Huge recent spikes in names including Alaska, Oslo, Kent and Bronx show that parents are turning to their favourite travel destinations to spark inspiration when it comes to naming their little bundles of joy in 2023.
Travel experts at eShores have released new research looking at baby names from around the world in 2022 and 2023, highlighting where has the biggest influence on newborn names.
Cities, suburbs and states across the USA have had a huge impact; alongside Austin, Brooklyn, Dakota, and Pheonix all appear in the top ten list.
The top ten travel-inspired baby names of 2023 are:
1. Austin – 543,200 babies
2. Brooklyn – 337,960 babies
3. Savannah – 241,360 babies
4. Dakota – 192,500 babies
5. Adelaide – 188,720 babies
6. Phoenix – 148,120 babies
7. Paris – 144,760 babies
8. Camden – 98,700 babies
9. London – 96,460 babies
10. Rhodes – 49,280 babies
Notable and more unusual names that made an appearance in the top forty include Ireland (11,340 babies), Bristol (44,520), Berlin (3,360), Camden (98,700), and Everest (49,280).
Over 543,000 babies worldwide were named Austin in the last year, which could be due to the influence of BAFTA-winner Austin Butler starring in Baz Luhmann’s Elvis biopic in 2022, helping catapult the name into the limelight. Similarly, the location-based name Chicago spiked in popularity in 2018 through to 2021 after Kim Kardashian named her daughter after the city – but has since dropped off the most popular baby names list.
Michelle Giordano (MS), a Community Counsellor with a background in sociology, comments on the travel-inspired baby names trend:
“People often name their children after places they have a personal connection to, such as a favourite vacation destination or a city they lived in. Naming a child after a place can also reflect a family’s cultural heritage or a desire to pay homage to a specific place or culture.
“Over time, travel-name trends have evolved to reflect changing cultural influences and travel experiences. For example, popular names like Paris and London were once associated with sophistication and glamour, but in recent years, names inspired by exotic and far-flung destinations have become more popular. This reflects the increasing availability of travel and a growing desire to experience new and unique cultures.”
For a full breakdown of the travel-inspired baby name data, including the full top forty names, visit the eShores blog.
