Girl names that debuted in the U.S. baby name data in 2022

10 thoughts on “Girl names that debuted in the U.S. baby name data in 2022”

1. Apricity was fairly popular with name accounts on Instagram. I even included it in one or two of my blog posts.

   Tomyris was an ancient queen of the Massagetae who defeated Cyrus the Great of Persia. I’m guessing parents are influenced here by her appearance in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI as ruler of the Scythians, but she’s been a playable character for a few years now. It *is* a popular game.

   Anacaona was also a cacica/chief/queen of the Taíno in Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic) who was executed by the Spanish around 1504. Not sure why her name is showing up now, but I found a bit of info about a new-ish production company named after her? (https://www.anacaonapictures.com/about) (https://www.scad.edu/blog/anacaona-rising)

2. This person on TikTok seems to have a baby named Brisley: https://www.tiktok.com/@arevalobriseydi

3. Popular TikTok with both Jazaiyah and Jhersi: https://www.tiktok.com/@beautifulbabynames06/video/7083199795657035051

4. – Navany may be another spelling of Navani, the name of a character in the Stormlight fantasy novels, which have inspired other names like Kaladin. It’s odd that Navani was given to 17 babies, while Navany was given to 28 babies, so I wonder if there’s another factor behind this name.
   – Soleen feels like it might be another spelling of Souline, which debuted last year, I think, as the name of an influencer’s baby. But not really sure.
   – Kheumani Stevenson is an influencer.
   – Malenia is a character in the video game Elden Ring.
   – Taqdeer is a Bangladeshi TV show that ran from late 2020 through 2021. However, the character Taqdeer is a man and I’m not seeing the name in the boys’ popularity list.
   – Keyoir is probably another spelling of Kaoir, which has trended in recent years because of to Keyshia Ka’Oir, the former video vixen and wife of rapper Gucci Mane.
   – Sirey Morán won Nuestra Belleza Latina in late 2021.
   – Ezmeray is another spelling of Esmeray, the name of a character on a Turkish soap opera that’s broadcast in Spanish.
   – Makkari is a male character in the Marvel movie Eternals.
   – Ahmiri is another spelling of Amiri, the name of a streetwear brand that is trending for boys and girls.
   – Bonnibelle might be another spelling of Bonnibel, the name of Princess Bubblegum on the cartoon Adventure Time.
   – Monaco is the name of the daughter of rapper Jeezy and TV host Jeannie Mai Jenkins.
   – Ozzlyn
   – Pualena is a Hawaiian name that refers to the color yellow.
   – Zenni is a glasses company that advertises all over the place. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with the increased usage, but Zen names are rising across the board.
   – Heimy could be a phonetic Spanish spelling of Amy.
   – Wrenlynn, Rynnlee, Wrenlyn, Wrennly
   – Bibiaisha refers to Bibi Aisha, an Afghan woman who was mutilated by the Taliban and appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 2010. I wonder if her name was given by Afghan families who left Afghanistan when the US departed and the Taliban took over in 2021.
   – Sersi is a character in the Marvel movie Eternals.
   – Tomyris is one of my favorite names, so it’s a treat to see other people starting to use it.
   – Yumeko is a character in the manga Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler.
   – Idelette was the name of Protestant reformer John Calvin’s wife.
   – Jaspen = Jasper + Aspen
   – Nanala is a Hawaiian name that means ‘sunflower.’
   – Bardot refers to Brigitte Bardot and falls into the same trend pattern as Harlow (still going strong through new names Harleaux and Hallow).
   – Castalia was a Greek naiad-nymph.
   – Illumi is the name of a character in the Hunter x Hunter.
   – Klonni is likely another spelling of Kehlani (and likely includes an apostrophe that’s not recorded in the SSA data).
   – Losaline Ma’asi is a Tongan politican who was formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly and ran for office in 2021.
   – Dave Velzy was a surfboard shaper. An influencer (kennabang@) named her daughter Velzy Jack in 2023, so too late to lead the trend here.
   – Eda Yildiz is a character on the Turkish soap opera Sen Cal Kapimi, which was broadcast in Spanish.

5. I found a TikTok with a baby Navany so maybe that’s part of it? For an even wilder theory maybe it has to do with Alexei Navalny? That’s a stretch though.

6. Ozma probably from the princess in the Wizard of Oz books. I’ve wondered when it might show up in the listings. I saw it in a birth announcement here a few years ago. There must have been fewer than five born that year. Hecate is an ancient Greek goddess associated with witchcraft. Jhersi looks to be a creative respelling of Jersey. Harleaux looks to be a creative spelling of Harlow or Harlowe.

7. Though I see that Ozma Moh Glacius is also a female knight character in a video game called Tactics Ogre: Reborn and also an anime called RLC. It’s also an international jazz quintet that performed in the United States last year in. New York and Washington DC for the first time. I would bet it’s the video game.

8. Genendel is a Yiddish name possibly meaning “old woman” (a wish for the baby’s future) or possibly a variant of Hannah. It is seen as a more traditional or old-fashioned name in the Jewish community. I don’t know why it debuted this year.

9. Elizabeth, Alex (1), Alex (2), Andrea, and Rachel – Thank you guys so much for all the insightful comments!

10. Ozma is apparently also an elderly woman minor character in the movie Encanto that came out recently but hers isn’t the type of character I’d expect to inspire a name. The Name of the Ozma whose birth announcement ai saw a few years ago was definitely Oz inspired since the parents had written something about welcoming their “little munchkin.” She’d be a preschooler now.

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