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NAMES

‘Ben’ and ‘Emma’ most popular baby names in 2017

With the recent release of a list of the leading baby names in Germany this year, “Ben” and “Emma” have come out on top.

‘Ben’ and ‘Emma’ most popular baby names in 2017
Photo: DPA.

“For the seventh year in a row, Ben has been the frontrunner for boys’ names and Emma is the new number one,” said Knud Bielefeld, who tracks baby names as his hobby in Ahrensburg.

Though Emma had been leading the list until 2014, last year Mia was the most popular name for girls.

Hot on Emma’s heels in 2017 came Sophie, Marie, Maria and Sophia.

And while Ben continued its reign as first place in the list of boys’ names this year, a position it has held since 2011, trailing directly behind was Jonas, Leon, Paul and Finn.

READ ALSO: Parents convinced not to name child Lucifer after court hearing

Jürgen Udolph, founder and director of the Centre for Name Research in Leipzig, explains that the popularity of names are like waves.

“First names can rise in popularity for 10 to 20 years and then go back down again,” Udolph told The Local.

Emma for instance fell out of favour in the 1970s and 1980s but then skyrocketed in the 1990s and continues to be trendy today.

Ben, on the other hand, is much newer compared to Emma. Prior to the late 1980s, the name Ben was virtually unheard of in Germany

“Parents want to give their child a special name. But when they start to realize that so many other kids have the same name, things start to change,” says Udolph, who thinks it’s probable fewer babies will be named Emma in a decade or two.

“Ben will decrease in popularity at some point too,” he adds.

Bielefeld, who analyzed 27 percent of all births in Germany to compile his list, agrees.

Ben and Emma will no longer be the leaders in baby names in ten years’ time, says Bielefeld, adding that Oskar and Theo as well as Leni and Emilia will likely lead the way.

Knud Bielefeld in Ahrensburg. Photo: DPA.

This year, names which were clear ascenders included Theo, Matteo and Henry and Leni, Ella and Juna.

Short forms of names – including Ben, Max, and Theo – as well as girls’ names ending in the letter ‘a’ are also currently fashionable.

One reason to account for why almost all of the girls names in the 2017 list end in the letter ‘a’, according to Udolph, is that German parents give their children names based on how the names sound.

On the contrary, parents in other countries such as China give their kids names based on the meaning of the name, says the name expert.

Another aspect to how German parents name their children has to do with “class and education,” Udolph told The Local.

“Some parents are really influenced by celebrities and inform themselves based on TV programmes. Others get ideas for baby names through research on the internet.”

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LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the ‘die’ and carnival lingo

From the push to reform long-term unemployment benefits to the lingo you need to know as Carnival season kicks off, we look at the highlights of life in Germany.

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up 

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances. 

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work. 

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds. 

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.) 

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend. 

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht. 

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language. 

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

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