Hottest baby name trends of 2023: How Taylor Swift, 'Wednesday' and 'Barbie' are inspiring parents-to-be
Australian actress Margot Robbie poses on the pink carpet upon arrival for the European premiere of "Barbie" in central London on July 12, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
If you're a soon-to-be parent looking for a hip moniker for your bundle of joy, consider plucking one from this year's list of top trending baby names.
BabyCenter recently released its report on the "Top Baby Names of 2023," with the trends that led the way this year for expectant parents.
"You know the saying ‘life imitates art’? It turns out that baby names also imitate (musical) art … and movies, and trending TV shows," said BabyCenter, an online media company under the Everyday Health Group – Pregnancy & Parenting (EHG P&P), based in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
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"In 2023, noteworthy trends in baby names include nicknames used as first names, girl names from ‘Barbie’ and ‘Wednesday’ taking off, and names inspired by sports documentaries like ‘Beckham’ and ‘Messi Meets America.’"
Here are a few highlights from 2023's hottest trends in baby names.
FILE-David Beckham of Manchester United celebrates after scoring the third goal in the 1996 FA Charity Shield between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on August 11, 1996 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Allsport/
Nicknames are overtaking 'proper names'
"Nicknames are the new full names," BabyCenter shared.
Names such as Ellie (No. 15), Josie (No. 85) and Leo (No. 8) have risen in popularity and outrank the names from which they derive — Elizabeth (No. 41), Josephine (No. 146) and Leonardo (No. 141).
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Three-letter names are also making an impact with new parents.
Teo has risen 352 spots to No. 441, Kai is up seven spots and is No. 21, and Lia has jumped 107 spots and sits at No. 270, the baby name team reported.
Geographical names are on the descent
"Although travel has increased post-pandemic, names associated with popular cities and states around the world are seeing a sharp decline," says BabyCenter's website.
The name Aspen, which was once No. 170, is now No. 213 — and names of states across America have fallen in popularity, too, such as Cali, which has fallen 141 spots and is now No. 442.
International names are not doing too well either, according to the baby name experts' report.
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Sydney has hit No. 486, after falling 121 spots in the past year — along with London, which has fallen 56 spots and now sits at No. 213 on the list of most popular girls' names.
Barbie beats out Oppenheimer in box office and baby names
"The 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon inspired some baby names to climb the ranks — and others to take a tumble," according to BabyCenter name experts.
The "Barbie" movie has given up-and-coming parents a variety of new names, from the female stars of the film to the iconic doll herself.
Barbie's full name, Barbara, has risen 994 spots, hitting No. 1,336 on the baby name list for girls.
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Additionally, Greta (No. 964), for the film's director, Greta Gerwig, and Margot (No. 222), for Margot Robbie, the starlet of "Barbie," have risen 314 and 66 spots, respectively.
The "Barbie" movie has impacted baby name trends more than its summer blockbuster counterpart, "Oppenheimer."
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"Robert (Oppenheimer) is down 29 spots, to No. 178; and Katherine (Oppenheimer) is down 18 spots, to No. 471. Behind the scenes, the name Christopher (Nolan, the director) is down nine spots, to No. 83, as is Cillian (Murphy, who plays Robert Oppenheimer), which is down 10 spots, to No. 677," BabyCenter reported.
Small screen is making a big impact on parents-to-be
The SAG-AFTRA strikes did not stop some small screen names from making their marks on parents-to-be.
HBO hits such as "The Last of Us" and "Succession" played a major role in the rise of some names.
(L-R) Craig Mazin, Bella Ramsey, Neil Druckmann, Pedro Pascal, Casey Bloys, Chairman/CEO of HBO & HBO Mex and Francesca Orsi, EVP, Head of Drama, HBO Programming attend the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO's "The Last Of Us" at Regency Village Theatre
"The Last of Us" brought Ellie (No. 15) and Joel (No. 185) to the forefront, with the former rising three spots and the latter jumping 35 spots.
"Succession" aired its final season and fans of the show appear to be making it live on by naming their baby bundles after favorite characters.
"Logan, Roman, and Connor were all down (from No. 32 to No. 37; No. 70 to No. 71; and No. 127 to No. 155, respectively). Meanwhile, Kendall and Siobhan were up (from No. 1,543 to No. 1,351; and No. 2,135 to No. 2,106, respectively)," BabyCenter stated.
Finally, the Netflix hit "Wednesday" not only made an impact on viewers, but also on moms and dads, as the name "Wednesday" is up 1,425 spots and now sits at No. 1,183.
"Amazon Prime Video offered a show with perhaps unexpected baby name inspiration, too: Ronald (Gladden) is up 258 spots this year, to No. 902, after he unknowingly starred in the show ‘Jury Duty,’" the parenting website added.
Siobhan Roy, played by Sarah Snook, has jumped from No. 2,135 to 2,106 following the success of the HBO hit "Succession." (Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage/Getty Images)
Taylor and Rihanna inspire moms and dads
When it comes to baby names, Rihanna is the one that won the Super Bowl.
The pop artist's moniker jumped 1,206 spots to No. 1,721 on the list of popular girl's names.
Taylor Swift fans and expectant parents have shown their love for the Grammy-decorated singer by seeking inspiration from the names of her songs.
"Betty (from the album ‘Folklore’) is up 184 spots, to No. 920; and the name Marjorie (from the album ‘Evermore’) is also up 1,626 spots, to No. 1,721. Summer (à la ‘Cruel Summer,’ from the album ‘Lover’) is up 66 spots, to No. 68 [and] Ivy (from ‘Evermore’) is up six spots, to No. 28," the baby name experts noted.
Taylor Swift performs onstage during night two of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on July 08, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Fernando Leon/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Sports world serves up some baby names
Sports fans appear to be naming their newborns after athletes who have seen some screen time this year, including Beckham and Messi.
"After the release of the docuseries 'Beckham' this October, the name Beckham is up four spots, to No. 221; David is up eight spots, to No. 36; and Victoria is up six spots, to No. 51," BabyCenter reported.
Lionel Messi's Apple TV documentary, "Messi Meets America," made headlines with parents as the name Lionel is now up 283 spots and sits at No. 456.
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a match between Argentina and Bolivia as part of South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 at Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on September 09, 2021 in Buenos Aires,
Formula 1 racing has also inspired parents this past year.
"Names of some of the race car drivers featured in 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' are on a winning track: Max (Verstappen) is up 15 spots, to No. 100, and Fernando (Alonso) is up 199 spots, to No. 420," BabyCenter reported.
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Sydney Borchers is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital.