Top Baby Names Around the World in 2008

[pinkysmith.livejournal.com]

So, I found this article featuring the Top Baby Names in countries around the world.  It's interesting to see just how many names repeat but I'm posting here the stand outs for me from 5 countries i've not seen posted previously.

In Finland
girls: Matilda,

Iida, Aada
boys: Emil, Ville

In Norway
girls: Ida, Emilie, Malin, Ingrid
boys: Henrik

In The Philippines
girls: Maricel, Rowena
boys: Ronald, Marlon, Noel

In Spain
girls: Alba, Claudia, Nerea
boys: Alvaro, Sergio

In Sweden
girls: Maja, Alva, Linnea, Wilma
boys: Filip, Isak, Emil

 

-Is it wrong to be obsessed with the meanings behind names as a rationale for choosing them?

Comments

[lilacmermaid.livejournal.com]

I really like Matilda, Ingrid, Rowena and Linnea. I'm not as crazy about the boys names.

[skittles22088.livejournal.com]

I like:
Matilda
Rowena
Marlon

[qtshorty1625.livejournal.com]

There are some nice names on that list.

Some random comments:
Emma reminds me of the book.
Noah reminds me of "The Notebook".
Oliver reminds me of Oliver James.
Caroline reminds me of "Pride and Prejudice".
Lucas reminds me of Luc Robitaille.
Christian reminds me of religion and the singer from Sugarland.

[rowan-belle.livejournal.com]

The only one I like is Matilda.

And I don't it's wrong to be obsessed with meanings. I sometimes take names off my list if I don't really like the meaning.

[i12bmore.livejournal.com]

You never know if the kid is going to grow up caring about the meaning. I was horrified to learn that my name meant "the man from the farm on the hill". But then again, I've grown up and am changing it to "harness-maker" for completely unrelated reasons.

[lind-saay.livejournal.com]

Matilda,
Ida
Ingrid
Henrik
Noel
Claudia
Filip
Isak

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I really like Matilda, Nerea and Malin. Actually, I've loved Malin since I was 14...but I forgot about that! =D

Meanings matter a lot to me, too. The thing that makes me like a name is the sound/spelling, but if it has a nice meaning too, I start to love it.

[qtshorty1625.livejournal.com]

In a way I'm not surprised that there would be so many repeats, because there are a lot of names that seem to be echoed throughout different countries, sometimes with just a difference in spelling (i.e. Nicholas, Nicolas, Nicklas, Niklas, etc.)

Matilda reminds me of the book (I think I read too much, hehe)

Hmm, I don't think I realized that Claudia was Hispanic; maybe because the only two people I "know" with that are my mom's friend and the girl from the BSC series, neither of which are Hispanic.

Hehe, I think it's funny to see the name Henrik under Finland, because all the hockey players I "know" with that name are from Sweden.

[qtshorty1625.livejournal.com]

Oh and I forgot to add, I don't think it's wrong to obsess with meanings. We all have something that attracts us to names. I like to know the meanings of names. Plus I know in writing, often the meaning of a name is looked at to name a character.

[spikes-sexkitty.livejournal.com]

"-Is it wrong to be obsessed with the meanings behind names as a rationale for choosing them?"

NO!!! and thank GOD someone else does this. i loathe with a burning passion when ppl pick names b/c "zomg it looks pretty..." but means something horrendous. or doesn't even HAVE a meaning b/c they made it up.

prime example: Jezebel. ick.

[onzeminutos.livejournal.com]

I didn't know Matilda had become so popular in Finland. I'm almost 20 but when I grew up I only knew one Matilda. Iida and Aada have been quite popular for some time already. Ville has been popular forever but I didn't know Emil has gotten so popular. It's a shame since it is my favorite favorite boys name. Hopefully it's popularity will go down before I have a baby! ;>)

I pretty much like all the names on the list from Norway and Sweden and also the list of the Danish names in the comments.