Meet the New Instababy Name Stars!
By Tiana Putric
Baby and child Instagram stars, now also known as ‘Instababies’ and ‘Instatoddlers’, have been taking social media by storm. Not only are their flawless photographs and captivating videos drawing tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of staunch followers, but because they’ve been dubbed “Kid Influencers,” big brands are expressing their love by indulging these tykes with flashy gifts.
Meet six little Instagram celebs whose millennial and vintage appellations are sure to become ‘buzz names’. Here are their full-of-personality names – from Australia’s Pixie, to the United Kingdom’s sister and brother team Harlow and Harlen, to Canada and America’s London Scout.
The appellation Eden, meaning “place of pleasure, delight,” of course brings to mind the Garden of Eden, biblical home of Adam and Eve. An ancient word and a modern-day moniker, Eden first graced the Top 1000 in 1986 and has been rising in usage and popularity ever since. Eden, also spelled Edin, is today a unisex name and in 2015 was bestowed on 2,050 baby girls and 571 baby boys. Endearments for Eden include the girlish Edie and the boyish Denny, Ed, and Eddie.
Harlen, meaning ‘rocky land’, is a vintage male appellation last featured on the U.S. Top 1000 in 1940. Today, Harlen is an up-and-coming unisex name that brings to mind both New York City’s Harlem and America’s famous Harley motorcycles. Harlen, also spelled Harlon and Harlan, shares its ‘len’ ending with popular millennial names Braylen (#750 in 2015), Jaylen (#988), and Kellen (#568).
Originally a male moniker first seen on the U.S. Top 1000 in 1883 and last featured in 1936, Harlow is now primarily a female appellation that was given to 754 U.S. girls in 2015. Harlow, also spelled Harlowe, exudes vintage glamour – as in Golden Age Hollywood actress Jean Harlow. Harlow shares its trendy ‘lo’ sound with Marlow, Shiloh, Willow, and Winslow. Fresh nicknames for Harlow include Arlo, Harley, and Lola.
A relatively new girl-boy name, this cosmopolitan appellation is both spunky and sophisticated. More often given to girls, London is a rarer city name than Brooklyn and Savannah but more prevalent than Florence and Phoenix. This British capital name was given to nearly 3,000 American girls in 2015 and 447 baby boys. London, also spelled Londyn, is similar in sound to classic male names Landon and Lyndon.
Pixie is a whimsical appellation that evokes both magical and mythical thoughts. Rarely heard in the United States (given to only 13 girls in 2015), Pixie is a fast-rising appellation in the United Kingdom – perhaps inspired by the mischievous little characters found in U.K. folklore and children’s stories. Pixie shares its adorable ‘xie’ ending with the somewhat more oft-heard names Dixie, Lexie, Moxie, Roxie, and Trixie.
Ryker Wixom
A millennial name never before seen on the U.S. Top 1000 until 2003, Ryker has since appeared on the list every single year. Ryker, an adventurous and rugged-sounding name, shares its ‘Ry’ prefix with other contemporary male names such as Ryder, Rylan, and Ryland and shares its ‘er’ suffix with newly revived names Archer, Asher, and Walker. Ryker originates from the German surname Riker and has roots in the German word ‘rike’ meaning ‘rich’. It now ranks at Number 149 nationally and is Number 62 on Nameberry.
Names of other popular ‘Instababies’ and ‘Instatoddlers’:
Quinn Heiress Brielle & Zoë Allyn Grace (sisters)
Haileigh Vasquez
Grey (boy) & Roux James (little sister)
Avaya & Aliza
Everleigh Soutas & Ava Foley (best friends)
Laerta
Siblings Julian & Sailor (boys) & Mila Plum & Birdie (girls)
Millie–Belle Biamound or Millie–Belle Diamond
Phoebe & Jasey (girl-boy sibset)