What’s in a name? Well, a lot, really. So much so, in fact, that hundreds of studies over the years have focused on the effects of names, both on their bearers and on others.
And turns out – and no surprises here – names really do play a significant role in our lives. They shape how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. Even thinking about what initial thoughts might pop into your head when hearing names like “Sage Moonblood”, “Bluebell Madonna” and “Heiress Harris” (all real celebrity baby names), you’d have to admit you might hold some prejudices.
Which is what makes baby name lists so interesting. Keeping in mind parents know just how much of an influence a name can have on a child, it’s fascinating to see what they go for. That said, McCrindle Research’s annual list of Australian baby name trends for this year is out and it’s packed with juicy details on just that.
Of note is the research’s list of new baby names to enter the top 100 charts in 2020 – a pretty good indicator of what parents will continue to be naming their kids in 2021. The top boy’s and girl’s name? Ezra and Sadie. Also on the list are names Fletcher, Ari and Peyton. The full lists are here:
Top 7 boys’ names to enter the Top 100
- Ezra
- Felix
- Marcus
- Fletcher
- Ari
- Aaron
- Billy
Top 6 girls’ names to enter the Top 100
- Sadie
- Madeline
- Riley
- Peyton
- Lilly
- Rosie
The research also lists the trending baby names – names that have made the biggest jump in the last two years. For boys, it was Arthur, which climbed 23 places, and for girls, it was Millie, which jumped 30 places. The name that’s jumped the most in the past three years? Luna.
As for general baby name trends, the research found that parents were continuing to use the botanical theme as a source for naming, resulting in names like Willow, Poppy, Daisy and Jasmine.
Names popular 100 years ago, like Grace and Charlotte, also feature heavily on the list. As did names inspired by celebrities, like Ariana (Grande), Billie (Eilish) and Millie (Bobby-Brown).
And finally, the staple list of the research – top baby names of the year – revealed that Charlotte and Oliver were the top girls and boys name in 2019 (calculated in 2020). Those full lists are here:
Top 10 girls’ names of the year
- Charlotte
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Isla
- Mia
- Ava
- Grace
- Willow
- Harper
- Chloe
Top 10 boys’ names of the year
- Oliver
- Noah
- Jack
- William
- Leo
- Lucas
- Thomas
- Henry
- Charlie
- James
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