Hot New Trend In New Baby Names Is Crazy

One of the most difficult and challenging aspects of having a baby is choosing their name. Most people know ahead of time what names they like for their baby, but there’s a lot of people that don’t know what they want.

People turn to websites these days to sift through all the potential names from Alex to Zena. Before the web came along people would go to the bookstore and pick up a book with all the possible baby names.

Other expectant parents rely on friends and family to come up with a name, perhaps one that honors a special person. These days older sounding names are very popular. Names like Hazel and Millie have made a comeback for baby girls, while boys names like Theodore and Ethan are back in vogue.

The hottest trend in baby names is very unexpected and somewhat surprising. Forget going through endless websites and baby name books. Look no further than your best friend.

Now you don’t have to look any further than your best friend. That’s right, the hottest new trend in coming up with a baby name is very unusual and at the same time borders on either super lazy or genius.

According to a baby name consultant, "My Best Friend's Dad" is the hot new baby name trend to look out for in 2025. If you are expecting or know someone who is, let them know about this new idea.

"Grandpa names" for girls have been trending for a while.  Nameberry predicted it in 2022.  They said names like Max, Lenny, and Teddy would become popular.

"My Best Friend's Dad" is a continuation of that.  Just think of who your best friend is . . . what their dad's name is . . . and would it work as a girl's name?

A few examples they gave were Scottie, Tommie, Mickey, and Billie.

(Yahoo / NY Post)

Popular Baby Names Becoming Extinct?

BabyCenter.com posted a list of popular names that are becoming way less common.

Remember the days when names like Mildred, Harold, or Gertrude were all the rage? Fast forward to today, and you'd probably think twice before dubbing your bundle of joy with one of these monikers. The fascinating journey of baby names from the 1900s to the present is a rollercoaster of trends, popularity, and eventual obscurity.

Back in the day, the landscape of names was vastly different. Betty, once a reigning queen of popularity, now finds itself in the dusty corners of history. What led to these names dominating the playgrounds of the past? It's a mix of cultural shifts, famous figures, and sometimes, just a dash of sheer randomness.

The 1940s witnessed the rise of names like James and Barbara, inspired by Hollywood stars and influential personalities of the time.

Parents wanted their children to embody the glamour of the silver screen or the dignity of their role models. Little did they know that a few decades later, these names would be as rare as a unicorn sighting.

Parents were eager to celebrate the end of a tumultuous era with names that reflected hope and prosperity. But as the years rolled on, newer generations sought uniqueness over tradition.

Pop culture icons and catchy tunes influenced baby names more than ever. Imagine naming your child after a hit song—now that's commitment to the groove!

These names boogied their way into households across the nation, but alas, the disco inferno eventually burned out.

Parents wanted their children to embody the spirit of rebellion and creativity.

Let's remember that the only constant is change. Names rise, names fall, and in the end, it's all part of the unpredictable, whimsical dance of baby naming!

BabyCenter's State of Baby Names initiative has identified and analyzed the most popular baby names for 20 years, beginning in 2004. The baby names going extinct report draws from the top 500 baby names for each gender from data submitted by BabyCenter parents about babies born in 2022 and 2023. From there, they looked at which names saw the steepest year-over-year declines (pulled January 1, 2024).

"Every year, hundreds of thousands of parents register their babies' names with BabyCenter. And every year, we compile that data to share an updated list of the most popular names. But what about the names that aren't so popular? We took a look at the names that fell the most over the past year, and here's what we found," Baby Center reported.

With Greek, Latin, and Indo-European origins, the name Diana means “divine.” Diana was a Roman goddess of many arenas, including hunting, forests, the moon, and fertility. The name is related to the Latin words for “sky” and “daylight." Famous Dianas include Princess Diana, Diana Ross, Diana Krall

The name Michelle is the anglicized version of the French name Michele. It means “who resembles God."1 If you are parents of faith, this name might have strong appeal. Famous Michelles include Michelle Pfeiffer, Michelle Obama, Michelle Williams

Amanda is a Latin feminine gerundive (i.e. verbal adjective) name meaning, literally, “she who must (or is fit to) be loved”. Other translations, with similar meaning, could be "deserving to be loved," "worthy of love," or "loved very much by everyone." Famous Amandas are Amanda Peet, Amanda Seyfried, Amanda Bynes

John is a masculine name of Hebrew origin, derived from "Yohannan," meaning "God is gracious." While originally a biblical name, it remains a popular choice for boys of all backgrounds throughout the world. Famous Johnnys: Johnny Depp, Johnny Cash, Johnny Knoxville

Mackenzie is a Scottish name with Gaelic roots. Derived from the Gaelic surname MacCoinnich, Mackenzie means "comely," "attractive" or "pleasant to look at." It can also mean "child of the wise leader" and "born of fire."
Famous MacKenzies/McKenzies/Mckensies: MacKenzie Foy, MacKenzie Phillips, MacKenzie Scott

Julius is a masculine name of Greek origin, meaning “devoted to Jove.” This Roman name is thought to be related to the Roman god Jupiter, who was also known as Jove. Jupiter was known as the king of gods or the god of the sky and thunder, granting him many powers, including that of controlling the weather. Famous people named Julius: Julius Erving, Julius Caesar, Julius Randle

Brooke is a gender-neutral name of English and German origin meaning “water” or “small stream.” It is said to be derived from the Old English word bróc, which translates to “brook” or “stream.” Brooke was once used as a surname, given to those who lived near a flowing body of water. See: Brooke Shields, Brooke Burke, Brooke Hogan