For baby name nerds, mid-May’s about more than just Mother’s Day brunch mimosas. It brings the big kahuna baby name list from the Social Security Administration, which parses out what’s hot, and what’s definitely not amongst baby names.
The big news: Sophia’s dropped down to #3, letting Emma regain the throne for the top girls’ name. And on the boys’ side, the reign of the “den” names (Braden, Caden, Jayden, etc.) may finally be over. You can get the full scoop on the top 20 baby names right here!
We’re still parsing through so much of it—especially as they list every variant spelling and baby name mistake, as long as at least five people picked it—but here’s what we’re seeing so far.
Questionable Pop Culture Names Yep, we all love Star Wars and Game of Thrones. But should two of the red-hot risers on the list really be Anakin and Khaleesi? On the plus side, it looks like people are not naming their kids after actual celebrities—the biggest droppers on the baby name list included Miley (which was this year’s biggest loser, falling more than 400 spots), Rihanna, Gwyneth, Channing, and Britney.
Names of Mythic Proportions Baby namers are turning to some old-school mythology for help with naming their kids. Some of the biggest risers include Odin and Freya from Norse mythology, Titan and Ariadne from the ancient Greco-Roman myths.
The Downfall of Creative Spellings The list of baby name losers (the names dropping the fastest) is overcrowded with creatively spelled names, like Kamryn, Kourtney, Xzavier and Addisyn. Maybe people are discovering that variant spellings only bring headaches and don’t actually make your child’s name unique?
A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll Rocker names like Hendrix, Axl and Lennon were all big—and names with plenty of country flair, like Jolene and Stetson also were among the biggest risers.
Keep watching here and on our Baby Names page for more articles and analysis of the 2014 top baby names, as we mine the list for hidden gems, nearly extinct names, and other baby name inspiration. And don’t forget to like In Name Only to keep up with the very latest in baby names.
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