Canada's Top Baby Names 🍁
Plus why it's not unusual to have an unusual name
Before we get to Canada, I’d like to tell you that this week I’ve met, or heard of, young children named Xandra, Xhantelle, and Celestina.
All extremely rare names — which have appeared seldom if ever on the popularity charts here — and all living in ordinary small towns and cities in the UK.
Together, they remind me of something that’s often said in the baby name world: that popular names aren’t as popular as you might think. (Even in a large group of children, odds are only one or two will have the top baby name in their year. Not like back in the day when there were four Michaels and seven Jennifers in your class.)
Which means the flip side is also true: rare names are more common than you might think.
In the USA last year, 278,000 babies were given names so rare they didn’t make the official baby name rankings of names used for five or more children. That’s thousands in every state. 7 in every 100 children born in 2021 have a one-of-a-kind name.
In England and Wales, it was 8 in every hundred: potentially dozens even in my local small town.
So if you’re thinking of using an uncommon baby name, let that reassure you. The naming pool is getting ever more diverse, and while they’ll probably be the only person with their name, they’ll be one among many with a name that’s distinct, sparkly, and individual.
Canada’s Top Baby Names
Speaking of diversity, this week the spotlight’s on Canada! Canadian baby names are notoriously challenging to pin down — there are no national statistics, for a start — but they’re worth delving into.
We’ve rounded up the most popular names in each province and territory, plus the all-round most distinctively Canadian names, including Florence and Flavie, Lennon and Lilyrose, Ryker and Rafael.
More Fun Things…
The best October baby names, both seasonal 🍂 and spooooky 🎃
What’s your ultimate Berry-style name? Take the quiz to find out (mine is the berry-licious Ottilie Cecily Xanthe)
Food names for cats, from Apricot to Wonton 😻
Celebrity grandparent names: find out whose grandkids are calling them Poppi, Lalo, and Boom Boom
Ancient names 101 ⬇️
