3 hot baby name trends for 2022

After two years of Covid-19 stress, the world is looking towards the future with a sense of hope, a sentiment that is inspiring some exciting new baby names.

Nameberry released the latest baby name trends set to dominate 2022 and it might just lift your spirits. Parents are taking a light and whimsical approach to name choosing, opting for choices that inspire fun, cheekiness and adventure. Escapism and fantasy play a huge role with names drawn from idyllic dream holiday destinations and the latest must-watch TV shows.

Here are three of our favourite top baby name trends for 2022:

1. Keeping it fun and light-hearted

Having gone through a couple of bleak years, parents are looking forward to happier times with baby names to match. Casual names are drawing attention, with terms of endearment such as Baby, Honey and Buddy becoming popular. There are cute word names like Pixie, Moxie, Cricket and Bear, and also gorgeous nicknames names that bounce off the page like Coco, Teddy, Ziggy and Bee.

Here are some upbeat post-pandemic names to keep your eye on for next year.

1. Baby
2. Bee
3. Buddy
4. Cricket
5. Gigi
6. Lucky
7. Moxie
8. Pixie
9. Sonny
10. Trixie
11. Bear
12. Coco
13. Dovie
14. Birdie
15. Honey
16. Lulu
17. Ozzy
18. Rocky
19. Teddy
20. Ziggy

2. Getting back to nature

With most travel and holiday plans thwarted over recent times, parents are moving towards nature baby names that conjure visions of the great outdoors. Beachy names like Bali, Coast and Ocean are proving popular, inspired by the hit HBO show White Lotus, set in a stunning Hawaiian island resort. Other names like Prairie, Dune and Forest inspire adventurous dreams in open, rugged terrains.

Here are the hottest nature names to look out for in 2022.

1. Bali
2. Banyan
3. Bay
4. Capri
5. Coast
6. Dune
7. Forest
8. Horizon
9. Koa
10. Lotus
11. Meridian
12. Ocean
13. Palmer
14. Prairie
15. Reef
16. Ridge
17. Sequoia
18. Taiga
19. Woods
20. Zephyr

3. Enjoying the Bridgerton boom

When the lavish Netflix series Bridgerton hit our TV screens with a bang, antique names grew in popularity. Viewers everywhere were enchanted by Regency-era London, as well as the classic style names that came with it. And with season two waiting in the wings for 2022, the trend will no doubt continue.

Names such as Hyacinth and Daphne have already crept up the charts this year; other Regency choices such as Cressida, Marina, Albion and Benedict are predicted to take hold in 2022.

Escape to the world of London high society with this list of iconic Bridgerton-inspired names.

1. Albion
2. Benedict
3. Cressida
4. Edwina
5. Eloise
6. Euphemia
7. Francesca
8. Genevieve
9. Daphne
10. Hyacinth
11. Kitty
12. Philippa
13. Phoebe
14. Marina
15. Rupert
16. Theo
17. Portia
18. Prudence
19. Simon