Girl names changing, but boys much the same

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 4:57 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Expecting parents Gary and California Emil of Las Vegas early in her pregnancy picked the names for their baby who is due to be delivered this month -- Garold "Gary" Richard Lee Wayne Emil Jr. if it's a boy; Daisy Meadow if it's a girl.

California, despite being teased about her unusual name growing up, has no qualms about saddling a daughter with such a colorful handle, because "like me, when she is grown up, people will think it's a cool name."

"My mother told me I was named California simply because that is where I was conceived," the 25-year-old mother of two boys, Tyler and Matthew, said. "It could have been worse. I could have been named Volkswagen."

The naming of babies in Nevada over the last decade has, according to state records, shown that traditional, masculine names for boys have remained popular and constant, but the popularity of girls' names are ever changing.

The Nevada State Health Division Bureau of Planning and Statistics records show that eight of the most popular boys names from 1992 were still in the top 10 in 2000, the latest year for which there is data. Michael, No. 1 in 1992, is now the sixth most popular name while 1992's No. 6 Anthony is now No. 1.

The top 10 list also includes Jose, reflecting the growth of the state's Hispanic community. Jose was not in the top 25 in 1992.

However, only three of the most popular girls names from 1992 were still in the top 10 in 2000, with current Nos. 1 and 2 Emily and Hannah not even being in the top 25 in 1992. The most popular name from 1992, Jessica, fell to No. 4.

Recently, MountainView Hospital collected its 2001 baby name data and found that many of the names of the 2,395 babies born at that busy birthing center last year mirrored the state trends over the past decade.

"While there were some unusual names given to boys like Matrix, and a number of Old Testament names, there were a lot of the usual Michaels, Christophers and Matthews (MountainView's top three boys names)," said hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Smith, who personally combed the records and gathered the data.

"But girls had a wide range of names from precious gems like Diamond, Jade and Sapphire to cities like Aspen, Brooklyn and Sydney (site of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games) to Elizabethan names like Gwenavere to interesting names like Ocean and Serenity. Almost anything could be a girl's name."

The three most popular girls names at MountainView in 2001 were Caitlin, Madison and Elizabeth, Smith said.

Among the Old Testament names given to boys born at MountainView last year were Moses, Jebidiah and Elijah.

California considered naming her baby-to-be Elijah Sheldon Emil, but Gary nixed that idea in a hurry. "That name would have just gotten him beaten up on the playground," the 26-year-old native Las Vegan said.

Kathy Goodhart, a registered nurse who for 10 years has conducted prenatal classes in Las Vegas, said name-picking is a popular topic in class.

"While some parents opt for names that are unusual or unique, many pick a name that is traditional or part of their family history, because they don't want their child to stand out," Goodhart said. "There does seem to be more choices -- and less danger -- for a girl than for a boy."

Smith said the celebrity factor also plays a role in baby names, as there were a number of Calistas (as in Calista Flockhart, star of the TV law comedy "Ally McBeal") and Kobes (as in Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant). Such names, she said, ebb and flow with the popularity of a particular celebrity.

Nowhere was that more evident than in 1992, when Bill Clinton became president and 106 girls born in Nevada that year were given his daughter's name Chelsea, making it the state's eighth most popular girl's name. However, when Clinton left office in 2000, Chelsea was not even in the top 25.

Today's parents-to-be use varied sources to find names. Chad and Leslie Thesing of Las Vegas surfed the Internet for lists of potential baby names. Their choices: Gage Michael if it's a boy and Megan if it's a girl.

"We wanted something that was interesting but would not be made fun of," Leslie, 26, said of her first child, who is due late this month.

Justin and Jenna McGruder of Las Vegas went the popular route of combining names of relatives for their expected Valentine's Day arrival. They picked Bruce Thomas if it's a boy and Katherine Elizabeth if it's a girl.

"I wanted good, strong names for a boy and feminine names for a girl," said Jenna, 27, noting that this will be her first child.

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