The Power of the Meme

How will Gen Z and Gen Alpha memes and slang words impact baby name popularity?

Slang impacting baby name trends is nothing new. Dick and Fanny, Butch and Gay have taken their hits over the years and are likely past the point of no return.

As part of my grad school program, I spent the last 3 months at an elementary school working with 4th and 5th grade students, and it is safe to say that I have been exposed to a whole new world of slang terms.

I was born in 2000, making me just at the cusp of the Gen Z generation. But boy, am I already out of the loop. For those of you who spend time around kids and teenagers, you may be familiar with the new generation of Gen Z (born 1997-2012) and Gen Alpha (born 2012-2024) slang and meme words, such as “rizz”, “Ohio”, “bot”, “sigma”, and “mewing”.

So what is to come from the newest slew of Gen Z and Gen Alpha culture in the baby naming department? Here are some that I personally have my eye on.

Ace

This first one is not particularly associated with the youngest generation, but is gaining traction as a mainstream term. On one hand a badass, cowboy-esque boy name rising in the charts, the term Ace has also become a shorthand term for “asexual” in the LBGTQ+ community.

Alpha

The first letter in the Greek alphabet has a long history of use as a baby name, ranking solidly within the Top 1000 for both boys and girls at the turn of the 20th century. In recent years, Alpha has been back on the rise, given to over 50 baby boys in 2023.

For the younger generation, the word Alpha is used similarly to how it has been for a long time — signifying a dominant, leader-type person. While some use the term Alpha as a positive descriptive word, it is also often used in a more negative light, associated with toxic masculinity.

Two other Greek letters have solidified their place in Gen Z and Gen Alpha vocabulary as well. Sigma, referring to a lone-wolf type person, and Beta, referring to a weak and passive person, were not used as baby names in 2023.

Aura

This light and airy Greek mythology name — meaning “light breeze” and associated with the Titan of the cool air of early morning — has been one of the fast risers in recent years. Aura made the US Top 1000 for the first time since 1901 this past year, given to 269 baby girls in 2023.

However, aura is quickly becoming a staple in Gen Z slang, referring to a person’s “cool factor”. You may hear it used in phrases like “negative 10 aura” in response to a person doing something decidedly uncool.

Because the slang term aura itself has a positive meaning, time will tell whether this fast-growing association will draw more parents to this name or begin to turn parents off.

Boomer

In 2016, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and wife Nicole named their baby boy Boomer — an upbeat and playful surname name with a long history of baby name use in small numbers.

However, right around this same time the phrase “ok Boomer” took off, used as a dismissive and sarcastic response to a person in the Baby Boomer generation perceived as being out of touch with modern culture and values.

While the name Boomer was given to 33 baby boys at its peak in 2017, this well-established meme has led to only 8 baby boys were named Boomer last year.

Chad

We all know the meme of the “Karen”, which has led to the downfall of this otherwise lovely Danish variation of Katherine. Now Chad is the next victim to Gen Z slang, referring to your stereotypically “alpha male” (typically in a bad way).

While this 70s and 80s favorite has been falling out of favor for a number of years anyways, this meme is pushing Chad further and further from usability.

Delulu

This slang word for “delusional” has made its way into the mainstream.

With the rise of cutesy nickname names (think Daisy, Winnie, and Sunny), that lilting double L sound (Lily, Layla, and Delilah), and the syllable Lu (Lucy, Luna, and Luella), it should be the name Lulu’s time to shine.

However, Lulu had only just began to shed its ditzy, head-in-the-clouds stereotype that for many years felt more fitting for a French poodle than a baby. Will the similarity to this unfavorable slang word subconsciously (or consciously) push parents away?

Hawk

Amongst the list of badass animal names gaining attention in the baby name world is Hawk. While given to only a few dozen baby boys each year, Hawk has gotten attention as a distinctive and spirited name on Nameberry.

However, in a recent poll question on Nameberry’s instagram regarding pop culture associations that have turned our readers off of their favorite names, one of our followers pointed out an unfortunate new association to take into consideration.

If you know the “hawk tua” meme, you know why this one might be problematic. If not, google this one at your own discretion.

What other names do you predict will be impacted by the newest memes or slang words? Comment your guesses below!