Parenting

10 New Baby Names to Watch Out For in 2017

ParentingPublished Jan 13, 2017
By Tanvier Peart
beautiful redhead infant baby sleeping in bedOlesia Bilkei/Shutterstock

Since cleaning up the noisemakers and confetti from New Year's Eve, all we've heard about is how the start of another year brings fresh beginnings. New year. New resolutions. New goals. New. New. New. Should you happen to be #AllAbouttheNewYear, one thing you'll want to add to your list of awesome things to look out for in 2017 is new baby names that will likely be hot, hot, hot!

Laura Wattenberg, founder of BabyNameWizard.com, says there are new baby names to watch for in 2017. "Based on search traffic, forum chatter, and trend arrows, they're good bets to be part of the next baby name wave," Laura notes.

More from CafeMom: 21 Baby Names That Are Going to Disappear in 2017

Curious to know which baby names are going to make a splash this year? Read on!

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Elia-placeholder
Elia
photoDiod/Shutterstock

Elia

Pronounced EH-lyə, Elia (a diminutive of Elijah that means "Jehovah is God" in Hebrew) is a gender-neutral baby name that could leave you dreaming about ancient clans, family rivalries, and the fight for power. "A smooth little raindrop from Game of Thrones?" Laura Wattenberg of BabyNameWizard.com playfully questions. "That recipe has made Arya one of the fastest-rising names in America, and Elia -- as in Game of Thrones' Dornish princess Elia Martell -- seems to be next in line for the throne," she adds.

More from CafeMom: 15 Fierce Female 'Game of Thrones' Names Perfect for Baby Girls (or Dragons)

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Prescott
Pikul Noorod/Shutterstock

Prescott

"Double-t names like Emmett and Wyatt are one of the hottest styles around. Prescott is a buttoned-down cousin to those names ..." notes Laura Wattenberg. You have to admit the name Prescott (English for "priest's cottage") is pretty darn cute. We've seen it as a last name and are so happy this (hopefully trendy) double-t name will be all the rave as a first name.

More from CafeMom: 21 Baby Names That Are Going to Disappear in 2017

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Brontë-placeholder
Brontë
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Brontë

Ah, doesn't the name Brontë (Greek for "thunder") make you want to read a really good book? It should. "The surname of novelist sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne is catching on as a simple but unconventional choice for literary-minded parents," Laura mentions. Brontë gives us all sorts of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre feels and is a wonderful choice for a baby girl.

More from CafeMom: 16 Unusual Baby Girl Names Borrowed From Our Favorite Books

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Winston-placeholder
Winston
Yukal Liudmyla/Shutterstock

Winston

Winston is one of those baby names that has a certain oomph to it. Aside from its meaning being a destination all mommies would love to visit (Winston is English for "wine's town"), Winston is a stately title that has major staying power. "Take your pick of Winstons: Legendary British prime minister Winston Churchill. Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston. Tank hero Winston in the video game 'Overwatch,'" says Laura. "That last Winston, believe it or not, may be the one that pushes this surname over the top."

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Aviana/Avianna
Valentin Valkov/Shutterstock

Aviana/Avianna

"With the names Ava, Arianna, and Viviana all fresh hits, this name [Aviana -- or the variant, Avianna] was just begging to happen," says Laura. "The word avian (the [Latin] adjective related to birds) lends the name an extra element of fantasy," she adds.

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Caoimhe
Ivanna_/Shutterstock

Caoimhe

As Laura points out, Caoimhe is pronounced "Keevah" and is an "Irish girl's name [that] has the kind of sound parents are looking for." Caoimhe sounds "beautiful" (that's what it means!) and is a unique name, both in pronunciation and spelling. "Americans are getting bolder about tackling Irish spelling, though, and Caoimhe may be hitting a turning point," Laura adds.

More from CafeMom: 18 Gorgeous Celtic Baby Names That Are Totally Overlooked

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Wolf
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Wolf

It's okay if this baby name makes you feel like you should howl at the moon. (Just don't do it, because that would be weird.) Wolf is a fierce option that's tough, unique, and extremely memorable. "This name sits at the intersection of offbeat, old-fashioned names and swift, bold meaning names. That's a mighty fashionable baby name address," says Laura.

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Ophelia-placeholder
Ophelia
LightRecords/Shutterstock

Ophelia

Ophelia. Ophelia. Wherefore art thou, Ophelia? Okay, even though Ophelia is the name of Polonius's daughter in Hamlet -- and not Juliet -- we couldn't help but have a little fun, as we are talking about Shakespeare. We love the unique feel Ophelia (Greek for "help" or "succor") provides and think it's a darling baby name -- minus the Shakespearean tragedy and all. "The name's romantic literary style is undeniable," Laura points out. "It's increasingly seen as a less common alternative to favorites like Olivia."

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Otto-placeholder
Otto
Katrina Elena/Shutterstock

Otto

Interested in a historic baby name with modern-day relevance? Try Otto. A king and emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Otto comes to us from the Old High German auda that means "rich." "Otto is ready to turn the corner from 'a little too quirky' to 'just quirky enough,'" notes Laura. "It follows in the footsteps of other playful 'o' names like Leo."

More from CafeMom: 19 Rare & Unusual Baby Names From the Bible

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Nova-placeholder
Nova
Taras Atamaniv/Shutterstock

Nova

A new year deserves a "new" baby name idea -- and Nova provides just that. Hailing from the Latin *novus* that means (you guessed it) "new," Nova is a sweet baby name that's perfect for a boy or a girl.

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