Most Popular Baby Names In 2020 Include Eco-Names Like Daisy, River, Bear

The biggest trend this fall among new parents is taking inspiration for their baby’s name from nature, according to Nameberry, the world’s biggest baby name database.

In these times of climate change, Nameberry suggests many “environmentally conscious parents” are going for names such as River, Meadow and Sky, because they “hope to raise down-to-earth and eco-minded children.”

Another bonus: Eco-names are often gender-neutral, which is increasingly important to this generation.

These are among the most popular eco-names of 2020, by category:

Quirky botanical eco-names

Inspired by flowers and plants, names such as Blossom, Daisy, Meadow, Marigold, Juniper and Sage all made this year’s top 500 baby names list. The celeb baby to best embody this trend is the daughter of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Daisy Dove Bloom.

Tree eco-names

Tree monikers have a loyal following among new parents too: Willow is a classic that became even more popular after Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith chose it for their now-20-year-old daughter. But others gaining traction are: Arbor, Ash, Banyan, Birch, Cedar, Leaf and Oak.

Animal eco-names

Names inspired by all creatures great and small are on the rise, but Nameberry notes that the most popular species to draw inspiration from are birds. Wren takes the lead: “It broke the Top 500 in 2017 and now ranks at Number 428,” according to the site. Other popular choices include: Bear, Bee, Dove, Feather, Otter, Sparrow, Wolf and Wren ― or Birdie, like the daughters of both Busy Philipps and Jessica Simpson.

Aquatic eco-names

Water-related eco-names are also on the rise, and the most popular name in this category, River, is likely to become even more so, now that Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara just named their newborn after the late River Phoenix, Joaquin’s brother, Nameberry predicts.

Also popular in the aquatic category are Bay, Harbor, Ocean, Rain, Reef and Snow. The website suggests that the inherent tranquility of water is something we’re all craving in the drama-filled year that 2020 has been.

Earthy eco-names

Leading the pack in this category is Sky, which Nameberry ranks at number 816 among baby girls (the site categorizes by gender, although this way of thinking is falling out of favour among new parents).

Among these names that evoke the land and sky, parents are also going for Prairie, Forest, Canyon, Woods and Stone. Lucy Liu called her now five-year-old son Rockwell, which means “from the rocky spring.”