Katniss and Daenerys have arrived, you guys! Time to start the party.
The debut name party, that is.
Here are the girl names that debuted the highest on the SSA’s 2012 baby name list:
- Kimbella, 52 baby girls
- Catalaya, 51
- Cattaleya, 45
- Daleyza, 41
- Aaradhya, 38
- Catalia, 34
- Katalaya, 32
- Katalia, 26
- Kattleya, 26
- Aayat, 23
- Karliah, 23
- Daenerys, 21
- Catalea, 20
- Iviona, 19
- Itzae, 18
- Kataleah, 17
- Kattaleya, 17
- Katalea, 16
- Nirvi, 15
- Brely, 14
- Merliah, 14
- Aamilah, 13
- Anabrenda, 13
- Carliana, 13
- Kinsler, 13
- Lynnley, 13
- Abishai, 12
- Adylee, 12
- Ahri, 12
- Brenlynn, 12
- Drayah, 12
- Jeiza, 12
- Katalayah, 12
- Kathaleya, 12
- Katniss, 12
- Sebella, 12
- Analeyah, 11
- Aubreelynn, 11
- Cataleyah, 11
- Cateleya, 11
- Ireoluwa, 11
- Jonier, 11
- Nahyla, 11
- Noomi, 11
- Payzlie, 11
- Renesmae, 11
- Yandy, 11
And a selection from the 10-babies-and-under group: Scarlettrose, Eevee, Venba, Eponine, Swayzi, Anemone, Aoibheann, Hunnie, Kambreigh, Mlak, Paislyn, Paislynn, Paizly, Parizoda, Adn, Alanoud, Annabellelee, Ayoola, Bellaluna, Callalily, Cataliyah, Catilaya, Catileya, Cymphonique, Eilonwy, Ellyot, Fiore, Goodness, Hannabella, Heartlynn, Inchara, Kymbella, Myjoy, Nymeria, Pfeiffer, Renezmae, Sorella, Timberlynn.
Where do the names above come from?
Here are some likely explanations:
- Aaradhya – from the daughter of Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. The baby was born in late 2011, but not named until early 2012.
- Catalaya, Cattaleya, Catalia, Katalaya, Katalia, etc. – variants of Cataleya, which debuted last year. (And which now happens to be skyrocketing in popularity.) Cataleya was a character in the 2011 movie Columbiana.
- Daenerys – from “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys Targaryen. (Last year’s fifth-highest debut was her title, Khaleesi.)
- Eponine – from Les Miserables character Eponine Thenardier.
- Karliah – from a character in the video game Skyrim. (Another Skyrim name we’ve seen used as a baby name is Dovahkiin.)
- Katniss – from Hunger Games character Katniss Everdeen.
- Kimbella, Kymbella – from reality show “Love & Hip Hop” cast member Kimberly “Kimbella” Vanderhee.
- Merliah – from Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2 (2012) character Merliah Summers.
- Noomi – from Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, who was in the 2011 movies The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
- Pfeiffer – from Michelle Pfeiffer…?
- Renesmae, Renezmae – variants of Renesmee, which debuted in 2009. Renesmee is a character in the Twilight series.
- Sebella – from the daughter of Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sanchez. The baby was born in early 2012.
- Yandy – from reality show “Love & Hip Hop” cast member Yandy Smith.
Can you come up with explanations for any of the others?
P.S. Here’s last year’s debut list.
Source: SSA
Image: Adapted from LotusBud0048a (public domain) by Frank “Fg2” Gualtieri
