These Are the Top Baby Names in Major Cities Around the World

New York baby namers favor the literary boys' name Holden, while Oscar is prized by movie-centric Angelenos.

Tradition-bound Londoners love the effete vintage names Ottilie and Otis, while parents on the Chicago plains prefer the earthier Cora and Greyson.

In a ground-breaking study of the top city baby names around the English-speaking world, Nameberry analyzed views of our name pages for the past year by visitors from seven cities in four countries on three continents — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto, London, and Sydney.

Name popularity lists by city are rare, with only New York among our group offering an official count. And we focused on the English-speaking world to compare the preferences of city dwellers drawing from the same name language, surveying the urban centers with the most Nameberry visitors.

City-dwellers around the world, we found, share cosmopolitan name tastes and favor sophisticated baby names that are often ahead of the general trends. Cora and Atticus, on the Top 5 in all seven cities, are just beginning to climb international popularity lists. Urban favorites Jasper and Theodore are other emerging names, while city parents love Charlotte and Olivia just like everyone else.

But Nameberry visitors from each city also have quirky favorite names as divergent as Bondi Beach and a Brooklyn brownstone.

Many of these unique name favorites that reflect their city's style and population, such as Jack in outgoing Sydney and Helen in buttoned-up Toronto, Maeve in Irish New York and Amara in Latino Dallas. Chicagoans love New American baby names as fresh as the frontier, while Londoners prefer their names as ancient as their castles.

Beyond the Top 5, it makes sense that Ophelia is beloved in London and New York, which host the most Shakespeare performances, while Dallas dwellers favor the cowboyish Wyatt and Sydney residents like the beachy Cove.

But many of the cities' name preferences are not so predictable. London and New York have both fallen for Aurelia, for instance, but only London has warmed up to Aurelius. New Yorkers like Maximilian and Dallas residents prefer Maximus, while Torontonians favor quietly quirky baby names that no other cities even register.

Let's look more closely at the tastes and trends in each city.

LONDON: QUIRKY TRADITIONAL

London parents are more likely to use time-honored first names than parents in our other cities, but also more likely to explore obscure sources in search of distinctive choices. Some of the favorite names of Londoners are inspired by the heavens, for instance: Aurora, Astrid, and Andromeda. Londoners also are partial to names associated with Ancient Greece and Rome: Cassius, Penelope, and Cressida. And they draw from names rooted in other European cultures that urban parents outside Europe largely ignore, such as the German Ottilie and Otis, the Italian Cosmo, the French Elodie, and the Irish Rafferty and Orla.

LONDON GIRLS

1. Ottilie

2. Cora

3. Arabella

4. Olivia

5. Aurora

LONDON BOYS

1. Atticus

2. Arthur

3. Rafferty

4. Theodore

5. Otis

NEW YORK: LITERARY

New York is the headquarters of the publishing and magazine industries, a place where authors are still stars and people are more likely to read books than to take in a movie or head to the beach. That literary bent shows in New York's taste in baby names. The most popular boys' name in New York City is Holden, as in Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield, which doesn't pop up in a significant way in any other city. And the extended girls' list is filled with the names of literary characters (Beatrice, Ophelia, and Penelope) and authors (Iris, Edith, and Lydia).

NEW YORK GIRLS

1. Cora

2. Genevieve

3. Amelia

4. Charlotte

5. Maeve

NEW YORK BOYS

1. Holden

2. Julian

3. Matthew

4. Maximilian

5. Theodore

SYDNEY: FRIENDLY

Many of the names that are big in Sydney bring to mind a warm, cuddly image: the Teddy Bear inherent in Theodore, children's book characters Eloise and Matilda, and down-to-earth Jack. The British influence is evident in names such as the Scottish Isla for girls and Hamish and Lachlan, both in the boys' Top 20. Sydney's favorite names also include a unique choice that nods to its world-class beach culture: Cove.

