How popular is the baby name Ridge in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Ridge.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Ridge


Posts that Mention the Name Ridge

Popular baby names in the Netherlands, 2016

According to data released by Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) in mid-January, the most popular baby names in the Netherlands in 2016 were Anna and Daan.

Here are the Netherlands’ top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2016:

Girl Names
1. Anna, 665 baby girls
2. Emma, 664 (tie)
2. Tess, 664 (tie)
4. Sophie, 644
5. Julia, 639
6. Zoë, 558
7. Evi, 557
8. Mila, 549
9. Sara, 542
10. Eva, 526

Boy Names
1. Daan, 681 baby boys
2. Noah, 679
3. Sem, 663
4. Lucas, 651
5. Jesse, 645
6. Finn, 640
7. Milan, 630
8. Max, 617
9. Levi, 597
10. Luuk, 595

On the girls’ list, Anna replaced Emma as the #1 name and Evi replaced Lotte in the top 10.

And on the boys’ list? All kinds of drama! Liam, which rose very quickly over the last few years to reach the top spot in 2015, not only lost that top spot to Daan, but dropped out of the top 10 entirely (!), replaced by Max. Liam now ranks unlucky 13th.

And what about unique names in the Netherlands? Here are a whole bunch, each used just once last year:

Unique Girl NamesUnique Boy Names
Aimée-Amélie
Alien
Alouette
Annephine
Anthillia
Aprilmoon
Aunorin
Ayudissa
Bardot
Bellefien
Berfu
Berilinci
Bixx
Blue-Ivy
Cacharell
Carovienne
Cephei
Cleodie
Coco-Chloè
Comfort
Cortana
Daxana
Daylite
Dimphey
Djoody
Dorka
Ecrin Ans
Egberdina
El’genneallèe
Eliflina
Emily-Vespii
Fairlychiona
Farangis
Faten
Faybe
Floore
Foxx
Frozan
Gigi-Ice
Gilviëntelly
Gynniva
Hillegonda
Indivancely
Ismini
Jochempje
Joomony
Kicky
Kricheliënne
Lammerdina
Lemon
Lilly-Phylou
Marryth
Medellín
Medusa
Meritxell
Nawprisca
Ot
Peggy-Sue
Pidoux
Pippilotta
Pluk
Ponyo
Quby
Quvenshané
Raidiënsheanix
Riva-Beaugeane
Ro-Quennety
Rover
Safrinza
Sensabelle
Seven
Sharvienshelly
Shomookh
Similiza
Ska
Smadar
Spogmay
Stin-cay
Swendelyn
Sybrecht
Tanzilla
Tippie-Tipper
Tulp
Umm
Utopia
Valexiane
Vellizar
Vilouella
Wesseldina
Xee’D
Yesmae
Yf
Ypie
Yucki
Zeltia
Zwanny
Aizeyosabor
Alain-Rainièr
Alaith
Alpcan
Amazing
Andrianiaina
Apache
Avestan
Bentivolio
Boef (“crook”)
Bonifacius
Bowdy
C-cayden
Casey-Chase
Chyrome
Cimarrón
Cornelis-Wilhelmus
Criff
D’Har-Chenoo
Daex
Dandy
Day-sravencio
Depp
Diablo
Digentley
Divinepraise
Djesco
Dubbele
Earlysean
Exegese
Ferdixon
Fince
Floki
G-Wendley
Gantulga
Ghevently
Ginuwine
Givenchy
Guevara
Guswently
Haliltalha
Heavenly-ion
Hunk
Iody
Jaap-Joost
Jacquill
Jill-Qiano
Jinx
Kainoa
Kiff
King-Maldive
Laiphanara
Largo
Marcus-Aurelius
Mcnelly
Mees-Senn
Motomichi
Mowgli
Mylox
Myway
Niamh
Ntsinzi
Oovy
Phat
Pit
Poppy
Pux
Q’ZHN
Quintyliano
Rafflow
Ridge
Rowinio
S’Lienio
Scato
Sergiovanni
Sicco
Solve
Splinther
Stork
Sunnery
T’cxzayneau
Tamonry
Taverdu
Thaividley
Trelawny
Typhoon
Vishnu
Wagdy
Wart
Xuze
Ymt
Yucca
Zbigniew
Zhyphienyoh
Zjurvendell
Zweder

At first I thought Sergiovanni might be an epic mash-up of Sergio and Giovanni, but then I found out that it’s just an Italian surname — Giovanni prefixed by ser, an occupational word for a notary.

