It’s 2016, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that more parents than ever are drawn to unique and quirky names for their babies. But even so, some of today’s fastest rising monikers aren’t what you’d expect.
According to Nameberry, Theodosia and Ragnar are the two most distinctive names that are quickly gaining popularity. To determine this, the baby name site looked at its statistics from this year versus last.
Surprisingly, Theodosia is up 135 per cent compared to 2015. If the girl name seems a little eye-raising to you, it’s because it’s so new and rare. In fact, zero babies were given this name in the U.S. last year. Despite this, interest has never been stronger.
Nameberry notes that Theodosia is likely gaining popularity thanks to the hot trend of names starting with “The.” While Theodosia is an unusual name choice, we have to say its common nicknames Theo or Thea are pretty cute.
As for boys, the name Ragnar is up 91 per cent. At first glance, Ragnar might seem like an unusual pick simply due to its rarity and harsh sound. However, the name – which means “warrior” – actually has strong historical roots in Scandinavia.
The moniker is also the name of the protagonist in the TV series “Vikings.” Baby names inspired by pop culture is an on-going trend (just ask “Game of Thrones”), so the fact that Ragnar is gaining traction among parents isn’t so surprising.
Other unique names on Nameberry’s list of fastest rising monikers include Calypso (up 87 per cent), Kaiser (up 75 per cent) and Leonidas (up 55 per cent), which all have ancient or historical roots as well.
For more unique monikers, flip through the slideshow below:
Baby Names That Didn't Exist Before 2000
For Girls(01 of25)
Open Image ModalVivienneVivienne is the French variation of the more common name Vivian. The moniker is particularly popular among celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Ali Larter, and Rosie O’Donnell. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(02 of25)
Open Image ModalBrynlee Brynlee is the softer version of the very common name Britney. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(03 of25)
Open Image ModalKarterReplacing Cs with Ks became a big trend in the 21st century. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(04 of25)
Open Image ModalAdalyn Adding “-lyn” to the ends of names is becoming quite popular among parents in the 21st century. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(05 of25)
Open Image ModalGael It’s not surprising that this boy name is popular in Spain, but what is surprising is that it’s popularity didn’t grow until after 2000. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(06 of25)
Open Image ModalPaisley Interestingly, Paisley has become incredibly popular in recent years. In 2006, the moniker entered the Top 1000 and today it rests just outside of the Top 50. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(07 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Boys(08 of25)
Open Image ModalMaddox Angelina Jolie clearly started this trend, as her eldest son is named Maddox. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(09 of25)
Open Image ModalIsla This beautiful name means “island” and has exploded in popularity in the U.S., England and Wales. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(10 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Boys(11 of25)
Open Image ModalKingston Gwen Stefani named her baby boy Kingston in 2006, further adding to the trend of choosing place names. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(12 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Boys(13 of25)
Open Image ModalJax Names ending in “x” are considered edgy and cool. That’s how Jax became the new Max. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(14 of25)
Open Image ModalNorah Surprisingly, this name is actually quite modern. Perhaps it’s popularity is due to soul-blues singer Norah Jones. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(15 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Boys(16 of25)
Open Image ModalCash While it used to be trendy to name your child Kurt or Jimi after your favourite musician, it soon became popular to choose their last names. That’s how Cash came to be. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(17 of25)
Open Image ModalBeckett Using last names as first names has become a popular trend, which is why Beckett is quickly climbing the charts. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(18 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Boys(19 of25)
Open Image ModalKing Interestingly, giving your child a regal name has become a new trend. Many celebrities have taken to this fad, such as Chris Brown whose daughter’s name is Royalty and Kourtney Kardashian whose son’s name is Reign. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(20 of25)
Open Image ModalLondyn It’s no surprise that place names have become popular among parents. However, recently, moms and dads have been putting their own twist on them. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(21 of25)
Open Image ModalLyla Adding “y” to names has also become an incredibly popular fad. (credit:Getty)
For Girls(22 of25)
Open Image ModalKhloe This moniker famously belongs to Khloe Kardashian, who likely started its rise in popularity. (credit:Getty)
For Boys(23 of25)
Open Image ModalBrantley Brantley is an English surname that has been climbing the charts since 2009! (credit:Getty)
For Girls(24 of25)
Open Image ModalFor Girls(25 of25)
Open Image ModalMila You’d never guess that the name Mila was rare before 2000. Now thanks to stars like Mila Kunis and Milla Jovovich, the moniker is quickly gaining attention. (credit:Getty)