Disney to Kardashians: Top Pop Culture Baby Names of 2022

Culture has and probably always will influence baby naming trends. Hot movies, popular music, film stars, and once-in-a-lifetime literary characters from books like Harry Potter have all made ripples and waves in the baby naming data.

Film franchises like Star Wars and Marvel are two top influences. And Hollywood stars like Beyonce and the Kardashians play their part too in making certain names vogue.

It is also impossible to rule out the influence of Disney films on pop culture and baby name trends.

While some names have been and will likely always be popular baby names: John, Emma, James, and Ava are just a few that always seem to top lists, other names come and go. So what and who are some of the biggest inspirations for pop culture baby names over the last year?

This list breaks down 2021’s most popular baby names and predicted trends for 2022.

Top Ten Girl Names of 2021 & 2022

This May the Department of Social Security released their list of the top boy names and top girl names of the year. Check out the top ten names below, and see our full list in our Top 1000 Girl Names of 2022.

Top Ten Boy Names of 2021 & 2022

Check out the top ten names for boys below, and see our full list in our Top 1000 Boy Names of 2022.

Names That Have Climbed in Popularity

While many names ebb and flow, they stay firmly on the top 1,000 names used annually list. Here are a handful of names that have grown in popularity in recent decades.

The Trendiest Boy Names of 2022

Kayden - Gaelic. Son of Cadan. There are many spellings of this name, but this specific spelling went from spot 783 in 2000 to 108 in 2021. We think this name will continue to rise because of its trendy modern vibes.
Mason - An occupational name for one who works with stone. Mason has had some popularity in the last few decades peaking in 2011 & 2012, hitting spot #2 after Kourtney Kardashian named her son Mason. It has fallen to 18th place in 2021, but we don’t think it’s falling off the charts anytime soon.
Miles - Latin. Soldier. Miles has always been a trendy name, but it has moved up the charts thanks to Marvel’s Miles Morales. In 2021 it sat at #54 for boys.
Saint - Latin. Sacred or holy. Saint is the name of one of Kim Kardashian and Kayne West’s children. The name has climbed to spot #454. It wasn’t even on the chart before 2018.
Xander - Greek. Defender of mankind. In 2000 the name barely made the top 1,000, ranking at 929. In 2021 it was ranked 187.

The Trendiest Girl Names of 2022

Arya - Persian. Friend Faithful. This name wasn’t even on the 1,000 lists until 2010. But, thanks to the TV show Game of Thrones and the fierce Arya Stark, it's moved from #942 in 2010 to #120 in 2021. The spelling Aria currently ranks 22nd.
Ivy - Latin. Vine. Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy has caused a spike in popularity for this name. While it’s been on the top 1000 list for a while, it has steadily climbed to spot #49 in 2021.
Penelope - Greek. Weaver. This old-fashioned name has sky-rocketed in the last two decades. It was at spot #941 in 2001 but in 2021 ranked 23rd! Kourtney Kardashian named her baby Penelope in 2012, and although the name was already trending, it jumped sixty-nine spots the year following her birth.
Raya - Hebrew. Friend. This trending girl’s name wasn’t even on the charts until 2020 and jumped from spot 935 to 494 in just one year. We think Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon is the influence here.
Sloane - Irish. Little Raider. This name has increased from spot 885 in 2009 to 143 in 2021. Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin named her baby Sloane in 2022.

Gender-Neutral Names Gaining Popularity

Aspen - Modern English. From the Aspen tree. This name has been picking up steam lately. It used to be more common for boys but has taken off for girls in the last few years. In 2008 it was ranked at 700; by 2021, it had moved to 200.
Finn - Irish. Fair. Finn as a singular name has jumped from spot 836 in 2000 to 184 in 202. But there are so many variations of Finn it's tough to judge its popularity. Finnley, Finnick, Finnegan, Finnat, and Finnian just to name a few. Finnick is a popular character from the Hunger Games trilogy.
Shiloh - Hebrew. His gift. We have Angelina Jolie to thank for this name’s popularity. She and Brad Pitt named their daughter this 2006. In 2007 the name debuted on the top 1000 list for girls’ names at #787 and hit spot #410 in 2021. In 2015 it made the chart for baby boy names at #894 and is climbing there too.

