"Twilight" Inspires Top Baby Names

Because every parent wants their child to be named after an obsessive teenage girl, a buff werewolf of an overbearing, sparkly vampire, baby names inspired by the "Twilight" book series are continuing to rise in popularity, according to the Social Security Administration. Though "Isabella" and "Jacob" have been on the most popular since 2004, they became the 1st choices last year, beating out "Emma" and "Ethan." So apparently Edith Wharton and Jane Austen aren't best sellers amongst moms-to-be?

"Cullen," the last name of the vampire Isabella finds herself so hopelessly attracted to, saw the biggest boost in popularity last year, rising from 782nd to 485th place on the list. "Edward" has stayed around 140 for the past few years, but "Jasper" and "Emmett" the adopted brothers of Edward in the series, jumped about 200 spots each last year. In 2008, "Sophia" beat out "Isabella" for the most popular baby name in New York state, but the new state data released on May 14th will determine whether New York has come down with vampire fever like the rest of the country.

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By Jaya Saxena in News on May 8, 2010 3:45 PM

Comments [rss]

S.K.

So long, Jayden, Brayden, et al. and hello normal names again.

Guest

these are just my non-serious opinions. i'm sure if you've named your kids one of those names, they'll turn out just fine, so don't taze me bro! but here it goes, for girls' names:

isabella - che cosa?

emma - close, way too close to the rectum cleaning procedure.

olivia - an olive junkie.

sophia - y'know, i actually like sophia. i like sophia.

ava - like, for-ava?

emily - i like emily--a much better choice than enem... i mean, emma.

madison - i'm gonna write a book about madison. i'll get back to you.

abigail - i like abigail.

chloe - dude, she's a pornstar that every single guy knows.

mia - i like mia. then again, i like me-a.

Edie Bex

The thing is, all of those names were gaining popularity when Stephenie M chose them ... I know lots of 5-year-olds named Isabella, Emmett, Jasper, etc. I guess Cullen is all that can be attributed to Twilight ... Ugh.

A year after he was born, my son's semi-obscure but traditional name showed up in a hit TV show, but luckily its use hasn't spiked. But dense people (misjudging his age) still ask if he was named after it.

nicemarmot

The funny thing is, I'm going to start having kids soon. When I was a teenager and first began considering such things, I LOVED all the names on that list. Apparently I was about 15 years ahead of my time. Either that or I knew that Mormon chick was going to write those horrible pieces of trash before she did.

Of course, now that I'm an adult and actually thinking about these things for real, I think all those names are crap. The girls' names are worse than the boys, but either way, you're giving your kid the same damn name as every other kid in his class. When I was in elementary school you could shout "Jenny" or "Matt" in a crowded corridor and thirty kids would turn around. Now it'll just be thirty Isabellas instead of Jennys.

Though I'm very pleased to see Madison dropping down the list. Is there any name that guarantees the owner will be a horrible bitch more than Madison?

Long John Silver

Hey, mom's just want their girls to be able to go to Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for free. Museum official policy: "All named 'Isabella' admitted free forever." (http://www.gardnermuseum.org/i...