Nine Boy Baby Names to Watch…
By Abby Sandel
Robin Tunney chose Oscar. Cait Jenner’s new grandson is Bodhi. And last month, Natalia Vodianova named her youngest Roman.
What do the names have in common? They all appear on the new Nameberry Top 100.
Based on nearly 40 million page views from the first half of 2016, these are the most popular names on our site.
They’re also ahead of the trends, ranking fifty spots – or more! – higher on Nameberry than in the current US popularity stats.
Does this mean that berries can predict the hottest baby names? Maybe. Newcomers to our Top Ten, like Levi and Wyatt, continue to gain in use, going from out-there choices to mainstream favorites.
Let’s take a look at some Nameberry favorites featured on high profile birth announcements of recent years.
Oscar – Robin Tunney of The Mentalist is a new mom. She and designer husband Nicky Marmet recently welcomed son Oscar Holly. Literary Oscar (think Wilde) features in Irish myth. The name ranks Number 20 on Nameberry, much more popular than in the US, where it stands at Number 181.
Ezra – Ezra remains Nameberry’s Number One, and it’s gaining in use in the US, too. Another creative name, thanks to Ezra Pound and Ezra Jack Keats, the name entered the US Top 500 back in 1998, and the Top 100 in 2015. A Biblical boy name like Elijah and Noah, Ezra could be big. Taylor and Natalie Hanson were an early celeb couple to choose the name.
Finn – Finn first entered the US Top 1000 back in the year 2000. Now it’s up to Number 209 in the US and Number 42 on Nameberry. Short and complete, Finn has been worn by fictional characters from Glee to The Vampire Diaries to Grey’s Anatom_y, and now, of course, the newest Star Wars_ hero. It’s also the name chosen by high profile parents, including Christy Turlington and Ed Burns, Owen Wilson, and Tori Spelling.
Bodhi – Mixing meaning and an on-trend sound, once rare Bodhi has soared to the Number 23 spot on Nameberry, far ahead of its Number 499 US ranking. Burt Jenner, son of reality star Caitlyn Jenner, and girlfriend Valerie Pitalo welcomed Bodhi Burton Jenner earlier this month. Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox are parents to Bodhi Ransom.
Silas – The name Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel chose for their son in 2015 is another Nameberry Top Ten choice. Silas ranks Number 7 here, and Number 129 in the US. The New Testament name has an ecovintage vibe, thanks to its meaning: forest.
Beckett – Surname name Beckett is another newcomer to the US Top 1000, debuting in 2006. The name has since climbed to Number 218 in the US, and an even higher Number 60 on Nameberry. Conan O’Brien and Stella McCartney are just two celebs to choose the name for their sons.
Hugo – Friendly and upbeat, Hugo comes in at Number 81 on Nameberry, but just Number 432 in the US. That could change, though, thanks to the name’s stylish ‘o’ ending and the recent arrival of Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas’ son, Hugo Wilson.
Roman – Model Natalia Vodianova welcomed son Roman in June. Natalia and Antoine Arnault are also parents to son Maxim, and Natalia has children Lucas, Neva, and Viktor from a previous relationship. Strong and stylish, Roman ranks Number 102 in the US, and Number 47 on Nameberry.
Would you consider any of these names? Do you think we’ll continue to hear more of them?