% Changes, 2017

Ranking changes are fascinating, of course, but they show how popular names are relative to each other. To get an idea of how much more common a name is getting, figuring percentage change is better.
Here are the names that gained the most usage in 2017:

Boys:

1. Logan, +0.15% (0.56% ---> 0.71%)
2. Maverick, +0.09% (0.15% ---> 0.24%)
3. Ezekiel, +0.07% (0.17% ---> 0.24%)
4. Mateo, +0.07% (0.32% ---> 0.39%)
5. Lincoln, +0.06% (0.35% ---> 0.41%)
6. Theodore, +0.06% (0.24% ---> 0.3%)
7. Liam, +0.05% (0.9% ---> 0.95%)
8. Leo, +0.04% (0.26% ---> 0.3%)
9. Jameson, +0.04% (0.16% ---> 0.2%)
10. Rowan, +0.04% (0.11% ---> 0.14%)
11. Matias, +0.03% (0.05% ---> 0.08%)
12. Asher, +0.03% (0.27% ---> 0.31%)
13. Greyson, +0.03% (0.21% ---> 0.25%)
14. Santiago, +0.03% (0.18% ---> 0.21%)
15. Ezra, +0.03% (0.24% ---> 0.27%)
16. Kyrie, +0.03% (0.06% ---> 0.09%)
17. Elias, +0.03% (0.22% ---> 0.25%)
18. Levi, +0.03% (0.4% ---> 0.43%)
19. Rhett, +0.02% (0.09% ---> 0.11%)
20. Oliver, +0.02% (0.65% ---> 0.67%)

To make sense of these numbers, Theodore went from being given to about 1 in every 400 boys to about 1 in every 333 boys. Not actually all that more common!

Girls:

1. Luna, +0.09% (0.19% ---> 0.28%)
2. Amelia, +0.07% (0.56% ---> 0.63%)
3. Mila, +0.07% (0.25% ---> 0.32%)
4. Bella, +0.06% (0.19% ---> 0.25%)
5. Camila, +0.05% (0.31% ---> 0.36%)
6. Evelyn, +0.05% (0.52% ---> 0.57%)
7. Nova, +0.04% (0.12% ---> 0.16%)
8. Emma, +0.04% (1.01% ---> 1.05%)
9. Elena, +0.04% (0.16% ---> 0.21%)
10. Kinsley, +0.04% (0.17% ---> 0.22%)
11. Isabella, +0.04% (0.77% ---> 0.81%)
12. Aurora, +0.04% (0.21% ---> 0.24%)
13. Everly, +0.04% (0.15% ---> 0.19%)
14. Emilia, +0.03% (0.16% ---> 0.19%)
15. Nora, +0.03% (0.29% ---> 0.32%)
16. Eleanor, +0.03% (0.27% ---> 0.29%)
17. Willow, +0.03% (0.16% ---> 0.19%)
18. Raelynn, +0.03% (0.1% ---> 0.13%)
19. Hazel, +0.03% (0.24% ---> 0.27%)
20. Amara, +0.02% (0.06% ---> 0.08%)

Is anyone surprised by any of these names? About half appeared on last year's analysis too. 

Comparing change in % is going to favor the most popular names, so if you want to see how less common names are gaining use, comparing % ratios makes that a lot easier. 

Boys:

1. Asahd (59.61x)
2. Oseias (12.07x)
3. Cassian (6.89x)
4. Jaxtyn (4.4x)
5. Shivaay (4.09x)
6. Aasim (3.85x)
7. Ulices (2.73x)
8. Jru (2.48x)
9. Bellamy (2.45x)
10. Renly (2.36x)
11. Zacari (2.36x)
12. Kartier (2.26x)
13. Nirvaan (2.24x)
14. Klaus (2.09x)
15. Kylian (2.08x)
16. Kodah (2.08x)
17. Cayde (2.07x)
18. Chosen (2.01x)
19. Easten (1.98x)
20. Ayven (1.97x)

So, for clarification, Asahd was about 60x more popular in 2017 than it was in 2016.

Girls:

1. Camreigh (93.6x)
2. Westlyn (4.61x)
3. Atarah (3.88x)
4. Ensley (3.65x)
5. Laikynn (3.27x)
6. Eliyanah (3.1x)
7. Oaklynn (3.05x)
8. Loxley (3.04x)
9. Lyrica (2.86x)
10. Oaklyn (2.75x)
11. Adriel (2.63x)
12. Dream (2.61x)
13. Moana (2.58x)
14. Dawsyn (2.58x)
15. Zamira (2.56x)
16. Danelly (2.52x)
17. Emberly (2.47x)
18. Nyra (2.45x)
19. Azeneth (2.33x)
20. Elara (2.33x)

Chances are you still don't know any babies with any of these names, though (Ensley is the most common, given to 271 girls last year).

Here are the names that gained the most usage from the Top 500:

Boys:

1. Matias (1.75x)
2. Maverick (1.64x)
3. Rowen (1.5x)
4. Ezekiel (1.45x)
5. Kyrie (1.45x)
6. Zayn (1.36x)
7. Atlas (1.34x)
8. Colt (1.33x)
9. Rowan (1.33x)
10. Theo (1.33x)

Girls:

1. Samara (1.55x)
2. Everleigh (1.53x)
3. Luna (1.5x)
4. Ophelia (1.47x)
5. Amara (1.4x)
6. Nova (1.36x)
7. Magnolia (1.36x)
8. Logan (1.33x)
9. Royalty (1.32x)
10. Jolene (1.3x)

Zayn and Amara were among last year's rising names as well. Guess we should really be keeping our eyes on Rowan/Rowen, too. :)