Babies are booming, proof produced by another record-breaking year for births in Alberta.
Delivery rooms welcomed 51,443 new residents in 2009, compared to 2008, when 50,543 babies were born, and 2007, with 48,589.
The total is 38 per cent higher than the beginning of the millennium, when 37,155 babies were born.
Celebrity names were on the tip of new parents’ tongues last year, who went home with baby boys named Presley, Costello, Ericlindross, Obama and Sutherland. Girls titled after famous ladies were named Gracy-Kelly, Lennon and Sigourney.
Geographic namesakes were also popular for new babies, including Bronx, Oakland, Reno and Venice for boys; and Britain, Jerusalem, Persia and Tijuana for baby girls.
Some unique monikers included Argyll, Bison, Boss, Chaos, Helix, Lightning, Morpheous, Thunder and Whip for boys; and Albertarose, Amazyn, Fyre, Infiniti, Peanut and Whysper for girls.
Of the 26,390 baby boys born to Alberta families, 355 were named Ethan. Of the 25,053 girls, 245 were named Olivia.
Ethan was the most popular boy’s name for the ninth year in a row. Olivia shared the top spot with Ava in 2008.
