Expectant parents have one of the hardest tasks to accomplish while waiting on their bundle of joy…settling on a name. Over the past few years, baby names like Luna, Milo and Hazel have risen in popularity for children’s names. So, which names can we expect more parents to choose for their babies in the near future? Well, the experts are here to let you know. Check out which baby names experts will predict to be poplar in 2022!
The Girls
Name: Dove
Why will it be popular: “Dove checks every box,” said Abby Sandel, creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain. “It shares that great V sound heard in favorites like Olivia and Oliver, Evelyn and Everett, Ava and River. But it’s richly meaningful, too, since doves symbolize peace.”
Sandel also noted that the name has gotten a boost from popular culture: former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron and celebrity babies like Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s daughter Daisy Dove.
Name: Daphne
Why will it be popular: Baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey believes that as a result of the success of the Netflix show Bridgerton, Daphne will be a go to for 2022.
“Being the name of the main love interest in the first season of Bridgerton, I see Daphne becoming associated with the archetype of the confident, charming, and poised young maiden,” Humphrey explained. “Daphne is highly versatile, and could pair nicely with a range of other names.”
Humphrey also pointed out that, “The Greek goddess’s name is “sturdy and mature without compromising femininity, the ethereal gravitas that so many parents are searching for.”
The Boys
Name: Finley
Why will it be popular: “Parents can’t get enough of the nickname Finn,” said Humphrey. “As a standalone, Finn has reached as high as No. 166 on the list of popular baby names. While Finnegan, Finian, Griffin, and Phineas all allow for the nickname Finn, my money is on Finley to increase in popularity because it feels fun, fresh, beachy, and has a modern, gender-neutral flair.”
Humphrey said parents who gravitate toward Finley would also enjoy names such as Rowan, River, Killian, Brooks, or Callum for boys.
Name: Franklin
Why will it be popular: Humphrey suggested the name Franklin for parents looking to honor a beloved Frank or Francis would be the perfect pick for the new little one.
“With a range of nicknames like Frank, or the more gender-neutral Frankie, Fran, or Lin, Franklin offers a posh and polite hipster vibe that makes it ripe for revival,” Humphrey explained. “In terms of sibling sets, parents who like Franklin might also consider Vera, Beatrice, Ruth, Marlowe, Cordelia, Florence, or Rosemary for girls, and Arthur, Byron, Oscar, Atticus, Theodore, Baxter, or Warner for boys.”
Bonus: Gender-Neutral
Name: Rivers
Why will it be popular: Pamela Redmond Satran, a co-founder of the popular baby names website Nameberry, predicts that “Rivers” will become more popular in 2022.
“Rivers combines three major trends: nature names, gender-neutral names, and names ending in S,” Satran said.
Name: Quinn
Why will it be popular: “Gender-neutral names are becoming even more trendy in 2022,” said BabyNames.com founder Jennifer Moss.
One of Moss’ top picks for the new year is Quinn ― an Irish surname currently the 85th-most popular name for girls and 440th for boys in the U.S. Notable Quinn’s in pop culture include Quinn Fabray from Glee and Quinn Perkins from the ABC hit TV show, Scandal.
What are some of your favorites? Let us know! We want to hear from you.
