29.1.10

Flamin' Nora

According to the Central Statistics Office, the most popular baby names in Norway in 2009 were Emma & Lukas. Aaah. That was 597 Emmas and 556 Lukases in case you're into such details.
In Oslo though, the trend was quite different. Top girls' name was the very Ibsenesque NORA. I have yet to meet a baby called Nora, which when I think about it is a lovely name but as I associate it with my childhood friend's Auntie Nora, I'm prejudiced against it.
On the other hand, I've no prejudice whatsoever against the top boy's name. No sirree. No preconceived notions about it at all. Nothing wrong with a bit of tradition in the old naming game, and Norwegians are as entitled as any to keep certain names in the family. I myself was named after my Granny who died the week before I was conceived - I was a honeymoon baby after a wedding after a funeral.
Anyway. Tradition and conformity is very much alive in the Oslo baby-naming game. The most popular name for baby boys born in Oslo in 2008 was MOHAMMAD.

2 comments:

Jo said...

No, cant believe it.

RennyBA's Terella said...

Well, I was conceived during the exciting winter Olympics in Oslo 1952 - a lot of medals to celebrate you know ;-)