Move over, “Marjorie,” “Betty,” “Dorothea,” “Inez,” and “James”—the predicted top baby names of 2021 are so dainty, magical, and unique they may just inspire a brand new set of Taylor Swift songs. In late December, Nameberry published their list of top trends for names in the New Year, and each trend definitely has a Folklore/Evermore twang to it.
According to Nameberry, “magic names” are going to be huge this year. “The defining names of 2021 have an element of magic to them,” the site predicts. “They’re the names of superheroes (and super-antiheroes), and names that carry an incantatory power to protect and strengthen our children in these difficult times.”
Gender-neutral names like Messiah, Legacy, Brave, Powerful, and Nobel will make appearances on to-be parents’ names list, alongside feminine names like Persephone, Kali, and Delilah, and masculine names including Evander, Adonis, and Oz—all of whom could find themselves the star of a Swift-sung single release.
Cottagecore aesthetic ruled 2020 with people looking for a quieter existence away from the sheer chaos that wrecked havoc on a global spectrum. And 2021 baby names will reflect that need for calm and comfort. Simple, vintage names like Jane, Flora, Faye, Maisie, Silas, Fletcher, and Wilder will pop up on birth certificates in the year head, Nameberry believes.
And although so many popular names on the 2021 trend list point to a Swift influence, Nameberry writes that it’s actually Billie Eilish (full name Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell) who is rubbing off on parents planning what to call their new arrival. Billie, Eilish, Finneas, Pirate, Baird, Frankie, Jessie, and Stevie are all on the up-and-up.
Evermore may have more influence in the long run, though, with parents opting for names like Everly, Everson, Everest, and Ever post-Evermore‘s release. Yes, Everly has been a popular name for a while, but the expansion of the Ever line may harken back to Swift’s second release of 2020.
If your family will be growing by one this year, you can check out the full list of trendy names on the Nameberry website to get inspired. Or, you know, you could stream Folklore and Evermore like you’ve been doing for months. Carry on.
