Life
Lest you think babies have ceased being born during the pandemic, I am here to tell you life... finds a way. However, on top of the stress of delivering in the apocalypse, you still have to name that child. Because of all the parents clicking through, Nameberry already has the top 2020 baby names so far, and luckily, none are related to COVID-19. In fact, some are pretty surprising.
Nameberry scours the available data and determines which names are topping the charts. Some of the names will be familiar — like Atticus and Olivia — but there are a few unexpected in the bunch that will turn your head. If you're a fan of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, you'll recognize the name "Luna," which is inching up the charts, but nearly all the names on the list have a classic feel, cementing the notion that the names made popular from the '50s to the '80s and '90s (hello, Linda and Heather) might not see a resurgence any time soon. The names harken back to our grandparents and great grandparents, and now, out of our own nostalgia or for the want of something different, they are back and more popular than ever.
Unlike which names are actually used for babies, these Nameberry lists are based on which names get the most clicks on their website. Currently, the Social Security Administration is waiting to release the yearly baby names list in response to the coronavirus crisis.
Top 10 Girl Names
Because we're apparently still doing the gender thing, the names are separated by "girl" names and "boy" names, but you do you when you name your kids.
- Luna
- Maeve
- Aurora
- Olivia
- Isla
- Ava
- Ophelia
- Eleanor
- Eloise
Personally, I adore the name Eleanor. Not only do I stan Eleanor Roosevelt like the historical fangirl that I am, but the nickname Elle could not be sweeter. I am a little worried about all the Ophelias, given how the story ended for her, but the name itself is a Shakespearean wonder. As for the others on the list, whether you're a Disney princess who loves a good nap, or the coolest character in television history (with the most stunning wardrobe), there's a name on here for it. (And a lot of ending-in-A sounds.)
Top 10 Boy Names
This name has two of the 12 tribes of Israel (Asher and Levi), a popular U.S. President (Theodore), a character from To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus), and the latin word for lion (Leo) among others. What a wonderful and varied list this is. Seriously, I could see myself naming my child any of these names and being perfectly happy with it.
I mean, Oliver might be a bit on-the-nose for someone as obsessed with Dickens as I am, but I'm not going to lie, I considered it with my second before we knew we were having a girl. And Milo? I love how it sounds at once youthful, and like it belongs to a little old man.
- Milo
- Asher
- Atticus
- Oliver
- Levi
- Silas
- Arlo
- Leo
- Theodore
- Jasper
These names might be popular right now, but look at our generation. Did that stop any of our parents from calling us Michael or Steven or Jennifer or Julie? No, and in the same way, don't let this list put you off these gorgeous names. Your kids will bring to it their own personality and meaning.
