Your Most Surprising Future Top Baby Names?

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!