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Kardashians in Houma?
Highly unlikely, but fans of the reality show “Keeping up with the Kardashians” might be surprised to know that Kourtney Kardashian, the oldest sibling in the reality TV clan, is indirectly impacting local baby naming trends.
Kardashian has been in the headlines after the birth this month of her second child, Penelope Scotland Disick. After the birth of her son, 2-year-old Mason, moms around the country followed suit, naming their boys Mason, ultimately making it one of the most popular male names in the U.S.
It remains to be seen if Penelope Scotland has the same effect.
The top five boys’ names, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration, are Jacob, Mason, William, Jayden and Noah.
It’s worth noting the name Jacob has been trending at the top of the list for 13 years, long before Stephanie Meyer put pen to paper writing her “Twilight” saga. Written beginning in 2003, the first book wasn’t released until mid-2005.
Closer to home, Mason beats out team Jacob by far in Louisiana. The state’s top five male names in 2011 were Mason, Jayden, Aiden, William and Landon. Jacob placed 11th in popularity.
“The top boy name for babies born at the hospital in 2011 was Mason,” said Rhonda Alfred, marketing director at Terrebonne General Medical Center. “Next was Aiden – with many different spellings – followed by Brody.”
Mason was the second favorite name last year at St. Anne General Hospital. “Landon was the most popular boy’s name,” said Joan Boarstell, who works in the hospital’s vital records department. Jackson was the third most favorite.
Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City, meanwhile, saw more male babies named Jayden, Ethan and Ian – in that order.
The Social Security Administration tracks births and, subsequently, baby names, releasing the most popular monikers each summer. According to state figures, Louisiana welcomed 309 Mason’s into the world.
When it comes to female names, the Kardashians have little influence.
Nationwide, the top five girl names in 2011 were: Sophia, Isabella, Emma, Olivia and Ava.
In Louisiana, there were a few slight changes. Ava got top billing, with 286 girls receiving the name. Rounding out the top five were Emma, Isabella, Sophia and Olivia.
At Houma’s TGMC and Raceland’s Ochsner St. Anne, Ava held the top spot. Alfred said Layla and Madison were the second and third most popular names, while Brostell said Ellie and Aubrey placed second.
Ava wasn’t even on the radar in St. Mary Parish. Teche Regional’s top girl’s names were Kylee, Lily and Aaliyah.
Houma parents Michelle and William Frederick weren’t swayed by pop culture when selecting names for their daughter. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always liked [the name Ava],” mom Michelle said. “I think it is unique – different. The name is beautiful.
“I didn’t even know it was a popular name. I’m not even interested in what names are popular from television.”
Born Jan. 28, Ava almost wasn’t an Ava.
“I was torn between Dakota and Ava,” Michelle said, noting hubby William (also a popular name in the U.S. and Louisiana) helped with the final selection. “I was back and forth with [both names] until right before I had her.”
The Fredericks’ name choices are rooted in family tradition. “Ava and I share a middle name – Marie,” Michelle said. “Our son William is named after his dad.”
But Ava is a first. “No one else in our families has used Ava,” Michelle said.
Once Michelle graduates from college, she said there could be more children in her future. “If we have more boys, my husband would want to name them all William,” she said, laughing. “If I have another girl, maybe we’ll name her Dakota.”
Ava Frederick, daughter of Michelle and William Frederick of Houma, is all smiles as her brother, William, watches. Ava was the most popular baby name for girls born at Terrebonne General Medical Center in 2011.
