Top Baby Names in Different States

The United States of America is a big country, with many different regions and cultural influences. I thought I'd take a look at the differences in popular baby names in different parts of the country. Here are the top 10 baby boy names from two different parts of the country.

Oregon Baby Boy Names, 2011
1. Mason
2. Liam
3. Logan
4. Jacob
5. Alexander
6. Samuel
7. Daniel
8. Jackson
9. Ethan
10. Noah

Mississippi Baby Boy Names, 2011
1. William
2. James
3. Jayden
4. John
5. Christopher
6. Elijah
7. Jacob
8. Mason
9. Joshua
10. Ethan

There are a few names that appear on both lists (Mason, Ethan, Jacob), but the rest are all different. In both lists, I see the trend of boy names that end in -n. If you want to look up your own state's most popular baby names, take a look at the Social Security website.

Kate Middleton: Naming the Royal Baby

Kate Middleton has quite a job in front of her--besides giving birth. She's got to name a royal baby. This is a really big deal, and I don't envy her this job.

This baby will have a title, potentially a huge title later in life, like "Queen" or "King." Therefore, it is inadvisable to name the baby any one of these, which happen to be listed among Fit Pregnancy's "top 25 hottest new baby names of the year." I'll put "Queen" or "King" in front of them so you can get the whole effect.

Queen Briella
Queen Charlee
Queen McKinley
Queen Nyla
Queen Brynlee
Queen Xandra

King Zeke
King Phoenix
King Gunner
King Ajax
King Kace
King Rocco

See what I mean? Unless they want the future monarch to sound like a mountain (Queen McKinley), an abrasive cleanser (King Ajax), or a Xanadu-style drag queen (Queen Xandra), they're going to have to keep their list very traditional. Read: stay within the lines.

As is always my humble opinion, it's wise to choose a baby name for a namesake. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a little Winston running around the royal palace. Most toddlers resemble the great Churchill to some extent anyway. See?

What are your best (and worst) names for the Royal Wee One?