Baby name trend watch: Saylor and Sailor

Yesterday I posted about a little girl named Sailor. Robin-Sailor, actually.

Hours later, I learned of another Sailor — the newborn daughter of The Boo Radleys vocalist Martin Carr and his wife Mary. (Mary and Martin did some hilarious tweeting during the labor/birth. “Oh great, I’ve run out of beer. This would never happen in the hospital. #homebirth” Gawker has more.)

Last year, I wrote a post for a reader with a son named Saylor.

Lots of babies named Sailor and Saylor lately, which makes me wonder — will Sailor/Saylor be the next Sawyer? That is, will it be the next trendy, unisex noun-name? (Or occupational surname-name, however you want to view it.)

The oldest Sailor I can think of offhand is Christie Brinkley’s daughter Sailor, born in July of 1998. Brinkley’s Sailor helped jump-start this Saylor/Sailor trend in the first place, in fact:

  • 2010 – 269 baby girls and 25 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2009 – 278 baby girls and 21 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2008 – 259 baby girls and 34 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2007 – 217 baby girls and 31 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2006 – 200 baby girls and 28 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2005 – 200 baby girls and 22 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2004 – 174 baby girls and 29 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2003 – 166 baby girls and 19 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2002 – 146 baby girls and 28 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2001 – 179 baby girls and 19 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 2000 – 130 baby girls and at least 17 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 1999 – 145 baby girls and 24 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor
  • 1998 – 54 baby girls and 16 baby boys named Saylor/Sailor

How high do you think the name will go?

(Also, did you know that the surname Saylor does not refer to sailing on water? More like sailing through the air. According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, it’s an “occupational name for a dancer or acrobat” that can be traced back to the Old French word sailleor, meaning “dancer” or “leaper.”)

22 thoughts on “Baby name trend watch: Saylor and Sailor

  1. I think Baylor is also popular, which leads me to think parents are trying to find alternatives to Taylor which is past its peak.

  2. I named my daughter Saylor in 1998, but she would have been named in 1995 instead had her older brother been a girl! Saylor is a family name (surname) in our family and meaningful to us. We also liked it because we had never heard of anyone who was named Saylor, but it wasn’t hard to spell. Anyway, please don’t make it popular! We like that it isn’t.

  3. Just named my baby girl Ssylor Quinn; didn’t know Christie Brinkley had one! Have had LOTS of positive feedback on her name, tho i don’t honestly care,,, i love it!

  4. we are naming our daughter Saylor Grace, she is due in July. i adore it! suprisingly, i havent had any negative feedback yet. a lot of people really love it!

  5. We named our daughter Sailor in 2002. She has always had a ton of complements. It’s a wonderful name I can’t picture her as anything else. Love my Sailor Elle!!!

  6. My daughter Sailor MaKay was born in October of 97. Just before Christie Brinkeys daughter. She is constantly complimentted on it and it is nice not having anyone else around her with the same name. We got it from the cartoon Sailor Moon and her father was in the Navy. It fits her. She is unique and the name is unusual but not wierd. Her biggest pet peeve is when people call her Taylor by mistake. Alot of her friends call her “Sai” (say) It seems to fit her even as she grows up with it. It is a nice name for a beautiful teenager.

  7. We’re naming our little boy Saylor/ Sailor. I got out of the Navy in June 2012. Im just not sure how we are going to spell it.

  8. I named my son Saylor Thomas in 2007. I fell in love with the name in 2005 during a miscarried pregnancy. I intended to name him Ezra Alexander but) the name Saylor wouldn’t get out of my head so I left the naming to my then 11 yr old son and the rest is history. A unique name for my unique boy :

  9. May daughter was one of the 54 in 1998; I named her Saylor because it was to carry on the family name, my mom’s maiden name is Saylor. WE liked it because it was unique and has a definate meaning. I’m seeing more and more Saylors out there… And shortly after I had my Saylor, is when we found out Christie Brinkley’s daughter was named Sailer. Pretty neat; but glad i was in the early start of the trend :)

  10. My name is Saylor Wynne. I was born in 1987. I love my name and gave compliments on it daily… Literally, daily. My parents loved to sail and we actually spent the first year and a half on a sailing trip around the world. That’s why my parents decided in Saylor. I’m going to continue with the nautical theme when I have children. I’m thinking harbor!

  11. My names Saylor Darcy. Born ’91. I get complimented all the time on my name. Grew up loving Sailor Moon ;) my grandfathers name is Saylor and my fathers name is Darcy. Never met another Saylor and I’m kind of surprised there are so many others out there :p

  12. I’m one of the 145 in 99!!!! I love that my name is unique. But I can not tell you how many times people call me sailor moon. I hope it does not become to common

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