Nevada’s most popular baby names

By Jackie Valley

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 | 2 a.m.

When Las Vegas power couple Holly Madison and Pasquale Rotella were awaiting the birth of their first child, they did what many expectant parents do: They made a list of potential names for their daughter.

They sought a moniker that was both intriguing and unusual but also possessed that indescribable sense of “just seeming right.”

“We don’t like plain names,” Madison, the former “Peepshow” headliner, said at the time.

The couple didn’t disappoint. They named their daughter Rainbow Aurora Rotella.

They succeeded in choosing a unique first name. Only their daughter’s middle name showed up on the Social Security Administration’s list of top Nevada baby names last year, checking in at No. 72.

So what were Nevada’s most popular baby names? And how have they changed over the years?

Here’s a hint: Everyone likes Mike.

• 2013

  Boy names

  1. Ethan

  2. Mason

  3. Jayden

  4. Noah

  5. Jacob

  6. Anthony

  7. Daniel

  8. Liam

  9. Aiden

  10. Michael

  Girl names

  1. Sophia

  2. Isabella

  3. Emma

  4. Mia

  5. Olivia

  6. Sofia

  7. Emily

  8. Ava

  9. Abigail

  10. Charlotte

• 2003

  Boy names

  1. Anthony

  2. Michael

  3. Jacob

  4. Joshua

  5. Joseph

  6. Jose

  7. Christopher

  8. Tyler

  9. Alexander

  10. Ryan

  Girl names

  1. Emily

  2. Emma

  3. Ashley

  4. Madison

  5. Alexis

  6. Alyssa

  7. Isabella

  8. Samantha

  9. Elizabeth

  10. Jennifer

• 1993

  Boy names

  1. Michael

  2. Christopher

  3. Joshua

  4. Anthony

  5. Tyler

  6. Ryan

  7. Jacob

  8. Brandon

  9. Nicholas

  10. Daniel

  Girl names

  1. Ashley

  2. Jessica

  3. Samantha

  4. Taylor

  5. Sarah

  6. Amanda

  7. Brittany

  8. Stephanie

  9. Danielle

  10. Alexis

• 1983

  Boy names

  1. Michael

  2. Christopher

  3. Matthew

  4. Robert

  5. Joshua

  6. Jason

  7. Joseph

  8. David

  9. Daniel

  10. Justin

  Girl names

  1. Jennifer

  2. Jessica

  3. Amanda

  4. Ashley

  5. Nicole

  6. Heather

  7. Crystal

  8. Sarah

  9. Amber

  10. Christina

• 1973

  Boy names

  1. Michael

  2. Jason

  3. Christopher

  4. Robert

  5. David

  6. James

  7. John

  8. Brian

  9. Richard

  10. Daniel

  Girl names

  1. Jennifer

  2. Michelle

  3. Heather

  4. Melissa

  5. Angela

  6. Kimberly

  7. Stephanie

  8. Lisa

  9. Amy

  10. Shannon

• 1963

  Boy names

  1. Michael

  2. John

  3. David

  4. Robert

  5. James

  6. Mark

  7. Richard

  8. Kevin

  9. William

  10. Kenneth

  Girl names

  1. Lisa

  2. Karen

  3. Mary

  4. Susan

  5. Michelle

  6. Patricia

  7. Tammy

  8. Linda

  9. Deborah

  10. Kimberly