Best Baby Names

The naming of a child is one of parents’ biggest responsibilities. Should they choose something cool and trendy? Should they choose something unique, so their child does not share a name with several others in their class? Or is it best to choose a classic name? There are trends for each generation. In the US in the 1960s, Lisa and Scott were top of the list. In the 1980s, it was Jessica and Justin. At the turn of the century, Ethan and Madison were most popular. Older names like Noah and Sophia made a comeback in the 2010s. 

royals and flowers

According to organisations such as Names.org and BabyCenter, today’s parents are drawing inspiration from the British Royal Family —Charlotte, William—, flowers —Violet, Juniper—, gemstones —Ruby, Esmeralda, Onyx—, nature in general —Rainbow, Aurora— and even food —Kale, Clementine or Kiwi—. TV series Peaky Blinders, about the Irish mob in early 20th-century Birmingham, caused a wave of Tommys, Arthurs and Adas in the UK, while in the US there are newborns called Kylo thanks to Star Wars.

memorable and unique

Global events can prompt new names. During India’s coronavirus lockdown, one couple had twins they called Corona and Covid. They explained that they wanted the names to be “memorable and unique.” Other pandemic-related names include Lockdown and Sanitiser.

Most babies born in 2020, however, have more conservative names. Among girls, classics such as Maeve and Ophelia are enjoying a revival. What used to be old-fashioned is now vintage. Among boys, there is an increase in international names like Luca, Kai and Muhammad.

restrictions

Whatever name the parents like, it has to be legal. In the US, naming laws differ by state. In Minnesota, names must be fewer than 150 characters. Until recently, California did not allow accents, barring names like Sofía or José. This law was amended in 2017.

In Spain, you cannot name two siblings the same. Countries like Portugal, Tajikistan and Saudi Arabia have official lists of approved names. Italy bans names that are ‘shameful’. In fact, most countries outlaw obscenities. The UK has no hard restrictions, but names must be pronounceable.