Which of These Names Will Be the Next Big Thing? 📈
Expert analysis of names that *could* be about to pop
Are These Names Going to Pop?
Over the past few weeks, there’s been an influx of unique starbaby name announcements from celebrity parents like Serena Williams, Elon Musk, and Rihanna.
Let’s analyze their chosen baby names and see which ones are the most likely to make it onto mainstream birth certificates.
Adira
This is a case of “why is this name so rare?” Adira feels like it should be a Top 1000 name, and yet it’s remarkably uncommon. But that may change, thanks to Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian.
A-sandwich names like Amara, Amaya, and Alina are mainstays on the popularity charts thanks to their feminine shape and cross-cultural appeal. Adira — which also has a great meaning, “strong” — shares these qualities and is undiscovered, a sure-fire recipe for success.
The Verdict: Yep, Adira is going to pop 🎉
Azure
This week, Elon Musk revealed the names of the twins he secretly welcomed in 2021 with Shivon Zilis. Their daughter is called Azure, a color name meaning “sky blue”.
It’s currently a truly gender-neutral name, given to 23 baby girls and 24 baby boys at last count. And with connections to art, poetry, nature, and more, Azure is a name that could appeal to many types of baby namers.
But a not-exactly-intuitive pronunciation (it’s AZHJ-ure, almost like Asher — listen here), could turn parents off from this otherwise promising name.
The Verdict: We may see more baby Azures, but don’t expect it in the Top 1000 anytime soon 🖌
Strider
Azure’s twin brother is named Strider — a confident word name with that stylish -er ending. Figuratively, “making big strides” is used to convey momentum and movement toward a goal, so it’s also a choice rife with symbolism.
Strider is more versatile than it may seem, fitting in with these name trends:
✅ Cowboy Names like Maverick, Stratton, and Wilder
✅ Aspirational Word Names like Ace, Justice, and Legend
✅ Action Names like Decker, Sawyer, and Walker
The Verdict: It won’t be Top 1000-popular for a while, but Strider will definitely, erm, make strides in the years to come 👆
Riot
The press leaked the name of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s one-month-old son, Riot Rose. This R name feels very appropriate for a family with names like Robyn Rihanna, Rakim/Rocky, and RZA.
But could Riot — literally meaning "violent civil disorder" — really become a popular baby name?
It’s already heading in that direction.
Riot had a 30% popularity increase from 2021 to 2022 thanks to its badass image and (perhaps more importantly) stylish sounds. Ry- names like Rylan, Ryker, and Ryder have been hot for over a decade now, and rhyming Wyatt is still holding strong in the Top 40.
That explains why Ryatt — with less violent imagery — is even more popular than Riot, and rose in popularity by 33% last year.
The Verdict: Riot didn’t even need Rihanna to pop — but now it’s really going to take off 🚀
Rose — for a boy
The real surprise of Rihanna’s baby name announcement was the middle name, Rose — yes, Rose — for a boy.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds helped make James the middle name du jour for Generation Alpha girls — could RiRi and Rocky do the same for Rose on baby boys?
Parents are more willing than ever to use unisex names — even feminine-leaning ones— for their sons, but Rose takes this trend to a new level.
The Verdict: Maybe as a middle name, but it’ll be some time before Rose becomes a widely-accepted first name for boys 🌹
Trend Alert 🚨: Woodsy Names for Boys
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What do you get when you cross cottagecore names with cowboy names? Woodsy names for boys!
It’s the latest, greatest trend among boy names, encompassing celebrity favorites like Forest, River, and Hart, along with rare-but-rising choices like Boone, Sylvan, and Summit.
These are rugged, down-to-earth monikers and romantic, masculine choices. It’s the best of both worlds!
Does woodsy names describe your style? Read more on our blog.
What Name Do You Wish You Were Brave Enough to Use?
It’s our question of the week, and the Berries had excellent answers (too many good ones to share!)
We could only include 10 in our official post, but here are some of our other favorite choices:
More fun things
That name means what???? Explore the craziest, most random name meanings in this piece from Clare 🤨
Did you catch our newest list on the site? Hello, Sweet Girl Names! 🍭
These classic baby names are rising in the ranks 🔥
Namey names with wordy nicknames — can you think of any to add? 💭