Calling all Namies! Put your baby name prowess to the test by entering the
Baby Name Pool.
The Pool is my annual contest that rewards canny observers of names, style and culture. Perhaps you've taken note of the attractive name of a hot new singer. Or you've met three different babies who share a formerly unusual name. Or maybe you just have a hunch that Madison's days are numbered, while Madigan is the next big thing. See how your guesses stack up against those of hundreds of other name watchers.
Basic ground rules: choose six names, three you think rose sharply in in popularity in the USA last year and three you think fell sharply . Submit your entry by
April 1 2008, and await the results after the Social Security Administration releases the official name popularity figures in May. (I bumped this year's pool back a bit to get closer to the official release date.) The top composite score wins a year's worth of bragging rights as the country's #1 namie.
For some ideas on what works, check out the
2006 and
2005 winners. Then fill out your ballot at
babynamepool.com!