We’ve still got five months to wait before we get the official word on what the top names across America were in 2009, but in the meantime we can console ourselves with the lists that have started to come in of the most popular names in various US cities, states and even individual hospitals, and in in other cities and countries around the world.

　　One thing seems clear: the romantic trio of Isabella, Sophia and Olivia is running a three-way race for first place in many areas of  the world, while Jack continues his reign in a number of English-speaking countries.

　　We’ve been looking  at the lists that have been released so far and have put together a selection (or hodgepodge) of some of the more interesting choices: top-ranked international names that are barely known to us, surprising choices that have popped up in unexpected places, and just plain noteworthy names–and we’ll be updating it as more results come in.

　　GIRLS

　　ANDELA  —  #2 in Serbia

　　AOIFE  —  # 4 in Derry, Northern Ireland

　　AURORA  —  #8 in Finland

　　CHARLOTTE —  #2 in Canberra, Australia

　　CHLOE  —  #1 in Sheffield, England and Queensland, Australia

　　DARYNA  —  #5 in Ukraine

　　ELLIE —  #1 in Derry, Northern Ireland

　　EMILIA  —  #2 in Finland

　　EVA—  #8 in Northern Ireland

　　EVIE—  #4 in Sheffield, England

　　ISLA — #2 In Aberdeenshire, Scotland

　　JOVANA  —  #4 in Serbia

　　KATIE –#1 in Northern Ireland

　　KAYLEE — #5 in Flagstaff, Arizona

　　LÉA  —  #2 in France

　　LEXI  —    #1 in Newcastle, England

　　LIEKE  —  #3 in Netherlands

　　LILLIAN  —   #9 in West Michigan

　　LILOU  —  #10 in France

　　LILY  —  #1 in South Yorkshire, England

　　LORE  —  #1 in Flemish Belgium

　　LOTTE —  #4 in Flemish Belgium, #7 in Netherlands

　　MAISIE—fastest rising girls’ name in a UK survey

　　MANON  —  #3 in France

　　MILIKA  —  #1 in Serbia

　　NOOR  —  # 5 in Flemish Belgium

　　OCÉANE  —  #9 in France

　　RIN—  #1 on a Japanese survey

　　SANNE  —  #5 in Netherlands

　　SAKURA  #2 on a Japanese survey

　　SIENNA  —  #8 in Australia

　　TEODORA  —  #3 in Serbia

　　BOYS

　　ANGEL —  #3 in Arizona

　　CALLUM —  #10 in Scotland

　　CARTER —  #3 in West Michigan

　　CHARLIE  —  #8 in Northern Ireland, #1 in South Yorkshire, England

　　CONNOR  —  #9 in Flagstaff, Arizona

　　COOPER — #4 in Australia, #1 in Queensland

　　DAAN  —  #1 in Netherlands

　　ELIJAH —  #4 in Tennessee

　　HARRY  — #1 in Sheffield, England

　　HIROTO–#1 in Japan

　　HUGO  —  #5 in France

　　JACKSON — #8 in Tennessee

　　JUHANI  — #1 in Finland

　　KAI—  # 5 in Newcastle, England

　　KOBE  —  #2 in  Flemish Belgium

　　LACHLAN  —  #2 in Canberra, Australia

　　LARS —  #1 in Flemish Belgium

　　LAZAR  —  #1 in Serbia

　　LEWIS — #2 in Scotland

　　LUKA  —  #3 in Serbia

　　MAKSYM  —  #2 in Ukarine

　　MOHAMMED —  #1 in Peterborough, England

　　NAZAR  #1 in Ukraine

　　NIKOLA  —  #2 in Serbia

　　OLAVI —  #5 in Finland

　　RYAN–#1 in Paisley, Scotland

　　SEM  —  #2 in Netherlands

　　THIJS  —  #6 in Netherlands (pron. Tice, and used by Matt Lauer for his son)

　　WYATT  —  #7 in Flagstaff, Arizona

　　And just to show that alternative spellings are alive and well, in one hospital in Iowa where Olivia was #1, there were also girls named Alivia, Alivya, Oliviah and Alyvia–as well as babies called Cadilac, John Wayne, Thunder and Starrie.

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　　CONGRATULATIONS!

　　And welcome to the newest member of the nameberry community, SARIAH RAQUEL, born on December 18th to rkarczynski (aka Raquel).