The number one male name for babies born in Arizona in the last year is Angel, pronounced an-hell, the G is soft. Note the other hispanic names in the TOP 10.

Published: 12.22.2006

Angel, Mia most popular Arizona baby names
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

PHOENIX - Where have all the Jennifers gone?

Or, for that matter, the Jessicas, the Melissas and the Amys?

They've been replaced by little girls bearing names like Mia, Emily and Isabella. According to the records of the Arizona Department of Health Services, these are the most popular names for girls born this year.

That means all those women born 20 and 30 years ago - when those other names were topping the charts - are now making choices that are decidedly different for their own daughters.

So hello Ashley and Madison. And goodbye Shannon and Veronica.

There hasn't been that sea-change for boys. Biblical names like Michael, Daniel, David and Joseph have been perennials near the top of the list for decades now.

But the state's changing demographics have made some differences. Hispanic names which were nowhere on that Top 20 list two decades ago now show up regularly.

In fact, Angel is the top boy's name for 2006, with Jose at number five, Jesus seventh and Luis one slot behind that.

But Michael, which had been at the top in 1976, 1986 and 1996, still is strong in sixth place.

It is among the girls that the cycles are more obvious.

Consider Jennifer, the top name in 1976.

A decade later, it had slid to number four, topped, in order, by Jessica, Ashley and Amanda.

By 1996 it was barely hanging on the most popular list at 18.

This year? There are 32 names for girls that are more popular.

A similar pattern exists for Jessica which, despite its top showing in 1986, is only at No. 27 this year.

And do you remember how trendy the name Heather was years ago? It even sparked a 1989 black comedy about a clique of girls, all with the same name, who play the very spoiled teen queens of their high school.

Well, the Department of Health Services reports that Heather did not even show up in the 100 most popular names for girls in 2006.

And that says something. To get to be number 100 took having only 81 girls out of 46,193 born in the state this year.

That's not to say there is no consistency.

Take Elizabeth for example. While it has never topped the charts, it also has consistently been among the Top 20.

Unlike the names for boys, it is more difficult to figure out how the state's increasingly Hispanic population has figure in the names for girls. That's because girls' names are less ethnically linked, like Mia, Isabella, Sophia and Victoria.

There are some similar patterns for boys' names, though less obvious.

For example, Jason was the second most popular name 30 years ago. This year it managed to make only 79th on the list.

The statistics also show that it takes some parents longer than others to come up with a suitable name. A total of 146 boys and 127 girls born in 2006 left the hospital with a birth certificate - but without a name.

Most popular baby names in Arizona for 2006 - boys

1. Angel

2. Daniel

3. Anthony

4. Jacob

5. Jose

6. Michael

7. Jesus

8. Luis

9. Joshua

10. Gabriel

11. David

12. Andrew

13. Christopher

14. Alexander

15. Ethan

16. Matthew

17. Jonathan

18. Joseph

19. Christian

20. Juan
Most popular baby names in Arizona for 2006 - girls

1. Mia

2. Emily

3. Isabella

4. Emma

5. Ashley

6. Madison

7. Ava

8. Sophia

9. Samantha

10. Alyssa

11. Abigail

12. Alexis

13. Natalie

14. Hannah

15. Elizabeth

16. Hailey

17. Brianna

18. Alexa

19. Olivia

20. Victoria

-- Source: Arizona Department of Health Services

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/161553