Baby Names We Predict Will Be Hugely Popular

Our Top Boy Name Predictions of 2022

Chadwick - English. From the warrior’s town. Beloved Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020 from cancer. While the name hasn’t hit the top 1000, babies with this name have had a small, steady incline since 2016.
Ewan - Scottish, from the Yew tree. This name remains relatively stable, hovering around 140-150 babies named Ewan each year in the U.S. However, due to the popularity of the Star Wars franchise with its new shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi starring Ewan McGregor, we think this name could creep up.
Malachai - Hebrew. My messenger. Malachi has stayed steadily in the top 200 for the last fifteen years but hasn’t really moved up or down. However, with plus-size and body-positivity supermodel Ashley Graham choosing this name for one of her twins born in 2022, we think there might be a spike.
Wilde - German. Untamed. A gender-neutral name used by celebrity rapper Eve Cooper and husband Maximillion Cooper in 2022.
Wolfe - German. A boy’s name that celeb Kyle Jenner named her second child in 2022.

Our Top Girl Name Predictions of 2022

Alani - Hawaiian. Oahu tree, fragrant. Alani has skyrocketed in popularity from spot 984 in 2020 to 183 in 2021. Alani is the name of Disney’s Hawaiin resort. We think this adorable name will continue to climb.
Enola - Unknown origin. Enola Holmes is the character from the book and Netflix series of the same name. With the popularity of its star Millie Bobby Brown, we think this name my crest upwards.
Hermione - Greek. Messenger. With the peak of Harry Potter's popularity, literary and film fanatics started naming their baby girls after the book’s brave heroine. However, it never took off. But now, as the individuals who were the big fans of those books in their childhood and adolescence come of age, it’s possible we’ll see a spike in this name.
Malti - Indian. Small, fragrant flower. Priyanka Chopra gave this lovely name to her baby girl. It has a fun, hip flair to it.
Zendaya - African. To give thanks. Since 2014, this name has hovered at the bottom of the top 1000 name list. In 2019, it barely made it on ranking 999. However, with the rise in popularity of the star Zendaya, star of the TV show Euphoria on HBO, we predict this name will continue to climb.

Baby Names Declining in Popularity

Addison - Old English. Son of Adam. This name is a bit tricky. Traditionally a boy’s name, it is now considered unisex. For boys, this name fell off the top 1000 list in 2010; however, for girls, it has climbed to spot #45.
Brendon - Irish/Celtic. Prince. Brendon was huge in the 90s but hasn’t hit the top 1000 since 2013 when it ranked at #983.
Cassie - Greek. Diminutive form of Cassandra, which means prophetess. This once popular name for girls has been steadily declining since 2000. In 2021 it barely made the charts, ranking #957.
Corey - English. From the hollow. The once popular Corey, especially during the Corey craze of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman in the 80s, has steadily declined over the last 20 years. It currently ranks #553 as of 2021.
Hailey - Scottish. Hay’s Meadow. This name has been a popular choice for girls for a while, but it is slowly on the decline. However, the popularity of Hailey Bieber could bump the name back up. Her stunning Met Gala looks in New York over the last few years have definitely caught people’s eyes.
Justin - Latin. Upright or just. Alongside his wife, Justin Bieber's name has declined as a choice for little ones for the last 20+ years. It peaked in 1988 when it was #7 for boys.
Kendall - Unisex. English. From the valley of the River Kent. Kendall peaked in popularity for girls in the mid-2000s and early teens but has been declining lately. So perhaps Kendall Jenner isn’t as influential as we thought.
Kylie - Australian. Boomerang. Another Jenner name that has been declining in the last decade. Still firmly in the top 2000, Kylie Jenner’s moniker has declined from #51 in 2008 to #159 in 2021.
Taylor - Unisex. Occupational name. Despite the popularity of pop star Taylor Swift, this name has steadily declined for girls since 2000.
Trevor - Welsh. Big Villiage. This is a name that has ebbed and flowed. Right now, it is in a downward pattern dropping to spot #459 in 2021.