Word Names: The hottest ones right now

by Linda Rosenkrantz

Doesn’t it sometimes seem that just about any word in the dictionary can find its way onto a birth certificate these days? (Yes, looking at you, Kardashians!). And it’s not only color and flower and occupational nouns, but even adjectives and adverbs that were never conceived of as names before.

The current Social Security list is packed with word names of every description, many of which are rising in popularity. The list below divides the ascenders into distinctive categories–representing current trends–with those that have made the greatest leaps marked with an asterisk.

NATURE-RELATED WORD NAMES

*Azalea-#510, flower name also influenced by Iggy Azalea

Briar–#687–used by Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen, Disney associations

*Ember–#209–the new Amber

Forest—new on the list with this spelling

Ivy-#86, #30 on Nameberry

*Juniper, #281

*Magnolia, #314, used by Adrian Young of No Doubt

*Meadow, #516, first attracted attention on The Sopranos

*Poppy, #592, used by chef Jamie Oliver, also actress Poppy Montgomery

Raven, #412,  played by Jennifer Lawrence in the X-Men films

Ridge, #702,

*River—for both boys (#197) and girls (#244)

Willow, #62,  grown daughter of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith

Plus 3 gem names in pursuit of Ruby:

Onyx—new to the list, #867 boys; used for their daughter by Alanis Morissette and Souleye

Opal-#820

Pearl–#647, used by Maya Rudolph

SEASONAL WORD NAMES

August—new on the list for girls, #905

Summer-#199

Sunny, #871, daughter of Adam Sandler

Winter, #390, daughter of Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden

ASPIRATIONAL WORD NAMES

*Ace, #255, associated with Ace Frehley of Kiss

*Atlas, #291

Legacy, #787 girls, artist Legacy Russell

*Legend, #217 boys, associated with John Legend, used by Donald Glover

Promise—new to the list, #908

ROYALLY ASPIRATIONAL WORD NAMES

Duke, #531, John Wayne nickname

Prince, #318, legendary pop star

Queen—new to the list, #959–British band, hit movie

*Reign—girls-#532

Royal—boys–#483, ‘The Royal Tenenbaums

Royalty—girls–#371

SPIRITUAL, SERENE, LYRICAL WORD NAMES

Deacon–#486–used by Reese Witherspoon, Marvel Comics character

*Dream–#621–dreamed up by Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian

Harmony–#175

Journey–#231

Justice–#558, Marvel Comics

Lyric, #323

Melody, #137

*Mercy—a classic virtue name–#729

Saint—new to the list, thanks to Kimye, #859

Serenity, #76

BOLD WORD NAMES

Cannon-#538

Maverick–#73

Scout—new for girls–#976

Wilder–#523

Single-Syllable C boys—in a class of their own

Case–#506

Cash–#276

Clay–#687

*Colt–#236

Creed—new to the list–#962

*Crew–#573

In addition to these hot up-and-comers, there are lots of other word names on the list still holding their own or slightly slipping– from  Amber and April to Hunter and Heavenly.

What’s your favorite word name?