Popularity of a name by area?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Popularity of a name by area?
16
Tue, 01-03-2006 - 7:21pm

I don't really know where to post this, but I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to find out how popular a name is in a particular area (the smallest sampling I've been able to find is by state so far ... we live in PA btw).

I'd like to try and find out just how popular Abigail really is in my area, especially after seeing that it's at #5 or 6 nationwide and #5 in PA overall (and according to the SSA's site, Kaitlyn never got past about 30 ... and I thought her name was super-popular!). My husband thinks it's one of those that seem popular because you see it mentioned, say, online a lot, but that we wouldn't really run into that many of in real life, whereas I'm under the impression she'd end up with 5 others in her class (not what I want, really).

If anyone knows of a site where I can find data like this I'd really appreciate it. (At least if my oldest was in school yet I'd have an idea of how popular it is - at least with that age group - but she doesn't start until September lol).

Anyway, thanks in advance! :)


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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-13-2005
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 11:36am
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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-18-2005
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 1:58pm

Kelli,
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, seeing how I was the librarian at our public elementary school for the last couple years. Any public school has to allow anybody use of its facilities so you could go to any of your local public schools and ask to see their yearbooks from the last couple of years. My friends come in and do it all the time. Good luck and fill us in if you end up finding something really useful.

Andrea

Andrea

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 3:56pm
Oh, really? I had no idea you could do that! I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the idea! :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 6:20pm
Have you tried looking at the webnursery for your local hospital(s)? That can be a big help as well.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 9:15pm
Yes, I did try looking at the hospitals' web nurseries. Only problem is that only two of them post the photos/names of the newborns, and then only at the parents' request. Of those, I found only two baby Abigails in the past 6 months (the farthest I could look), if I remember correctly. In any case, I know it wasn't many, but I wonder how indicative that is of how popular Abigail truly is in my area. Anyway, I figure for now I'll just have to keep my eyes open! Thanks for the suggestion.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 9:21pm

Andrea,

I actually do have a friend who lives up the street from me, so her 7-year-old goes to the same school mine will attend (don't know why I didn't think to ask her sooner).

Anyway, she thought I was crazy for asking (her one-year-old is named Jacob - I believe the #1 boys name for last year - so she doesn't understand why I wouldn't want a popular name lol), but she did agree to bring her oldest's yearbooks by for me to look through. It will only be the last three years, but I figure I'm more concerned with how popular it is with the younger kids anyway (too bad I don't know anyone with an infant/toddler in daycare or preschool right now, or that would be a great indication I'm sure!).

Anyway, thanks for the help!

~Kelli


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