Pregnancy can be a beautiful and exciting time. There are plenty of preparations to be made – one of those includes picking out a baby name. You and your partner may not know where to start. Character names from your favorite books, movies or pop culture icons are great for finding inspiration.
However, another great resource is popular names of the past. Here are the top girls’ names of 2011 that could work as inspiration for your little one.
The top 10
In 2011, the top 10 most popular girls’ names showed some similarities to 2010. For both years, the top five were Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia and Ava. The only switch in the order? In 2011, Isabella dropped to the No. 2 slot while Sophia took over as No. 1. In fact, all of the names that ranked in the top 10 in 2011 were also in the top 10 in 2010, with a only a couple of switches in the rankings. For instance, in 2011, Mia and Chloe swapped places at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. Here’s the complete list of the top 10 girls’ names of 2011:
Geographical location names
Some parents love to choose names for their little ones that have significance. For example, some parents choose to name their newborn after a city or place that has sentimental value like the place the two met or wed. This way, each time they call their kid’s name, they will be reminded of the love they have. In addition, their little girl or boy will feel a connection to his or her own name. If you like this idea, try naming your little girl after a city, town or state that means something to you and your family.
In 2011, there were a handful of girls’ names in the top 100 that are also locations. For example, Brooklyn held the No. 21 spot, Charlotte came in at No. 27 and Savannah followed closely at No. 41. Some other city-name examples that are adorable for females are: Aurora, Paris, Dakota and Florence. Other state capital name ideas include: Madison, Raleigh and Atlanta.
Gender-neutral names
Now that it’s 2016, more parents are being progressive when it comes to name choices. In fact, lots of moms and dads are choosing gender-neutral names for their little ones. Taylor (44), Harper (53) and Riley (47) all made it on the top 50 list for girls’ names in 2011. And yet, surprisingly enough, none of those names made it on the top boys’ names list of 2011. It looks as though parents are more likely to name their little girl a traditionally male name, as opposed to the other way around.
If you’re wary about naming your little one something too masculine, you can try adding a vowel to a male name instead. For example, Alex can become Alexa, Adrian can become Adriana and Christian can become Christina. When looking for baby names, try not to let gender limit you. If you like a name, odds are you’ll enjoy it if you have a boy or a girl.
Pop culture names
As mentioned above, many people are influenced by pop culture, especially television shows. For example, the Kardashian family has been leading reality television for many years. Some of the sisters made the list in 2011, with Khloe at No. 49, Kylie at No. 58 and Kimberly at No. 67. Although these are all pretty common names, Khloe is traditionally spelled Chloe. In fact, Chloe is in the top 10, so there are two versions of the name on the top 100! It just goes to show you that the entertainment world can have an effect on us.
If you’re looking to name your little girl something, start writing down names while watching your favorite show. Whether it’s Meredith from “Grey’s Anatomy,” Olivia from “Scandal” or Leslie from “Parks and Recreation,” choosing a name of a character you admire is a great choice for your little one. But don’t just stop there. Reread all your favorite books – even the ones from childhood. Eloise from “Eloise at the Plaza,” Junie from the “Junie B. Jones” series or Ramona and Beezus from “Ramona Forever” are all great books to choose from. Once your little girl is born, you can even read her the story each night.
Get the most recent trends with the most popular girls names of this year.