SYDNEY GIRLS

1. Charlotte

2. Cora

3. Adeline

4. Eloise

5. Isla

SYDNEY BOYS

1. Theodore

2. Jack

3. Sebastian

4. Xavier

5. Atticus

TORONTO: ICONOCLASTIC

Toronto is the city whose favorite names are the most distinct from all the others, with not a single Top 5 name appearing on any other city's list. Further, many of the favored names of Canada's largest city don't appear on any other popularity lists of any kind. Boys' favorites Cary and Ellison have not been on the US Top 1000 for decades, while Helen and Jocelyn lie outside the Top 100 everywhere. But that makes sense for a major city that prides itself on a culture that's neither American nor British nor even purely Canadian but uniquely Torontonian.

TORONTO GIRLS

1. Helen

2. Jocelyn

3. Alice

4. Juliet

5. Allison

TORONTO BOYS

1. Cary

2. Ellison

3. Ethan

4. Vincent

5. William

CHICAGO: CONTEMPORARY

Chicago is the city that comes closest to favoring the New American names so popular outside US urban centers. Greyson, Finn, Declan, and Isla are names that have come into widespread use only in the past 20 years. And looking just below the Top 5, we see other newcomers like Kai, Nolan, and Cole on the boys' side; and Aria, Luna, and Kinsley on the girls' side. As city baby names go, Chicago's are the least citified.

CHICAGO GIRLS

1. Cora

2. Evelyn

3. Olivia

4. Isabella

5. Isla

CHICAGO BOYS

1. Greyson

2. Finn

3. Liam

4. Declan

5. Elijah

LOS ANGELES: CINEMATIC

If there's one thing that sets Los Angeles apart, in both its character and its taste in baby names, it's the world of film and TV. Oscar is one of the top 5 boys' names and Milo — as in hot actor Ventimiglia of This Is Us — ranks higher here than in any other city. Many of the popular girls' names are associated with movie stars past and present: Ava, Sienna, Celeste, Claire. The favorite names of Angelenos also connect to the city's Latino culture, with Isabella in the Top 5, Leo and Elena in the Top 10, and Xochitl, an unusual Mexican name which comes from the Nahuatl word for “flower," in the Top 20.

LOS ANGELES GIRLS

1. Cora

2. Olivia

3. Isabella

4. Caroline

5. Celeste

LOS ANGELES BOYS

1. Oliver

2. Milo

3. Atticus

4. Jasper

5. Oscar

DALLAS: BOLD FRONTIER

Amara, Dallas's Number 1 name for girls, is a bold multicultural choice (it has roots in Esperanto and Igbo), largely unknown outside the US. The Top 5 in the Texas city includes other distinctive choices, such as Rose (as in the Yellow Rose of Texas) and cowboy name Wyatt. Further down the list, Dallas extends its reputation for individuality with New World names like Brecken and Weston for boys and Khaleesi for girls.

DALLAS GIRLS

1. Amara

2. Olivia

3. Rose

4. Caroline

5. Evelyn

DALLAS BOYS

1. Atticus

2. Jasper

3. Maximus

4. Wyatt

5. Asher

This post was previously published on Nameberry by Pamela Redmond Satran and Joe Satran.

(Images via Nameberry, featured photo via Getty)

Unique baby names are hard to come by these days, but parents looking to stand out from the Emmas and Jacks are looking for inspo everywhere resulting in some truly original and sometimes crazy names. In fact, you probably don't know anyone with these trending names of 2020 but that may soon change.

Soon you may see Falcon and Williston on friends' birth announcements or maybe your own? (This one from Minted is super sweet.)

We browsed through Nameberry's most unusual baby names for boys and girls and here are 16 rare, exotic - dare we say crazy? - baby names that are among the hottest so far for 2020.

Hanan, up 1000 Percent: Think of Hanan, which means graciousness, as the modern version of Hannah. It's up a whopping 1000 percent in July 2020.

Williston, up 1000 Percent: Not just an oil town in North Dakota, this fresh take on William is taking the maternity ward by storm. Willis (as in) is also up there with a 36 percent rise in July.

Flavio, up 702 Percent: This Latin name for "yellow" or "blond" is gracing birth certificates of blondie babes across the U.S.

Massey, up 603 Percent: This unisex name is on the rise for girls and boys. You could also mix it up with variants like Massie, Masey, and Masie.

