These bizarre baby name trends are predicted to take off in popularity in 2022
With just three months left of 2021, parents-to-be will be looking to next year for the newest baby name trends.
Names come in and out of fashion, with 2021 seeing the return of music-inspired and retro baby names - so what's in store for 2022?
Nameberry have predicted the different themed names set for a rise in popularity over the next year or so, reports Metro UK.
Adventure and escapism feature heavily as themes on the 2022 forecast for names, with parents looking to move away from the restrictions of the pandemic.
A number of gender-neutral names on the list reflect "a shift in the way the new generation of parents approaches traditional gender norms", according to the site.
So, these are the themes they predict will be the most popular with new parents next year.
Playful names
Months of boredom amid the pandemic will lead to parents swapping more formal names for playful ones, it's been predicted. These could include:
1. Bear
2. Birdie
3. Dovie
4. Iggy
5. Pixie
Escapist and nature names
Parents could be turning to wild landscapes and exotic locations for inspiration next year - here are the most popular picks:
1. Horizon
2. Koa
3. Lotus
4. Prairie
5. Woods
Bridgerton-inspired names
Netflix's hugely popular Bridgerton brought back a love for vintage and old-school names like these.
1. Benedict
2. Cressida
3. Daphne
4. Eloise
5. Francesca
Names ending in "S"
According to Nameberry, names ending in "S" "feel so much fresher in 2022 than N, R, A, and even O ... and not just for boys.
"Particularly trendy categories for S-ending names right now include snappy surnames, cool vintage names, and ancient and mythical names."
1. Ames
2. Emrys
3. Lois
4. Ozias
5. Wells
Retro and nostalgic names
Countless old-fashioned names made a comeback this year and look set to return in 2022, harking back to the nostalgia of the 1950s.
1. Betty
2. Bobby
3. Mae
4. Ned
5. Nellie
Next-wave musical names
While names that are tributes to musical legends like Marley and Bowie are as popular as ever, more instrumental musical names will pop up next year, it's predicted.
1. Calypso
2. Chord
3. Drummer
4. Madrigal
5. Rhythm
Punchy 'R' names
Shorter names are memorable and have more impact - and Nameberry forecasts that gender-neutral "R" names will rise next year.
1. Reeve
2. Revel
3. Reign
4. Rome
5. Roux
This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.
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