The big news from the Social Security Administration is the
ousting of a champion: Liam has dethroned Noah as the nation’s most popular boy
name. This was the headline of its newly released baby-name report, an annual
synthesis of Social Security card applications from the past year that offers a
fascinating cultural statement and doubles as a tip sheet for expectant
parents.
Those hoping to avoid preschool confusion and the fate of forever
appending the first initial of your last name may want to eschew Emma, which
secured the No. 1 spot among girl names for the fourth consecutive year, as
well as Olivia and Ava, which held their ground at No. 2 and No. 3,
respectively.
Our love of a v sound buoyed by vowels also was reflected in a
few newcomers to the top 10, including Oliver (No. 9) and Evelyn (No. 9).
New moms are dusting off their grandmothers’ names, but they’re
threading that antique lace to red bandana, according to the list of names that
made the biggest leaps in popularity. A gust of Wild-West spunk emerged in 2017
with the likes of Oaklynn, Oaklee, Luella and Sunny, alongside fast-galloping
boy names like Wells, Wilder and Ridge.
Among those who read the report with great interest was a
pregnant mom in upstate New York who posted the top 10 to Instagram and
commented on Logan’s surge to No. 5.
Kate Towne has a trained eye — not only because she has named six
sons with her husband but because the 39-year-old stay-at-home mom is the
preeminent Catholic baby naming consultant. Kate is paid to provide
consultations for expectant parents based on her proven expertise, showcased
delightfully on her popular blog Sancta Nomina, Latin for “holy names.” For
$50, she will contemplate a couple’s preferences, factor in names of the baby’s
siblings, scan the saints, conduct research, tap into her exhaustive knowledge,
examine her instincts and prayer — all leading up to the formulation of at
least five suggestions for each gender.
Until you’ve read Kate’s consultations, you can’t appreciate the
value this provides to a pregnant woman scratching her head over baby names as
she launders onesies and writes baby-shower thank-you cards or evicts a toddler
from the nursery. There’s proof in the pudding: Countless clients have named a
child with one of Kate’s picks.
Her interest in names first was influenced by her mom, an Irish
poet. Kate has always filed away surprising selections and winsome pairings,
scrolling favorite names in a notebook at age 14.
Today Kate appreciates the pro-life power of a name,
personalizing a baby in utero and conferring it with dignity. She marvels over
her unexpected ministry — a term she didn’t initially think about until a
reader used it.
“I’m so blessed that my funny little interest has turned into
something amazing that actually helps other people and gives glory to God,” she
said.
It goes to show that ministries can’t be confined to a narrow
box, she adds. Many of her friends also have discovered novel avenues for their
God-given talents, with outcomes they’d never imagined on a timeline entirely
his.
She’s counting on perfect timing to decide the name of her
seventh baby, due in September, whose gender is unknown. Agreeing on a boy name
is difficult having already named six. Pregnancy after pregnancy, her chosen
girl name has not wavered: Susanna, honoring her mom (Susanne), her grandma
(Anna) and St. Susanna.
Kate can refer to her new book, Catholic
Baby Names for Girls and Boys: Over 250 Ways to Honor Our Lady, and hope
for grace from the novena she’s praying to St. Gerard, patron saint of pregnant
women. Ultimately, she’s confident the name will feel right, chosen for a baby
to be embraced by a band of brothers, steeped in Catholic tradition and swaddled
in love.
Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights,
Minn.