It’s a brand new year (well, relatively), and the question that I find myself asking is “What is the next BIG thing for 2021?” For names, of course. Which names are going to find themselves blowing up in the near future, and why? It’s time to make some predictions about which names will explode onto playgrounds in a couple of years. The boys will also be getting a turn, so if you’re looking for a cool new choice for a son instead of a daughter, stick around for that. So without too much more rambling, let’s get on with the list!
Marigold- Magnolia leapt freakishly quickly up to the top 1000, cracking the barrier in 2013 and reaching #240 six years later. I know, pretty crazy. This feminine nature name climbed partially thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines’s brand with the name, giving it a rustic yet modern vibe. So, the successor to such an exquisitely successful baby name would logically be Marigold. Carrying the same slightly vintage flower feel as her sister name, Marigold has the beautiful Mari- beginning that enchanted millions of parents of Mary or Marie but with a slightly more 21st century twist. And to sweeten the deal, Marigold comes with the adorable retro short form Goldie, which I expect to gain as Winnie, Millie, and other vintage nickname names begin to soar. Although she only gathered 174 namesakes in 2019 data, I expect we’ll be seeing much more of her in years to come.
Tabitha- A little gothic and witchy with a good dose of sweet and intuitive nicknames, Tabitha is adorable and perfectly European, qualities that will surely aid her in pursuit of that top 1000 title. And that’s not even starting on the precious nickname Tabby, or Tabby Cat, if you wish. With these abundant lovely qualities, it’s hard to determine why she was only given to 195 US baby girls last year. However, I can definitely foresee her jumping up the charts, fueled by the people’s longing for the next quirky vintage girl name for their little daughters. Yet when looking at the charts, I was shocked. It seems that Tabitha was flourishing in the 80s, and has now slowly slipped away from the grasp of the top 1000. Although the statistics may disagree, I do believe that Tabitha has all of the qualities that many couples look for in a name today, and will possibly make a gain or two in new data.
Jovie- There was most certainly a huge leap in Josephines, propelled by her classic strength, cutesy nickname Posie, and yes, Josie. So why can’t Jovie have a turn at the fame? With a beautiful meaning of “pretty” and that stunning and stand-out middle V, there’s nothing Jovie can’t do. Thoroughly modern yet slightly traditional with the influence of Josie, I expect that Jovie will climb. This baby girl name has yet to rank in the top 1000...ever. But she’s really getting close when you look at the number of children receiving her in 2019: 232. With a little boost from Josie, there’s no telling what Jovie may be able to accomplish in the next few years, some of which might be measurable by the SSA data.
Clover- We’re constantly searching for a no-frills girl name with a massive spunk factor. Think Piper and Harper, for instance. An eco and retro twist on this trend that is still shockingly rare? Clover. With the initial sound of beloved baby name Chloe topped off with the tailored surname style -er ending and with a *middle V* in the mix, there really is no excuse for how little the amount of baby Clover’s out there are. Gosh, the name even obviously points to luck and good fortune! For all of these reasons, I think Clover will definitely see substantial gain as parents abandon the more popular Harper and start looking for something new. At #1145 at the moment, I seriously think that this plucky baby girl name is just waiting to be triggered by some celebaby or trend, and there’ll be an explosion of little Clovers when it is.
Dorothea- Theodore is bursting through barriers. Theodora is beginning to break down walls of her own in pursuit of the top 500. Yet Dorothy, and even closer to this wildly successful branch of names, Dorothea, is still stuck in the dumps of the 3000s. It’s hard to believe, given her potential to both fit the sought-after rhythm of names like Theodora and cornucopia for tons of different nicknames both of Dorothy and Theodora. Even prettier than the perhaps intuitive pronunciation is Door-thay-uh. I’m still scratching my head to try and figure out why more parents aren’t all over her. Only given to a mere 47 little girls last year, Dorothea should really advance in years to come as parents adoring the Theodore names come flocking to alternatives that don’t have as many other little namesakes.
Neve- She already has an advantage with Evelyn in the US top ten and Evie ranking high in Britain. Her original spelling, Niamh, might be what’s holding her back, but for Evie/Evelyn/Everly/Eva/Eve lovers, Neve is a dream come true. With the same strong yet feminine sound as her more popular counterparts and barely a scrap of familiarity or popularity, she’s perfect for the family looking to honor Aunt Eva but without imposing a popular name on their daughter. Neve was only given to 74 girls last year, which seems hardly fair. Her meaning, “Snow” makes her a stunning choice for a winter or holiday baby girl, and her approachable sound makes honoring Welsh heritage without standing out too much simple. I’ve loved Neve and the stunning snowy imagery that accompanies her for so long, so I’m hoping others will see her potential as well in 2021.
Elspeth- An ethereal route to friendly Elsie, Elspeth’s unique ending and fantastical feel has made her a sure staple on many baby naming forums. A Scottish variation of evergreen classic Elizabeth, Elspeth is also a potential opportunity to honor an Elizabeth in your life. But even though she ranks at a healthy #901 in England, really the epitome of name style in my opinion, she barely scrapes by the top 7000 in the US at a shockingly low #6746, with only 17 baby girls receiving the name last year. But usually, when names begin to climb in Britain, the States trends follow soon after. Given Elspeth’s sweetly feminine nature and slightly English vibe about her, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Elspeth rising and even potentially cracking the top 3000.
Viola- With Violet trailblazing ahead with her soft spirited vibes and feminine and sweet -et ending, parents and baby name lovers are going crazy for her sound. But if you’re not so crazy about her #36 popularity, may I suggest an alternative. With a musical twist, Viola delivers the shy serenity of Violet with a bit of a more traditionally feminine ending. In fact, Viola is a Latin name that actually means “violet’, and her presence as a leading lady in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. And actress Viola Davis just adds to the names’ familiarity. All in all, Viola definitely deserves more than her current rank of #1074, particularly with the trends going on at the moment, so I’m eager to see how far she rises up in popularity in new data.
That concludes my list of the names I think are most likely to shoot up the charts and infest baby naming forums in the next couple of years. Thank you for reading, and as always, feel free to comment if you would like to suggest an article topic, get name advice, or add to the topic of this post.
Sincerely,
-Delphina Moon
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