By Howard Fischer
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-877732.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – State health officials annually compile the most popular names
for newborns. The new list, at least on the boys side, remains
relatively static. Three decades ago the most popular name for
boys born in the state was Michael. It also was the most popular
in 1989 and in second spot 10 years after that. It remains
popular, at No. 8 this year.
But girls? That's different.
Isabella was the most popular name for Arizona girls this year.
It even was No. 2 five years ago. But it was nowhere in sight in
1999, the year when Samantha was at the top of the list. This
year Samantha came in just 10th. Thirty years ago the most
popular name for girls was Jennifer. This year it did't crack the
Top 100.
That doesn't mean boys names don't change, especially
over long periods of time. Once upon a time people talked about
things that appealed ``to every Tom, Dick and Harry.'' Well, in
2009, Tom -- Thomas to be specific -- scored no better than 80th
among the most popular name for boys. And neither Richard nor
Harry were anywhere in the Top 100.
Top girl names in 2009 in Arizona
Rank / Name / Frequency
1 / Isabella / 498
2 / Sophia / 373
3 / Mia / 336
4 / Emma / 334
5 / Emily / 284
6 / Olivia / 272
7 / Abigail / 271
8 / Madison / 266
9 / Ava / 255
10 / Samantha / 248
11 / Natalie / 235
12 / Chloe / 218
13 / Alexis / 191
14 / Ashley / 189
15 / Elizabeth / 180
16 / Alyssa / 177
17 / Victoria / 169
18 / Valeria / 166
19 / Brianna / 165
20 / Taylor / 162
21 / Addison / 161
22 / Hailey / 152
23 / Lily / 150
24 / Camila / 145
25 / Sarah / 145
26 / Nevaeh / 144
27 / Bella / 143
28 / Evelyn / 135
29 / Grace / 134
30 / Andrea / 133
31 / Allison / 132
32 / Kaylee / 132
33 / Alexa / 131
34 / Sofia / 129
35 / Ariana / 127
36 / Ella / 127
37 / Zoe / 127
38 / Kimberly / 120
39 / Aubrey / 119
40 / Savannah / 119
41 / Brooklyn / 118
42 / Gabriella / 118
43 / Hannah / 115
44 / Mariah / 114
45 / Jocelyn / 112
46 / Maria / 111
47 / Arianna / 107
48 / Aaliyah / 106
49 / Maya / 103
50 / Leah / 102
51 / Riley / 100
52 / Vanessa / 100
53 / Audrey / 99
54 / Avery / 99
55 / Peyton / 99
56 / Brooke / 98
57 / Jasmine / 98
58 / Alexandra / 97
59 / Layla / 97
60 / Genesis / 95
61 / Makayla / 95
62 / Melanie / 93
63 / Destiny / 90
64 / Kayla / 90
65 / Serenity / 89
66 / Faith / 88
67 / Mackenzie / 88
68 / Claire / 86
69 / Jessica / 86
70 / Michelle / 86
71 / Gianna / 85
72 / Trinity / 85
73 / Lillian / 84
74 / Angelina / 82
75 / Giselle / 81
76 / Zoey / 81
77 / Natalia / 80
78 / Liliana / 78
79 / Kaitlyn / 77
80 / Anna / 76
81 / Bailey / 75
82 / Isabel / 75
83 / Madeline / 74
84 / Madelyn / 74
85 / Not named / 73
86 / Sadie / 73
87 / Lauren / 72
88 / Ruby / 72
89 / Tatum / 72
90 / Valerie / 72
91 / Stephanie / 71
92 / Sydney / 70
93 / Daniela / 69
94 / Morgan / 69
95 / Mya / 69
96 / Nicole / 69
97 / Amelia / 68
98 / Eva / 68
99 / Paige / 68
100 / Amaya / 67
100 / Leilani / 67
Top 100 names among Arizona boys born in 2009
Rank / Name / Frequency
1 / Jacob / 461
2 / Alexander / 459
3 / Angel / 445
4 / Daniel / 441
5 / Anthony / 427
6 / Ethan / 367
7 / David / 364
8 / Michael / 345
9 / Aiden / 341
10 / Christopher / 339
11 / Gabriel / 331
12 / Jose / 329
13 / Joshua / 329
14 / Joseph / 323
15 / Noah / 309
16 / Logan / 308
17 / Matthew / 307
18 / Jesus / 303
19 / Jayden / 291
20 / Adrian / 288
21 / Andrew / 288
22 / Julian / 285
23 / Luis / 259
24 / Isaac / 258
25 / Christian / 254
26 / Dylan / 253
27 / Elijah / 250
28 / Jonathan / 250
29 / Isaiah / 247
30 / Juan / 234
31 / Benjamin / 232
32 / Carlos / 229
33 / Nathan / 228
34 / James / 222
35 / William / 222
36 / Kevin / 212
37 / Ryan / 205
38 / Nicholas / 204
39 / Tyler / 202
40 / Xavier / 201
41 / Brandon / 200
42 / Sebastian / 197
43 / Samuel / 196
44 / Jackson / 195
45 / Diego / 189
46 / Caleb / 187
47 / Dominic / 182
48 / Aaron / 178
49 / Robert / 167
50 / Connor / 166
51 / Mason / 166
52 / Gavin / 165
53 / Landon / 165
54 / John / 164
55 / Jordan / 164
56 / Evan / 162
57 / Carter / 160
58 / Liam / 159
59 / Damian / 155
60 / Miguel / 155
61 / Santiago / 155
62 / Luke / 150
63 / Zachary / 150
64 / Jack / 146
65 / Brody / 143
66 / Nathaniel / 141
67 / Brayden / 138
68 / Oscar / 136
69 / Adam / 135
70 / Alejandro / 135
71 / Austin / 134
72 / Wyatt / 134
73 / Ian / 127
74 / Hunter / 125
75 / Cameron / 122
76 / Lucas / 121
77 / Eduardo / 120
78 / Jesse / 119
79 / Francisco / 118
80 / Thomas / 118
81 / Owen / 115
82 / Victor / 115
83 / Jason / 114
84 / Justin / 112
85 / Alan / 110
86 / Manuel / 110
87 / Jorge / 109
88 / Ivan / 107
89 / Chase / 106
90 / Alex / 102
91 / Antonio / 102
92 / Cole / 102
93 / Javier / 102
94 / Tristan / 102
95 / Josiah / 101
96 / Giovanni / 100
97 / Blake / 99
98 / Parker / 99
99 / Bryan / 97
100 Eric / 96
-- Source: Arizona Department of Health Services