Naming your baby is one of the most daunting tasks for new parents, as once a title is settled on, it's for life.
While there are countless ones to chose from, many parents often go down the road of picking a moniker based on their favourite location. Now, research shows that this fairly new trend is catching on.
Travel experts at eShores have released new data looking at baby names from around the world in 2022 and 2023, highlighting where has the biggest influence on newborn names.
Huge recent spikes in names including Alaska, Oslo, Kent and Bronx show that parents are turning to their favourite travel destinations to spark name inspiration in 2023.
Austin took first place as the most chosen location name, which could be due to the influence of BAFTA-winner Austin Butler starring in Baz Luhmann's Elvis biopic in 2022,
Suburbs and states across the USA have had a huge impact, while notable British and French cities have also made the top 10.
The top ten travel-inspired baby names of 2023
- Austin
- Brooklyn
- Savannah
- Dakota
- Adelaide
- Phoenix
- Paris
- Camden
- London
- Rhodes
Over 543,000 babies worldwide were named Austin in the last year, likely catapulted into the limelight by one Oscar nominated actor and his starring role as the king of rock.
Similarly, the location-based name Chicago spiked in popularity in 2018 through to 2021 after Kim Kardashian named her daughter after the city – but has since dropped off the most popular baby names list.
Notable and more unusual names that made an appearance in the top forty include Ireland (11,340 babies), Bristol (44,520), Berlin (3,360), Camden (98,700), and Everest (49,280).
But what draws people to pick certain locations for their children's names? Well, it's usually down to a personal connection, or just aa love of a certain area but as more people travel farther afield, it's a trend that will likely be around for a long time.
Michelle Giordano, a Community Counsellor with a background in sociology, said the travel-inspired baby names trend: "People often name their children after places they have a personal connection to, such as a favourite vacation destination or a city they lived in.
"Naming a child after a place can also reflect a family's cultural heritage or a desire to pay homage to a specific place or culture. Over time, travel-name trends have evolved to reflect changing cultural influences and travel experiences.
"For example, popular names like Paris and London were once associated with sophistication and glamour, but in recent years, names inspired by exotic and far-flung destinations have become more popular. This reflects the increasing availability of travel and a growing desire to experience new and unique cultures.”
Baby names can come in and out of popularity like waves, and are often influenced by trends, culture, world events and these days, social media. However, separate research previously shared the monikers that are "timeless".
According to data published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on February 14, certain traditional names like Alexander, Charles and Sarah have are still in fashion to this day, having stood the test of time.
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