With the top baby names of 2019 out for the US, I felt obligated to follow up with an analysis series, and I am elated to be able to be doing so! This review is solely based on a name moving up in rank, not percentage or number of babies given the name. Whether you’re crossing your fingers hoping that your favorites aren’t on this list, or are eagerly searching for a name that will feel new and fresh, here is a review of the top trending boy names of the new data, starting with the hottest boy name of the year.
The Biggest Trend of the Year: Sekani
Sekani ranked at a meager #7031 last year, not even close to enough to show up on the SSA top 1000. Of all of the names stuck in the 7000 range, Senkani wouldn’t have been my guess for highest jumper. But I was proven wrong. Sekani rocket up a whopping 6159 spots from his original rank to land at #872, shocking many. Obviously, a jump this monumental cannot be made alone, and it normally requires the aid of celeb-baby, style trends, or some pop culture influence. In this case, it was the latter two. The -kani and -lani names for girls, and others with a touch of Hawaiian influence, are particularly hot this year, leading me to believe that part of the humongous jump made by Sekani is credited to this trend. However, that alone doesn’t quite explain the broad appeal for Sekani as a boy name, which is where the popular novel turned film The Hate U Give comes in. Featuring a young boy with the name, the movie must’ve resonated with expecting parents and caused the large leap. However, I seriously doubt that Sekani will make another jump quite as big in the future, given how remarkably trendy this choice is at the moment. It’s believed that this name means “joy, laugh”, as well, so that also may be a contributing factor to why the name is appealing to so many parents.
The Top Ten High Risers
The top ten high-risers consist of several interesting names that may be clues to future trends, including #2 and #3, Ermias and Amias, as well as #9, Atreus. As you can see, all those names end in -s and start with a vowel, and I think they may hint to upcoming style favoring boy names following that format. Another pattern I see repeated within the top ten trending boy names is #6 and #7, Aziel and Eliel. Parents have loved the Eli- names for a while now, and Eliel seems like a natural successor to Elliot, Ellis, Elias, and Elijiah, especially when combining the appeal of Eli with the new trend of boy names ending in -el. With a 471 spot jump, Eliel seems ready to tackle the top 500 next year. Aziel echoes the trend, feeling slightly biblical but equally in vogue. The letter Z is giving him an edge, as well, and pushed him from obscurity last year at #1462 to #955. Moving on, I noticed that Archie hasn’t disappointed and has held up despite the media surrounding Prince Harry’s young son fading. He ranks at #10 for trending boy names this year, climbing 316 spots in the data from his last position, at #988 in 2018.
The 4th trendiest baby name of 2019 is Kyro, a name that falls in line with the ending in -o trend, but with less of a vintage vibe. Kyro feels modern and invented, which may or may not be an appealing factor for you. The sounds are as trendy as it gets, and Kyro feels very current. Going on to #5, I was absolutely floored. When I did my first name profile for boys, I predicted that Ambrose had missed his window of revival and was destined to slip away without any use. I was very wrong, to say the least. Ambrose was catapulted from the outskirts of the top 1000 to #955, skipping over 516 spots as he went. With vintage names doing so well lately, I’m thrilled to see him prosper, and predict that he will continue to grow in popularity, contrary to my last bet. The final name that made the trend top ten is Seven, who actually did quite well for both genders this year. A numerical name with an appealing sound and foolproof spelling, Seven ironically is placed at #8. 426 spots separated Seven from his 2018 rank of #1424 and his 2019 rank of 998.
Some Trends I’ve Spotted
I’ve noticed some slight variations and similar versions of Azriel and Eliel within the other trending boy names this year, such as Elian, Elias, Uriel, and Adriel. I’ve also seen the continuation of the sounds of Kyro throughout the list, with the likes of Kylen, Kyler, and Kyree populating the ranks. Another trend that is impossible to ignore within the trending names is the love for word names: Colt, Apollo, Saint, Onyx, Stone, and Rome are all on their way up in recent data. One big takeaway from this year’s list is the diversity in sound and origin of all of the names that are taking off. These names are from so many different backgrounds, and each have softer sounds than previous generations' boy names, which are both changes that I love. If you see one of your favorites amongst the trending boy names, I wouldn’t worry too much, particularly if the name you love has meaning or seems to be more of an on-trend classic than a fleeting fad.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
What’s your favorite of the 2019 trends? Look out for the girl’s turn at this article as well as the other parts of this five part series!
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