We’re back with the ABCs of Popular name series, Name Warehouse readers! Just to recap or explain what exactly this series is about if you’re new here, we’re reviewing and predicting popularity for the most popular name for each letter of the alphabet. While this may not be the most accurate measure of popularity, given that some initials are far more popular than others, it does lend us some insight on which sounds and initials parents are favoring these days. We began a few days ago with our A-M girl names, which you can check out on the homepage, and are now diving into the boy version. Speaking of which, let’s begin!
Alexander- Alexander has an undeniably rich history, from Alexander the Great to tons of royals over the years and plenty of modern day children and parents alike. Alexander is one of those names that never really falls out of style, but of course, like any other name, he does fluctuate within the top 200 or so, currently holding the #11 spot. He was particularly adored in the 2000s and 2010s, the perfect modern classic counterpart to other modern classics like Maxwell or Andrew. Not to mention the beavy of nicknames you get with a name like Alexander, the most well known of which include Alex and Xander/Zander. This Greek name meaning “defending men” is a bit too traditional to make a big drop, so I expect a very gradual shift downwards for Alexander.
Benjamin- This adorable Hebrew name meaning “son of the right hand” is biblical and beloved. He’s masculine and handsome, perfect for a little boy or a grown adult with the incredibly popular Ben, a simple yet sweet short form. He currently holds the #7 title, and was actually more popular than he’s ever been, #6, for three years, 2016, 2017, and 2018. I predict that Benjamin will continue to slightly shift for a few more years, then at last begin his descent as vintage classics like Theodore start to feel more modern traditional and replace Benjamin. However, I guess he will stay in the top 20 for quite some time.
Carter- Occupational surnames have rarely ever approached the success of Carter. While the idea of someone rolling carts around isn’t the best imagery for families, President Jimmy Carter planted the name in parent’s minds as a wonderful and heroic name for those who liked the politician, and the Carter craze began from there. A spunky and nickname-proof name that is simply spelled, easily pronounced, and has the soft sounds and -er ending that are picking up speed today, it’s unsurprising that he ranks at #30. I would guess that because his sounds are climbing in popularity, he would rise, but checking his past popularity, it appears he’s actually been falling. Not only that, Carter has now achieved #513 for girls, which may put parents off.
Daniel- Daniel is truly a classic, and is smooth and soft just like an abundance of modern day boy names like Grayson and Leo. Although many might pass him by as too dated to make the top 20, his ranking of #15 disagrees. He truly is the epitome of an evergreen name, peaking in 2008 at #5 and now having held the #15 spot for three years in a row, barely inching down. And let’s be honest, Danny is adorable. What some may pass by as too old is actually holding strong, a dependable and familiar name. I believe that this Hebrew name meaning “God is my judge” will stay at #15 for yet another year.
Elijah- Handsome and international, Elijah is a worldwide favorite with a unique -a ending and massively popular short form Eli. He’s currently at the highest ranking he’s ever achieved, #5 after being revived in the early 2000s and soaring ever since. He meets the stylistic format of Isaiah and Ezra but with softer sounds and Eli, a nickname that shows the potential to become the next Max or Sam. Elijah is a name constructed of two Hebrew sound elements meaning “god”, el and yah, and therefore has come to mean “Yahweh is God.” Elijah is on a roll, and with more and more parents wanting a more sensitive and sweet sounding boy name but with a handsome undertone as opposed to hyper-masculine Michael or John, there’s no reason why he won’t slip into the top three next year.
Finn- Finn is sort of what I think of as the Harper of the boys: he’s spunky, sort of a word, but certainly not one used in everyday speech, and a celebaby favorite. Finn is definitely a resident of the 21st century, a relatively new addition to name lists and websites, but his friendly brief nickname style makes him feel familiar. He’s surprisingly low at #172 in the US, but his popularity worldwide adds to his resume. For instance, he’s #4 in Denmark, #6 in the Netherlands, and #22 in Ireland, his home country. Finn has mysteriously fallen 6 rankings since last year, but nothing groundbreaking, hence I would suppose that Finn will continue to rise in popularity.
