WHAT other public notices contain such marvellous expressions of delight and jubilation as the birth announcements in The Irish Times? The 1996 notices exuded "joy", "thrills" and "incredible happiness", as "little miracles of creation", "dinky", "darling", "glorious" sons and daughters are bid "welcome to the planet".
Fergal and Anne Flaherty Keane saluted Daniel Patrick Alexander - "A Lunar Year Gift, our Son of the Eastern Star". An exultant "Jah Live!" greeted little Brigidine Roisin Waters O'Connor. The Junejas welcomed Neil Patrick to Washington's capital and "don't mind being sleepless in Seattle!" And the Mimnagh family announced its joy in baby Luke Patrick with "Those who walk with angels, learn to soar above the clouds".
Coming down to earth, we find that Sarah, five years at the head of the top 10 girls' names, has had to yield first place to Rachel. Emma comes third, up from seventh place last year - appropriate promotion in this year of the great Austen revival. New to the list are Anna, Ciara and Jennifer. Fallen from favour are Alison, Jessica and Katie.
As for the top 10 boys' names, the big news this year is that for the first time an Irish name takes the top slot. Conor moves smartly ahead of Andrew and Daniel with an impressive 28. Newcomers include Cian, Harry, Peter and Samuel.
"Why" I was asked recently, "do parents choose the names they do for their children?" In the absence of any Irish surveys in this field, one can only extrapolate from those carried out in Britain and the US. The question of whether a name is fashionable or not appears to influence most parents in their choice. For many, the perception that a name is popular in their own social group is an important factor. Some parents admit to being impressed by a name currently used by "top people", and speak of liking "up market" names. Then again, others will eschew a name which has become popular too quickly due, for example, to TV or film influences. They fear such a name will date a child. The sound of a name can be a factor in choice and parents seem to like a euphonious combination of name and surname.
Some Irish parents will choose exclusively from the central stock of Irish names (many Scottish and Welsh parents similarly rely on their own ethnic names) while for others, choice may be determined by factors suggested above. And they will doubtless be greatly influenced by The Irish Times top names lists!
At the beginning of this century, "with it" parents were calling their babies by the new flower and jewel names, with Violet, Ivy, Pearl and Beryl among the most popular. Now, as we approach the end of the century, we may be seeing the emergence of a new trend, with place names selected as first names.
This year's announcements gave us Iona, Tara, Aran, Adelaide, Sofia and Sydney. The Salter Williams family would appear to be in the van of the new fashion. On May Day, it welcomed baby Savanna, who joined siblings India and Jordan. Trend following prospective parents will doubtless soon be adding atlases to their collections of baby names books.
The year of 1996 brought us our own crop of unusual names. Girls names with a distinctive ring were Richeal, Kerryn, Ismay, Magali, Lauralyne, Vanisha and Teya Malise; and for the boys, we had Iarla, Caomh, Kaelan, Jared, Jonah, Dillon, Reilly, Harrison and Quinn.
Once again, alas, my own name was passed over. No Ita or Ide, not even as second choice. Missing too were the once popular Ann(e), Margaret, Brigid, Gerard and Anthony. And, despite her wonderful Olympic triumph, Michelle Smith's name found no favour in 1996.
This year's birth announcements totalled 1,244 (1,219 in 1995) with boys outnumbering girls by 673 (627 in 1995) to 571 (592 in 1995). There was one set of triplets and 20" sets of twins.
And lastly, let us salute the great grand mother of the year, Daisy Phelan, who welcomed two more loved great grandchildren, Peter Joyce and Patrick Comerford, to add to her precious collection of twenty two".
