Picking a baby name is the first big decision you make for your child, and it’s one that will affect him for the rest of his life. So, you know, no pressure or anything.
For your obsession purposes, here are the top names that people are choosing for boys in 2012—the latest year for which the Social Security Administration has released numbers—as well as a rundown of the rising trends. Where do the names on your shortlist fall?
Jacob: means “one who grasps by the heel or supplanter.”
Mason: means “one who works with stone.”
Ethan: means “constancy.”
Noah: means “small.”
William: means “determined protector.”
Liam: a shortened version of William, it also means “determined protector.”
Jayden: means “the precious stone.”
Michael: means “who resembles God.”
Alexander: means “protector of men.”
Aiden: means “flame.”
Trends in Boy's Names
What’s going to be hot in years to come? While the names in the top 10 don’t change much year to year, if you look farther down on the list you can see some emerging trends.
Royal Names
It’s all about baby George and the royal fever he’s ushered in. William and its offshoot Liam are firmly ensconced in the top 10 already, as well as George’s middle name, Alexander, which has been steadily rising in popularity for years. Louis (baby George’s other middle name), too, has been making modest gains. While George was the 166th most popular name in 2012, we’re thinking it’s going to rank much higher on the 2013 list.
'L' Names
Celebs are loving the letter L when it comes to naming their boys. Snookie chose Lorenzo, Matthew McConaughey went with Livingston, and Hilary Duff picked Luca. Logan, Lucas and Landon are all also climbing the charts. Maybe it’s the way those lovely L names roll off the tongue?
Scandanavian Names
The Swedes are known for their fetching-but-functional style... and their baby names? Big, strong names that call to mind Vikings are hot right now. Singer Jennifer Nettles and actress Elizabeth Banks both recently chose the manly Magnus. Soren and Axel, two names with serious Scandanavian appeal, are also moving up the charts.
A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.