How popular is the baby name Ya 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 Ya.

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Popularity of the baby name Ya


Posts that mention the name Ya

3 more airplane babies: Lufthansa, S.K.Y., Jet Star

airplane

It’s been a while since I posted about babies born on airplanes (and named after that fact!). So here are two three at once:

  • Barbara Lufthansa – In July of 1965, a baby girl born on a Lufthansa flight from Germany to New York was named Barbara Lufthansa, middle name in honor of the airline.
  • Shona Kirsty Yves (S.K.Y.) – In 1991, a baby girl born on a British Airways flight from Ghana to London was named Shona Kirsty Yves, the initials of her three given names spelling out the word “sky.”
  • Saw Jet Star – In April of 2016, a baby boy born on a Jetstar Asia flight from Singapore to Myanmar was named Saw Jet Star, “Jet Star” in honor of the airline.

And here are some of earlier airplane babies I’ve written about: Guynemer (1922), Airlene (1929), Lindbergh Wright (1931), Aaxico (1947), Josephine Jean (1955), Connie #1 (1956), James Good Hope Sky (1986), Connie #2 (1996), Daniella (2007), Qatarina (2007), Ya Hang (2009), Tami (2010), and Francis (2011).

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Air Canada Boeing 777-333ER by MarcusObal under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Mongolian names: Bilguun, Nergüi, Sazug

Camel in Mongolia
Camel in Mongolia

Around the time I spotted the names Wicahpi and Wakinyan in the SSA’s baby name data, I also noticed a few Mongolian names:

Bilguun means “sage” or “wise,” and both Temuujin* and Temuulen were derived from the Mongol word temür, meaning “iron.” I’m not sure about the definition of Sodbileg, though. (Anyone know?)

While looking up these definitions, I found some other interesting Mongolian names, like these super-long ones:

  • Dorjsurenjantsankhorloonerguibaatar
  • Ochirbaynmunkhdorjsurenjav
  • Olzmedekhkhuukhenbaatar
  • Naimanzuunnadintsetseg, “eight hundred precious flowers”
  • Enkhtuguldurbaysgalan
  • Mongolekhorniiugluu, “Mongol country’s morning”
  • Uuliinyagaantsetseg, “pink flower of mountain”
  • Ulamundrakhtuya

And these super-short ones:

  • Az, “luck”
  • Od, “star”
  • Ur
  • Ya
  • Ish
  • Och, “sparkle”

Many older Mongolians have apotropaic names, which were meant to ward off evil spirits. Examples include Enebish, “not this one,” Khunbish, “not human,” and Nergüi, “no name.”

Apotropaic names have since fallen out of favor, but many modern Mongolian baby names have similarly odd definitions. Writer Louisa Waugh, who spent time teaching English in Mongolia, had students named Buttakuz, “camel-eyes,” and Sazug, “smelly.” She asked fellow teacher Gansukh (“steel axe”) about the names:

‘Why would anyone call their child “Camel-eyes”?’

‘Have you ever looked at a camel’s eyes?’ she replied. ‘They’re beautiful’.

It’s true – Tsengel is full of long-lashed, coy-eyed camels. So Butta-kuz is really quite a compliment. As for Smelly, that took a bit more unravelling. ‘It’s affectionate,’ said Steel Axe. ‘No-one thinks it is offensive. As a name, in Mongolia, it actually implies that he smells quite nice.’

Do you known of any other Mongolian names? Have any favorites?

*Temuujin, “iron-worker,” was Genghis Khan’s birth name. I typically see it spelled Temujin.

Sources: N.Khurelbaatar: There are 1000 people with extraordinary and unusual names living in Mongolia, In the eye of the beholder, Mongolian Name – Wikipedia, Mongolian Names

Image: Adapted from A little white camel 02 by Alexandr frolov under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Baby born on AirAsia flight, named Ya Hang (“Air Asia”)

airplane

About two weeks ago, a Malaysian woman named Liew Siaw Hsia gave birth aboard an AirAsia flight from Penang to Kuching.

What did she name her son? Asia Liew Ya Hang, in honor of the budget airline. She said “Ya Hang” means “AirAsia” in Mandarin, adding:

It’s the best name I can give my son who was the first baby born on the airline’s plane.

Dr. Ronald Tang, who happened to be on the same flight, helped with the delivery. Here’s his opinion of the baby’s name:

Am also glad to hear the name Asia Liew Ya Hang for the baby, as it is huge and signifies rich and fast growing over the continent with many possibilities, like AirAsia.

That quote that leaves me confused…but also strangely optimistic.

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Air Canada Boeing 777-333ER by MarcusObal under CC BY-SA 3.0.