Emma and Ethan Take Over #1 Spots

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

February 25, 2003 11:27 AM

NOTE:Following this release is a list of the top 20
baby names for boys and girls born in Nova Scotia in 2002.

Emma and Ethan were the most popular choices for baby names in
2002, according to figures from Nova Scotia's Vital Statistics
office.

In 2002, the top five girls' names were Emma (118), Emily (115),
Madison (97), Hannah (68) and Olivia (64). The top five boys'
names in 2002 were Ethan (105), Matthew (80), Jacob (79),
Nicholas (71) and Connor (69).

In 2001, the top choices for girls' names were Emily (119),
Madison (106), Emma (104), Hannah (84) and Olivia (71). The
favourite boys' names in 2001 were Jacob (95), Logan (84),
Matthew (80), Joshua (77) and Ethan (71).

This ends a four-year reign in the top name spot for Emily, which
is now the number two choice for girls. Jacob, the most popular
boy's name for the past two years, is now the number three
choice. John and Mary, the most popular names of the 1900s,
failed to appear on the list of top 20 names.

"It's interesting to watch how baby names change over time," said
Liz Crowley Meagher, deputy registrar of Vital Statistics. Some
names are traditional to a family while some parents name their
babies after favourite celebrities or other pop culture icons.

"Emma was the name given to Rachel and Ross' baby on Friends last
year," said Ms. Crowley Meagher. "Who knows if this helped Emma's
rise to the top of our list?"

There were 8,533 births in 2002, slightly less than the 8,750
births reported in 2001. Nova Scotia's birth rate has been in
gradual decline since 1962.

There were 4,342 boys and 4,191 girls born last year, so prom
dates could be a problem for the boys in the class of 2019.


FOR BROADCAST USE:

     Emma and Ethan were the most popular baby names in Nova

Scotia in 2002, according to figures from Nova Scotia's Vital

Statistics office.

     The top five girls' names in 2002 were Emma, Emily, Madison,

Hannah and Olivia. The top five boys' names were Ethan, Matthew,

Jacob, Nicholas and Connor.

     Emily was the favourite girl's name for the past four years;

Jacob fell to the number three spot after two years at the top.

     There were 8,533 births in Nova Scotia last year. With 151

more boys than girls born last year, prom dates may be a problem

for the class of 2019.

-30-

Contact: Kevin Finch
         Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
         902-424-2733
         E-mail: finchkh@gov.ns.ca

NOTE: Following are the top 20 baby names for boys and girls born
in Nova Scotia in 2002.

Boys      Births Girls     Births
1. Ethan     105      Emma      118
2. Matthew 80      Emily     115
3. Jacob     79      Madison 97
4. Nicholas 71      Hannah 68
5. Connor 69      Olivia 64
6. Joshua 69      Sarah     63
7. Ryan      68      Grace     56
8. Logan     66      MacKenzie 53
9. Noah      59      Jessica 48
10. Alexander 58      Abigail 46
11. Benjamin 57      Chloe     44
12. Cameron 55      Taylor 41
13. Liam      55      Jenna     40
14. Dylan     53      Lauren 37
15. Samuel 51      Samantha 34
16. Zachary 50      Megan     33
17. Tyler     49      Sophie 29
18. Cole      47      Hailey 28
19. Brandon 46      Morgan 28
20. James     45      Makayla, Rachel, Rebecca tied at 27

kjd         February 25, 2003        11:23 A.M.