Sources: De populairste kindernamen, Daan and Anna top the list of most popular Dutch baby names

Biggest changes in boy name popularity, 2015

Which boy names increased and decreased the most in popularity from 2014 to 2015?

Here are two ways to look at it. The SSA’s way looks at ranking differences and covers the top 1,000 boy names (roughly). My way looks at raw number differences and takes all boy names on the SSA’s list into account.

Biggest Increases

Raw Numbers (all boy names)Rankings (top 1,000 boy names)
  1. Oliver, +2,181 babies (9,411 to 11,592)
  2. Matteo, +1,320 babies (835 to 2,155)
  3. Grayson, +1,296 babies (6,556 to 7,852)
  4. Mateo, +1,258 babies (3,729 to 4,987)
  5. Lincoln, +1,150 babies (4,809 to 5,959)
  6. Theodore, +895 babies (3,216 to 4,111)
  7. Ezra, +893 babies (3,406 to 4,299)
  8. Hudson, +779 babies (5,229 to 6,008)
  9. Asher, +754 babies (4,305 to 5,059)
  10. Wyatt, +750 babies (8,847 to 9,597)
  1. Riaan, +1,360 spots (2,286th to 926th)
  2. Huxley, +392 spots (1,354th to 962nd)
  3. Wilder, +360 spots (1,324th to 964th)
  4. Jaziel, +276 spots (1,215th to 939th)
  5. Canaan, +271 spots (1,077th to 806th)
  6. Kaison, +251 spots (981st to 730th)
  7. Brixton, +212 spots (1,197th to 985th)
  8. Ridge, +204 spots (1,136th to 932nd)
  9. Omari, +198 spots (708th to 510th)
  10. Jabari, +194 spots (1,139th to 945th)

Riaan was boosted by a celebrity baby born in late 2014 to Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza.

Jaziel’s rise seems to be due to Jaziel Avilez, a young singer featured in the 2014 song “Padre Ejemplar” [vid] by Mexican group Los Titanes de Durango.

Omari’s rise can be traced back to American actor Omari Hardwick, who has appeared in the TV shows Being Mary Jane and Power lately, and Jabari’s to basketball player Jabari Parker, the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Biggest Decreases

Raw Numbers (all boy names)Rankings (top 1,000 boy names)
  1. Jase, -1,459 babies (3,737 to 2,278)
  2. Jayden, -1,448 babies (12,923 to 11,475)
  3. Joshua, -1,123 babies (10,843 to 9,720)
  4. Andrew, -1,097 babies (11,124 to 10,027)
  5. Michael, -1,079 babies (15,400 to 14,321)
  6. Jacob, -996 babies (16,812 to 15,816)
  7. Anthony, -974 babies (11,538 to 10,564)
  8. William, -967 babies (16,776 to 15,809)
  9. Jace, -965 babies (6,276 to 5,311)
  10. Alexander, -902 babies (15,362 to 14,460)
  1. Arnav, -666 spots (888th to 1,554th)
  2. Jayse, -257 spots (910th to 1,167th)
  3. Neymar, -240 spots (550th to 790th)
  4. Rylee, -228 spots (879th to 1,107th)
  5. Johnathon, -213 spots (915th to 1,128th)
  6. Broderick, -195 spots (971st to 1,166th)
  7. Brenden, -187 spots (711th to 898th)
  8. Yael, -178 spots (913th to 1,091st)
  9. Aidyn, -173 spots (925th to 1,098th)
  10. Gavyn, -167 spots (944th to 1,111th)

I can remember Neymar debuting in 2010 under the influence was Brazilian footballer Neymar.

