Liam and Olivia will still fill Alberta's daycares, but they might meet Awesome, Righteousness and Legend
CBC News | Posted: June 16, 2017 7:46 PM | Last Updated: June 16, 2017
Yearly list of most popular baby names shows most parents stick with convention while some get creative
At least two young Albertans will be introducing themselves to people by saying "I'm Awesome" — once they can talk.
The unusual name was given to two babies born in the province last year, according to statistics revealed by Service Alberta on Friday.
Some of the other unconventional names registered for newborns included: Beautiful, Legend, Notorious-Link, Promise, Victorious, Temperance, Treasure and Zyron-Thunder.
Premier Rachel Notley, who presided over a news conference revealing this year's list, said her favourite from among the unusual names was Righteousness.
Names inspired by antiquity and religion were also popular, such as Aristotle, Daphne, Lazarus, Maximus, Nika, Octavian and Troy.
Liam and Olivia still on top
Most new parents in Alberta were not interested in having their children go through life answering to calls for Patience, or struggling to measure up to a name like Aristotle.
Olivia, Emma and Sophia were the most popular names for girls, and Liam, Benjamin and Lucas were the top choices for boys last year.
Service Alberta recorded 13,782 different baby names in 2016.
There were 55,594 babies born in Alberta last year, coming close to the 2015 record of 56,529 births.
"Alberta is in the midst of a baby boom and that's why our work is so important — work to make life better for families, creating new, affordable child-care spaces, lowering school fees and investing in education," Notley said in a release.
The 10 most popular boy's names in 2016 were:
- Liam
- Benjamin
- Lucas
- Oliver
- Noah
- William
- Ethan
- Jack
- Lincoln
- Owen
The 10 most popular names for girls in 2016 were:
- Olivia
- Emma
- Sophia
- Ava
- Emily
- Charlotte
- Amelia
- Abigail
- Chloe
- Aria
Olivia leads the rankings for girls for the fourth year in a row. Liam has been the most popular boy's name since 2010.