One of the most exciting, fun and meaningful things about having a baby is choosing a name. So, what are the top baby names for 2019? And is their meaning something to love or hate? We’ve got the info for you! But first, some background.
Unique Baby Names with Meaning
For years, parents in the United States have sought to give unique baby names that will stand out in a crowd. In 2019 the trend continues, and they’re not just weird names or based on popular celebrity baby names. Parents are returning to traditional sources, such as the Bible, ancient cultures, and classical texts for
The Global Baby Name Search
The search for unique names rooted in tradition has taken parents on an etymological journey around the world. Traditional European-rooted baby names have fallen out of favor and choices from Israel, Korea, India, South America, Africa, and New Zealand are now more mainstream than ever. Also, the popular trends of meditation, yoga, and similar practices have led to parents drawing inspiration for meaningful names from Eastern spirituality.
Celebrity Surnames
Celebrities have always had a significant influence on baby names, but the current trend is for parents to appropriate celebrity surnames for new babies rather than given names. The trend honors living celebrities (Jolie, Beckham) but also commemorates those who have passed on (Lennon, Hendrix, Bowie, Monroe). Perhaps the most poignant tribute from this list is to actor Heath Ledger, who passed away almost nine years ago at the age of 28; parents are now naming new babies “Ledger” in his honor.
Three-Letter Baby Names
Short names consisting of only three letters are seeing a surge in popularity. These can be traditional names like Liv, Hal, or Jem or more contemporary names like Rio and Lux.
Gender-Neutral Baby Names
As notions of gender become more fluid and society becomes more accepting of a non-binary concept of sexuality, parents are increasingly reluctant to pigeonhole their children into restrictive gender roles by saddling them with an arbitrarily gendered name. Rather, parents are opting for abstract gender-neutral baby names, such as Story, Justice, and Journey.
Top Five Baby Girl Names
- Bethany: Parents wanting a biblical baby name aren’t just looking at characters from the Bible, but biblical places as well. Bethany is a village outside Jerusalem in the New Testament and means “house of figs” in Hebrew.
- Luna: In Roman mythology, Luna is the goddess of the moon. Luna Lovegood is also a delightfully eccentric character from the Harry Potter novels.
- Jolie: Associated with the famous actress Angelina, it also means “pretty” in French.
- Lakshmi: A Sanskrit name for the Hindu goddess of good luck and prosperity, who is also associated with the lotus flower.
- Ida: This traditional name meaning “labor” or “work” is also making a comeback due to its snappy three-letter structure.
Top Five Boy Names:
- Bodhi: Popular among celebrity moms, it means “enlightenment” in Sanskrit.
- Asher: One of the twelve tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, Asher means “happy, blessed, fortunate” in Hebrew.
- Raiden: It means “lightning” in Japanese.
- Jasper: Gemstone names are usually more popular for girls; Jasper is an exception.
- Rex: A traditional name that means “king” in Latin.
Top Five Gender Neutral Names:
- Zen: As a three-letter, gender-neutral name derived from Eastern spirituality, this name follows several popular trends at once.
- Sage: This gender-neutral name has several possible meanings. It’s the name of an herb that may have medicinal properties, a muted gray-green color, and can also denote a person of wisdom.
- Finley: It’s derived from an Irish surname meaning “white warrior.” The letter F is currently popular in baby names.
- Briar: Derived from the name of a thorny plant, it’s also the name of a character from the popular book series, “A Song of Fire and Ice.”
- Revel: A “revel” is a loud, boisterous party, and “to revel” is to enjoy oneself thoroughly.
Names To Avoid
Though names beginning with “Em-,” such as Emma and Emerson, are still popular, baby name experts predict that they will soon fall out of favor due to overuse.