Choosing a name for your baby is one of the most exciting rites of passage for a new or expectant parent.
And baby name consultant Colleen Slagen says celebrities are increasingly influencing the monikers we use for our latest additions to the family.
While new mums and dads across the globe are looking at the stars for inspiration, they are going for a particular length of name too. "A few of the trends I'm seeing right now that I expect to see more of in 2025 are short and effortless names for both boys and girls," Colleen told the Sun.
George fits both trends the expert highlights perfectly - it is shared by the future king Prince George of Wales plus plenty of A listers including filmstar George Clooney. It fulfils the short and effortless brief, with Colleen predicting it will become the most common name for boys next year.
The expert highlighted a third, more unusual trend when it naming newborn boys and girls - opting for a surname as a first name. "Surnames will be on the rise for both genders," she said, predicting Beckham will be a popular name given to babies born next year. This surname of course belongs to a very A list couple, ex-footballer David and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.
Image:
Getty Images)Celebrities are notorious for giving their children unusual names to stand out - think Apple, daughter of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow and North, daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kayne West. Kourtney Kardashian's fourth child, her first with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, is called Rocky and Colleen thinks this will be another popular boy's name for 2025.
"Many celebrities are still leading the way with their more unusual choices," she said. "I think it is contributing to the rise of... nouns and adjectives being adopted as baby names."
Popular TV shows are often looked to for inspiration too. Netflix sensation Bridgerton has prompted a rise in popularity of regal, posh names such as Daphne and Florence, while Western drama hit Yellowstone has had an influence on cowboy names including Kayce and Tate.
When it comes to girls, Margot is most popular thanks to A list actress Margot Robbie, star of Barbie. Former The Only Way is Essex star Billie Faiers chose this name for her youngest child.
The most recent official figures from the Office of National Statistics put the names Olivia, Amelia and Isla at the top of the pile for girls, while Noah, Muhammad and George were the most common boys names. Nova was the biggest climber for female monikers and Axel surged in popularity for boys.
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