How popular is the baby name Aisha in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Aisha.

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Popularity of the baby name Aisha


Posts that mention the name Aisha

Name news from Saudi Arabia

Three bits of name news out of Saudi Arabia…

First:

The most circulated [baby] names in the Kingdom include Mohammad, Fahd, Abdullah, Abdulrahman, Turki, Bandar, Omar, Ali, Fatima, Aisha, Nora, Hessa, Sheikha, and Maha.

Unfortunately the article didn’t specify exactly which year (or years) this list covers.

Second:

Unusual or rare [baby] names have been reduced due to the work of authorities across the Kingdom who have enacted regulations to curb exotic or strange names.

Some of the baby names no longer being used are…

  • Faziah, female name meaning “one who is afraid”
  • Mureibah, female name, “fearful”
  • Najar, male name
  • Rashash, male name, “a gun machine”
  • Zaqam, male name meaning “to do with the mouth” (…?)

Third:

Saudi society is facing a new phenomenon in which many young people are changing their names to be in tune with the latest name trends, Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

Several of the name changes mentioned in the article:

  • Fatimah to Hadeel (woman, 22 years old)
    • “I used the name Hadeel for my social media account before I changed it officially with the Civil Status Department.”
  • Salem to Faris (man, 27 years old)
  • Ethar to Maria (woman, 31 years old)
  • Nouf to Naifah (woman, age not mentioned)

Sources:

How has Ebony magazine influenced U.S. baby names?

10-month-old Cushena with mother Lisa Robinson of Chicago (in 1985)
Baby Cushena with mother Lisa Robinson

So far, I’ve found only one baby name (Theonita) that saw increased usage thanks to African-American news magazine Jet.

But I know of five (!) that saw increased usage after being mentioned in various issues of African-American lifestyle magazine Ebony, which is owned by the same company.

Here are all five:

Loukisha

Loukisha has appeared in the U.S. baby name data three times:

  • 1976: unlisted
  • 1975: 7 baby girls named Loukisha
  • 1974: 14 baby girls named Loukisha
  • 1973: 48 baby girls named Loukisha [debut]
  • 1972: unlisted

The name had been mentioned in the July 1973 issue of Ebony, in an article about SIDS. “Loukisha Gray, four-month-old victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, was laid to rest May 11, 1973 in Harlem.”

Kimario & Nykeba

Kimario has appeared in the data once:

  • 1982: unlisted
  • 1981: unlisted
  • 1980: 13 baby boys named Kimario [debut]
  • 1979: unlisted
  • 1978: unlisted

And Nykeba was a one-hit wonder the same year:

  • 1982: unlisted
  • 1981: unlisted
  • 1980: 26 baby girls named Nykeba [debut]
  • 1979: unlisted
  • 1978: unlisted

Both names had been mentioned in the April 1980 issue of Ebony in an article called “Sex and the Single Parent.” Kimario was the 4-year-old son of Aisha Nanji of Atlanta, and Nykeba was the 3-year-old daughter of Vicki Newsum of Memphis.

Cushena

Cushena has appeared in the data twice:

  • 1987: unlisted
  • 1986: 9 baby girls named Cushena
  • 1985: 11 baby girls named Cushena [debut]
  • 1984: unlisted
  • 1983: unlisted

The name had been mentioned in two issues of Ebony — the March 1985 issue and the August 1986 issue. The first time, it was in an article about teenage parenthood. “Fifteen-year-old Lisa Robinson of Chicago cuddles her 10-month-old daughter, Cushena, while trying to concentrate on her homework.” (This quote goes with the image above.) The second time, it was in an article about black children.

Ziyadah

Ziyadah has appeared in the data once:

  • 1996: unlisted
  • 1995: unlisted
  • 1994: 5 baby girls named Ziyadah [debut]
  • 1993: unlisted
  • 1992: unlisted

The name had been mentioned in the January 1994 issue of Ebony, in an article about first-time mothers. “Joy of motherhood radiates from first-time mom DiAnna Toliver Muhammad of San Diego as she cuddles her 10-month-old daughter Ziyadah Iman.”

*

I’m sure there are more Ebony– and Jet-inspired baby names out there. If you own any old issues of either magazine, and one of your issues contains an uncommon name, please leave a comment with the name (and the month/year) so I can check it out!

Sources:

  • Edelman, Marian Wright. “Save the Children.” Ebony Aug. 1986.
  • “First-Time Moms.” Ebony Jan. 1994.
  • Harris, Ron. “Sex and the Single Parent.” Ebony Apr. 1980.
  • Height, Dorothy I. “What Must Be Done About Children Having Children.” Ebony Mar. 1985: 76, 78, 80, 82, 84.
  • Horton, Luci. “The Mystery of Crib Death.” Ebony Jul. 1973.

Image: © 1985 Ebony

Baby names to celebrate Canberra’s centennial year

Canberra, the capital of Australia, was established (and named) on March 12, 1913 — almost exactly a century ago.

So the Canberra Times is asking people to suggest baby names that could commemorate Canberra’s centennial year, 2013.

Here are some names they’ve come up with so far:

  • Acacia, a genus of trees, most of which are native to Australia
  • Bluebelle, “after the Royal Bluebell, our Territory’s floral emblem”
  • Corymbia, a type of eucalyptus
  • Makaira, from the genus of the Black Marlin
  • Melliodora, another type of eucalyptus

One reader mentioned that his daughter was named “Aisha Caitlyn Truelsen” — initials ACT, same as the initials of the Australian Capital Territory. Her father said “she is quite chuffed about seeing ACT all over the place.”

What other Australia-specific (or, better, Canberra-specific) baby names would you suggest?

Here’s one idea: Gertrude, for Gertrude Mary Denman (1884-1954). Her name might not be stylish right now, but she was the person who officially named Canberra back in 1913.

Source: State of baby names range from the botanical to fishy

EDIT: Waltzing More than Matilda has tracked down an article about the baby that kicked off the Canberra Times’ search for centennial names — Allegra Bluebelle, born in Canberra last year on December 28.

Popular baby names in England and Wales (UK), 2010

Flag of the United Kingdom
Flag of the United Kingdom

Oliver and Olivia still reign supreme in England and Wales. Here are the most popular baby names of 2010:

Boy NamesGirl Names
1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Harry
4. Alfie
5. Charlie
6. Thomas
7. William
8. Joshua
9. George
10. James		1. Olivia
2. Sophie
3. Emily
4. Lily
5. Amelia
6. Jessica
7. Ruby
8. Chloe
9. Grace
10. Evie

George is new to the boys’ top 10. The drop-out was Daniel.

No newbies on the girls’ side.

Ollie, Bobby, Caleb, Jenson, Dexter and Kayden replaced Ellis, Joe, Christopher, Ewan, Morgan and Austin in the boys’ top 100.

Annabelle, Eliza, Laila, Aisha, Maryam and Maisy replaced Lydia, Eve, Alisha, Francesca, Sara and Mya in the girls’ top 100.

Source: Oliver and Olivia most popular baby names in 2010

Image: Adapted from Flag of the United Kingdom (public domain)