Although one name may sound exciting, inviting, and above all, rare while a more classic choice feels boring and overdone, often other soon-to-be parents agree, making the seemingly unique choice much more popular than a name that people perceive as “ugly.” Because of the often shocking popularity, both relative and objectively based on data, I thought I’d collect a few of these names whose popularity is very surprising. Containing names considered "dated" today that have truly prevailed, exotic sounds that actually have attracted hundreds of families, and stunners that not only you have put at the top of the list, here are 20 baby names that are more popular than you might expect.
Mateo- I was absolutely astounded when I saw this gentle Spanish boy name at #26, higher than biblical classics David, John, or Luke. Mateo is just three spots away from eclipsing Matthew altogether, and for good reason. Appealing both to Spanish speaking families and parents searching for a softer name alike, this name meaning “gift from God” doesn’t appear to be cooling down anytime soon.
Serenity- Anyone who hears this bold and beautiful word name for the first time might immediately think to place her in the late 700s or so, but that is nowhere near the case. A Latin name meaning “peaceful,” Serenity checks quite a few boxes for expecting parents, ranking at a whopping #79! That puts her far above mainstream favorites such as Sarah, Sophie, and Madeline, a feat that is quite difficult to accomplish.
Kimberly- Despite many writing Kimberly off as dated, there are still many parents who appreciate and embrace the nostalgia and surname style quality of this 60’s and 70’s favorite. Enough, in fact, that Kimberly manages to hold the #194 spot to this day as names such as Kinsley and Kayley own top spots in the ranks. To put it into perspective, that makes Kimberly a more popular choice than Juniper or frilly favorite Arabella, and even above style staple Sydney.
Royalty- Among the trendiest baby names of the decade, Royalty is also astonishingly popular. Although such a distinct moniker seems like it would only have a few bearers, everyone’s Royalty now! At #340, with more use than Raelyn, Gabrielle, or Oakley for girls, Royalty continues to soar.
Kevin- Kevin is the epitome of an old, outdated name, right? Wrong… his crisp sound and similarity to still-thriving Evan has kept this Irish name meaning “handsome” afloat, among his other appealing qualities. Above even Elliott, August, Finn, and Jude, Kevin actually ranks right alongside some of the biggest trends today.
Khloe- The Kardashian influence has spread beyond just Penelope and Mason, and popular choice Chloe has been modernized with a quick letter swap: Khloe. With the trend of changing C names to K names pretty well established (think Caitlin to Kaitlyn, Catherine to Katherine), so is Khloe at a startling #137. That’s right, Khloe ranks higher than Bailey, Ellianna, or Emerson, which is pretty incredible.
Gael- Given the immense popularity of the name Gale for girls in the 50s, I seriously doubted this name would come back at all, much less a creative respelling for boys! However, I’m thrilled for this name, pronounced either Guy-el or Gale, to be back in the top 1000. Ranking at an amazingly high #133, Gael hovers above Maxwell and Kaiden.
Sebastian- Greek, with an aristocratic feel and abundant nicknames, Sebastian seems like he would maybe rank around the outskirts of the top 200, but turns out he actually ranks much higher. With Ash, Bash, Baz, Seb, and Ian as potential nicknames, Sebastian has soared to #18 in US data. This is a higher ranking than contemporary classics Aiden, Jack, and Owen, who prove to be a rather elite squad to pass by.
Kyrie- An exotic Greek boy name whose sound definitely favors team pink, Kyrie has mysteriously hit it big for boys in the past few years despite similarities to girl name Kylie. Jumping from absolute obscurity to commonplace at #231, Kyrie has shockingly scored a spot above Jax, Brian, and Aidan. This refreshingly formatted boy name meaning “Lord” has only just emerged from the bottom of the ranks, and continues to climb.
Asher- With the Ashley craze in the 80s and 90s, it’s surprising to see this previously very feminine prefix on the opposite gender. Despite this, Asher renewed the positive qualities of Ashley and even has the perks of being biblical and fresh. Asher captured the eyes of many expecting couples last year, springing up the charts to land at #43, above Caleb, Hudson, and Charles.
Meadow- A cheerful and bold nature name ending in -ow is the perfect recipe for success when it comes to girl names. But there’s something about Meadow that just seems too bizarre to become mainstream, although the rankings prove me wrong. At #497, and just above Sierra and Abby, Meadow is much more common than one might suppose.
Dawson- A solid and strong surname choice, yes, but Dawson definitely doesn’t feel like he’s anywhere near breaching the top 1000. Yet this Welsh name meaning “son of David” has been launched into the tops of the rankings, at an astonishing #202. This name that remains reminiscent of the character Jack Dawson in Titanic ranks even higher than Lukas or Archer, most certainly not the position many would guess given just the name itself.
Callie-Callie feels friendly and familiar, a kind of less popular sister to the equally short but sweet nickname name Katie. But what if I told you that Callie has three times the popularity as a full form? Callie ranks at an unanticipated #180, extremely high for the maybe #400 at most that I thought she would, and overcomes Lilly, Sienna, and Brynlee in rank.
Maverick- The film Top Gun’s Maverick was a bold, untamed spirit that has obviously provoked hundreds of people to choose the name for their sons over the last several years. But when I went to check his current popularity, I was stunned to see that this name originally deemed too connected to the movie is at #58. This undeniably cool name meaning “nonconformist” has defeated popular choices Greyson, Robert, and Eli and appears to be headed for the top 50.
Ryker- It’s safe to assume that Ryker has been seeing loads more use now than ever, but the extent in which it has may be a surprise to some. This German name meaning “rich” has amassed plenty of baby boys answering to him, and ranks on top of even chart-toppers like Max and Kaiden at a tremendous #135. Thanks to his appealing prefix and similarities to trending Ryder, I don’t see Ryker backing down from his high spot anytime soon.
Naomi- Although Naomi feels severely underused, the recent uptick in names ending in -i has pushed her further up the ranks than I would’ve anticipated. A gorgeous Hebrew name meaning “pleasant,” Naomi has scored a spot even above high-risers Caroline, Elena, and even classic Anna. She currently ranks just outside of the top 50, at #59, but remains a lovely choice for a baby girl.
Allison- A 2000’s favorite, Addison soon replaced Allison, but it seems that with the recent rise of Alice, Allison has been able to stay on the trend train and keep her spot at #77. I was very surprised to see that Allison has not only maintained her spot in the top 100 and continues to appeal to parents today, but that she also surpasses Samantha, Delilah, and Sadie in popularity. Although Allison hasn’t taken a dreadful fall quite yet, I fear it may be in her near future.
Natalia- Flowing, fluid, and with an impressive amount of As, Natalia seems like she might fit well into a “Familiar Names” list, 300-500s. However, I greatly underestimated how enticing Natalia truly is to expecting families. Today, she lands above Everleigh, Mackenzie, and Isabelle with a staggering ranking of #103.
Wesley- Just the slightest bit retro and rare, I know I expected Wesley to rank among the mid 200s, given his western charm. Wesley actually comes up just before the cutoff of the top 100, at #99, and appears to be on his way up, wooing parents with his delightful sound and distinct style. This English name even manages to rank higher than Kai, Emmett, or Sawyer.
That finishes off my list of wacky word names, dated names that have stood the test of time, and magical sounds that are more mainstream than anticipated. I hope you weren’t too discouraged by any of your favorites appearing on the list, and as always, if you would be happy to see part two, make sure to submit the form!
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
Which names surprised you? Did you enjoy this article and have some ideas for others? Then submit my form and I will do my best to answer!
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