May 2nd 2024.
From the bustling streets of Paris to the vibrant cityscape of Berlin, it's no secret that city-inspired baby names have become a popular trend among Hollywood's elite. Celebrities like Paris Hilton have followed suit, choosing unique and meaningful names like Phoenix and London for their children.
Reese Witherspoon also took inspiration from her roots, naming her son Tennessee after her beloved hometown of Nashville. And Alicia Keys found inspiration in her travels, naming her son Egypt after a memorable holiday she had there.
Even late night host Jimmy Fallon got in on the trend, naming his daughter Winnie after the picturesque Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. It's where he and his wife spend their summers and where he proposed to her.
Feeling inspired by these unique names? Well, a recent study has revealed the most popular city-inspired baby names from capital cities around the world, and the results may surprise you.
For girls, Sofia topped the list with a staggering 1,237,617 babies given that name. While it's likely that many parents chose this name without thinking about the Bulgarian capital, Sofia has a beautiful meaning of "wisdom" and is familiar across different cultures.
According to naming specialist Rychel Johnson, Sofia's popularity can also be attributed to its melodic sound and association with knowledge. It's part of the trend of Greek and Roman names that have risen in popularity over the past decade.
Following Sofia, the list includes more unique names like Lima (after the capital of Peru), Sydney, Manila, and Havana. Other options include Apia (from Samoa), Juba (from South Sudan), and Riga (from Latvia).
For boys, the top choice was Stanley, followed by Santiago, Wellington, and Hamilton. While Stanley may have been chosen without considering the city in the Falkland Islands, Santiago, Wellington, and Hamilton all have a strong presence and history.
Other popular city-inspired names for boys include Berlin, Amman (from Jordan), and Kingston (a name chosen by Gwen Stefani for her son).
The rankings were determined by Icelandair, using Google trends data to analyze the most sought-after city-inspired names among Brits. They also used Forbears, a global name database, to identify and rank the most popular names across the globe.
According to Rychel, the rise in popularity of city-inspired names can be attributed to our increased exposure to different cultures through travel and social media. These names provide a unique and familiar alternative to traditional names, allowing children to stand out. There's also an aspirational quality, as parents may desire the positive attributes associated with a particular city to shape their child's identity and possibilities.
But before you jump on the city-inspired baby name bandwagon, Rychel suggests doing some research and making sure the name and its connotations align with your own values and beliefs. You may even want to visit the city or country in question to get a better understanding of its culture and history.
Do you have a favorite city-inspired baby name? We'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you have a story to share about how you chose your child's name, feel free to email us. And for more heartwarming stories, check out the tale of a woman who found her long-lost mother and entire family in Canada, or what most moms really want for Mother's Day (hint: it's not chocolate). And let's not forget about the one-year-old Ukrainian war baby who is a "ray of hope" for her family.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
