What could be fresher in the New Year than a newborn baby?
Long anticipated, maybe even prayed for, a new baby is a sign of hope, of renewal, and of family. It is a rare opportunity to fall totally and permanently in love.
Babies change everyone around them but especially their parents, who now have responsibilities they are likely to carry for the rest of their days. First among them—what are we going to name this tiny little person?
We in the South are fond of giving our babies names of others in our families, living and dead—a so-called “family name.” I carry my maternal grandmother’s name, Margaret Dawson, and I am forever thankful that her name was not Scheherazade. Not all parents are traditional. My cousin once taught a student named Chandelier, for reasons no one ever explained.
The Social Security Administration is a resource for parents struggling with just the right name for their little bundle of joy. The SSA has kept records of what Americans name our most precious possessions since 1880. Turns out baby-naming is just about as trendy as designer handbags and blue jeans with holes in the knees. It also appears, at least to this writer, that boy babies are more likely to have solidly traditional names, and that parents are more likely to be creative with what to call their girls, especially in the 21st century.
Consider this:
In 1925 the 10 most popular girl names were Mary, Dorothy, Betty, Helen, Margaret, Ruth, Virginia, Doris, Mildred, and Elizabeth. Leading for boys were Robert, John, William, James, Charles, George, Joseph, Richard, Edward, and Donald. We still see a lot of those names now, but only 1 remains in the top 10.
Top billing for girls in 2023 (2024 is not yet available) were Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia, Mia, Isabella, Ava, Evelyn, and Luna. Boys' names were also more varied than in 1925 with the top 10 being Liam, Noah, Oliver, James, Elijah, Mateo, Theodore, Henry, Lucas, and good old William.
So what names do we have to look forward to in 2025?
Lilia Corrigan, a name consultant with Heart Baby Names, told the HuffPost that nostalgic names “like Eloise, Maeve, and Otis” are on the horizon as are names that come from diverse influences, such as “Aria, Ayaan, and Leila.” She adds that names “tied to the natural world….like River, Sage, and Aurora reflect a desire for grounding and connection in a fast-paced world.” Another consultant, Heidi Prunkl, founder of Baby Name Sunday, is expecting to see daycare centers populated with “Cleo, Bear, Gia, Arlo, Jade, Ivy, or Kai.”
Biblical names are always in style, says Sherri Suzanne, founder of My Name for Life, another name consulting firm. She told HuffPost that some Biblical names have been used for generations, but that today’s parents are opting for lesser-known Biblical figures like “Erza and Micah and Ezekiel.” She will not be surprised to meet a few Enochs and Boazes.
Corrigan also expects “cool, unisex names like Blair, Rowan, and Ellis….These names feel fresh, modern and versatile….Sterling, Palmer, Finley, and Teagan are poised to rise in popularity in 2025.”
This is a lot to ponder for those of us who have or will have buns in the oven. As a mother of three, my advice is to remember that your precious jewel will carry the name you give him or her for life, and that what sounds fabulous in 2025 might not have such a positive ring in a decade or two.
You should also know that there really was a Scheherazade growing up with me on our little two-block street in Haymount.
As we say in the South, bless her heart.