“What’s in a name?” asks Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet.” 24/7 Tempo doesn’t have an answer to the question posed in Shakespeare’s play, but we did find some unusual names that are unique to certain places. (These are the 20 most popular literary-inspired baby names in America.)
To identify the most popular girls’ names unique to every state, 24/7 Tempo used a metric called the location quotient to determine which names have been more common in a given state over the past 20 years than they have been nationally. We calculated the location quotient using name frequency data by year and by state from the Social Security Administration (SSA), considering only names with 10 or more entries. (If there was a tie in location quotient, we chose the name with the highest birth number.)
We also noted the most popular girls’ names overall in each state, also based on SSA data — and learned that Emma and Olivia, which occur again and again, are anything but unique. (Here are the most popular baby names of the 21st-century.)
There may be fairly obvious reasons why some names are particularly popular in some states. For example, Aurora is the most popular girl name unique to Alaska and it happens to be the state from which the aurora borealis, or northern lights, are visible. In addition, it’s worth noting that, besides being a beautiful name, Aurora means “dawn.” (Parts of Alaska have almost 24 hours of daylight in the summer and 24 hours of darkness in the winter.)
In the last 20 years, 1,158 baby girls were named Aspen in Colorado. That’s also the name of one of the most popular ski towns in the state (though there were also 159 Aspens in Wyoming). Meanwhile, hundreds of girls were called Ariza in Arizona — no prizes for guessing why.
The name Swayze is uniquely popular in Mississippi. Swayze Field is the home of the University of Mississippi college baseball team and was named in honor of Tom Swayze, a former Ole Miss baseball player and coach. And speaking of sports, no college football fan will wonder how the name Crimson got so popular in Alabama.
1. Alaska: Aurora
> Location quotient: 13 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aurora in last 20 years: 510
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (972), Olivia (834)
24/7 Tempo
2. Alabama: Crimson
> Location quotient: 23.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Crimson in last 20 years: 187
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (6,198), Madison (5,691)
3. Arkansas: Bg
> Location quotient: 181.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Bg in last 20 years: 34
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (7,418), Madison (6,990)
4. Arizona: Ariza
> Location quotient: 44.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Ariza in last 20 years: 388
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (8,178), Emma (7,818)
5. California: Raylene
> Location quotient: 5.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Raylene in last 20 years: 656
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emily (52,334), Isabella (51,347)
6. Colorado: Aspen
> Location quotient: 6.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aspen in last 20 years: 1,158
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (6,112), Olivia (5,907)
7. Connecticut: Maeve
> Location quotient: 4.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Maeve in last 20 years: 409
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (5,031), Emma (4,530)
8. Delaware: Gianna
> Location quotient: 4.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Gianna in last 20 years: 323
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,123), Emily (1,026)
9. Florida: Carlota
> Location quotient: 7.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Carlota in last 20 years: 133
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (27,353), Sophia (20,663)
10. Georgia: Ansleigh
> Location quotient: 14.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Ansleigh in last 20 years: 440
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (11,956), Emma (11,130)
11. Hawaii: Kamalei
> Location quotient: 684.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Kamalei in last 20 years: 12
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,063), Isabella (1,001)
24/7 Tempo
12. Iowa: Emersyn
> Location quotient: 4.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Emersyn in last 20 years: 356
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (4,998), Olivia (4,035)
13. Idaho: Oakley
> Location quotient: 16 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Oakley in last 20 years: 277
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,434), Olivia (2,094)
14. Illinois: Zuzanna
> Location quotient: 11.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zuzanna in last 20 years: 228
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (16,381), Emma (15,564)
15. Indiana: Tinley
> Location quotient: 3.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Tinley in last 20 years: 161
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (9,959), Olivia (8,959)
16. Kansas: Breckyn
> Location quotient: 10.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Breckyn in last 20 years: 50
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (4,358), Olivia (3,672)
24/7 Tempo
17. Kentucky: Dustin
> Location quotient: 80.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Dustin in last 20 years: 13
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (6,393), Madison (5,904)
18. Louisiana: Angelle
> Location quotient: 25.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Angelle in last 20 years: 140
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (5,833), Emma (5,529)
19. Massachusetts: Mariaeduarda
> Location quotient: 35.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Mariaeduarda in last 20 years: 83
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (9,780), Emma (9,539)
20. Maryland: Tyshae
> Location quotient: 11.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Tyshae in last 20 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (6,072), Olivia (6,051)
