Baby names: The trends of 2016 that you need to know about

How far would you go to feel close to some of the biggest celebrities of today?

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by Becky Lancashire |
Published on

With the likes of Instagram and Twitter giving us constant access to what, and where, our fave celebs are eating and who their best friends are, knowing the ins and outs of their private lives has never been easier.

But, for some, this simply isn’t enough.

According to new figures by BabyCentre, many parents have taken fan-girling to the next level by naming their children after some of the biggest stars.

The site - which reaches more than 45 million parents worldwide each month - compiles the top baby names each year, and we’ve sneaked a peek at the half-year results to bring you some of the most popular name trends emerging so far this year.

So, what did these results show?

Well, the reveal hints that there may be a few action film fans among the parent population of the UK, with names such as Tom (Hiddleston), who is tipped to be the next James Bond, Idris (Elba) and Damian (Lewis) all having more registrations than last year.

The new Star Wars movie, released in December last year, seems to have led to names such as Leia, Lucas and even Anakin creeping into the chart, while Harry Potter fans alike are bringing plenty of Harry's and Hermione's into the world - which is just magical, really.

It also seems apparent that new mummys are keen to ‘keep up’ with the times as names beginning with K, particularly Kendall, Kim and Kylie, are all on the rise.

Sarah Redshaw, Managing Editor of BabyCentre UK, said: “Parents are always influenced by pop culture. Social media makes celebrities more accessible than ever, so it’s no wonder that we are increasingly influenced by actors, singers and high profile events as this filters into every aspect of our lives."

But it isn’t just the red carpet that seems to be having an effect on their maternal choices...

Parents have also potentially been influenced by Tim Peake’s space odyssey this year, as charts have seen a distinct rise in space themed names such as Aurora, Luna, Pheonix, Orion, Nova and Heaven.

Clearly parents are going to all lengths to make sure their child’s name is out of this world!

Have you named your little one after someone famous or your favourite character?

Let us know via Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline).

You may also wish to read: Our Complete Guide to picking a baby name

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