Baby Barack

Once again, Jacob is the most popular baby boy name.

According to a recent report by the Social Security Administration, the top 10 most popular baby names for 2008 were:

1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Alexander
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Christopher
10. Matthew

But the big news is Barack. The name moved an unprecedented amount -- from 12, 535th place in 2007 to 2,409th in 2008.

What always strikes me about this list is how many parents inadvertently choose a popular name for their child. I grew up as Jenny -- 1 of 5 Jennies in my high school class -- so my babynaming goal was the avoid the year's most popular names. Instead, I wanted solid, "normal" names for my boys; nothing too out there, but nothing too common either.

I failed miserably. Boy #2 is Tyler, the male equivalent of Jenny if ever there was one. Unbeknownst to us, Tyler was #10 the year he was born.

Boy #1 is Nathan -- #34 the year he was born. Boy #4 is Samuel -- #25 for his year. And Adam, Boy #3's name, was #58 the year he was born.

That's right: we never managed a name out of the Top 100. Or out of the Top 60, for that matter.

How 'bout you? Where do your boys names rank on the popularity list?

Another Thing to Consider...

when naming your sons.

A new study has found that boys with unpopular names are more likely commit crimes than boys with popular names.

True, the idea that a name can have lifelong implications is not new. But the idea that these study results should be used to "identify individuals at high risk of committing or recommitting crime, leading to more effective and targeted intervention programs" (so say the researchers) is completely disturbing. Isn't that profiling? Expecting the absolute worst of someone based on an absolute intangible, something he has no control over?

I vote for strengthening families, fighting poverty and building communities instead.