There are 13 baby-naming tribes – which one are you?
UK parenting forum Mumsnet have called in some data analysts to look at the baby names parents are choosing and narrow down the trends that mums and dads are gravitating towards.
It turns out that there are 13 baby name tribes Mumsnet says, and the most commonly chosen names all fall within one of these.
“Mumsnet’s data science team analysed more than 4,000 threads and 170,000 posts to flesh out the 13 baby name tribes,” the folk at Mumsnet tell us.
“Parents searching for a baby name usually have an idea of the kind of name they’d like, and often they will search within their ‘tribe’ looking for that sweet spot: a name that has good associations, is personally meaningful for them, and is a little bit unusual without being completely off-the-wall,” Justine Roberts who is the founder and CEO of Mumsnet says.
1. The flower power tribe
Blooming pretty names like Rose, Daisy, Lily, Violet and Ivy. In Australia, plant-based names like Willow, Poppy, Jasmine, Holly and Olive are popular too.
2. The divinely inspired tribe
Lifted straight from the Bible, think Mary, Joseph, Isaac and Noah, Mumsnet says. Local favourites James, Thomas and Joshua are all biblical and in the top 100 names for boys.
3. The grandparent chic tribe
In the UK, Dorothy, Wilfred, Ava, Alfie and Evelyn were tip-top of this tribe’s names. Ava, Alfie and Evelyn all appear on the most recent Australian top 200 baby names list making us a little bit granny too.
4. The royal tribe
This trend is a total go-er across the globe, thanks to the cute offspring of Prince William and Prince Harry. George, William, Elizabeth and Victoria were also popular for this tribes’ parents. As were Archie, Harry, Charlotte and Charlie here in Australia.
5. The shortened and sweet tribe
Big names made small were a significant trend, Mumsnet says. Think Ben, Katie, Charlie, Theo and Teddie. In Australia, the top 200 baby names included Ellie, Bella, Leo and Max which all fit this tribe’s characteristics.
6. The trusty traditionalist tribe
The traditional tribe is next and it has much in common with the royal, divine and grandparent chic tribe. Mumsnet pointed to names like Olivia, John, Jack, James and Oliver. Locally Oscar, Xavier, Sebastian, Grace, Sophie and Isabella fit this brief and made the top 200 list.
7. The cautious Celt tribe
Rory, Angus, Siobhan and Caoimhe fit the cautious Celt trend. This tribe is a titch less popular in Australia but Evelyn and Owen did pop up in the local list of baby name faves.
8. The Disney diva tribe
This tribe loves the names you’d fully expect them to – Elsa, Aurora and Belle. Anna and Jasmine made the local list too.
9. The hidden gem tribe
Ruby and Jade were mentioned in Mumsnet‘s Hidden Gem tribe roll call. In Australia, the top 100 girls names featured just one gem name – Ruby – but we know this is a growing trend. (Hello Pearl! Shoutout to Opal, Topaz and Amber!)
10. The old school tribe
No-nonsense names like Sharon, Sarah, Claire, Paul and Keith are a tribe trend, Mumsnet says. In Australia, there were a few of these in our top 200 list – Adam, Daniel and Aaron among them.
11. The last name first tribe
This is a big trend across the globe, with the last name first tribe favouring names like Hunter, Tyler and Taylor. Locally we’ve got Flynn, Lincoln and Hunter in the top 100 most popular boy’s names.
12. The super modern tribe
These names are newfangled and interesting – think Bear, Jaxon, Leilani and Canary.
13. The classy classicists tribe
Think names lifted from literature and mythology – Ptolemy, Persephone, Aristotle and Atlas, Mumsnet says.
Beyond these 13 tribes, in Australia there’s a clear enthusiasm for celebrity-influenced baby names too, so we’ve added a number 14 as a non-scientifically arrived-at tribe too.
14. The celebrity fancier tribe
Harper, Luna, Penelope, Violet and Willow are all celebrity offspring names which appear in the top 100 names for baby girls locally. Lara, Stella, Isla, Zoe and Scarlett are also in the top 100 – and are names of popular celebrity ladies.
