1)

　　Amelia (8) – Emelia, Emilia

　　Isabella (4) – Isabela, Izabella

　　Ava (3) – Avah

　　Adeline (78) – Adaline, Adalyn, Adalynn, Addilynn, Adelyn, Adelynn (Adilynn dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Mia (7) – Miah

　　Charlotte (6)

　　Aria (19) – Ariah, Ariya, Ariyah, Arya

　　Riley (28) – Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie

　　Evelyn (10) – Evelynn (Evalynn dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Zoey (19) – Zoe, Zoie

　　Harper (9)

　　Layla (27) – Laila, Lailah, Laylah, Leila, Leyla

　　Madelyn (72) – Madalyn, Madalynn, Madeleine, Madeline, Madelynn, Madilyn, Madilynn

　　Camila (18) – Camilla, Kamila, Kamilah*

　　Abigail (11)

　　Emily (12) – Emely, Emilee

　　Avery (16) – Averi, Averie

　　Elizabeth (13) – Elisabeth

　　Chloe (25) – Khloe

　　Aubrey (36) – Aubree, Aubrie

　　Scarlett (20) – Scarlet, Scarlette

　　Madison (22) – Maddison, Madisyn

　　Mila (14)

　　Ella (15)

　　Lily (31) – Lillie, Lilly

　　Elena (66) – Alaina, Alayna, Elaina

　　Leah (41) – Lea, Leia, Lia

　　Nora (30) – Norah

　　Victoria (21)

　　Luna (23)

　　Grace (24)

　　Ariana (68) – Arianna (Aryanna dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Hannah (33) – Hana, Hanna

　　Eliana (83) – Aliana, Alianna, Elianna, Elliana, Ellianna

　　Penelope (26)

　　Everly (53) – Everlee, Everleigh

　　Maya (61) – Maia, Mya, Myah, (Miya dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Brooklyn (47) – Brooklynn

　　Lillian (34) – Lilian

　　Addison (35) – Addisyn, Addyson

　　Natalie (39) – Nataly, Nathalie

　　Eleanor (32)

　　Paisley (52) – Paislee, Paisleigh

　　Allison (69) – Alison, Alisson*, Allyson, Alyson

　　Anna (54) – Ana

　　Hailey (79) – Hailee, Haley, Haylee, Hayley

　　Sarah (67) – Sara

　　*New spelling to the SSA Top 1000

　　Eliana, Everly and Luna rose into the Top 50 of the 2018 PA, while Kailey, Mackenzie, and Savannah fell out of it.

　　For those of us who feel as though the –line names are different from the –lyn names, here is an additional note:

　　If the variations of #7 Adeline (Adaline) are separated from the variations of Adalynn (Adalyn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adelyn, Adelynn, and Adilynn), Adalynn moves down to #23, while Adeline is pushed down to #61.

　　Likewise, if the variations of #16 Madelyn (Madalyn, Madalynn, Madelynn, Madilyn, and Madilynn) are separated from the variations of Madeline (Madeleine), Madelyn moves down to #37, while Madeline is pushed down to #89.

　　

BOYS MOST POPULAR NAMES

Jackson and its alternate spellings remain firmly at #1 on the 2018 Playground Analysis, moving up from #17 on the 2018 SSA list. Aiden continues to move down, from #3 on the 2017 PA list to #4 in 2018. The biggest movers from the SSA list to the PA list are Kayden (#97 to #13), Jace (#90 to #43), and Nicholas (#74 to #44).

　　While the overall numbers have again decreased from 2017 to 2018 just as they did last year, the Jacksons continue to be a dominant force on the playground, although the gap is decreasing… almost 3,500 boys were named a variation of Jackson over Liam in 2018 (as opposed to a difference of over 4,500 last year). Out of the PA Top 50, only 6 name spellings have increased in usage from 2017 to 2018: Oliver, Kayden, Henry, Mateo, Jack, and Levi. The rest of the popular names have all decreased in usage, showing the spreading out of interest in these names. You can also see this in the fact that Lucas jumped from 11 to 8 in the SSA ranking but actually decreased in usage (12,951 boys in 2017 to 12,585 boys in 2018).

　　Jackson (20) – Jaxen, Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon

　　Liam (1)

　　Noah (2) – Noe

　　Aiden (19) – Adan, Aden, Aidan, Ayden, Aydin, (Aaden dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　William (3)

　　Lucas (8) – Lukas

　　Grayson (32) – Graysen, Greyson, (Greysen dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　James (4)

　　Elijah (7) – Alijah

　　Oliver (5)

　　Benjamin (6)

　　Mason (9) – Maison, Mayson

　　Kayden (97) – Caden, Caiden, Cayden, Kaden, Kaiden

　　Logan (10)

　　Alexander (11) – Alexzander

　　Jacob (13) – Jakob

　　Ethan (12)

　　Michael (14) – (Micheal dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Carter (24) – Karter

　　Daniel (15)

　　Jayden (30) – Jaden, Jaiden

　　Henry (16)

　　Matthew (20) – Mathew

　　Mateo (37) – Matteo

　　Sebastian (18)

　　Samuel (21)

　　David (22)

　　Joseph (23)

　　John (27) – Jon

　　Owen (25)

　　Wyatt (26)

　　Dylan (31) – Dillon (Dilan dropped from the SSA Top 1000)

　　Isaac (34) – Issac

　　Caleb (45) – Kaleb

　　Jack (28)

　　Julian (36) – Julien

　　Luke (29)

　　Levi (33)

　　Gabriel (35)

　　Connor (57) – Conner, Conor, Konnor

　　Anthony (38)

　　Christian (55) – Cristian, Kristian

　　Jace (90) – Jase, Jayce

　　Nicholas (74) – Nickolas, Nicolas, Nikolas

　　Josiah (53) – Jasiah, Jesiah*, Joziah

　　Christopher (42) – Kristopher

　　Lincoln (40)

　　Joshua (41)

　　Andrew (43)

　　Isaiah (51) – Izaiah

　　*New spelling to the SSA Top 1000

　　Isaiah rose into the Top 50 of the 2018 PA, while Cameron fell out of it.

　　Does this reflect what you are hearing on the playground?