Messiah, up 301 Percent: This bold name is trending for girls and means "expected savior or deliverer." Basketball star Allen Iverson likely started the trend with his little one.

Rosaria, up 218 Percent: The Spanish name for "rosary" is trending hard and we like it for a twist on the classic Rose.

Cricket, up 168 Percent: This unisex name is becoming hugely popular for boys. We like it for babes with summer birthdays!

Callen, up 90 Percent: This unisex Gaelic name is trending for girls and means "rock." Yay for strong girl names!

Bruin, up 90 Percent: Whether you're a sports or nature fan this name could be for you. Of English/Dutch origin, the name means "bear or brown." Bear as a boy's name is also up, thanks to celeb moms Alicia Silverstone and Kate Winslet, who both have Bear cubs.

Sabien, up 87 Percent: Move over Damien, there's a new baby name in town. You can also go for the French variation Sabin for a tres chic twist.

Falcon, up 81 Percent: Give your bird a cool name like Falcon and who knows how far she'll soar. Eagle is also up (61 percent) for boys and girls.

Rani, up 81 Percent: For boys, Rani means "my song, my joy" and for girls it means "queen, she is singing." Cute for your little dancing queen!

Lyrical, up 81 Percent: More than 1,000 girls and boys are named "Lyric" each year in the U.S., but this longer musical number is topping the charts this month.

Bas, up 76 Percent: Consistently in the top 10 in the Netherlands, this cool twist on Sebastian is trending for boys in the U.S.

Gem, up 66 Percent: Meaning "precious stone," this shorter version of Gemma is looking strong for short and sweet baby names.

Rorke, up 66 Percent: Meaning "illustrious and mighty" this Irish name is having a 2020 moment and we're loving it.

Does your baby have a distinctive name? Share it with us @BritandCo!

This post was updated in partnership with Minted. Shop Minted to find adorable birth announcements for your baby.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

(Photos via Shutterstock)





Trader Joe’s current lineup of Easter goodies is better than ever. They’ve got so many sweets on deck – including chocolate bunnies, of course – as well as festive spring snacks that simply make the perfectEaster basket additions! This year, there’s really no shortage of fun TJ’s finds to brighten up your season.

Scroll on for 11 Trader Joe’s Easter finds that are totally worth grabbing before they’re gone!

Trader Joe's

Milk Chocolate Bunny Bar

This adorable bunny-shaped chocolate bar is topped with tons of bright candy gems and rainbow nonpareils (which are crafted with dyes from natural ingredients) to liven up your Easter snack collection! This limited-time item will definitely not last long on shelves, so run to TJ's soon!

Trader Joe's

Peas & Carrots Sour Gummy Candies

Shaped like tiny little peas and carrots, these bites are far from actual veggies. In fact, they're made of a delicious gummy candy tinged with just the right amount of sourness that balances out the sugary goodness.

Trader Joe's

Break Apart Bunny

This is not your average chocolate bunny. While still hollow like most traditional treats, this one's actually loaded up with a handful of carrot-shaped gummy candies – like a perfect little (and edible!) Easter-themed piñata. Your Easter basket recipients won't be able to resist breaking it open!

Trader Joe's

Chocolate Truffle Eggs

Ooh, fancy. Perfectly packaged for Eastertime gifting, this collection of egg-shaped chocolate truffles boats 7 distinctive flavors that feel oh-so bougie. You're def going to want to grab one for yourself – we're absolutely eyeing that pistachio egg. 👀

Trader Joe's

Raspberry Mousse Cakes

These lil' cakes are almost too cute to eat! Each one starts with a base of moist vanilla cake that's topped with raspberry-flavored mousse. The batch then is covered in a sweet confectionary coating (including an edible leaf!) to emulate the sheer magic of raspberries on one easy-to-eat treat.

Trader Joe's

Italian Chocolate Eggs

Add these eggs to your Easter candy bowl, stat! This pack comes with 4 decadent flavor pairings encased in colorful coatings so you can easily sneak in a bite of springtime joy throughout the day.

Trader Joe's

Sea Salt Brownie Bites

We are obsessed with these brownie bites. The added sea salt on top of 'em adds some extra flavor oomph that feels super elevated and perfectly fancy for a special occasion such as Easter.

