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Daily Record

Lifestyle

Nicola Roy

Expert shares baby name predictions for 2023 including 'vintage nicknames'

SJ Strum Devin Marilyn Netflix

Each day, hundreds of thousands of babies are born across the world.

And if you're expecting your own little bundle of joy in 2023, you'll probably already be thinking about what name you're going to give them.

There are countless lists available online for parents-to-be to check out, which detail the most popular names for babies this or any other year. But if you want to go for something more unique, taking inspiration from pop culture or history could be the key to a standout name.

To help parents identify what's likely to be trendy in 2023, insurance provider Protectivity has teamed up with SJ Strum from Baby Name Envy who's shared her top predictions.

The resurgence of 'older' names has been apparent in recent years, but to keep things interesting, SJ has suggested 'upcycling' these into vintage nicknames to make them more unique.

She said: "Short nickname versions are all over the charts. We recommend adding Lennie and Winnie to your list to be ahead of the curve in a classroom full of Albie’s and Elsie’s.

"Or we love digging up forgotten names like Mostyn; Boaz, Eunice & Gladys which all sound so beautiful on a sweet little baby."

One of the key trends is futurism, as SJ explained: "Baby names are set to go futuristic this year as we embrace a glittering future; maybe one involving space travel and smart-tech homes for our babes - for modern parents this trend is also escapism from the pressure of today's world.

"According to Pinterest, searches for dystopian outfits, futuristic glasses, and cyber streetwear are up."

Some of the names that fit this category include the constellation and mythological queen Cassiopeia, and Vesper meaning 'evening star'.

Wednesday on Netflix is expected to have a huge impact on baby names this year (Netflix/Twitter)

Another huge inspiration for baby names at the moment is Dark Academia, a goth-like aesthetic but with extra glamour and more literary influence.

It can be hugely appealing for parents who enjoy gothic novels, art, architecture and history. One of the most emerging names in this category is Wednesday, based on the hugely successful Netflix series which came out last year.

Elsinore is also an example of this, as it's the name of Hamlet's house from the classic Shakespeare play.

Other names that are perfect for this trend are Casimir, meaning Destroyer of Peace, and Devin meaning dark poetry.

Finally, a trend that shows no sign of going anywhere soon is the so-called Main Character Energy trend. This means essentially shifting your lifestyle and mindset as though you are the 'main character' in a film or TV show - and what better way to achieve this than with a striking name?

Due to the success of the second Top Gun film last summer, Maverick is expected to be a big name this year, along with Thor and Marilyn also from popular movie releases.

And in terms of TV, Villanelle has also entered the popularity lists, as dark heroines like the Russian assassin from Killing Eve continue to be a huge inspiration.