In 2014, the big winners were Oliver and Bode, and the big losers were Jayden and Bently.

Sources: Change in Popularity from 2014 to 2015, Emma and Noah Once Again Social Security’s Most Popular Baby Names for 2015

U.S. Baby Names 2015: Popular baby names, Top girl-name debuts, Top boy-name debuts, Biggest changes in girl name popularity, Biggest changes in boy name popularity, Top first letters, Top lengths

How did WWI affect the baby name Liberty?

"Ring Me Again" Third Liberty Loan doorknob sign
Liberty Loan doorknob sign*

During World War I, the United States raised money for the war effort by selling Liberty Bonds to citizens.

The government offered a series of four Liberty Loans — two in 1917, two more in 1918.

“For Americans who were not inclined or able to enter into military service, fundraising offered an alternative demonstration of patriotism.”

A handful of parents took this patriotism even further by naming their babies Liberty.

How did this affect the overall popularity of the baby name Liberty?

  • 1919: 25 baby girls named Liberty
  • 1918: 150 baby girls, 14 baby boys named Liberty
  • 1917: 43 baby girls, 8 baby boys named Liberty
  • 1916: 6 baby girls, 7 baby boys named Liberty
  • 1915: (unlisted)
  • 1914: 7 baby girls named Liberty

Liberty became the 585th most popular baby girl name in 1918.

Graph of the usage of the baby name Liberty in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Liberty

(It didn’t enter the top 1,000 again until 1976, the year of the U.S. Bicentennial. It entered a third time in 2001, the year of the 9/11 attacks, and has been a fixture in the top 1,000 ever since.)


Families with the surname Bond must have been especially tempted to name their babies Liberty in 1917 and 1918.

I’ve found records for several babies named Liberty Bond, such as Liberty Lois Bond (b. 1917, California) and Liberty C. Bond (b. 1918, Michigan).

A baby girl who ended up with the name Liberty was born to Wallace and Jenny Bond of Oklahoma in 1917:

Named “Flossie Mae” at birth, her name was changed to “Liberty” when a relative told her father that she would buy Liberty Bonds in her name if he would make the switch. (She resented the name until she got a copy of her birth certificate decades later and learned that she otherwise would have gone through life as Flossie Mae.)

In the early 1950s, Ed Sullivan wrote that actor Ridge Bond had a cousin, born during the first World War, named Liberty Bond. “She married Frank Bell, and her name became Liberty Bell.”


Liberty Bond was also used more than once as a first-middle combination.

For instance, a baby named Liberty Bond Bailey, born in New York in 1918, made national headlines:

News comes from Ithaca, N.Y., that a real, live “Liberty Bond,” weighing nine pounds, arrived in that city on the morning of April 6, simultaneously with the opening of the loan drive and the anniversary of our entrance into the great war. It wasn’t of the accustomed variety, however, but a lusty, named “Liberty Bond” Bailey by his patriotic parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Bailey of 614 Utica Street. The boy’s parents were so elated by the triple significance of the day that they named the new arrival in honor of the great bond drive.

According to his wife, his name was the doctor’s idea:

“The doctor mentioned it to his mother about the bonds and as he handed (the baby) over, he said, ‘Here’s your liberty bond’,” Garetta Bailey said. “So, she named him Liberty Bond.”

And I’ve found another Liberty Bond Bailey, believe it or not, born almost exactly a year earlier in Oklahoma.

A 1918 newspaper reported that a baby boy born to Mr. and Mrs. Alex Sleime of West Virginia was named Liberty Bond.

Records suggest that around 8 other babies were also named “Liberty Bond,” including Liberty Bond Todd (b. 1917, Texas) and Liberty Bond Jones (b. 1918, North Carolina).

P.S. Another first-middle combination I spotted a handful of times was “Liberty Loan.” One example: Liberty Loan Hickman, born in Texas in 1917.

