Popular Baby Names: You Should Be Happy If Your Newborn’s Name Made It To 2014’s List
As the year comes to an end, BabyCenter has released it much anticipated “Most Popular Baby Names Of The Year” list. Results show that Jackson and Sophia, beat out last year’s contenders Liam and Emma to claim the number one spots. If you’re one of the thousands of parents whose newborn has one of this year’s most popular monikers, I have some great news: The more popular your name, the easier your life may be.
There’s a reason that names like John and Elizabeth continue to be used throughout the centuries. Studies have shown that people with more common names tend to have an easier time in life than those with more unique names. For example, in a New York University study, researchers found that people with easier-to-pronounce names often had higher-status positions at work.
A separate study from Marquette University found that others tended to find those with more common names as being more likeable. Based on this, the researchers concluded that an individual with a common name had a better chance of being hired over someone with a more unique name.
I may be biased, however, seeing as Mason, the name of my adorable nephew, has been one of the top 10 most popular boy names for the past four years. Research suggests that choosing a popular name for your newborn may actually give them the tiniest edge in life. On the other hand, if you gave your child a name that didn’t quite make it to the top 100, this could benefit them in a slightly different way. A child with a unique name may be used to being teased or being constantly questioned about their name, and that experience can help them in "learning to control their emotions or their impulses, which is, of course, a great skill for success," Dalton Conley, an author on parenting explained to BBC News.
Top 10 Most Popular Boy Names
- Jackson
- Aiden
- Liam
- Lucas
- Noah
- Mason
- Ethan
- Caden
- Jacob
- Logan
Top 10 Most Popular Girl Names
- Sophia
- Emma
- Olivia
- Ava
- Isabella
- Mia
- Zoe
- Lily
- Emily
- Madelyn
