The Hottest Baby Names of 2011

What are the hottest new baby names this year? Based on an analysis of over 23 million page views at Nameberry since January, we’ve pegged these choices as the Hottest Names of 2011.
It’s a surprising list, driven by unexpected celebrities, rediscovered classics, and the year’s most compelling events.
Nameberry’s Hottest Baby Names of 2011:

Pippa – It wasn’t only Pippa Middleton’s bottom that attracted widespread attention at the Royal Wedding; her name – both the familiar Pippa and the more formal Philippa – is the Number 1 hottest baby name of the year on Nameberry. Pippa ranks 35 on our most-searched list so far this year and did not appear at all among the 200 most popular girls’ names of 2010. While Kate is up too, it’s not nearly as hot.

Asher – The soft, Biblical Asher takes the Hottest Boys’ Name spot by virtue of having unseated Henry as the all-time Number 1 name for boys on Nameberry. For the first time in 2011, Asher has pulled ahead.

Elula – New celebrity baby name trend: Parents choose attention-getting name, then refuse to reveal the name they’ve picked, perhaps to heighten interest and publicity? This unusual choice of Isla Fisher and Sasha Baron Cohen for their second daughter was not even in our database last year – it’s a name drawn from the Hebrew calendar — and now is the Number 38 most-searched name on Nameberry.

Everett – In a groundbreaking baby name move that feminists can applaud, boys’ names are for the first time being pushed into the limelight by the popularity of their female counterparts. Everett, up 50 places on our most-searched list, was inspired by such stylish girls’ choices as Eva and Evelyn.

Hadley – The success of the bestselling novel The Paris Wife has catapulted the intriguing name of Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson, 50 spots up our list.

Arlo – Why does a star’s name sometimes languish for years, inspiring few little namesakes, and then suddenly, for no discernible reason having to do with the original star, take off? It happened most notably in the past decade with Ava, and now it’s happening with Arlo. Other o-ending names for boys heating up: Nico, Hugo, Otto. (Yes, Otto.)

Mila – It’s the name of a gorgeous young star, Mila Kunis, PLUS it resembles a handful of trendy names — Mia, Maya, Lila — that are due for a break. The result: A breakout baby name.

Flynn – Finn is already hot, but cousin Flynn, baby name choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, is taking off. This one also nods to the Golden Age of Hollywood and Errol Flynn.
Ada, Adele, Adeline, Adelaide – If it’s a vintage girls’ name that starts with Ad-, it can’t miss this year, it seems. All these choices are leapfrogging up the list, taking over where too-trendy cousins Ava and Addison left off.

Archer – Literary baby names are hot right now, especially when they’re not too literary: Think Holden, Atticus, and yes (more on this in a moment) Harper. Archer, as in Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady and Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence, is perfect: It’s unusual, classic yet contemporary-feeling, and there’s little danger of anyone actually having read the books.

Luna – The Beckhams picked the yawn-inducing Harper for their daughter, but we can’t call that one of the hottest names of 2011 because it was already one of the hottest names of 2010, when nearly 3000 non-celebrity baby girls were called Harper. And Seven is just too….weird. The real hottie launched by the Beckham name quest was otherworldly Luna, the name rumored to be their pick for most of Posh’s pregnancy.

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