Sources:

*I spotted that doorknob sign at the Money Museum in Kansas City…

Soap opera names as baby names

Actress Eileen Davidson (who played character Ashley Abbott on "The Young and the Restless") on the cover of "Soap Opera Digest" in February of 1983.
Ashley Abbott from “Y&R

Below are nearly 40 baby names that have been given a boost by various soap operas — All My Children, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, One Life to Live, and more.

Adriana
The character Adriana Castillo debuted on Santa Barbara on the first day of 1989 as a baby. The baby name Adriana saw a significant usage increase the same year.

  • 1991: 2,241 baby girls named Adriana (rank: 139th)
  • 1990: 2,150 baby girls named Adriana (rank: 144th)
  • 1989: 2,259 baby girls named Adriana (rank: 135th)
  • 1988: 1,447 baby girls named Adriana (rank: 189th)
  • 1987: 1,210 baby girls named Adriana (rank: 218th)

Alanmichael
The character Alan-Michael Spaulding debuted on Guiding Light in 1981 as a baby, then was re-introduced in 1987 as a teenager (impossibly). The baby name Alanmichael debuted on the baby name charts the following year, as did variants Allanmichael and Allenmichael.

  • 1990: 29 baby boys named Alanmichael
  • 1989: 16 baby boys named Alanmichael
  • 1988: 13 baby boys named Alanmichael [debut]
  • 1987: unlisted
  • 1986: unlisted

Alexis
The character Alexis Colby debuted on Dynasty in 1981. The baby name Alexis saw a significant usage increase the next year.

  • 1983: 3,463 baby girls named Alexis (rank: 83rd)
  • 1982: 3,122 baby girls named Alexis (rank: 93rd)
  • 1981: 1,585 baby girls named Alexis (rank: 172nd)
  • 1980: 1,268 baby girls named Alexis (rank: 204th)
  • 1979: 1,010 baby girls named Alexis (rank: 248th)

Ashley
The character Ashley Abbott debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1982. The baby name Ashley saw a significant usage increase that year. (I’ve even interviewed one of the Ashleys named for the character.)

  • 1984: 38,757 baby girls named Ashley (rank: 3rd)
  • 1983: 33,280 baby girls named Ashley (rank: 4th)
  • 1982: 14,844 baby girls named Ashley (rank: 17th)
  • 1981: 8,874 baby girls named Ashley (rank: 34th)
  • 1980: 7,291 baby girls named Ashley (rank: 40th)

Bianca
The character Bianca Montgomery — daughter of Erica Kane — was born during a February 1988 episode of All My Children. The baby name Bianca saw a significant usage increase that year.

  • 1990: 3,826 baby girls named Bianca (rank: 84th)
  • 1989: 3,593 baby girls named Bianca (rank: 91st)
  • 1988: 2,636 baby girls named Bianca (rank: 108th)
  • 1987: 919 baby girls named Bianca (rank: 268th)
  • 1986: 830 baby girls named Bianca (rank: 294th)

Britta
The character Britta Englund both debuted and died on Days of Our Lives during 1986. The baby name Britta saw peak usage the same year.

  • 1988: 117 baby girls named Britta
  • 1987: 151 baby girls named Britta
  • 1986: 191 baby girls named Britta (rank: 867th)
  • 1985: 77 baby girls named Britta
  • 1984: 66 baby girls named Britta

Ciji
The character Ciji Dunne debuted on Knot’s Landing in 1982. The baby name Ciji saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1985: 60 baby girls named Ciji
  • 1984: 150 baby girls named Ciji (rank: 963rd)
  • 1983: 244 baby girls named Ciji (rank: 698th)
  • 1982: 8 baby girls named Ciji
  • 1981: unlisted

Cordero
The character Cordero “Cord” Roberts debuted on One Life to Live in 1986. The baby name Cordero debuted on the baby name charts the same year. Cordero was the most impressive newbie name of 1986, in fact. Related names like Corderro, Cordaro, Cordarro, Kordero, Cardero, Cordaryl, Cordario and Codero also debuted.

