For years now I’ve been talking about baby name debuts. But one thing I keep forgetting to blog about is the biggest baby name debuts of all time.
So this week I’m going to fix that oversight.
Well, half of it.
I’ll be counting down the 50 most popular girl name debuts in five posts, from today until Friday. (The boys’ list I’ll do another week.)
You’d think this would be 50 names, right? But I decided not to break ties, so the list actually contains 67 names.
I came up with explanations for as many names as I could, though a number of them are still mysteries to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these.
So here’s 50 to 41:
Yatzari, #50
- Yatzari debuted with 65 baby girls in 2000.
I’m not sure what inspired it.
Brieanna, Fanta & Kherington, 3-way tie for #49
- Brieanna debuted with 66 baby girls in 1979.
I’m not sure what inspired it. - Fanta debuted with 66 baby girls in 1977.
I’m not sure what inspired it.Inspired by Fanta, a character on the TV miniseries Roots. - Kherington debuted with 66 baby girls in 2008.
Inspired by Kherington Payne, a contestant on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance.
Chantay, Charde & Laryssa, 3-way tie for #48
- Chantay debuted with 67 baby girls in 1960.
Inspired by Chantay, a character on the TV western Lawman. - Charde debuted with 67 baby girls in 1985.
Inspired by singer Sade [shah-DAY]. - Laryssa debuted with 67 baby girls in 1968.
Inspired by Laryssa Lauret, an actress on the soap opera The Doctors.
Jennavecia & Laquita, 2-way tie for #47
- Jennavecia debuted with 68 baby girls in 2008.
Inspired by Jennavecia Russo, a cast member on the reality TV show The Bad Girls Club. - Laquita debuted with 68 baby girls in 1930.
Inspired by…I’m not sure what.
Zhane, #46
Kaydence, Phaedra & Shalawn, 3-way tie for #45
- Kaydence debuted with 70 baby girls in 2002.
I’m not sure what inspired it.Inspired by Cadence, a character from the movie Shallow Hal. (Thank you Angela!) - Phaedra debuted with 70 baby girls in 1963.
Inspired by Phaedra, a character in the movie Phaedra. - Shalawn debuted with 70 baby girls in 1974.
Inspired by Shalawn (b. 1974), baby of O’Jays singer Walter Williams.
Tyechia, #44
- Tyechia debuted with 71 baby girls in 1982.
Inspired by orphaned toddler named Tyechia who had been in the news.
Adilene, #43
Leshia & Riann, 2-way tie for #42
- Leshia debuted with 76 baby girls in 1960.
I’m not sure what inspired it. Inspired by Lisha Steele, a character on the soap opera Young Doctor Malone. (Thank you m4yb3_daijirou!) - Riann debuted with 76 baby girls in 1977.
Inspired by the song “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac.
Jalesa, #41
- Jalesa debuted with 77 baby girls in 1988.
Inspired by Jaleesa Vinson, a character on the TV sitcom A Different World.
Do you have any ideas about where Kaydence, Fanta, Brieanna, or Yatzari might have come from?
More of the top 50 baby name debuts for girls: 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11, 10-1
Image: Adapted from LotusBud0048a (public domain) by Frank “Fg2” Gualtieri
[Latest update: 7/2021]
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