The Locomotion derails the Kylie train

The name Kylie was doing great until Kylie Minogue came along. It had spent 23 years in the top 100, peaking at number two in the mid-’70s, and was still sitting pretty at no.13 in 1987. That was the same year Charlene married Scott in Neighbours, helping the elder Minogue sister become the youngest Gold Logie winner in history. But while Kylie herself kept hitting the high notes - launching her debut album in 1988 entitled, you guessed it, Kylie - her name endured one of the fastest falls from grace in NSW history. Perhaps that’s what allowed her to drop the surname in later years?

Baby one more time

Kylie’s not the only name-killing pop star we found. Other spellings can even get caught in the crossfire. Brittany enjoyed the most meteoric rise of any name in 65 years of NSW records, rising 71 places in 1992. She then bounced around on the fringes of the top 20 for seven years. Enter Britney Spears, whose own career took off in 1999. Such sudden drops for a popular name are unusual. It seems we have a real problem with the idea people might assume our daughter is named after a pop star.

Britney itself appeared in 1999 and 2000 but never again. Is it Stephen or Steven? Here’s what NSW parents say

For at least 20 years, probably longer (data is only available since 1952), Stephen ruled the roost. But in 1974 a shift in power emerged. NSW boys were now more likely to be called Steven. If you’re trying to guess how to spell a friend Steve’s full name, it helps to know how old they are. Kathryn or Catherine? Or is it Katherine?

If only the parents of these three girls could have gotten their act together and agreed on a spelling, they could have been the state's most popular name.

Instead, they split their votes three ways, making life even more confusing for the rest of us. Like the slow and steady turtle, Katherine emerged from running a poor and distant third to become the preferred option since the early 1980s, although the name has dwindled in popularity this century. Perhaps because no one was confident how to spell it? I’m so sorry sir/madam

Still, having your name constantly misspelt is probably not the worst thing that can happen to you. Take, for example, being constantly mistaken for someone of the wrong gender!

Here are the eight people it likely happens to more frequently than others, because they are the eight names that have appeared in the top 100 for both male and female names. Kudos to you all for being twice as popular. Jordan

Ashley

Shannon

Charlie

Lee

Kim

Kerry

Taylor Celebrity spikes

While pop music success appears to spell death for a name (Taylor also fell out of the top 100 around the time Taylor Swift hit the A-list), that’s not true of all pop culture references. Bella enjoyed the second fastest rise of any name in 2005, the same year Stephanie Meyer’s fantasy Twilight series, featuring Bella Swan, was launched.

Meanwhile, Brandon had the highest place debut of any boys’ name, at no.51 in 1992. Beverly Hills 90210 first screened in the US in October 1990. (Look, to all Bellas and Brandons out there, take heart. Correlation doesn't always equal causation. It's just kind of a coincidence. Perhaps go through your Mum's bookshelf and/or DVD collection.) For actors it seems it depends on the role. Keira Knightley’s career had taken off in the early noughties, but it wasn’t until her appearance in Pride and Prejudice in 2005 that her name took off in NSW. It debuted at no.45 in 2006 but only lasted five years.

Funnily enough, Olivia debuted at no.66 in 1978, the same year Olivia Newton-John shoo-bop sha wadda wadded in Grease. The name subsequently fell (see the Pop Star Name Death rule), bobbing in and out of the top 100 until 1988 when it started a seemingly inexorable rise, perhaps reflecting Grease's prominence on karaoke playlists. Top of the pops

So what’s been the most popular name in NSW? It depends on how you measure. Of all names, Peter had the highest peak in popularity with 7.1% of boys born in 1956. Jessica has spent the most time at number one, reigning for 15 years in the 1980s and 1990s, where it peaked at 3.9 per cent of girls born.

For longevity, girls can’t go past Elizabeth - our queen has the only girls’ name to appear in the top 100 every year since 1952. Loading Nine boys’ names have achieved the same feat: Michael, William, Daniel, James, Thomas, Anthony, George, Patrick and Joseph. Michael can also claim the most top 10 appearances with 44 out of 66 years. Meanwhile, spare a thought for poor Sarah, always the bridesmaid, never the bride.