December 26, 1996
MICHAEL, JESSICA AGAIN LEAD MOST POPULAR BABY NAMES LIST
SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Once again, Michael and Jessica top the list of most popular boy and girl names in Illinois, followed by those perennial second place finishers, Matthew and Ashley.
Since the Illinois Department of Public Health began publishing a list of most popular names in 1990, the top two most often chosen names by parents of boys and girls have remained unchanged.
Those names, however, are seeing a decline in popularity each year and are now closer to the rest of the pack. For example, there were 3,502 boys named Michael in 1990 and 2,205 in 1995. The trend has been the same with Jessica, falling from 2,117 in 1990 to 1,429 in 1995.
Further down the list there were some changes in 1995 with Hannah making the biggest jump up the top 10 girls' names list. Hannah was 9th in 1995 after placing 19th in 1994. Hannah did not even appear among the top 25 names in 1990. Another name increasing in popularity was Rachel, which moved from 14th in 1994 to 8th in 1995.
On the boys' list, there were only minor differences from previous years. Jacob did continue a steady climb up the list, reaching No. 4 in 1995, up from 5th in 1994 and 17th in 1990.
The most popular names are part of the Department's report on 1995 vital statistics. The Department records about a half million vital record events each year -- births (185,801), deaths (108,089), marriages (93,357), divorces (41,856) and other statistics -- as mandated by state statutes and federal uniform data collection requirements.
Other vital statistics? How about the largest baby? 13 pounds, 11 1/2 ounces. The median weight of all births? 7 pounds, 6 1/2 ounces. The day most births occurred? July 28 (648). Fewest births? December 24 (320). Oldest mother? 51 (her first). Oldest father? 76.
The oldest groom? 92 (his first). Oldest bride? 91. The median age for a groom? 29. Bride? 27. The month for the most marriages? September (11,215). The month for the least number of marriages? January (4,170).
On what day did the most deaths occur? July 15 (638). The fewest deaths? June 8 (227). The oldest divorcee? a 94-year-old woman. The month with the most divorces? May (3,918). The least? December (3,001).
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Illinois Department
of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments |