There’s a better-than-random chance that babies born in the United States last year, 2010, were named “Bella” or “Edward.”
Those
were among the 10 most popular girls’ and boys’ names, respectively,
and it was more than a coincidence that they are also leading characters
in the wildly popular “Twilight” series of young adult novels and films
about vampires.
The choice of baby names, you see, can be somewhat faddish.
Certain ones, such as “Tiffany” and “Justin,” which were popular in the 1980s, become the rage, then fall from fashion.
The other day, a VOA
staffer met a little boy, age two, named “Aiden.” Our colleague had
never heard that name. Turns out, Aiden is the most popular boy baby’s
name this year, as reported by the website BabyCenter.com. For what it’s
worth, Aiden was a leading character on the highly-rated TV show “Sex
and the City.”
It certainly does appear that pop culture
influences Americans’ choice of baby names. Isabella, the
third-most-popular girl’s name, for instance, may be an adaptation of
Bella, the vampire lover in the "Twilight" movies. “Jacob” is in the top
10, too. That’s the good-looking shape-shifter who phases into a wolf
in the same series.
Wikipedia Commons
Sophia Loren in the movie, “Five Miles to Midnight,” in 1962.
Curiously,
“Sophia” ranks first among this year’s girl-baby names, and “Ava” is
fifth. Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner were glamorous actresses on the
silver screen half a century ago.
But, as another colleague, who follows romance novels, told us, “Old-fashioned names, especially for girls, are big.”
We
should point out that the top-10 list of boy and girl names refers
almost exclusively to white, non-Hispanic babies. You won’t find many
“Aidens” or “Masons” on the African-American and Latino baby-name lists.
1. name vt. 给…取名 例句：They named him John. 他们给他取名为约翰。
2. coincidence n. （令人吃惊的）巧合，巧事 例句：She and I both arrived at the same time by pure coincidence. 我和她同时到达纯属巧合。
3. character n. 人物, 角色 例句：They are the two main characters in the play. 他们是该剧中的两个主角。
4. rage n. 风靡一时的事物 例句：Big earrings are the rage now. 大耳环是现在流行的东西。
5. worth adj. 有(...的)价值,值...; 有(...的)价值,值... 例句：This necklace is worth 1,000 US dollars. 这条项链值一千美元。
6. influence vt.影响, 感化 例句：It's all too easy to be influenced by our parents. 我们容易受父母的影响。
7. adaptation n. 适应,适合；改编，改写；改编本，改写本 例句：This is an adaptation of a novel for the scenario. 这是由小说改编的电影剧本。
8. phase vt. 分阶段计划[安排] 例句：The modernization of the industry was phased over at 20-year period. 工业现代化分20年逐步实现。
9. glamorous adj. 富有魅力的;迷人的 例句：You are looking rather glamorous. 你的样子很迷人。
10. follow v. 跟随; 接着 例句：Heated discussion followed. 接着是一场热烈的讨论。
短语讲解：
1. Those were among the 10 most
popular girls’ and boys’ names, respectively, and it was more than a
coincidence that they are also leading characters in the wildly popular
“Twilight” series of young adult novels and films about vampires.
more than不只是 例句：His report is more than a survey. 他的报告不只是一份调查。
2. Turns out, Aiden is the most popular boy baby’s name this year, as reported by the website BabyCenter.com.
turn out结果是, 原来是 例句：It turned out that he was never there. 原来他根本没去过那儿。
3.
Isabella, the third-most-popular girl’s name, for instance, may be an
adaptation of Bella, the vampire lover in the "Twilight" movies.
for instance例如, 比如 例句：You cannot rely on her; for instance, she arrived an hour late for an important meeting yesterday. 她这人靠不住, 例如昨天一个重要会议, 她迟到了一个小时。
4. We should point out that the top-10 list of boy and girl names refers almost exclusively to white, non-Hispanic babies.
point out指出 例句：Mistakes in the printing should be pointed out at once. 印刷上的错误应立即予以指出。 refer to有关, 针对 例句：The regulations refer only to children. 这些规定只适用于小孩子。