Trader Joe's

Teensy Candy Bars

Basically like 'teensy' versions of a Snickers bar, these micro-sized candy bars are dangerously easy to snack on. Your little ones will adore them!

Trader Joe's

Chocolatey Drizzled Strawberry Kettle Popcorn

Drizzled with freeze-dried strawberries and chocolate, this kettle corn is unlike anything you've tried before. The fruity notes most definitely qualify it as a great spring snack, while the chocolate adds Eastertime decadence.

Trader Joe's

Organic Sparkling Rosé Tea Beverage

For something to sip on, this can is the epitome of spring flavors. It's made with a blend of four teas along with white grape juice, hibiscus flowers, orange peel, and rose hips for some insanely good floral and citrusy notes!

Trader Joe's

Tangerine Probiotic Sparkling Beverage

Crafted with probiotics, this bubbly bev contains a "light, refreshing, sweet-tart flavor" that'll have you hooked from first gulp.

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more epic Trader Joe's items!

The biggest baby name trends of 2019 include names from new sources around the world and in nature, trends reflecting modern spirituality and nonbinary ideals, an F and a U, and a goodbye to a longtime favorite group. Here are Nameberry’s predictions for the 12 leading trends shaping baby names in 2019, along with name examples for each trend.

1. Biggest Big Picture Trend – Global Names: As the world gets smaller, the pool of names becomes larger, with new names from ever-more-diverse origins entering the global lexicon. At Nameberry we’ve added thousands of new names from around the world: Maori names and Xhosa names, ancient Greek names and South American Indian names, Korean names and Israeli names. With the appetite for meaningful and unique names expanding all the time, parents are looking for original choices with deep roots.

Example names: Acacius, Aroha, Cyrene, Jedda, Kiran, Lautaro, Lior, Niabi, Sena, Walken

2. Newest Gender Bend – Nonbinary Names: Parents who want to raise their children free of gender stereotypes are looking for names that are truly gender neutral. That means no names that end in son like Madison and no names that were originally boy or girl names that have migrated to the other side, such as Charlie. And if the names also embody a gender-free ideal such as Justice, all the better.

Example names: Briar, Campbell, Finley, Journey, Justice, Laken, Revel, Robin, Royal, Story

3. Hottest Direction in Baby Naming – East: Names related to Eastern religions and non-European mythology have taken over from biblical names and saints’ names as spiritual favorites. The mainstreaming of yoga, meditation, and non-traditional spiritualism underpins the trend, along with a search for meaning that transcends the name’s surface qualities such as style and sound.

Example names: Asherah, Bodhi, Kali, Lakshmi, Manu, Osiris, Raiden, Rama, Tanith, Zen

4. Coolest New Color Names – Muted Hues: All color names for babies are, well, colorful, but we’re beginning to see a shift in tone as vibrant shades like Scarlett and Ruby and Poppy are giving way to softer pastels. Grey/Gray is starting to replace Blue as a first and middle color name du jour, while popular Violet has been joined by other vintage pale purplish hues. Another prediction: More Crayola names for boys.

Example names: Ash, Fawn, Grey/Gray, Ivory, Lavender, Lilac, Mauve, Moss, Olive, Sage

5. Richest New Nature Names – Rare Gems: For a long time, the most popular jewel names have been those usually assigned to girls — Ruby, Pearl, Amber — all of which came into favor at the turn of the last century, along with flower and other nature names. But one of the most interesting new areas to be mined is the more unusual gem names which can be not only for girls but also for boys (or sometimes both).

Example names: Amethyst, Emerald, Garnet, Jasper, Jet, Onyx, Opal, Peridot, Sapphire, Topaz

6. Latest Vintage Trend – Old-School Nickname Names for Boys: We’re seeing charming vintage boy nickname names like Archie and Alfie and Freddie beginning to join their sisters Millie and Maisie and Josie, but more surprising to us is the nascent revival of early 20th-century faves like Johnny and Jimmy and Billy on birth certificates, names which once were confined to comic strips and old radio and TV shows. Even more startling is the reappearance of some generic/badass appellations now appealing to the hipster sensibilities of celebs and others.

