Unisex Baby Names
Baby Names Garden first looked at unisex baby names in 2006, when we reviewed the latest data at the time, which was for the year 2005. The results were fascinating, and the reader response strong, so we followed that article with a study of the decade-long trend from 1995 to 2005. We have done follow-ups every other year since that time, and our latest report on unisex baby names is based on data from the 2009 Top 1000 Baby Names list from the Social Security Administration.
2009 is indeed a noteworthy year for androgynous names. It marks the end of Jordan's reign as the most popular unisex name, and the arrival of Riley as America's top unisex name. Long-time unisex favorite Jordan falls to number three in the latest data. The name Peyton is the new number two unisex baby name, jumping from eighth spot.
The 2009 data also halts a decade-long decline in the overall number of unisex baby names in this country. Our definition of a unisex baby name is that it must appear in the Top 1000 list for both boys and girls. In 2009, 68 names fit the definition of "unisex," a significant jump from 59 names in 2007.
Follow the link below for a full discussion of the top unisex names of 2009, and a complete table of rankings.
|