Names grow and fall in popularity over the years, as trends from yesteryear come back into fashion.
If you’re expecting, or just looking for inspiration, recently published findings have revealed the names attracting the most attention so far this year.
We’ve dug out data from 2011, to compare how choices have changed over the last decade.
Nameberry shared their top 10 picks for boys and girls for 2021, with Ava and Arlo topping each list.
Explaining how they collate their findings, the website said: “The Nameberry chart shows the names parents-to-be are considering now, in real time. This is our round-up of the most-viewed names of 2021 so far. The names in our chart are often up-and-coming ones that are likely to rise, or stay popular, in the next few years.”
AvaAuroraEloiseLunaAureliaOpheliaFreyaAriaIslaMaeve
Top 10 girls’ names in 2011
SophiaIsabellaOliviaEmmaChloeAvaLilyMadisonAddisonAbigail
Names beginning with the first letter of the alphabet are clearly a theme this year, with Aurelia, Aurora and Aria making the list.
Also in the top ten is Eloise, Freya, Isla, Luna, Ophelia and Maeve.
The trend for names beginning with A was replicated for boys, with three titles all featuring names starting with the letter, including Arlo, August and Atticus.
The birth of Princess Eugenie’s first baby in February, son August Philip, appears to have influenced parents with the calendar-themed moniker making it to third place.
And singer Mandy Moore used the same name for her son, also born in February. Other names making it into the top spots are Silas, Milo, Rowan, Finn, Ezra, Kai and Leo.
Nameberry noted the top trends so far are shorter names with fewer syllables, saying: “The top girl names are all about the soft sounds: long vowels, glides, liquid R’s and L’s. For boys too, names ending in a vowel are more dominant here than on the real-life charts, which show that this style is fresh, attractive, and very much on parents’ minds.”
ArloRowanAugustFinnAtticusEzraSilasKaiMiloLeo
Top 10 boys’ names in 2011
AidenJacobJacksonEthanJaydenNoahLoganCadenLucasLiam
These choices are in stark contrast to ten years ago, when Sophia, Isabella and Olivia were in the top three spots for the U.S, Baby Centre reported.
Although Ava was ranked in sixth place, showing the name has longevity, and it’s the only choice for girls which appears in both lists.
Names beginning with the letter A is a trend which doesn’t appear to be going anywhere either, with Addison and Abigail also popular with parents ten years ago.
For boys, Aiden, Jacob and Jackson were the most popular, and no single choice appears in both lists.
