With a brand new year comes a whole new group of brand new babies — 2022 babies, in fact. And if you're expecting a baby boy in the coming year, you might not already have a name picked out because you're waiting to see what the trends will do. That's totally understandable! Some parents prefer to pick from what's popular, while others like to stay as far away as they can get from top 10 lists. We all have our preferences, but many of us are wondering what the best boy names will be in 2022 as January gets closer.
Recently, Nameberry predicted what the top names in 2022 will be — along with the trends that will be the driving forces behind them. Nature names and gender neutral names will be big ones — as will more old-fashioned names, and names that start with the letter "R." Who could have guessed?
Here are the predictions for the best boy names in 2022. We won't know if they're correct for another year, but it sure is fun to try to figure out if these are the names we'll be seeing a lot of soon.
LUX
Gender neutral and nonbinary names are trending this year, and that includes this adorable, three letter name: Lux. This name has two meanings. In the first, it comes from ancient Greek, and means light. The second? Lux is derived from the word "luxury." Either way, not a bad choice!
BENEDICT
Names from Bridgerton and Regency England are predicted to become popular in 2022 as we continue to await the show's second season, and that includes Benedict, the name of one of the main characters in the series. The name comes from Latin and means "blessed."
BUDDY
In a totally different category, names that can be considered playful are also expected to rise in popularity in 2022. Among them is the name Buddy, which we'd normally think of as a nickname. Wrestler and reality star Brie Bella chose the name for her baby boy, who was born in 2020.
TEDDY
In the same category is Teddy — another name that is usually thought of as a nickname (or a shortened version of the name "Theodore") but can totally stand on its own as a full first name. The name has English roots and means "divine gift," which totally applies to a baby boy-to-be.
REEF
Nature names are predicted to be big, and that includes a few quirky ones like — stay with us here — Reef. It's certainly unusual, but it might actually end up being cute, especially for a family who loves the beach, ocean, and all things sea life. Why not?
HOLLAND
Gender neutral names, which have been growing in popularity over the last few years, are supposed to be exploding in 2022 particularly for baby boys. One favored name on the list is Holland. Meaning "land on the ridge," it could also be a covert shout-out to a certain Spider-Man star.
JUNIPER
Juniper is another name on the gender neutral list. We've seen this used for girls plenty of times — now, it's the boys' turn. After all, the meaning of the name itself is certainly not feminine — it's a Latin word that means "young." Fitting for any baby!
PSALM
Looks like Kim Kardashian has officially started a trend here. Her youngest child, Psalm West (who was born in May 2019) has inspired a wave of soul-inspired names, including his. This name could be perfect for parents who value religion or spirituality.
ATLAS
Nameberry predicts that names ending in "s" are about to have a renaissance, and that includes names like Atlas, which would be perfect for parents who love to travel and plan to share that love with their future baby. The name has roots in Greek mythology and means "support."
IDRIS
Another name that ends in "s" and is sure to be popular next year is Idris — just like Idris Elba! The name comes from Arabic and Welsh and means "to learn, study." While right now, it's just barely made it past the cut of the top 1,000 baby names in the US, it seems like that's about to change.
WELLS
Add another adorable name to the "ends in s" list. Though originally it was mostly used as a surname, it's been used more and more as a first name, particularly for boys. It comes from English and means "spring," and climbed to No. 214 in 2021 from No. 545 in popularity in 2020.
LOUIE
Have baby names you love but they feel outdated? Good news: Retro names are coming back, and that includes Louie — and no, it doesn't need to be short for Louis for you to use it. Interestingly, such a cute name has a strong meaning; it comes from German and French, meaning "renowned warrior."
NED
Another old-fashioned name on the list? Ned. Yes, we immediately think of our grandparents when we hear a name like this, but that's part of the charm. Sometimes a shorter form of the name Edward, Ned is an English name that means "wealthy guardian."
BRIO
Another category on Nameberry's list is "next wave musical names," and Brio fits into that category, for anyone hoping to inject their favorite hobby into their baby's name. It's definitely an uncommon baby boy name that also happens to be a musical term. Brio comes from Italian and means "vivacity, zest."
DRUMMER
Perhaps the most quirky name on this list — and another musical one, at that — is Drummer. We're willing to guess there likely aren't a lot of little boys out there with this name, but there's a good chance that's about to change if this music trend ends up blowing up.
