Is your favorite baby name gaining in popularity? Find out!
What name will we be hearing in every kindergarten classroom five years from now? If you’re expecting, you could be helping to influence that. Here’s our thoughts on where the baby-name winds are blowing — whether you’re looking to follow the trend, or buck it to keep your kid from being the fifth Aiden in his class.
Er and Or Names
The days of the “den” names — Brayden, Jaden, Aiden and their cousins — are numbered. And there’s a new ending that’s on the rise — the “er.” We’re talking names like last year’s top climber, Major, along with red hot names like Carter (#36), Asher (#108), Jasper (#264) and Sawyer (#147).
Parents pick: Archer, #404, hasn’t quite caught on like the rest, and has the adorable Archie nickname to go with it.
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British Names
We may have parted ways more than two centuries ago, but British style doesn’t go out of vogue here. Girls’ names like Isla, Imogen and Clara, which currently top the charts in the UK, are climbing them here as well. And boys’ names like Bentley, Henry and Liam have their roots in the Britain as well.
Parents pick: The cheerful floral name Poppy is a top 20 name in the UK, and with a few celebrities picking it for their kids, it could easily make the jump across the pond.
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Give-Me-A-Vee Names
For girls, V names are all the rage, whether it’s the first initial, like Vivienne (up 60 spots last year) and Violet, or you want a name that just has a v in it, like Evie, Maeve or Evangeline. A number of stars picked names with a v in them — Mavi, Mavis, Maven and Everly were among 2013’s celebrity picks — so I’m expecting more V names in our future.
Parents pick: Veronica has a touching Biblical moment (she’s the lady who wiped Jesus’ face as he walked to the crucifixion) — and is also the namesake of one of our fave TV heroines, Veronica Mars.
Interesting Word Names
Feeling names like Hope, Joy and Faith have long been popular for girls, while guys often get job names, like Mason or Hunter. But some new and unique word names are climbing the charts, like Maverick (up 72 spots), Journey (a top climber for girls), Serenity, and Haven.
Parents Pick: Rebel is a bit of a wild choice — and the given name of the comedian who starred in Pitch Perfect and Super Fun Night.
The Big “O”
Zoe and Chloe have been big for girls for quite a while, but now the O sound is coming over to the boy side of things. We’re talking names like Arlo, Leo, Theo, and Nico.
Parents pick: Milo, a variant on current favorite Miles, has been a celebrity favorite lately.
Will Names
Will you fall in love with a Will name? William has been a top 20 name for boys for seemingly forever, but now girls’ versions are catching on. Willa jumped 250 spots on the name popularity charts in the past two years, while Willow has made it to the top 200 after a decade-long climb. Wilhelmina hasn’t resurged into the top 1000 yet, after dropping off the charts more than a half century ago, but given the fact that there’s a celebrity baby and several pop culture Wilhelminas, it’s only a matter of time.
Parents pick: Willem is a fresher, unexpected way to pay homage to a Wilhelmina or William in your past.
New Place Names
Brooklyn and Austin may be old hat these days, but there are some new locales that serve as name inspiration. For boys, try names like Hudson, Roman and Kingston, while Adelaide, Georgia and India make gorgeous girls’ names. One of 2013’s most famous celebrity babies — Baby Kardashian-West — sports North, while Everest and Camden also sprouted up amongst the A-list names.
Parents pick: Indiana works beautifully for girls or boys, and gives off an adventurous vibe — just think Indiana Jones.
Baby Names: How to Pick a Great Name
Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation.