Emma and Ethan Take Over #1 Spots

SERVICE N.S./MUNICIPAL RELATIONS--Emma and Ethan Take Over #1 Spots

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.

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