Why are baby names so important? Baby names are important because they will be the first thing people find out about you when someone meets you. Your name will always be the first impression. Although it’s very difficult to choose, it’s so hard because you want to get it right. You want everyone to love the name YOU chose.
This shows the top 5 baby names of two very different generations. You can tell the difference between 1974 and 2024.
Top 5 Popular Names in 1974
- Jennifer
- Amy
- Michelle
- Heather
- Angela
Top 5 popular names in 2024
- Emma
- Olivia
- Isabella
- Ava
- Sophia
Looking back 50 years, it’s interesting to know what the popular old names were. I asked students from Oakmont how they felt that their name was on the top 5 list of 2024.
Emma
RESEARCH: Emma originally denoted names beginning with “ermen.” It can be associated with the idea of wholeness and God’s presence. The name Emma has Germanic origins. In Hebrew, it translates to “all containing.”
QUOTE: Freshman Emma Leger, “It’s not really that fun because a lot of people have the name Emma.”
Sophia
RESEARCH: It is a variant of Sophia, which comes directly from the Greek word σοφία, meaning “wisdom.” You can spell the name either Sofia or Sophia, while both spellings are popular, Sofia is more fashionable in Italy and throughout the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking worlds.
QUOTE: Senior Sophia Gaidanowicz shared her thoughts on being on the 2024 baby name list, “My name is Sophia and I love my name. I like it when friends call me Sophie and when adults call me Sophia. Every school I’ve been to I’ve had at least one girl around me with the same name as me. It’s cool but also annoying when I think someone is calling my name and it’s actually for the other Sophie… very embarrassing. ”
Isabella
RESEARCH: Isabella is the Spanish and Italian variation of the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning “God is my oath.” it connects to the Italian word Bella, meaning “beautiful.” So if you would like a name that will remind baby Isabella of their beauty, call them this charming name.
QUOTE: Senior Bella Rios comments on her being top 5 on the most popular baby name list of 2024, “My name is in the top 5 most popular names but I don’t feel like I meet that many people named Isabella.”
Olivia
RESEARCH: Olivia is a Latin name that means “olive tree.” Records of the name Olivia date back to 13th-century England. Its initial popularity might be attributed to the beautiful, sought-after heiress in William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night.
QUOTE: freshman Olivia Martin speaks about her name being on the 2024 baby name list “ I don’t really care I think it’s cool.”
Ava
RESEARCH: Unclear origins, but several possibilities that include German, Latin, Persian, and Hebrew. Yet the name may also hold ties to Eva, derived from the Hebrew Havva, which means “life.” In the Persian language, Ava finds likeness in the name Āvā, meaning “voice” or “sound.”
QUOTE: Senior Ava Franciosi says “I knew it was on it a couple of years ago but I didn’t think it was now, so that’s surprising. “
