Baby-name Trend Predictions for 2019

O is destined to be the red-hot first initial in the near future. There’s charming Oliver, which tops the charts in the UK and jumped several spots to appear in the top 10 here in the U.S for the first time ever. And Owen, currently at #28, has been a top 50 pick for several years.

For girls, there’s perennial top 10 favorite Olivia, along with several big movers and shakers, including Octavia (up 435 places), Ophelia (up 164 places), and several “oaky” baby names—Oaklyn, Oaklynn, Oaklee, and Oakley.

Elliot is the real sleeper hit. With several popular spelling variations (including Eliot and Elliot), and equal popularity for both sexes, odds are you’ll find another Elliott in your child’s class.

According to Nameberry, other popular nonbinary names for 2019 will be Briar, Campbell, Finley, Journey, Justice, Laken, Revel, Robin, Royal, and Story.

While you’ll still find plenty of Willows and Lilys, there’s a whole hot new set of nature names on the rise. Look at Colt for boys, and Magnolia, Luna, Hazel, and Aurora for girls. And according to Nameberry, naming after rare gems like Amethyst, Emerald, Garnet, Topaz, Sapphire, and Jasper is on the rise.

Animalia names are also on the rise for parents who want to add a touch of fierceness to their child, Nameberry adds. Whether it’s a first name or middle name, expect to meet a Bear, Falcon, Fox, Hawk, and even Koala.

• Baby names with the “x” factor

Baby names with an “X” involved scored big for boys, including the popular Alexander variation Xander, rock-inspired picks like Axl/Axel, short-and-sweet Dax (up 62 places on the list), top 100 favorite Xavier, and variant spellings for Jackson—Jaxon and Jaxson.

• “Game of Thrones” inspired names for girls

Plenty of people are still picking badass baby names like Khaleesi, Lianna, and Arya/Aria to give their daughters. But even the actresses themselves have inspired some baby naming, as Emilia (up 28 places), and Maisie (up 50 spots) get more love as well.

Wyatt’s been popular for nearly a decade (and has even crossed the line into girls’ territory, thanks to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher), but among the biggest climbers are Clyde, Boone, and Stetson for boys, and names like Jolene and Oakley for girls.

Forget the full-on formal names. Lots of people cut to the chase and just gave their kiddos the nickname as their official moniker, including Charlie, Frankie, Mike, and Theo for boys, and Ellie, Frankie, Jenny, and Millie for girls. (Heck, even the top baby name for boys, Liam, is a short variation on the classic William!)

Vintage nicknames are also making a comeback, according to Nameberry. Consider Archie, Alfie, Ike, and Freddie.

• Whatever Harry and Meghan name their baby

The beloved royal pair will likely pick a classic name with a bit of panache (my money’s on Henry or Arthur for a boy, Eleanor or Alice for a girl). But whatever baby name they choose is about to skyrocket in popularity.

Source: https://www.parents.com/