The Baby Names We're Most Excited About For 2022
Olivia and Liam were the most popular baby names in 2021, and for good reason: They're classic, vintage-yet-modern, and crowd-pleasing choices similar in style to other names on top of the charts: Think Emma, Ava, and Oliver. Today's most popular baby names have some things in common: They're inspired by the past, dominated by vowel sounds (compare the vowel-centric nature of Olivia and Liam to outdated names like Linda and Randy, which have harder consonants), and influenced by pop-culture... Rachel naming her daughter Emma on Friends was arguably the start of a new era in baby naming.
But these names have been top of the charts for a good, long while now, and new names are starting to move into the spotlight. Baby name trends come and go, but these are the name styles that we think stand a good chance of inching closer to the top in 2022.
Photo via Colin Maynard/Unsplash
Short + Sweet Gender-Neutral Names
Gender neutral names are already enjoying a big upswing in popularity, as more and more parents decide gender should play less of a role in their child's upbringing. These casual and refreshing name choices have a lot in common with Emma and Liam sound-wise (the two-syllable length, the emphasis on vowels), but they're totally un-gendered and much more 2022.
- Ari
- Remy
- Rory
- Kit
- August
Witchy Names
It's not just because The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was so aesthetically pleasing... witches are having a moment, and more and more parents are inspired by the darker, more mysterious vibes of magical names.
- Ambrose
- Lilith
- Salem
- Piper
- Sabrina
True Grandma + Grandpa Names
We've all been collectively obsessing over times gone by, whether via the Bridgerton craze or the cottagecore vibes of Anne With an E. Vintage-inspired names like Eleanor, Henry, and Evelyn have been popular for a while, but now they're starting to feel common. It's the perfect time for a new wave of Grandma and Grandpa names to come into style.
- Dorothea
- Wilford
- Ernest
- Harriet
- Laurel
Celestial Names
One of the micro-trends dominating the baby name world is the phenomenon of mythological names. Atlas, Arthur, and Luna are already popular, and we predict new parents will continue to look to mythology to find names with strength and meaning for their little ones. And the best place to look for mythology? The stars. (The world's currently growing interest in astrology and astronomy doesn't hurt this trend, either).
- Castor
- Nova
- Ares
- Cressida
- Aster
Photo via Jonathan Borba/Unsplash
Names Losing Their Pop Culture Associations
With so much diversity in the naming world, it's no surprise that names that used to be associated with a character or pop culture influence are starting to become usable again. These names meet all the criteria for being on-trend... they just have some strong associations to overcome. We predict parents will succeed in leaving the past behind so they can make use of these amazing names.
- Bruno
- Hermione
- Casper
- Clifford
- Juno
What baby names do you have on your radar? Tweet us at @BritandCo and let us know!
Featured photo by Paige Cody/Unsplash.
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