% Changes, 2016

Ranking jumps are interesting, but what they really show is how names change relative to each other. If you want to see how much a name's popularity is changing on its own, you'll have to use a different metric.

Here are the names that gained the most actual usage (as measured in % of boys/girls born):

Boys:

1. Mateo, +0.08% (0.25% ---> 0.32%)
2. Oliver, +0.07% (0.57% ---> 0.65%)
3. Bryson, +0.06% (0.15% ---> 0.22%)
4. Lincoln, +0.06% (0.29% ---> 0.35%)
5. Benjamin, +0.05% (0.67% ---> 0.73%)
6. Grayson, +0.04% (0.39% ---> 0.43%)
7. Owen, +0.04% (0.47% ---> 0.51%)
8. Theodore, +0.04% (0.2% ---> 0.24%)
9. Sebastian, +0.04% (0.47% ---> 0.51%)
10. Greyson, +0.04% (0.18% ---> 0.21%)
11. Leo, +0.04% (0.23% ---> 0.26%)
12. Maverick, +0.04% (0.11% ---> 0.15%)
13. Lucas, +0.03% (0.6% ---> 0.64%)
14. Ezekiel, +0.03% (0.14% ---> 0.17%)
15. Ezra, +0.03% (0.21% ---> 0.24%)
16. Leonardo, +0.03% (0.19% ---> 0.21%)
17. Santiago, +0.03% (0.16% ---> 0.18%)
18. Everett, +0.02% (0.15% ---> 0.17%)
19. Gael, +0.02% (0.09% ---> 0.11%)
20. Conor, +0.02% (0.03% ---> 0.05%)

So Theodore, for instance, went from being 1 in every 500 boys born to about 1 in every 400. So while the number of baby Theodores went up from 2015 to 2016, you're not actually all that more likely to meet one. :)

Girls:

1. Charlotte, +0.09% (0.59% ---> 0.68%)
2. Adeline, +0.09% (0.12% ---> 0.21%)
3. Riley, +0.08% (0.29% ---> 0.37%)
4. Amelia, +0.05% (0.51% ---> 0.56%)
5. Adaline, +0.05% (0.05% ---> 0.1%)
6. Luna, +0.05% (0.14% ---> 0.19%)
7. Emilia, +0.04% (0.11% ---> 0.16%)
8. Camila, +0.04% (0.27% ---> 0.31%)
9. Evelyn, +0.04% (0.48% ---> 0.52%)
10. Nova, +0.04% (0.08% ---> 0.12%)
11. Eleanor, +0.04% (0.23% ---> 0.27%)
12. Scarlett, +0.03% (0.37% ---> 0.4%)
13. Teagan, +0.03% (0.07% ---> 0.11%)
14. Kinsley, +0.03% (0.14% ---> 0.17%)
15. Quinn, +0.03% (0.16% ---> 0.19%)
16. Aria, +0.03% (0.33% ---> 0.36%)
17. Everly, +0.03% (0.12% ---> 0.15%)
18. Harper, +0.03% (0.53% ---> 0.56%)
19. Penelope, +0.03% (0.31% ---> 0.33%)
20. Remi, +0.02% (0.03% ---> 0.06%)

There are the multiple Adaline/Adelines! Yep, they're getting pretty popular! Amelia & Emilia, Charlotte & Scarlett, Evelyn & Everly--there are definitely some sounds we're all drawn to right now. 

Pure change in % is going to favor names that were more popular to begin with, but what about names that were fairly uncommon in 2015? For that, we can check the popularity ratios. That will tell us how much more likely you are to meet a baby with that name in 2016 than in 2015. 

Boys:

1. Kylo (6.86x)
2. Kion (5.55x)
3. Yoandri (4.26x)
4. Zabdiel (3.39x)
5. Kyon (3.22x)
6. Saint (3.14x)
7. Aadvik (2.99x)
8. Murad (2.82x)
9. Finnick (2.68x)
10. Egypt (2.68x)
11. Aceson (2.57x)
12. Bowie (2.47x)
13. Yuvaan (2.47x)
14. Bellamy (2.46x)
15. Keylor (2.45x)
16. Ayaansh (2.33x)
17. Khaza (2.28x)
18. Adonis (2.27x)
19. Dietrich (2.09x)
20. Mars (2.09x)

Girls:

1. Yurani (97.11x) [estimated; didn't appear in 2015]
2. Kehlani (6.72x)
3. Yamila (5.47x)
4. Lyanna (3.51x)
5. Aavya (3.36x)
6. Arlet (3.28x)
7. Ivanka (3.02x)
8. Oaklyn (2.95x)
9. Royalty (2.69x)
10. Harlyn (2.68x)
11. Teigen (2.54x)
12. Elowen (2.38x)
13. Annora (2.25x)
14. Arleth (2.22x)
15. Maisyn (2.14x)
16. Adaline (2.09x)
17. Blayke (2.05x)
18. Zaya (2.05x)
19. Khari (2.04x)
20. Rae (2.04x)

Despite large gains, most of these are still pretty uncommon--Annora was given to 85 girls. Here are the names you're more likely to start hearing everyday, from the Top 500:

Boys:

1. Adonis (2.27x)
2. Zayn (1.85x)
3. Conor (1.76x)
4. Arlo (1.71x)
5. Bodhi (1.59x)
6. Wade (1.44x)
7. Killian (1.43x)
8. Ace (1.42x)
9. Bryson (1.42x)
10. Legend (1.41x)

Girls:

1. Adaline (2.09x)
2. Aviana (1.97x)
3. Avianna (1.9x)
4. Remi (1.75x)
5. Ariah (1.73x)
6. Adeline (1.73x)
7. Thea (1.64x)
8. Amara (1.59x)
9. Saylor (1.53x)
10. Remington (1.52x)

Adeline, I thought I told you to slow down! :p Interesting how 6 of the 10 girls' names (not to mention 3 of the boys') are A-names. Happy to see Arlo, Killian, Thea, & Amara still going strong.