With the year coming to a close and millions of babies born in 2015, we can’t help but wonder what the top names were for this year. Apparently, in 2015 things went the literary route, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier! Here are the top 10 baby names for 2015.
Girls
- Esme
Esme is a beautiful French name that means “to esteem.” It’s also a popular name in several books including A Series of Unfortunate Events and Twilight. Marvel even has a character named Esme! These associations all probably account for the popularity of the name. - Evelyn
Evelyn is a classic English name, but it may also refer to the Irish name Éibhleann. Countless amazing women have gone by this name, but I’m guessing it has gained popularity due to the popularity of How I Met Your Mother. - Mia
Mia is an old name with origins in Hebrew, Scandinavian, and Latin. While this name may be a nickname for Amelia or Emilia, Mia can mean several things. It could mean “beloved” in Egyptian, “mine” in Italian, or “dear” or “darling” in Slavic. Countless famous actresses have also sported this beautiful name, such as Mia Farrow. - Abigail
Abigail has several origins, including Hebrew and Tiberian, but it can also be linked to the Bible, as Abigail was David’s second wife. In Hebrew, the name means “my father’s joy.” This name is popular on many television shows, such as Once Upon a Time, ER, and NCIS. These connections could contribute to the popularity of the name. - Luna
Luna is a name we all take to mean “moon,” which is what it means in Italian and Spanish. Several fictional characters have been named Luna in television shows, literature, and more. It’s possible that Luna comes from Luna Lovegood of the Harry Potter series, but the name has also shown up in Riddick and Free Willy. There’s even a comic called Luna.
Boys
- Kai
Kai is a multi-ethnic name that shows up in Maori, Navajo, and Japanese culture. In Burmese, Kai means “strong” or “unbreakable.” It means “fire” in Scottish and “victory” in Mandarin. It’s difficult to say why it’s popular this year, but there are numerous real people and characters named Kai. The most popular is Kai from "The Snow Queen" fairytale. - Austin
Austin is hugely popular. Austin is even one of our country’s largest cities, but did you know the name has French and English origins? Its equivalent is Augustine. Pretty amazing, right? Actors, poets, singers, and more have been named Austin. It’s no wonder this name is so popular! - Lachlan
Lachlan is a unique name with Scottish Gaelic origins. It even dates back to Viking times! In the beginning of the century, Lachlan was very popular in Australia and New Zealand, so it makes sense that its popularity has spread to the States. Lords have been named Lachlan, such as the Lord of Galloway. Lachlan is also a character in the popular novel series Lockie Leonard. - Graham
While Graham sounds like an English name, it has old Anglo-French origins. It comes from the town of Grantham, which is now located in England. In Old English, the name means “gray home” or “homestead.” It has been a popular English and Scottish name throughout the centuries. Graham is also the name of a character in the television show Hannibal. - Everett
Everett is an English variation of the German name Eberhard. The name means “strength or courage of a wild boar.” Eberhard is a popular nobility name with several dukes and bishops taking the name. Everett is the name of several fictional characters including George Clooney's character in the popular Coen brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