21. Maine: Lydia
> Location quotient: 5.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Lydia in last 20 years: 556
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,978), Olivia (1,680)
22. Michigan: Zeinab
> Location quotient: 17.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zeinab in last 20 years: 290
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (12,839), Emma (12,773)
23. Minnesota: Maryama
> Location quotient: 29.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Maryama in last 20 years: 163
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (7,797), Olivia (7,616)
24. Missouri: Addilynn
> Location quotient: 3.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Addilynn in last 20 years: 154
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (8,956), Olivia (7,816)
25. Mississippi: Swayze
> Location quotient: 27.9 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Swayze in last 20 years: 80
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (3,970), Emma (3,035)
26. Montana: Aspen
> Location quotient: 16.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aspen in last 20 years: 260
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,248), Madison (1,086)
27. North Carolina: Salem
> Location quotient: 4.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Salem in last 20 years: 277
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (12,317), Madison (10,848)
28. North Dakota: Brynlee
> Location quotient: 9.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Brynlee in last 20 years: 161
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,283), Olivia (1,102)
29. Nebraska: Joslyn
> Location quotient: 6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Joslyn in last 20 years: 156
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,907), Olivia (2,528)
30. New Hampshire: Molly
> Location quotient: 5.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Molly in last 20 years: 573
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,026), Olivia (1,933)
31. New Jersey: Rochel
> Location quotient: 21.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Rochel in last 20 years: 819
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (11,350), Emily (10,943)
24/7 Tempo
32. New Mexico: Yalexa
> Location quotient: 55.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Yalexa in last 20 years: 16
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (2,171), Sophia (1,912)
33. Nevada: Bethzy
> Location quotient: 6.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Bethzy in last 20 years: 11
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (3,201), Sophia (2,961)
34. New York: Reizel
> Location quotient: 20.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Reizel in last 20 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (23,501), Isabella (23,114)
35. Ohio: Bexley
> Location quotient: 4.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Bexley in last 20 years: 212
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (16,487), Olivia (15,561)
36. Oklahoma: Cing
> Location quotient: 21.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Cing in last 20 years: 80
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (4,984), Emily (4,006)
37. Oregon: Mc
> Location quotient: 85.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Mc in last 20 years: 22
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (4,900), Olivia (4,444)
38. Pennsylvania: Barbie
> Location quotient: 17.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Barbie in last 20 years: 276
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (16,447), Olivia (15,743)
39. Rhode Island: Juliana
> Location quotient: 5.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Juliana in last 20 years: 327
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,584), Isabella (1,487)
40. South Carolina: Zo
> Location quotient: 21.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zo in last 20 years: 35
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (5,480), Emma (5,004)
41. South Dakota: Tenley
> Location quotient: 8.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Tenley in last 20 years: 56
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,253), Olivia (1,052)
42. Tennessee: Briley
> Location quotient: 6.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Briley in last 20 years: 569
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (9,600), Madison (8,405)
43. Texas: Kinsler
> Location quotient: 9.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Kinsler in last 20 years: 11
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emily (34,734), Emma (34,498)
44. Utah: Mckell
> Location quotient: 55.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Mckell in last 20 years: 48
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (5,527), Olivia (5,177)
45. Virginia: Virginia
> Location quotient: 4.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Virginia in last 20 years: 1,059
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (9,657), Olivia (9,182)
46. Vermont: Willow
> Location quotient: 5.9 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Willow in last 20 years: 108
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (875), Olivia (740)
47. Washington: Milana
> Location quotient: 4.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Milana in last 20 years: 321
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (8,725), Olivia (8,472)
48. Wisconsin: Greta
> Location quotient: 5.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Greta in last 20 years: 550
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (7,681), Olivia (7,346)
49. West Virginia: Braylee
> Location quotient: 6.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Braylee in last 20 years: 116
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Madison (2,717), Emma (2,609)
50. Wyoming: Aspen
> Location quotient: 28.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aspen in last 20 years: 159
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (635), Madison (519)
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