The Top Ten Names of 2005:
1. (Acts of) God: The world watches helplessly as a superpower is humbled as one of its great cities (New Orleans) is laid asunder (Hurricane Katrina).
2. Tsunami snuffs out nearly 300,000 lives, and an earthquake takes another 200,000 (Kashmir). A Higher Power, indeed.
3. Katrina: Greek (katharos) for 'pure'. Before the hurricane, the name was most famously borne by two saints, Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, and three of Henry VIII's wives.
4. John Paul II: The death of beloved Pope John Paul II kept his name on the lips of the faithful around the world.
5. Wen Jiabao: Premier of the People's Republic of China since March 2003; leading perhaps the largest economic transformation in history.
6. Saddham Hussein: Should re-read Karl Marx -- the first time is history, the second but farce.
7. Dubya: Every more 'weeble-like': Dubya wobbles but he won't fall down.
8. Oprah: Now a global phenomenon with an ever-expanding media (and charitable) empire.
9. Shakira: The Columbian songstress is captivating ever wider circles.
10. John Roberts: New Chief Justice of the American Supreme Court.
B onus: Mahmud Ahmadi-nejad: President of Iran since August 2005; he has recently suggest that the Jewish Homeland be moved to Europe (or Alaska).
Last year the Top Names were Dubya Rove (W. and Karl Rove), Mel (Gibson) (Michael) Moore, and Saddam Hussein.
Source : languagemonitor.com
