We all love a good holiday, but would you ever consider naming your little one after your favourite destination?
We’ve recently researched the trend of location-based baby names and discovered that many parents do just that. Travel-based baby names are on the rise, with names including Alaska, Oslo, Rhodes and Geneva all seeing huge spikes in popularity over the last year. But which names came out top?
From the most popular names to expert insight into why people choose to name babies after cities or countries, here’s everything we found.
Looking at baby name data from the last year, these are the most popular travel-inspired names parents have chosen for their little bundles of joy…
Austin tops the list of the most popular travel-inspired baby names, with a huge 543,200 babies named after the Texas state capital city in the last year!
However, a love of the location may not have been the only influence at play here. The biopic ‘Elvis’ was also released in 2022 to huge acclaim, with the titular role played by the now BAFTA award-winning actor Austin Butler, which could explain the name’s huge increase in popularity.
It wouldn’t be the first time a celebrity location-based name has influenced the masses. Kim Kardashian named her new daughter Chicago in 2018, leading to a huge four-year spike in parents also naming their children after the city.
As well as the most popular names, we also took a look at recent trends, seeing which names have catapulted in popularity over the last year – and which have seen a drop. While more recognisable baby names such as Paris, Dakota and Adeline appear at the top of the list, we’ve seen some interesting increases in babies named after more unique travel destinations.
While appearing relatively low on the list at number 22, the baby name Alaska has seen a huge increase over the last year, with an incredible 93% rise! The name Kent has also seen a spike in popularity, increasing by 84% – although Superman may have also had an influence here.
Alongside the usual suspects, unique baby names such as Oslo, Rhodes, Geneva and Bronx have also experienced a rise in popularity over the last year, increasing by 59%, 79%, 80% and 75%, respectively.
There have also been some drops. While still appearing in the list, the US-inspired name Cali dropped in popularity by 62% over the last year. Another US-focused name, Boston, also saw a 27% drop, while Milan (-68%), Bristol (-17%) and Sierra (-12%) also saw decreases in popularity.
So, we know the most popular travel-inspired names from the last year. But why do people choose travel-based names? And what influences the trends?
We spoke to Michelle Giordano (MS), a Community Counsellor with a background in sociology, about why people choose travel-based baby names.
She explains personal connections to a location are usually the driving force:
“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.”
As for why trends have changed over time, this comes down to the changing way we travel.
Michelle explains that “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.”
Baby name inspiration comes from a huge variety of places. Thinking about a location you fell in love with or somewhere with a significant personal connection to you could be just the inspiration needed when it comes to naming a new arrival.
If all this talk of exotic locations has you craving a trip, why not explore our range of multi-centre holidays?
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