Here Comes Liam

Spectrum Health Announces Top Baby Names for 2012: Liam and Emma are No.1

As Spectrum Health announces its annual list of the most popular names for babies born at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, there is a newcomer to welcome to the list – Liam.

Liam makes the first ever appearance in a top-ten boys names list this year, taking the No. 1 spot. Just last year, Liam was ranked 19th in top names for boy. Emma continues to be a favorite name for girls. In fact, Emma has made the top ten girls names list for the past five years, ranking No. 1 in 2009, 2010 and now again in 2012.

Parents take great pride in finding names with meaning. So, who is Liam? According to babycenter.com, Liam’s origin is Irish, meaning “unwavering protector.” The name Emma is of German origin and means “universal.”

“Forty-three boys were named Liam this past fiscal year,” said Jason Gilliken, measurement and evaluation specialist, Spectrum Health. “Clearly the name, and perhaps its meaning, has resonated with more parents than ever before.”

More babies are born in the Family Birth Place at Butterworth Hospital than any other hospital in Michigan, with 7,161 births in fiscal year 2012.

“For us, every birth is special,” said Cindy Reistroffer, director, women’s services, Spectrum Health Hospital Group. “Our goal is to assist parents and families to have the best experience possible. We do this by actively participating with parents to help them achieve their desired birth plan. The professional staff here at Spectrum Health realizes that every baby, mom and family is unique and we want to be a part of that exceptional experience”.

Top 10 Names for Boys

Liam
Noah
Jacob
Gabriel
Jackson
Landon
Isaac
Benjamin
Owen
William

Top 10 Names for Girls

Emma
Sophia
Ava
Olivia
Evelyn
Grace
Isabella
Emily
Abigail
Addison
Avery
Harper

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a state of the art children’s hospital that opened in January 2011, and 140 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 700 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 600,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 19,000 employees. The organization provided $204 million in community benefit during its 2012 fiscal year.