In addition to considering factors like meaning, family tradition, and heritage, an increasing number of parents are taking content strategy into account when choosing a name for their babies. A new study by BeenVerified looks at how influencer culture has impacted baby names.
Unlike older generations, babies born today sometimes have a social media presence from the very beginning of their lives. Parents who want to document their children’s lives on social media might consider how a baby’s name fits into their overall branding and content strategy, as well as how it will be perceived by their TikTok or Instagram followers.
Choosing trendy, influencer-inspired names, however, comes with some risks. After all, trends change pretty rapidly, and what sounds like a great name today might quickly feel “outdated.” Many influencers have also faced criticism for choosing pretty unconventional names for their babies, further sparking controversy about using kids for content.
@treynkennedy @Francesca Farago ♬ original sound – Trey Kennedy
BeenVerified analyzed the Social Security Administration’s statistics on the most popular baby names for the year 2024. Looking at the top 1,000 most popular names, it identified 10 names that are very clearly influencer-inspired. They also found that the Kardashians — the ultimate influencer family — have had an effect on new parents.
@madison.humphreyy Ngl i kinda like car-crash 🤷🏼♀️#fyp #relatable #foryou #trending #pov #skit ♬ original sound – Madison Humphrey
Per the study, the name “Stormi” ranked at #790 for girls in 2024. Although that ranking might not seem all that significant, it’s worth noting that the name “barely registered” prior to the 2018 birth of Kylie Jenner’s daughter Stormi. Additionally, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have a son named Saint. In 2024, the name “Saint” ranked at #282 for boys. Here’s the full list of the top 10 influencer-inspired baby names:
- Nova
- Kai
- Rowan
- Addison
- Sage
- Arya
- Zara
- Saint
- Charli
- Stormi
Of course, many parents are still choosing classic names for their kids. The study found, however, that some of these names, such as Nova (#39 for girls in 2024) and Kai (#76 for boys), are actually becoming more popular than some of the traditional names that have been popular for many years. BeenVerified noted that this shift is part of a larger trend in which everything is seen as potential content, meaning even baby names could be evaluated for how click-worthy or attention-grabbing they are.
