The name 'Elizabeth' and nicknames that derive from it could surge in popularity in coming years, according to a baby name expert. Following the death of the Queen, people have begun to mourn and remember her in their own special ways. For some, this may include taking inspiration from her, when naming their own children.
Talking to The Mirror, a baby name expert revealed which names might prove popular, based on current trends, and other Royal names which may become more common. But not every royal name has seen great popularity in recent years, as she also explained. Reflecting on current trends, Sarah Redshaw, Managing Editor at BabyCentre, revealed the name Elizabeth has been making something of a comeback.
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You see, up until a few years ago it appeared to be in decline, with the name failing to make it the 2020 chart of top 100 girls' names compiled by BabyCentre, which has been releasing reports on baby names for the past 18 years.
"But more recently, the name has started gaining popularity. In the first half of this year, and in the lead up to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, it had risen to 84 in our list of most popular names," revealed Redshaw.
And it could soon become even more desirable, prompted by the outpouring of love for the Queen upon her death.
Redshaw explained: "Not surprisingly, it's rare to see a bounce in popularity of a name after someone famous with that name dies. It's a negative association that most parents would want to avoid. But we think Elizabeth, and its variations, may be different.
"Names – either first or second names - are often used to commemorate a beloved grandparent or another family member. For some people, that's almost how they view the Queen. And names mean more to parents than just how they sound.
"They say something about the person they hope their baby will become. The Queen was held in such affection and was so widely respected for her dedication and fortitude, that parents may want to reflect those qualities in their choice of name.
"But, it won't be for all. In recent years, the name Elizabeth has been less popular among younger parents (under 29) than older ones. Younger parents are less likely to be fans of the monarchy in general, so for these new parents, Elizabeth probably won't be on their baby names shortlist."
"It's also worth mentioning that the name Lily has been surging in popularity recently," she added. "Lily is sometimes a nickname for Elizabeth and is a shortened version of Lilibet, Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname."
Recent changes could be down to what the expert terms the "Jubilee effect." However, perhaps surprisingly, the Jubilee has not yet seemingly increased the popularity of names of other prominent Royals, despite being at the forefront of public thought throughout the year. For instance, BabyCenter has not yet recorded growth in popularity of the names Charles or Camilla.
"Though the name Charles hasn't been popular with BabyCentre parents in recent years, (not even breaking into the top 100 names) Charlie has fared much better," said Redshaw. "As with Charles, there have very few baby Camillas born in recent years. In fact, we can't find any evidence of it being a top 100 name at any point in the past century."
But Millie "which is a short form of a number of names, including Camilla" has been trending upward.
However, she says the names of younger Royals, like William, George, and Charlotte have seen gains. Of course, Lily, the popularity of which has already been attested to, also calls to mind the name of Harry and Meghan's daughter, Lili, named after her great-grandmother.