  • 1988: 236 baby boys named Cordero (rank: 615th)
  • 1987: 340 baby boys named Cordero (rank: 481st)
  • 1986: 173 baby boys named Cordero (rank: 689th) [debut]
  • 1985: unlisted
  • 1984: unlisted

Corvina
The character Corvina Lang appeared occasionally on All My Children in the mid-1990s. The baby name Corvina was a one-hit wonder in 1995.

  • 1996: unlisted
  • 1995: 5 baby girls named Corvina [debut]
  • 1994: unlisted

Decker
The character Decker Moss debuted on General Hospital in 1989. The baby name Decker debuted on the baby name charts the following year.

  • 1992: 13 baby boys named Decker
  • 1991: 14 baby boys named Decker
  • 1990: 14 baby boys named Decker [debut]
  • 1989: unlisted
  • 1988: unlisted

Drucilla
The character Drucilla Winters debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1990. The baby name Drucilla saw a moderate rise in usage over the following years.

  • 1992: 42 baby girls named Drucilla
  • 1991: 22 baby girls named Drucilla
  • 1990: 13 baby girls named Drucilla
  • 1989: 6 baby girls named Drucilla
  • 1988: unlisted

Echo
The character Echo DiSavoy debuted on One Life to Live in 1983. The baby name Echo saw a significant usage increase that year.

  • 1985: 115 baby girls named Echo
  • 1984: 182 baby girls named Echo (rank: 846th)
  • 1983: 181 baby girls named Echo (rank: 844th)
  • 1982: 60 baby girls named Echo
  • 1981: 61 baby girls named Echo

Egypt
The character Egypt Jones Masters debuted on Loving in 1988. The baby name Egypt returned to the data the same year.

  • 1990: 37 baby girls named Egypt
  • 1989: 30 baby girls named Egypt
  • 1988: 22 baby girls named Egypt
  • 1987: unlisted
  • 1986: unlisted

Felicia
The character Felicia Cummings debuted on General Hospital in 1984. The baby name Felicia saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1987: 2911 baby girls named Felicia (rank: 96th)
  • 1986: 3,081 baby girls named Felicia (rank: 90th)
  • 1985: 2,738 baby girls named Felicia (rank: 101st)
  • 1984: 1,485 baby girls named Felicia (rank: 185th)
  • 1983: 1,502 baby girls named Felicia (rank: 181st)

Frisco
The character Andrew “Frisco” Jones debuted on General Hospital in 1984. The baby name Frisco debuted on the baby name charts the same year.

  • 1986: 25 baby boys named Frisco
  • 1985: 16 baby boys named Frisco
  • 1984: 7 baby boys named Frisco [debut]
  • 1983: unlisted
  • 1982: unlisted

Holden
The character Holden Snyder debuted on As the World Turns in 1986. The baby name Holden saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1988: 143 baby boys named Holden (rank: 794th)
  • 1987: 107 baby boys named Holden (rank: 910th)
  • 1986: 58 baby boys named Holden
  • 1985: 15 baby boys named Holden
  • 1984: 17 baby boys named Holden

India
The character India von Halkein debuted on Guiding Light in 1984. The baby name India saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1986: 603 baby girls named India (rank: 385th)
  • 1985: 754 baby girls named India (rank: 318th)
  • 1984: 329 baby girls named India (rank: 561st)
  • 1983: 178 baby girls named India (rank: 858th)
  • 1982: 141 baby girls named India

Jagger
The character Jagger Cates debuted on General Hospital in 1992. The baby name Jagger saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1994: 91 baby boys named Jagger
  • 1993: 105 baby boys named Jagger
  • 1992: 19 baby boys named Jagger
  • 1991: 6 baby boys named Jagger
  • 1990: unlisted

Jillian (added 3/22/20, thanks Marilyn!)
The character Jillian Coleridge debuted on Ryan’s Hope in 1975. The baby name Jillian saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1977: 1055 baby girls named Jillian (rank: 246th)
  • 1976: 252 baby girls named Jillian (rank: 620th)
  • 1975: 89 baby girls named Jillian
  • 1974: 85 baby girls named Jillian
  • 1973: 93 baby girls named Jillian

Jimmylee
The character Jimmy Lee Holt debuted on General Hospital in 1983. The baby name Jimmylee debuted on the baby name charts the following year.

