Baby names predictions for 2013

This could be tricky given what's gone before

We can always count on Hollywood for some yuks when it comes to naming children.

It's been said that one wag commented -- after Bruce Willis and Demi Moore named their first three daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle -- "with the next one they should cut to the chase and go to 'Pretentious'."

Here we go

We could well see that in the year ahead. As parents strive for that distinctive name, social baby naming Website, Belly Ballot (seriously!!), is predicting some, shall we say, interesting New Year's trends. The site collects real-time data on what names parents are selecting from around the globe.

Based on naming data from over 1,000 parents on the site, along with 10,000 votes from their friends and family, the site has released the following predictions for the new year:

  • Tech-inspired names -- One the heels of baby Hashtag, the site expects people to continue this trend with more technology inspired names. Think Tweet, Android, and Kindle. This is a technology crazed world and people are carrying this trend over into the most intimate aspects of their lives -- including naming their babies. Here comes little iMac.
  • Multiple names -- As the pressure mounts in baby naming, parents are trying to create that one unique name and are finding themselves having a hard time choosing just one. So why not pick two, or three names -- or like Uma Thurman -- five! She recently announced her baby girl's name, Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson. Parents are no longer limiting themselves to a first and middle name, but adding as many names as they like. 
  • Old is new -- Everything goes full circle, including baby names. Our grandparents' and great-grandparents' names are making a strong comeback. Drew Barrymore followed this trend recently naming her daughter Olive. We will continue to see old-fashioned names including Pearl, Florence, Nellie, Eleanor, Roy, Charles, Frank, and Albert. Baby Bertha is just so cute, right?
  • Surnames for first names -- While this is not an entirely new trend, parents are pushing past the names that could easily be a first or last name, like Grant or Kennedy. All bets are off and any surname now goes, think Hayes, Townes, Brick, Drake, Fletcher, Sutton, and Copeland. One can only wonder what's next -- maybe Bush or Hathaway.
  • Crazy spellings -- Although parents still like traditional names, they are shying away from the original spellings and creating a whole new name for their baby. Jaxon and Jaxen have become very popular. Other examples include Avah, Xakery, Josilyn, and Braedyn. The possibilities are endless and -- quite scary.

"We can't wait to see what happens for 2013," says Belly Ballot co-founder Lacey Moler. "No matter what though, it appears that it will be the most interesting and diverse year for naming trends ever."

How they voted

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