VERY early on in this blog, I delineated the rules for naming the daughter. Primary among them: “No name in the top 10 in the Social Security list of most popular baby names for the most recent year available, which was then 2002.
Note: Rank 1 is the most popular, rank 2 is the next most popular, and so forth. Name data are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.
Among the names that were under consideration were these:
Olivia
2002 10
2001 10
2000 16
1999 20
1998 21
1997 27
1996 34
1995 39
1994 50
1993 50
1992 58
1991 61
1990 72
Automatically DQed.
Sophia
2002 27
2001 37
2000 42
1999 53
1998 73
1997 94
1996 126
1995 168
1994 185
1993 196
1992 212
1991 227
1990 251
Isabella
2002 14
2001 28
2000 45
1999 60
1998 84
1997 114
1996 152
1995 174
1994 222
1993 319
1992 488
1991 698
1990 895
The latter two were real contenders, but I was really concerned by the trend line. I now feel much better about our ultimate choice.
Olivia
2009 3
2008 4
2007 7
2006 7
2005 5
2004 4
2003 5
Sophia
2009 4
2008 7
2007 6
2006 9
2005 12
2004 15
2003 20
Isabella
2009 1
2008 2
2007 2
2006 4
2005 6
2004 7
2003 11
Lydia is trending upward too, but not TOO common…
The popularity of the female name Lydia Year of birth Rank
2009 118
2008 120
2007 124
2006 130
2005 119
2004 126
2003 127
2002 137
2001 140
2000 149
1999 149
1998 153
1997 160
1996 175
1995 173
1994 188
1993 206
1992 203
1991 214
1990 205
All in all, we are REALLY happy with Lydia’s name; it fits her. At least in part, we were inspired by the name appearing in the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 16: “a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.”
So far, she’s not on any social networking sites. Here are some people named Lydia Green on LinkedIn.