Grayson- A modern male spinoff of the elegantly beautiful Grace, Grayson takes the trend factor up a notch by slamming the well loved, classic, and dainty Grace onto the adored surname style -son ending and creating the perfect blend of traditional and current. Like Emerson is to Emma, Grayson is to Grace, and therefore parents of little girls are opting for Grayson or Gracen as a cool and current variation of a tried and true girl name. Grayson ranks at #33 in 2019, and peaked in 2018 at #32. I think that this English surname name will stay in the early 30s range come new data.
Henry- Henry is the model example of a modern classic baby name, a vintage revival that has now become mainstream. He peaked in 1910 at the ranking of #10, and now, in 2019, sits at #12, a Germanic name that has been incredibly successful in waves over the centuries. Henry is a name deriving from the French adaptation of the Germanic name Heimrich, Henri, and means “estate ruler.” While he may not be the most original, due to his popularity, he feels thoroughly sophisticated and handsome, not to mention nickname proof. Henry actually peaked this very year, meaning that he will likely continue to rise in popularity, beloved as a classic brother to Oliver.
Isaiah- A great biblical boy name with an enthralling Z sound and -a ending, Isaiah earns the title of most popular I boy name. His sound was once considered far too exotic and strange for a baby boy, but today, Isaiah blends right in with Isaac and Micah. The name is Hebrew, and means “salvation of the Lord,” and feels unconventionally handsome but not the least bit far fetched. In fact, he currently ranks at a whopping #53, pressing the boundary of the top 50. However, Isaiah likely won’t see the top 50 again for quite some time, if my prediction is correct. He was far more popular in the early 2000s, and used to reside in the 30s, so I think he’ll fall out of favor very shortly.
James- James is the type of name that literally never goes out of style. Yes, one generation may prefer him as a middle name, another may love him as an edgy girl name, and yet another may find him the perfect 2nd part to a hyphenated name. But however you want to use James, you just can’t go wrong. He’s classic, traditional, but has nicknames like Jazz or Jay with some flair or works as a middle name to a very out-there choice or just a dramatic name that needs something to anchor it. James’s popularity is so massive and steady that he once ranked at #3 for 19 years! He’s fallen from a 3 year streak at #4 to #6 in 2019, and I predict he may continue down. Nevertheless, he’s still a wonderful and evergreen possibility.
Kayden- The name Caden recreated in a more modern format, Kayden is the most popular K boy name of 2019. The -aydens are notorious for their many creations and respellings, and Kayden is one more of them. While some parents may find Kayden all too unoriginal or bland, others find his modern sound and appealing -ayden ending to be handsome and strong for their little boy. Kayden ranks at #97 in both 2018 and 2019, and has had some fairly insignificant shifts in popularity, but nothing that makes me question his staying power. I’m predicting that the name Kayden will continue to hold strong in the 90s for yet another year.
Liam- A cute Irish short form of William, Liam is the #1 name in the US! A handsome and simple biblical name, as I find many of the names that are most popular and that are on this list are, Liam is an Irish name meaning “resolute protector.” The name itself sounds strong and handsome, a name that carries a definitely modern vibe, and that’s for a reason. Liam never cracked the top 1000 until his big break in 1967, and from there, he’s done nothing but climb higher and higher. I would say, looking around at Liam’s biggest rivals, Noah and Oliver, that I can see future popularity going one of two ways next year. Either Liam will maintain his #1 position, which is very likely, or Oliver will swallow the competition and become an addition to the list of top boy names.
Mason- Masculine and strong, Mason is a 21st century update to Jason that doesn’t fail to deliver. Just like the appeal of 80s favorite Jason, Mason’s unique yet familiar sound and handsome vibe attract expecting parents like nobody’s business. Mason ranks at #9, and the Kardashian influence has made him an even trendier choice. An occupational name that has surpassed the likes of Carter and Hunter with his appealing -son ending, Mason’s arrival to the top ten doesn’t have me shocked. What would have me shocked, though, is if Mason climbs again. In 2012, Mason hit a record all time high of #2, and has been dropping ever since, so I expect future data to reflect that trend.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
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