New Names Showdown 2017 Boys SemiFinals

Bummed that you’re not at the beach? Never fear! Summer fun, baby names style, is underway. Welcome to the New Names Showdown 2017 boys semifinals!

If you missed the opening round, here’s what the New Names Showdown 2017 is all about. We want to choose the name most likely to climb dramatically when the new popularity data comes out in May 2018. This is the boys’ contest; the girls’ semi finals posted yesterday.

Where did our semifinalists come from, you wonder?

I went through the list of all 42 names new to the US Top 1000 this year, and picked eight promising contenders. Last week, your votes narrowed down the field of eight to just four promising appellations.

We have to wait until May 2018 to find out if our votes accurately identified a rising star or not, but I think you’ll do well. Last year’s winner of the boys’ New Names Showdown? The white hot Wilder won the whole thing.

Here’s how the opening round shook out:

• Shepherd bested Gus by a mere four votes.
• Kylo narrowly won out over Creed, 54% to 46%.
• In another close contest, Jericho defeated Lyle, 53% to 47%.
• Foster swept past Benicio, 63% to 37%.

That reduces our pool of eight to four semifinalists. Ready, set, vote!

New Names Showdown 2017 Boys SemiFinals: Shepherd v. Foster

Call this match the battle of the surnames. Both names are rising choices with a subtle, meaningful vibe. Shepherd resonates for Christian parents, as a symbol of Christ, while Foster can mean “to encourage,” another uplifting image.

New Names Showdown 2017 Boys SemiFinals: Kylo v. Jericho

Two o-ending names face off: Star Wars villain Kylo takes on Biblical place name Jericho. O-ending boy names continue to trend, with picks like Leo, Milo, and Arlo gaining in use. It seems fitting that two more O-enders will vie for the title in this contest.

Thanks for voting! Check back next Friday to see which of your favorite names won the New Names Showdown 2017 SemiFinals – and advance to the final round!