  • 1985: 11 baby boys named Jimmylee
  • 1984: 19 baby boys named Jimmylee
  • 1983: 12 baby boys named Jimmylee [debut]
  • 1982: unlisted
  • 1981: unlisted

Joyelle
The character Joyelle was “born” on How To Survive A Marriage in 1975. The baby names Joyelle, Joyel and Joyell all debuted on the baby name charts the same year.

  • 1977: 15/9/10 baby girls named Joyelle/Joyel/Joyell
  • 1976: 31/23/20 baby girls named Joyelle/Joyel/Joyell
  • 1975: 88/79/51 baby girls named Joyelle/Joyel/Joyell [debuts]
  • 1974: unlisted
  • 1973: unlisted

Katina
The character Katina was “born” on Where the Heart Is in 1972. The baby name Katina saw a significant usage increase that year, and related names like Cotina, Katena, Kateena, Cantina and Catena debuted. Cotina was the most impressive newbie name of 1972, in fact. Here’s more on the name Katina.

  • 1974: 765 baby girls named Katina (rank: 307th)
  • 1973: 2,469 baby girls named Katina (rank: 120th)
  • 1972: 2,747 baby girls named Katina (rank: 117th)
  • 1971: 96 baby girls named Katina
  • 1970: 60 baby girls named Katina

Kayla
The character Kayla Brady debuted on Days of Our Lives in 1982. The baby name Kayla saw a significant usage increase that year.

  • 1984: 2,681 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 100th)
  • 1983: 3,527 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 81st)
  • 1982: 2,275 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 133rd)
  • 1981: 318 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 581st)
  • 1980: 313 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 594th)

…and when Kayla Brady returned to Days in 1986 (after leaving in 1983), the name Kayla became the fastest-rising girl name of 1987:

  • 1989: 14,902 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 20th)
  • 1988: 13,431 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 20th)
  • 1987: 10,576 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 27th)
  • 1986: 4,657 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 64th)
  • 1985: 2,607 baby girls named Kayla (rank: 108th)

Keemo
The character Keemo Volien Abbott debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1994. The baby name Keemo was a one-hit wonder in 1994.

  • 1995: unlisted
  • 1994: 7 baby boys named Keemo [debut]
  • 1993: unlisted

Krystle
The character Krystle Carrington debuted on Dynasty in 1981. The baby name Krystle saw a significant usage increase that year.

  • 1983: 1,067 baby girls named Krystle (rank: 232nd)
  • 1982: 916 baby girls named Krystle (rank: 269th)
  • 1981: 448 baby girls named Krystle (rank: 473rd)
  • 1980: 26 baby girls named Krystle
  • 1979: 14 baby girls named Krystle

Lahoma
The character Lahoma Vane debuted on Another World in 1967. The baby name Lahoma saw a usage increase the following year. Here’s more on the name Lahoma.

  • 1969: 44 baby girls named Lahoma
  • 1968: 109 baby girls named Lahoma
  • 1967: 24 baby girls named Lahoma
  • 1966: unlisted
  • 1965: 6 baby girls named Lahoma

Laken
The character Laken Lockridge debuted on Santa Barbara in 1984. The baby name Laken debuted on the baby name charts the same year.

  • 1986: 94 baby girls named Laken
  • 1985: 109 baby girls named Laken
  • 1984: 19 baby girls named Laken [debut]
  • 1983: unlisted
  • 1982: unlisted

Mergeron
The character Dina Mergeron debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1983. The baby name Mergeron was a one-hit wonder in 1984.

