New names join old favorites in state popularity

By Barbara Soderlin, Journal staff | Wednesday, May 21, 2008

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Nancy Richey of Rapid Valley didn’t realize how popular the name had become when she decided to call her baby girl Addisyn.

“I just came up with it,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of people ask me, ‘Oh, you named her for 'Grey’s Anatomy?’” for the character Dr. Addison Montgomery.

The name in its most commonly spelled form, Addison, was the fourth most popular name for girls born in South Dakota in 2007, the Social Security Administration said Monday.

The others were Ava, Emma, Olivia and Hannah. Big names from 2006 that fell off the state’s most-popular list in 2007 were Grace and Madison.

The five most popular boys' names were Ethan, Mason, Jacob, Gavin and Noah. Carter, Logan and Landon were big in 2006 but no longer are in the top five.

Social Security is seeing a trend of children named for celebrities or celebrities’ children.

Shiloh, the name of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s younger daughter, debuted on the list at number 804 of 1,000, the administration said in a news release. Maddox, the name of their oldest child, has seen steady gains since first appearing on the list in 2003 at number 583, now ranking 226. Miley is new to the girls’ list, entering fairly high at number 278, attributable to the popularity of teen sensation Miley Cyrus.

Shyloh Brink, the 11-month-old daughter of Ryan and Valerie Brink of Rapid City, wasn’t named for Brad and Angelina’s baby.

“But people do ask,” Ryan Brink said. Instead, she was named for the Neil Diamond song. “I love Neil Diamond.”

Richey didn’t name her daughter from 'Grey’s Anatomy,' though. She just liked the way it sounds.

“I liked the name Madison, but to me, that’s overused,” said Richey, a teacher at Dakota Middle School, where six teachers this year had children.

A celebrity did inspire Jennifer Brinkman of Rapid City to name her son Gavin when he was born in 2002. Gavin was the fourth most-popular boys’ name in 2007, with 59 babies.

“You’re going to find it funny but I thought the lead singer of Bush, Gavin Rossdale, was gorgeous, and it couldn’t hurt to name him after someone gorgeous.”

Brinkman said she was surprised to learn how popular the name has become. She endured a popular name, with Jennifer being No. 1 in 1980, when she was born, and in several years before and after that.

“I couldn’t go through any grade without at least another Jennifer in my class.”

Most popular baby names in South Dakota in 2007

Boys: Ethan, Mason, Jacob, Gavin, Noah

Girls: Ava, Emma, Olivia, Addison, Hannah

How popular is your name?

Find out what rank your name has held over the years at www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames.