The Rise of Raindrop Baby Names

These baby names have topped lists for years, and you definitely know at least one person with one of these names. But, they are growing and growing in popularity this year and are about to become one of the biggest baby name trends out there. And no, these names have nothing to do with the weather!

More: The Top Baby Name Trends You Can Expect To See in 2019

What Are Raindrop Names?

Raindrop baby names names pack two or more syllables into four or fewer letters, also utilizing a consonant that rolls off the tongue, like M, L, N, R and Y. According to Baby Name Wizard, these are “mirror-smooth, self-contained miniatures,” just like a raindrop. They may look succinct, but these multi-syllable names actually pack a punch.

Classic Raindrop Names

Many classic baby names actually fall under the raindrop name category. You’ll probably notice that many of these popular names have been around long before the trend started.

For the Girls:

• Emma
• Mary
• Anna
• Leah 
• Amy

For the Boys:

• Noah
• Alan
• Liam 
• Ryan
• Ira

Trendy Raindrop Baby Names

These names are still all about the flow, but are perfect for a more modern generation of babies. You can expect to see these names topping the charts for most popular baby names in 2019.

For the Girls:

• Mia
• Arya
• Isla
• Aria
• Luna
• Lily

For the Boys:

• Milo
• Leo
• Eli
• Owen
• Ian

Why Are They So Popular?

In 2017, among the most popular baby names for boys and girls in the United States were Liam, Noah, Emma and Ava, which is a huge shift from 1990 where names including Michael, Christopher, Jessica and Brittany topped lists.

Laura Wattenberg, who was one of the first to identify the trend in 2013, explained in an interview that this shift toward shorter names could be part of “market correction” from overly-lengthened names in the late 20th century. “A key factor is the movement toward smooth, light name style, with an emphasis on vowels over consonant sounds,” Wattenberg explained.

What do you think of the trend toward shorter names? Are you on board?

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