  • 1985: unlisted
  • 1984: 5 baby boys named Mergeron [debut]
  • 1983: unlisted

Mikkos
The character Mikkos Cassadine debuted on General Hospital in 1981. The baby name Mikkos debuted on the baby name charts the same year. Variant name Mikos also debuted that year.

  • 1983: unlisted
  • 1982: 6 baby boys named Mikkos
  • 1981: 15 baby boys named Mikkos [debut]
  • 1980: unlisted
  • 1979: unlisted

Penny
The character Penny Hughes debuted on As the World Turns in 1956. The baby name Penny saw a usage increase the following year.

  • 1958: 3,557 baby girls named Penny
  • 1957: 3,042 baby girls named Penny
  • 1956: 2,345 baby girls named Penny
  • 1955: 2,211 baby girls named Penny
  • 1954: 2,135 baby girls named Penny

Reva
The character Reva Shayne debuted on Guiding Light in 1983. The baby name Reva saw a significant usage increase the following year.

  • 1986: 134 baby girls named Reva
  • 1985: 115 baby girls named Reva
  • 1984: 92 baby girls named Reva
  • 1983: 43 baby girls named Reva
  • 1982: 37 baby girls named Reva

Ridge
The character Ridge Forrester debuted on The Bold and the Beautiful in 1987. The baby name Ridge re-entered the baby name charts after a long absence the same year.

  • 1989: 105 baby boys named Ridge (rank: 1,000th)
  • 1988: 99 baby boys named Ridge (rank: 975th)
  • 1987: 26 baby boys named Ridge
  • 1986: unlisted
  • 1985: unlisted

Scorpio
The character Robert Scorpio debuted on General Hospital in late 1980. The baby name Scorpio debuted in the baby name data the next year.

  • 1983: 13 baby boys named Scorpio
  • 1982: 5 baby boys named Scorpio
  • 1981: 9 baby boys named Scorpio [debut]
  • 1980: unlisted
  • 1979: unlisted

Sierra
The character Sierra Esteban debuted on As the World Turns in 1985. The baby name Sierra saw a significant usage increase that year.

  • 1987: 1,620 baby girls names Sierra (rank: 173rd)
  • 1986: 1,610 baby girls names Sierra (rank: 169th)
  • 1985: 1,199 baby girls names Sierra (rank: 215th)
  • 1984: 230 baby girls names Sierra (rank: 720th)
  • 1983: 193 baby girls names Sierra (rank: 807th)

Skye
The character Skye Chandler debuted on All My Children in 1986. The baby name Skye saw a significant increase in usage as a girl name the next year.

  • 1989: 241 baby girls named Skye (rank: 793rd)
  • 1988: 240 baby girls named Skye (rank: 788th)
  • 1987: 240 baby girls named Skye (rank: 748th)
  • 1986: 116 baby girls named Skye
  • 1985: 100 baby girls named Skye

Snapper
The character William “Snapper” Foster (played by pre-Knight Rider David Hasselhoff) debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1973. The baby name Snapper debuted on the baby name charts the same year.

  • 1975: 6 baby boys names Snapper
  • 1974: 8 baby boys names Snapper
  • 1973: 5 baby boys names Snapper [debut]
  • 1972: unlisted
  • 1971: unlisted

Tara
The character Tara Martin debuted on All My Children in 1970. The baby name Tara saw a significant usage increase that year. Here’s more on the name Tara.

  • 1972: 7,230 baby girls named Tara (rank: 38th)
  • 1971: 6,327 baby girls named Tara (rank: 50th)
  • 1970: 5,334 baby girls named Tara (rank: 69th)
  • 1969: 3,519 baby girls named Tara (rank: 107th)
  • 1968: 2,184 baby girls named Tara (rank: 147th)

Do you know anyone named for a soap opera character?

Update, 4/2017: Here’s another: Tyger!

Update, 3/2020: Here’s a post about Grayling, Althea, Spring and Babby from The Brighter Day.

Update, 5/2021: Here’s a post that mentions Nico and Cecily from All My Children.