Baby name trends 2011

Jan 12, 2011 4:17 AM by Kim Grundy

Posted in Parenting / Having a Baby / Baby Names

Top Girl And Boy Names

What will be the hot baby name trends of 2011? We look at emerging trends, from unique baby names to exotic baby names to celebrity baby names, and predict what baby girl names and boy names will be at the top of the class.

mom with newborn baby

Modern parents are putting a lot of thought into the names of their children. From looking at the origin of the baby name, meaning of the name and even doing a google search of their potential names to see who else has had that name and what that could mean for their child.

Passing down your own name

Today's parents are passing on their own name to their children in unique ways. Instead of using "Junior" for boys, parents are using the middle name or a combination of their own name. For girls, parents are using their maiden name as a first name or choosing a first name that incorporates their own name.

Following are some celebrity baby names as examples:

Heroes actress Ali Larter and her husband Hayes MacArthur named their son Theodore Hayes MacArthur.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith combined their first names for their children's names: Willow and Jayden.
Save the Last Dance actor Sean Patrick Thomas and his wife Aonika Laurent Thomas used her middle name and named their son Luc Laurent Thomas.
Juno writer Diablo Cody and her husband Dan Maurio named their son Marcello Daniel.

Unique, yet modern baby names

Many modern parents want a baby name that will help their child stand out in a crowd. In fact, they make a point to not pick any baby names that are on the top of the popular baby name lists.

How can you find your own unique baby name? Pay attention to girl names or boy names that stand out in your favorite classic book (Gatsby in The Great Gatsby or Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird). Look through your family tree to find an old fashioned and unique name, such as Beatrice or Felix.

>>Browse through our list of "x" names -- these names are unique and have a cool and modern sound to them.

Destination names

Whether you are naming your child after your favorite travel destination, place you got married or even place they were conceived, many parents are choosing destination baby names for their children.

For example, Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz named their child Egypt Daoud. Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman named her daughter India, while Amy Adams named her daughter Aviana after the city in Italy.

Classic baby names

Classic names are never out of style and sound good regardless of profession or age. Taking a look at the top baby names on the recent list from the Social Security Administration, many of these names are classic boy or girl names.

For example, the top 5 girl names:

Top 5 boy names

Exotic baby names

Many parents are also looking to other cultures and languages to find the perfect baby boy or baby girl name -- or are choosing a name that pays tribute to their own native heritage.

Following are some exotic celebrity baby names of 2010: