Category: Baby Names Popularity
This week’s news includes an Irish name you’ve probably never heard before, the most popular names in all four corners of the USA, and your most common baby naming conflicts solved.
By Linda Rosenkrantz
A large percentage of parents-to-be are looking for a name that is instantly recognizable yet distinctive, especially appealing and yet not overly popular—aka a sweet-spot name. Well, a readymade place to look for names that fit that perfect fitting in/standing out trope is in the very lower depths of the Social Security popularity list. We’ve found 50 boy names that measure up—a mix of vintage faves, international possibilities and a few surprising word, place and nicknames. All of them were given to fewer than 300 baby boys across the country last year.
We recently shared our predictions for the Top 10 baby names of 2028, based on statistical analysis of the annual Social Security data.
According to our projections, three new girl names and a whopping seven new boy names will be among those occupying the top spots in a decade’s time: Harper, Aria and Sofia; Mateo, Maverick, Lincoln, Lucas, Henry, Theodore and Jaxon.
Some of them might feel like surprising chart-topping choices — the very literally “nonconformist” Maverick in the Top 10, really? — but none of them feels outrageously outré. In fact, all rank comfortably within the current US Top 100.
But how about the mega-popular monikers that no one saw coming? Names like Dewey, which between 1888 and 1898 leapt from #815 to #19, or Jaime, which rose from #813 in 1966 to #29 in 1976 — or even Harper itself, which shot from #887 to #11 between 2004 and 2014. Names that seemingly came from nowhere and stormed their way up the charts.
So, crystal balls at the ready! For today’s Question of the Week, we want to hear your dark horse nominations for the trendiest baby names of the future. Of course, an awful lot depends on pop culture, celebrity influence, current affairs and more, but what unlikely candidates for future popularity would you put your money on?
Are there any as yet “undiscovered” baby names that you think have all the hallmarks of future popularity, if only more parents knew about them?
Are there any names that so perfectly capture current trends, that they almost can’t not get popular?
What’s the most unexpected name you can see rising into the Top 100 over the next decade? How about the Top 10?
Share your predictions in the comments below, or join the debate on our Facebook and Twitter pages!
For me, it’s Huxley.
At #556 in England & Wales last year, and me being British, you’d think I’d be lucky to meet a single Huxley. And yet, it seems like every time I’m out with my kids, we meet yet another little one with the name. Ditto Rafferty (#278), Annabella (#348) and Sylvie (#386).
We’ve written about regional name popularity before, and our annual look at each state’s quirky favorite baby names is always popular — and draws some illuminating explanations!
But today we’re asking for those baby names that seem super-specific to your individual neighborhood or social circle; names that the stats say you should never (or almost never) hear, but you do.
This week’s news includes another starbaby Birdie, some nicely-named goats, and naming issues with siblings, cousins and pets.
