# Jacob is the #1 boys name of 2003 - WHY? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101 "2004-05-07T23:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/21 "2004-05-08T23:20:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **gum** “Abigail”? Where does that come from? > [@quiltguy154](#): > > Another name gleaned from the Bible. Thats a relief. Here I was thinking it had to be Van Buren, or maybe even [Crane](http://www.horror-wood.com/haunting.htm) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/22 "2004-05-08T23:36:08Z")
OMG, I had no idea the #1 names were Emily and Jacob! :eek: I am the proud aunt of a young niece and an even younger nephew – named Emily and Jacob – and they’re growing up in the Deep South. So ya’ll can blame my brother and sis-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/23 "2004-05-08T23:57:21Z")
> [@Mr Jim](#): > > I really hate girls names lately. It’s almost like they are trying to give them brand names: something catchy, cute, supposedly unique and will stick in your head. I miss the Marys and Susans of yesteryear. I’m actually feeling a little special about being named Sarah now. _checks link_ Er, never mind. Number 12. But it’s not as crazy as Madison or . . . _shudder_ Alexis, is it? Although, it seems that the majority of the top twenty girl baby names are pretty traditional and feminine: Emily, Emma, Hannah, Olivia, Abigail, Ashley, Elizabeth, Samantha, Isabella, Sarah, Grace, Lauren, Jessica, Sophia. The other six (Madison, Alexis, Alyssa, Kayla, Brianna, and Taylor; Isabella and/or Sophia may be added to this list, on a case-by-case basis) are the ones that make you want to scrape your tongue off and talk to some apostle namesakes.\* Slightly surprised (okay, quite surprised) to see the name “Maximus” holding out at 375 for boys though. Is this a traditional name in some culture or was Gladiator way more pervasive than anyone thought? Nearly 700 babies running around that hopefully will be called Max. Born in '84. Have dated two Jacobs. One was Jake, one was Jacob. It’s never struck me as an odd or unusual name. The boys on the other hand . . . 😉 \*Not to imply that the children holding these names are in any way less precious than those holding the names of Peter, Paul, Mark, Luke, John, Simon, James, James, and the rest. Really, though, who would name their baby Bartholomew? ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/24 "2004-05-09T00:07:56Z")
For some reason Ashley is a popular girls’ name. I hate this name. To me it’s a spoiled rich girl kind of name. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/25 "2004-05-09T00:29:52Z")
> [@mike1dog](#): > > For some reason Ashley is a popular girls’ name. I hate this name. To me it’s a spoiled rich girl kind of name. Damn. That reminds me. Ashley is a guy’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/26 "2004-05-09T01:45:17Z")
My middle name seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence. It had dropped as low as #874, but has now risen to #654. I don’t think, though, that “Elmer” will ever hit the top 50 again, like it did in the early 1900’s. Damn cartoon characters. Ruin a perfectly good name. Kill the wabbit. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/27 "2004-05-09T01:54:00Z")
I love the (relative) uniqueness of “Askia” but I dislike the fact that most people – seeing my name and learning I’m a teacher – assume I’m a woman. And try finding a coffee mug or T-shirt with my name already on it. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/28 "2004-05-09T01:58:01Z")
Forget it, it’s Chinatown. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/29 "2004-05-09T03:40:55Z")
> [@lillalette](#): > > Really, though, who would name their baby Bartholomew? Someone who liked The Simpsons. Remember that most Bartholomews becomes Barts, just as most Jacobs become Jakes. In these cases the parents like the nickname and pick a traditional name for the formal registry. Leo’s in now, so you get Leopolds and Leonards, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/30 "2004-05-09T04:02:46Z")
Wow, “Sally” isn’t even in the top 1000. “Armani” beats it, fer crissake. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/31 "2004-05-09T04:12:30Z")
My goodness. #12. I had no idea. AND #485 for girls! We’re takin’ over the world! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/32 "2004-05-09T04:24:35Z")
And it’s a really popular last name, too. Top 25, I think. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/33 "2004-05-09T04:43:03Z")
It’s cooler when you pronounce it “Yak-Ob”, like we do when we refer to Creutzfeld-Jacob disease. ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/34 "2004-05-09T04:50:51Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > there were girls named James and Michael and Bryann. I know someone (online) who has a little girl named James. This seems so strange to me! (Maybe because it’s my dad’s name.) I mean, _why?_ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/35 "2004-05-09T05:08:40Z")
I’m at #124!! I remember when my name used to be in the top 5. Oh well, just makes me even more original, I suppose… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/36 "2004-05-09T06:00:52Z")
Wow, **Guano** … you’re 12 spots behind Wyatt, ferchrissake! I never would’ve thought it’d be that low. There were aparently more boys named Kaden born in 2003, and I didn’t even know Kaden was a name! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/37 "2004-05-09T06:06:26Z")
It’s amazing what you find going through lists like this. Here’s a mindfuck: there are more of Aiden (73), Jayden (75), Hayden (85), and Brayden (112), Caden (114), and Kaden (122) than **SCOTT** (208). In 2003, 1145 boys were born and named _Yahir_. What? I guess it’ll be easy when the parents call for them: “You here, Yahir?” “Yeah, Yahir here.” “Get down here, Yahir, ya hear?” “Yeah, I hear.” ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/38 "2004-05-09T06:22:08Z")
Why Jacob? Cause… > [@](#): > > Jake’s the kinda guy you can trust. Jake’s your buddy. Jake’s the kinda guy you drink beers with. The kinda guy that doesn’t care if you puke in his car. Jake! _Sure Thing (1985)_ (paraphrased) ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/39 "2004-05-09T06:59:44Z")
I actually like Jacob and Emily. They’re both easy to spell sexually unambiguous names with roots in history and literature. Sometimes the public has very good taste. They’re certainly far better than uglies like Madison, Taylor, Cody, Harrison, Jaxon, Hunter, Brooklyn, Camden or Montana. I once heard someone call out to his daughter at the mall, “Montana, c’mere Montana” and I had literally press my coat against my lips to stifle my giggles. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101/40 "2004-05-09T07:00:58Z")
Maybe she’ll grow up and raise a crop of dental floss. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacob-is-the-1-boys-name-of-2003-why/244101.md?page=3)