Old-fangled monikers tops

BOUNTIFUL — Emily Adams and Emily Fox are "best" friends. But they quickly add they're also friends with Emily Benson and Emily Gordon.

These girls share the second most popular female baby name in Utah for 2005, according to a March 2006 report from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics.

Emma is the most popular girl name. More 2005 birth certificates may trickle in, but Emma appears to have a comfortable lead over Emily.

The Emilys in this story are all in the same class at Valley View Elementary — good for these four friends, not so much for third-grade teacher Linda Eddington.

"I'm terrible with names," Eddington said in an interview.

So, the girls and their teacher agreed at the beginning of the year that the initial of their last names would accompany Emily.

Not so good for the girls.

"Now I'm Emily A.," Emily Adams said. "I don't like my last name being used all the time."

It may be important to report that Mrs. Eddington still has all of her hair, what with two Annies and two Sams (one boy, one girl) also in her class of 24 students.

For the boys, 2005's en vogue name appears to be Jacob, but barely in front of Ethan and Joshua, all in a three-way race for king of the boy names in Utah.

Jacob Beeton, Jakob Holbrook and Jacob Miller have made life interesting for their rookie third-grade teacher, Jackie Petersen of Knowlton Elementary School in Farmington.

Petersen also has three Michaels (17th most popular in Utah).

"The parents were more concerned about it than I was," Petersen said.

One set of parents asked that Petersen refer to their son as Mike.

Theresa Beeton considered moving her Jacob to a different class. "It's worked out fine," she said.

That's partly because the boys couldn't be more different from one another. All someone has to do is start talking about something one of the boys has done.

"Then you know exactly who they're talking about," Beeton said. Within five minutes of meeting her son, it's clear he's usually ready with a story or two — think, opposite of shy.

It's a similar story for the Emilys, from the more quiet, sensitive Emily to the one who speaks up first and looks adults right in the eye.

Maryanna Korwitts is a former teacher who started the Web site www.namepower101.com with claims that first names affect the formation of a person's personality and help determine relationship choices.

Every possible angle on names is explored by Korwitts, who is now a nameologist. For $35 she can help you "tune up" your name or for $40 she will send you an e-mail report on how your name could even impact your job status, financial success and personal satisfaction.