The baby name Caricia, which is the Spanish word for “caress,” appeared in the U.S. baby name data for two years in the early 2000s:
- 2004: unlisted
- 2003: 5 baby girls named Caricia
- 2002: 20 baby girls named Caricia [debut]
- 6 born in California specifically
- 2001: unlisted
Why did it debut? I have two theories so far, but I’m not 100% convinced by either one.
The first has to do with music. In 2000, Spanish singer Rocío Dúrcal released an album called Caricias. The lead track was also called “Caricias.” That August, the album reached #2 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Album chart.
The second theory also has to do with music, but in a different way. The XM Satellite Radio channel Caricia, which played Spanish-language adult contemporary music, was launched in September of 2001. (It was axed in 2004, but relaunched a few years later as a Latin oldies channel.)
The first theory makes sense in terms of source, but not in terms of timing. The second theory is more of a long shot (I’ve never seen a radio station influence baby names, unless it was a contest) but the years line up quite well.
What are your thoughts on this one? What am I missing here?
P.S. The French word for “caress,” Caresse, is also a baby name.
Sources: Rocío Dúrcal Chart History | Billboard, Caricia – Wikipedia
Image by Willi Heidelbach from Pixabay