The most mispronounced names in the world?

Victoria??

The world’s most mispronounced names…

…according to research by WordFinderX, include Sean, Xuxa, Alexander, and Victoria. You may agree with some more than others!

Actually, the story is a little more complicated — and interesting — than the headline. These are the most searched-for names on the pronunciation site Forvo. So what they represent is the names with the most globally ambiguous spellings, mixed with the ones people most want to hear — maybe from curiosity, or practically to help them say someone’s name correctly.

It’s easy to see the appeal — Forvo is an essential item in every name nerd’s toolkit, and a bit addictive. I’ve just lost a good few minutes listening to the many pronunciations of Xavier!

Atmospheric names in the wild

A couple of weeks ago we took the plunge and predicted the biggest new name trends for 2024. The new year is still 12 weeks away, but some are already coming true, especially the love for airy, atmospheric names like Sky, Storm, and Lumi. Plus…

☁️Aire — We already knew this was Kylie Jenner’s choice for re-naming her son, but now the change is official. Cue more publicity for the name, and perhaps more parents-to-be influenced.

☁️Sun — A new son for Roy Orbison Jr and his wife Asa. With big brothers named Roy, Bo, and Love, the couple have continued the monosyllable theme. Little Sun is named after the legendary label Sun Records, and he’s not alone: 19 boys and 9 girls got the name in 2022. It shows that parents are increasingly going straight for meaningful English word names, rather than names with the right meaning in other languages.

☁️Haze — I especially like this as a surprising middle, to lift a more traditional first name: think Elizabeth Haze or Benjamin Haze. But England footballer Jordan Pickford and his wife Megan just went for the double-unusual combination for their daughter, Ostara Haze. Ostara is a Germanic goddess of spring (related to the word Easter), and a good option if Athena is too popular for you.

☁️Cielo — Increasingly a go-to celebrity baby name (and rising for civilian parents too): the latest addition is the daughter of British reality stars Clelia Theodorou and Tommy Cole.

…And in Grandpa Names for Girls sightings, I kind of love a girl named Wes!

Names in Style Limbo

Speaking of Grandpa Names, these popular names from 75 years ago are firmly in the awkward spot, not quite out enough to be in again.

But if you had to choose… what would you name a baby from the Top 25 names of 1948?