Table of Contents
Name-inspired news and notes for your Sunday reading.
Looking for even more deep dives on all the names and name talk you love? Join us on the AM Baby Names Patreon. Join for free to keep up with featured names. Upgrade and unlock even more great content!
Trends are tricky things.
They used to feel more straightforward. One hem length was in; another was out. But this is the Age of Everything All At Once.
Name trends, like so many things in our world now, include plentiful contradictions. Neo-Western names swagger on to the playground, right alongside more intentionally global names. In a dozen years or so, Stetson will head off to prom with Alaia. Synthetic, futuristic innovations share the same soccer team as old school revivals. Rosters read Mabel, Wrenlee, Eloise, and Kahlani.
It’s always been the way, of course. We think of Shirley and Eunice as equally dated. But they really don’t have much in common, except for their popularity a century ago.
One fun fact from the 2024 data: for the first time in a decade, the percentage of children receiving a Top 1000 name increased fractionally. 71.19% of children born in 2024 received a Top 1000 name, up from 71.02% in 2023 and 73.47% in 2015.
In terms of long terms trends, that’s still a pretty consistent pattern. But could we be reaching a point of stability? It’s too soon to say, and it’s worth noting that the popularity of even a solid #1 name like Liam still pales compared to John, Robert, or even Michael in years gone by.
ELSEWHERE ONLINE
I loved Laura’s analysis of Ailany and the continued dominance of liquid names. She coined the term, and her take on the trend is worth a read.
Nancy takes a fresh look at the most unisex names from the new data. It’s still Charlie. Her list is particularly interesting because she goes beyond the Top 1000 to consider choices like Huntley and Joan.
This round-up of pop culture influences from Sophie is worth a read. I’m not sure if golfer Scottie Scheffler gets credit for the rise of Scottie for our daughters – maybe? – but yes to soccer-inspired picks like Brazil’s Endrick of Real Madrid.
UPDATING & THINKING ABOUT
Truce is a new-to-the-Top-1000 name that feels so appealing right now. A modern virtue that feels incredibly hopeful in our moment. (I mentioned it when talking about political baby names with Caroline at HuffPo.)
Campbell makes the charts for boys and girls … and I really do like it equally for both.
And back to Scottie … the new Charlie. Or Stevie. With a nod to Lottie, too.
That’s all for now. As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!
