SASKATCHEWAN BIRTH COUNT HITS 22-YEAR HIGH

The number of live births registered in Saskatchewan in 2012 has cracked the 15,000 mark for the first time in nearly a generation.  To date, a total of 15,035 live births have been registered in the province, compared to 14,577 in 2011.

“We haven’t seen a figure this high since 1991,” Minister responsible for Information Services Corporation Don McMorris said.  “People are coming to Saskatchewan for the opportunities that exist here and thanks in part to a rising birth count, our population has never been higher.”

The most popular name for baby girls born in 2012 was Emma.  It’s the fourth year in a row that Emma took the top spot.  The most popular name for baby boys born in 2012 was Liam, making it the number one name for boys for the third year in a row.

Olivia and Ava were the second and third most popular names for baby girls in 2012, while Ethan and Carter were the second and third most popular names for baby boys in 2012.

Elizabeth re-entered the top 20 list for the first time since 2010, taking the number 12 spot.  Aubree/Aubrey (17), Brielle (19), Harper (20) and Amelia (20) all made it to the top 20 for the first time on record.  Addison re-entered the top 20 list of baby girl names for the first time since 2009.  Mya, Leah, Taylor and Sadie all fell from the top 20.

For baby boy names, Owen took the number 10 spot after falling out of the top 20 last year.  Benjamin (10) and Jack (14) also returned to the top 20 in 2012.  Three names made the top 20 list for the first time on record: Dominic (15), Blake (18) and Bentley (20).  Aiden, a name that has been popular for more than a decade, returned to the top 20 in 2012.  Cole, James, Chase, Matthew, Hayden, Joshua and Caleb all dropped out of the top 20.
 
This information is compiled and published each year by ISC, which administers the province’s Vital Statistics Registry.  The information does not include babies born outside the province to Saskatchewan mothers.

To see the top 20 lists of baby names for 2012, visit www.isc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Angela Bethune
Communications
Regina
Phone: 306-798-4147
Email: angela.bethune@isc.ca