‘Kobe’ shooting up in baby name popularity — along with a prominent Democrat

“Kobe” was among the names that gained popularity for babies this year.

The name climbed in popularity after former Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January. The NBA superstar’s name was 175% more popular in 2020 compared to the year before, according to a BabyCenter poll.

Kobe came in at No. 126 on the “most popular baby names of 2020” list. The name of Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who also died in the crash, increased in popularity by 216%, according to the poll.

“Kamala” also rose in popularity, made famous by Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris of California. The name is 104% more popular than last year and is No. 6,843 on the list.

The name is Hindi and means “lotus.”

Meanwhile, the name “Karen” declined in popularity by 13%. Karen has emerged as a pejorative for white women who are demanding or display privilege.

The most popular baby name for girls is “Sophia” for the 11th year in a row. “Liam” is the most popular name for boys for the second year in a row.

This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 11:09 AM with the headline "‘Kobe’ shooting up in baby name popularity — along with a prominent Democrat."