BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Baby Names Bella's Most Popular Girl Names '03

New article with some interesting turn outs:

Bella's Most Popular Girl Names for 2003

<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Michele
babynames@bellaonline.com
Baby Names @ BellaOnline

To be perfectly honest, I was not surprised to see such names as Emma and Emily, Natalie and Anne, Gabrielle, and Ashanti, but it tickled me to find out that viewers from around the globe are looking for something new in names like Halona, which I really love, and Nyree and Jamila.

What do you think?

Michele
babynames@bellaonline.com Baby Names @ BellaOnline

Wooohoo for #6! My daughter was born in July and we named her Natalie Madeline.

It was either that or Emily Maya BUT the national list came out two months before she was born and Emily was #1 so we thought of others.

Decided to just name her after my grandparents.
<img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I didn't follow the trend but it's nice to see her name up there as being semi popular.

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Victoria, Island Travel host
http://islandtravel.bellaonline.com

I totally agree, Victoria...I like this list because it's not just 'American' oriented, it's global and there are a lot of beautiful names from all over the world. Nyree is one of my favorites.

That doesn't sound too cheesy, does it, lol.

Michele
babynames@bellaonline.com Baby Names @ BellaOnline

An interesting article was in the NY Daily News and I believe it was part of a nationwide study so you may have seen it in your local paper.

It was about names, HR departments and discrimination. Applicants would apply to a job let's say to be an Executive Assistant and about 99% of the time the applicants with names like Jane, Ashley, Victoria, Patricia and Catherine were getting call backs but those with more unique names (spelling and sounding) were rarely called back.

In a bout of pregnancy insanity I almost named my daughter an unusual name for a girl: Ryan. Yes, I know. And you can laugh because I am insane but you have to understand here in New York it is very common to see a girl named Kyle or Blaine. But because of that article I rethought that choice.

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Victoria, Island Travel host
http://islandtravel.bellaonline.com

What does it mean 'Bella's Most Popular Girl Names'? Was there a poll or something? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Personally, I don't like any names on the list except for Natalie. That was rather popular decades ago as I recall. I know a few 37+ year olds with that name, but haven't come across a toddler or youth with that name.

My brother's name is Ryan. (He's 29). Unusual for a girl! I kinda like it. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Victoria!

I love that name for a girl...quite honestly, I like it better for a girl than a boy. I like it when people switch names like that. I like Kelly for a boy, am I nuts? Don't answer that. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

It's sad that we live in such a stereotypical society. We're the melting pot for crying out loud, a culture of expressiveness, but I totally feel where you are coming from.

<img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Michele
Baby Names @ BellaOnline

No, Janet, there was not a poll. During the year of 2003, I kept track of the tallies each month of traffic...how many times a name was searched for and clicked on. This list is the top 10 of girl names.

<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Michele
Baby Names @ BellaOnline

Ah! After I posted, I had wondered if maybe that was the case. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Actually, Kelly (like Tracey and Stacey) were boys names that crossed over to the list of girl's names. When I told my mother we were thinking of naming our daughter Ryan she just flipped. I seriously think she thought I had gone mad. I still like that name alot. But because of the significance, Natalie Madeline was a nice choice to settle on.

Victoria