Example names: Ace, Billy, Buddy, Buster, Hank, Ike, Jimmy, Johnny, Sonny, Spike

7. Most Fashionable Consonant – F: For a letter that had been sitting quietly in the shadows for decades, F has suddenly rocketed forward, particularly for boys, and particularly for boys’ names of Irish descent. And then there’s the whole Family Fran, which started to take off after the election to the papacy of Pope Francis and led to the revival of several surprising half-forgotten Fran names. Fashion-forward names starting with F include the following.

Example names: Faye, Felix, Fern, Finnian, Flora, Florian, Frances, Frankie, Frederick, Frost

8. Coolest Vowel – U: U finally gets its turn in the spotlight this year. As a first initial, U is the least-used letter of the alphabet, and it hasn’t featured in any major baby name trends in… forever. But now u — and its “oo” sound — features in many newly stylish names. Is it the influence of little Prince Louis? His unexpected name may have simply upshifted the trend to major.

Example names: Eulalie, Hugo, Jude, Juniper, Louise, Luca, Luna, Reuben, Tallulah, True

9. Trendiest Name Length – Three Letters: Four letters might be a marker of name popularity, a la Number 1 Emma and Liam, but minimalist three-letter names are the sleek, sweet names of the future.

Example names: Hal, Ida, Jem, Kit, Koa, Liv, Lux, Rex, Rio, Van

10. Wildest Middle Name Trend – Animalia: Parents who want to add a touch of fierceness or individuality to more conventional first name choices are turning to the animal kingdom for the wild vibe. As in many other trends, celebs have led the way, starting with Mariel Hemingway’s daughter Langley Fox back in 1989 to the number of more recent starbabies bearing Bear as their middle name.

Example names: Bear, Falcon, Fox, Hawk, Koala, Lion, Lynx, Otter, Tiger, Wolf

11. Trendiest Trend-Related Trend – Celebrity Surname-Names: Celebrities have influenced baby names since the days of Shirley Temple, and surname-names such as Morgan and Carter have been rising since the conservative 1980s. Now those two trends have combined into one megatrend: Celebrity surnames for baby girls and boys. Goodbye, Shirley; hello, Temple.

Example names: Beckham, Bowie, Ellington, Hendrix, Jolie, Ledger, Lennon, Lennox, Monroe, Wilder

12. Trend Ready to Jump the Shark – Em- Names: We predict that baby namers are about to become all Emmed-out when it comes to baby names in 2019. After all, we had Emily in the Top 25 for 35 years, at #1 for 12 of them. Then came Emma, in the Top 25 since 1998, and still reigning in first place. A number of dueling Em- names followed in their wake, and we predict that the consensus is about to be that enough Em is enough.

Example names: Ember, Emerson, Emery, Emilia, Emily, Emma, Emme, Emmeline, Emmett, Emmy

What baby name trend is your fave? Share it with us @BritandCo.

This post was previously published on Nameberry.

(Photos via Getty)

One Tree Hill fans were heartbroken (and a little bit confused) when season 6 ended and Peyton (Hilarie Burton) and Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) left without a trace. It had been a season of danger, life-threatening situations, and literal murder, and for two of the show's leads to just fall off the face of the earth felt inconsistent with how tight-knit the friend group had always been. And viewers weren't the only ones to think so.

"This is the problem: They didn't give us enough to make where our friends went make sense," Drama Queens host Sophia Bush said of the "unfortunate" decision to write Hilarie and Chad out of the show. (Hilarie has said in a previous episode of the rewatch podcast that both her and Chad were "treated badly, and he defended me...Chad was my teammate.")

Keep reading for what Sophia Bush, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Robert Buckley's thoughts on Peyton and Lucas leaving One Tree Hill.

Sophia Bush thought Peyton and Lucas leaving 'One Tree Hill' was "really weird."

Warner Bros. TV

One Tree Hill season 6 ended after Peyton almost died giving birth to her and Lucas' daughter, and after introducing baby Sawyer to the rest of the crew, they just...drive off into the sunset.

