Author

Ivy Hung
Data Journalist
Based in Arizona, USA
Ivy is a data journalist based in Arizona, United States. A business school graduate now working her way into tech, she spent her early career in product marketing, project management, and marketing strategy — roles where reading a name the same way you read a brand became second nature.
She joined NamesPop because the name datasets sit at exactly the intersection she cares about: consumer behaviour, cultural identity, and what numbers tell us about decisions families make quietly, one at a time. Her writing leans on SSA and municipal pet registries the way a marketer reads a segmentation report — looking for the audiences hiding inside the aggregate.
Cross-cultural naming is her main beat, with a particular interest in how Hispanic, Asian-American, and bicultural families navigate the tension between heritage and assimilation in the American Southwest.
2,409
Total pieces
140
Articles
1,119
Baby commentary
1,150
Pet commentary
Ivy Hung's contributions
- Baby commentary
Korbin
Korbin is an alternate spelling of Corbin, the Old French surname meaning "raven," that swaps the C for a K to give the name a bolder visual start. Ranked #1010 with a 2014 peak a…
- Baby commentary
Kreed
Kreed is a phonetic respelling of Creed — the Latin-origin word meaning "I believe" (from credo ) — with the K substituted for C to give it visual distinctiveness. With 1,218 SSA…
- Baby commentary
Kristopher
Kristopher is the K-spelling variant of Christopher, peaking in 1978 and carrying over 63,000 total registered uses. Ranked #1172, it represents a specific chapter in American nam…
- Baby commentary
Lauryn
Lauryn is Laura with a Y — a spelling variant that carries a specific cultural identity tied almost entirely to one of the most critically acclaimed musicians in American history.…
- Baby commentary
Lavender
Lavender is a Latin-rooted botanical name from lavandula , possibly connected to the Latin lavare (to wash), that peaked in 2024 as the cottagecore aesthetic brought nature, herb,…
- Baby commentary
Layan
Layan is an Arabic name meaning soft, gentle, and delicate — from the root layn , signifying softness and tenderness — that peaked in 2022 with 2,896 total SSA records. It's among…
- Baby commentary
Laylah
Laylah is an Arabic spelling variant of Layla — from the root meaning "night" — that inserts an H to create a longer visual form while preserving the lay-lah pronunciation. With 7…
- Baby commentary
Lesly
Lesly is the Spanish-influenced spelling of Leslie — the same Scottish surname-turned-given-name, but written in a way that reflects how the name sounds and is used across Latin A…
- Baby commentary
Lev
Lev is the Hebrew word for "heart" — one of the most direct and beautiful name meanings available — and the Russian short form of Lev (Leo/Leon) meaning "lion." Ranked #1040 with…
- Baby commentary
Leylani
Leylani is a spelling variant of Leilani — the Hawaiian name meaning "heavenly flower" or "royal child of heaven" — with an alternate transliteration that reflects the Arabic Leyl…
- Baby commentary
Liberty
Liberty is a Latin-rooted virtue name that does something few names manage: it carries explicit patriotic resonance without sounding dated. It peaked in 2004, not coincidentally i…
- Baby commentary
Macklin
Macklin peaked in 2024, which means this Irish-rooted surname name is still in its earliest chapter in America. Ranked #1157, it appeals to parents who want a Mac- name with a lit…
- Baby commentary
Madalynn
Madalynn is one of the most elaborately spelled members of the Madeline family — a Hebrew-origin name group meaning "woman from Magdala" or connected to the biblical Mary Magdalen…
- Baby commentary
Madisson
Madisson is the double-S spelling of Madison — a name that crossed from surname to girls' first name in the 1980s and became one of the most dominant girls' names in American hist…
- Baby commentary
Mael
Mael is an ancient Celtic title meaning "prince" or "chieftain" — the same root that gave us Maël in Brittany and the Irish Máel in names like Máel Sechnaill. With a 2023 peak and…
- Baby commentary
Maite
Maite (my-TAY) is a Basque name meaning "lovable" or "beloved" — and it's one of those names that lives almost entirely within Spanish-speaking communities in the United States wh…
- Baby commentary
Maizie
Maizie is a Scottish Gaelic diminutive of Margaret, specifically a pet form of Maisie derived from Mairead, with an extra Z that tips the spelling into something unexpectedly fres…
- Baby commentary
Maleah
Maleah is a Hebrew-origin name, a variant of Malia or Malea — which trace back to the Hebrew Miriam (Mary) through Hawaiian and Pacific Islander name traditions, meaning "sea of b…
- Baby commentary
Malka
Malka is a Hebrew name meaning queen — direct, unambiguous, regal. It has deep roots in Ashkenazi Jewish naming tradition and reached its current peak in 2024, suggesting that fam…
- Baby commentary
Marian
Marian is a classic that sits in interesting territory: it peaked in 1924, has over 141,000 SSA records, and carries both the Virgin Mary tradition and the Maid Marian from Robin…
How we work
Editorial policy →
Topic selection, verification, corrections.
How we gather data
Methodology →
Sources, processing pipeline, limitations.