(Nov. 29) - On the morning of Nov. 5, just hours after the United States elected Barack Obama as its next president, 10 boys were born at a hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Six of them were named -- you guessed it -- Barack Obama.
The Illinois senator's historic win isn't just changing politics, it's making a very unusual name much more popular, both abroad and here at home in America.
The New York Times reported that the names Barack, Obama, Michelle, Malia and Sasha have inspired first and middle names across the country.
A president named Obama could break down the perception "that there is such a thing as a 'normal' name," said Laura Wattenberg, a name expert and author who runs the blog The Baby Name Wizard. Barack has never made the top 1,000 names in the U.S., although it is expected to shoot up the charts now.
Presidential naming trends have happened before. Franklin surged to number 33 in 1933, and Lincoln, Kennedy and Reagan became popular in the 1990s. Obama, however, is a much less common surname than those of past presidents.
The Washington Post reports that there are about 11,000 Clinton families and 60,000 Bush families in the U.S., while there may be fewer than 20 families named Obama.
"I'm not related to the president, but I think Obama is a good name to have right now," said Nicanor Obama, a 28-year-old Virginia resident. He said after getting pulled over for driving too fast recently, an officer let him off without a speeding ticket, saying, "Well, I'm going to let you go because you have the Obama name."
Think you know what names are popular in the U.S. right now? Click through the galleries below to see the top 10 for boys and girls -- a few will surprise you. And then check out some really bizarre baby names parents have recently chosen.
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