"I don't even remember where they moved. Where did they go?" Bethany Joy Lenz says, to which Robert Buckley replies, "They left in a convertible, so I'm gonna guess maybe the West Coast where it's a bit warmer and less rainy."

But no matter where Peyton and Lucas moved, the One Tree Hill cast can't quite wrap their heads around the fact that, in the story, Brooke literally never hears from Peyton again. "I used to ask, 'Why can't Brooke [Davis] be getting text messages from Peyton? Why can't you see them texting? Like, why am I not getting photo updates of this baby? It feels really weird.'"

And while Lucas returns for an episode in season 9, he was also radio silent for his three-season absence, as was his mom Karen. "Everybody, they just faded off into the distance," Bethany says. "I do wish they had kept that up in some more clear way. I don't think it would have been hard."

While Bethany Joy Lenz think is was because of "personal beef" behind the scenes.


But Bethany theorizes the onscreen confusion boils down to behind-the-scenes drama with creator Mark Schwann, whom the cast accused of sexual harassment in 2017. The women of the show wrote an open letter explaining how “many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally," and how "more than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress."

"I think it was some sort of personal beef behind the scenes," Bethany adds in the Drama Queens episode. "He was hoping the audience would just forget about them."

"Which seems so stupid because it's a choice rooted in ego," Sophia adds. "It's like, 'Dude, you wrote those characters, so you knew they were great. So why are we suddenly pretending they're not?'"

Fred Norris/Warner Bros. TV

Hopefully we'll see all our favorite Tree Hill Ravens return for a One Tree Hill sequel series. While the show hasn't been officially greenlit at Netflix yet, Hilarie Burton exclusively told Brit + Co that everyone involved in the show is "really proud of the work that we did back then too. And so to see the public support this little show we made 20 years later, that's so special and it's so rare."

You can stream all of One Tree Hill on Hulu now — and read up on Chad Michael Murray's Perfect Idea For The One Tree Hill Reunion.

Colleen Hoover (and her books) aren't afraid to make a statement. BookTok is still reeling from Verity, while the rest of the internet can't stop talking about all the It Ends With Us behind-the-scenes drama. and Hoover's newest adaptation, Regretting You, is just as gripping and emotional as all her other stories. The movie is based on the 2019 novel of the same name, and while It Ends With Us centers around romantic relationships, Regretting You is all about mother-daughter relationships.

What's 'Regretting You' about?

Amazon

Regretting You follows Morgan Grant (played by Allison Williams), who put her dreams on hold years ago when she got pregnant with her daughter Clara (McKenna Grace). Their age gap mirrors the one we see we see between Lorelai and Rory in Gilmore Girls, but instead of the Gilmores' close bond, Morgan and Clara's relationship becomes more strained the older Clara gets — especially when Morgan's husband Chris passes away in a tragic accident, revealing a secret that could change Clara's life forever.

While It Ends With Us is a larger production from Sony, Regretting You will be an indie production. Stay tuned for official production details!

Who's in the 'Regretting You' cast?

Monica Schipper/Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Allison Williams (Get Out) and McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) lead the Regretting You cast. These two are joined by Dave Franco (Now You See Me), Mason Thames (The Black Phone), Willa Fitzgerald (The Fall of the House of Usher), and Scott Eastwood (Wind River: Rising).

The movie will be directed by The Fault in Our Stars' Josh Boone and written by Susan McMartin.

When does 'Regretting You' come out?

JESHOOTS.com/Pexels

Regretting You comes out on October 24, and it's easily one of our most-anticipated movies for 2025!

Is 'Regretting You' a spicy book?

Pixabay/Pexels

Regretting You definitely has less spice than Colleen Hoover's other books. In fact, this TikToker ranks it as her least-spicy book! Since the story focuses on Morgan and Clara, instead of a romantic relationship, this is a good pick for any readers who prefer less spicy books.

What's the message of 'Regretting You'?

Alexander Grey/Pexels

Regretting You is all about life, which I know sounds like a huge message! But the story introduces us to an established family rather than two people who want to begin a family. Chris, Morgan, and Clara already have relationships with each other, and as time passes in the story, Regretting You shows us how circumstances can change, how overwhelming our emotions can feel, and how strong our family bonds can become.

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