BabyCenter has released their list of the top baby names for 2020, and there are some big surprises and new favourites on the list.
So, if you’re still looking for baby name inspiration – you might just find it here.
2020 baby name trends
Sophia is still the most popular name for a girl – even after 10 years.
The biggest surprise in this year’s baby name list is the name Mateo – moving into the top 10 for the first time. Mateo is a popular Hispanic name with biblical roots (Matthew in English), and is also the name of international soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s 5-year old son.
Kobe climbed 379 spots to number 216. The tragic death of basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash in January this year may have been the reason why this name has become so popular.
The name Gianna also moved up 52 spots on the list and now sits at number 24 on the girls’ name list.
In a press release, BabyCenter’s global editor in chief, Linda Murray says 2020 has been a year filled with emotion, stress and anxiety for parents. “At a time like this, parents are seeking comfort by naming their babies after people they admire, especially those who’ve passed on. We expect this trend to continue well into 2021.”
There should be no surprises here – the name Karen – often used when referring to a middle-aged white woman acting in a rude, entitled and often racist manner in public dropped by 153 spots.
Alexa fell by 121 spots. BabyCenter believes Amazon’s voice activated Alexa device is the reason for this drop in popularity. Having a child and a virtual assistant with the same name can become a little challenging (but also really funny sometimes we think).
ALSO SEE: Looking for local baby name inspiration? Here are SA’s most popular baby names
Here’s the top 10 girls’ names of 2020
- Sophia
- Olivia
- Riley
- Emma
- Ava
- Isabella
- Aria
- Aaliyah
- Amelia
- Mia
Here’s the top 10 boys’ names of 2020
- Liam
- Noah
- Jackson
- Aiden
- Elijah
- Grayson
- Lucas
- Oliver
- Caden
- Mateo
Xanet is an award-winning journalist and Living and Loving’s digital editor. She has won numerous awards for her health and wellness articles and was a finalist for the Discovery Journalist of the Year in 2009 and again in 2011 for the Discovery Best Health Consumer Reporting and Feature Writing category. She is responsible for our online presence across social media channels and makes sure our moms have fresh and interesting articles to read every day. Learn more about Xanet Scheepers.
