Once again, 鈥淓mily鈥 is the name found most often on the list of Kent State graduates for spring 2023. Including variants like 鈥淓mmalee/Emalea/Emilee,鈥 it appeared on the list 71 times. It鈥檚 the name that also topped the lists of Kent State鈥檚 spring graduates in 2022 and 2021.
The traditionally male name that appeared the most times in Kent State鈥檚 Class of 2023 was 鈥淣icholas.鈥 Including variants 鈥淣icolas/Nikolas/Nicklaus/Nickolaus,鈥 the name was read in commencements a total of 56 times.
Against national trends
This is on-trend nationally, as the Social Security Administration (SSA) record of popular baby names shows that 鈥淓mily鈥 was the top name from 1996-2007, until 鈥淓mma鈥 took the lead in 2008. That lead was short-lived, however, as 鈥淚sabella鈥 took over for 2008-2010, followed by 鈥淪ophia鈥 from 2011-2013. In 2014, 鈥淓mma鈥 regained the top spot and held it from 2014-2018, before being unseated by 鈥淥livia,鈥 which has reigned from 2019-2022.
Photo by spring 2023 graduate, Greta Bell, BFA Photography. Greta is the only "Greta" in Kent State's Class of 2023.
For the traditionally male names, 鈥淛acob鈥 topped the Social Security Administration鈥檚 baby name list from 1999-2012, but was third in Kent State鈥檚 Class of 2023. Kent State鈥檚 second most frequently appearing male name, 鈥淢atthew,鈥 reached second place on the SSA鈥檚 baby name list in 1995 and 1996, but also impressively held the No. 3 position from 1981-1994 and again from 1997-2001.
The top male name on the Kent State's spring Class of 2023 list, 鈥淣icholas,鈥 peaked in 1999 as No. 5 for the year.
Header image: The Class of 2023 was the first freshman class to form the "K" on Manchester Field in 2019.