The pop culture babies are coming! Baby naming website Nameberry has made predictions of what the most popular baby names of 2012 will be based on an analysis of almost 3 million page views on their site. The guesses are an eye-opening, pop culture revelation of what is hitting with soon-to-be parents. Highlights below:
Rue
Taking the top spot is a beloved Hunger Games female name, but it’s not the obvious one. Rue, the doe-eyed heroine who stole our hearts (I throw berries at you, Marvel!) leads Nameberry’s list, according to their statistics. If a Hunger Games character had to take the cake, I’m glad it’s Rue. Can you imagine teaching a youngin’ to say Katniss?
Emmett
Heading over to the XY chromosome, Emmett takes the cake, flanked by other boys’ names ending in –ett, like Everett and Beckett. As the the only reference the list makes to Twilight, I can’t help but wonder if the fifth ranked Jacobs of the world feel threatened…
Ivy and Adele
We head over to musical ground as the middle half of Blue Ivy Carter makes an appearance (somewhere Beyonce and Jay-Z are thinking: “Curses! Why didn’t we trademark this name for everyone!”), along with current EW cover star Adele. If two musical nombres had to make the cut, I’m glad it’s these two. I don’t need to see any little Minaj’s running around.
Grayson
Though I wish that Declan had squeezed its way in, I’m tickled to see a reference to this season’s guiltiest pleasure beginning to make a dent. Revenge-related or not, this world could use a few more Daniel Grayson lookalikes.
Aria
Yes, the site lists Aria’s appearance as a favorite among ambitious parents with studiously high hopes for their offspring, but I’m choosing to interpret this name as an homage to Arya, the reigning Game of Thrones bite-sized badass.
Cato
In a puzzling change of pace, the terrorizing and brutal Cato of the Hunger Games has made its way up the ranks in what I can only surmise is that parents-to-be want their children to be built of inordinate strength and spout irrational and violent temper tantrums. Can you imagine the backlash of putting a Cato in a timeout?
Pregnant PopWatcher or not, what are your thoughts on these names? Do you mimic my surprise that Khaleesi didn’t appear? And where is the love for Ron Swanson?!
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