According to data from INSTAT, our journalist Elona Gjylmi shares her name with another 5,069 womenin Albania, a majority of whom live in Tirana and Durres.

The name Elona became very common in the 80s, reaching a peak in 1986 when it became the predominant name among female newborns.

The country’s statistics institute, INSTAT, has made it possible for people to go on its website and search with how many others they share their name with, as well as other interesting information such as when did the name become popular.

It appears that in the last 10 years, authentic Albanian names are no longer the first choice.

The name Amelia tops the list of the most common name used for girls, whereas for boys it is Noel.

Telenovelas have played an important role in how parents tend to choose the name of their offspring.

After a burst in names mainly used in Latin America, it seems that Albanians have turned to the Orient influenced by the countless Turkish TV shows broadcasted on a daily basis in Albanian screens, a trend that seems to have been embraced in Kosovo, too.

Regardless of these influences, Illyrian names are still far from disappearing with young parents skimming through the internet in search of eye-catching names from Albania’s past.