While President Donald Trump and his administration may be hellbent on destroying President Barack Obama's legacy, new data shows that Obama's name is rising among newborn boys.
The first and only black man to be president of the United States left a lasting impression on many parents looking for a new and unique name for their newborns. The name has Swahili, Arabic and Hebrew roots and means blessing.
According to The Huffington Post, the name Barack did not appear on the Social Security Administration’s baby name records until 2007 when five babies named Barack appeared on the scene. This was around the time the then Senator from Illinois was ramping up his presidential campaign.
In 2008, the year Obama became the first black president, 52 babies were named Barack. Then, that number jumped to 69 the following year. But everything wasn't all gravy. The name began to drop in popularity with only 28 babies in 2010, 15 in 2011, 16 in 2012, 11 in 2013 and 2014 and eight in 2015.
According to the SSA data from the past year and released in May, 19 baby boys were named Barack which is more than doubled the past year's total. Who knows, the trend could continue as we move farther away from Obama's presidency and parents look back with new perspective and reverence for the 44th president.