'Jose' Falls From Top 50 Names in US

A milestone of sorts from last year's federal survey of US baby names: "Jose" has dropped out of the top 50, something that has happened only once since 1972, notes the New York Times. Jose has long been the most popular name for Hispanic boys born in the country, but last year saw only 7,656 new ones, the lowest number in more than three decades. Jose also got supplanted by Jacob as the top name in Texas, a spot it had held since 1996. The development comes even with Hispanic birthrates on the rise.

“This is probably a combination of assimilation and the drop in immigration from Latin America as a result of the recession," says one expert. “However, it is probable that names are also becoming more varied in Latin American culture itself, as this is a phenomenon in most of the modern world.” Click to read about how Teen Mom might be influencing new parents, too. (More baby name stories.)