OUR BABY NAME IDEAS FOR 2022

Naming your baby is one of the biggest pressures a new parent faces. So many parents enjoy making list after list of potential baby names way before they are even pregnant. Others find the pressure too much, ending up with a completely blank mind even after baby is born. Questions racing through the mind such as 'Do they suit their name?', 'Will it suit them when they are older?'. 

With lots of factors to potentially consider like; is this name too popular? Can we honour a family member within the baby's name? Middle or no middle? Is the name too feminine/masculine for our taste? Is this name too out there and unique? Is this name timeless or will go out of date fast? Does this name match the baby's siblings well? Could my child get picked on at school for this name?

We explore up & coming baby names.  And share our popular predictions for the rest of 2022. 

Timeless and traditional names still top the UK charts, names like Henry, Olivia, Sophia and Archie. There will always be room for these ever-popular names, but we are seeing parents move away slightly from these super traditional & popular names using more unique versions such as: 

• Henry- Henlow, Harlen, Henley, Hampton, Hendrix
• Olivia- Olivette, Olive, Olietta, Orla, Ollivie, Ocie, Olivine, Oskia, Orchard, Lilibeau
• Sophia- Sisi, Seffie, Skyla, Shiloh, Shyla, Starla
• Archie - Alford, Atticus, Aldo, Alano, Alba, Angelo, Ari, Ares, Archer, Arlie

We have listed some other examples of unique alternative names that have a twist on the current most popular names:

• Miles - Milo, Milan, Niles, Marlowe, Moss, Mason, Mawes
• Noah- Koa, Kiah, Cedar, Wilder, River, Oaka
• Charlotte- Kit, Everline, Avienne, Ellerose, Ellnora, Eladine, Dovette, Avietta, Rosangel, Pollielle, Bellerose, Cece, Isabetta, Winslet
• Amelia - Amelie, Maelie, Norali, Eanna, Evely, Thena, Islavie, Birdie, Amaria, Essia, Annia, Aravie, Aura, Ellmay, Attalie, Faeley, Liabella
• Daisy - Lilibeau, Lavender, Daffodil, Blush, Bloom, Melrose, Golden, Delora, Sierra, Aelia, Florabel, Pixie, Silks, Snowy, Dove
• Arthur - Saxon, Thaddeus, Arlo, Artie, Roman, Beaumont, Astro, Hart, Dax, Hector, Arrow, Atticus, Atlas, Arrio, Wulfrick

Gender neutral names are soaring at the moment, with parents naming their little ones without the worry of a gender stereotype. See our list of current favourite baby names that we believe are suitable for either a boy or girl. 

• Parker
• Apollo
• Nox
• Casper
• Scottie
• Lennox
• Hendrix
• Harper
• Rocket
• Koa
• Rhodes
• Noa
• Harlow
• Hudson
• Reef
• Loxley
• Coast
• Collins
• Banks
• Briggs
• Wilder
• Jagger
• Blake
• Huxley
• Azure
• Saint
• Grey
• Storm
• James
• Hayze
• Dash
• Oaklie
• Raine/Reign
• Tide
• Sutton
• Hart
• Cove
• Forrest
• Marlie
• Marlowe
• Beau
• Monroe
• Golden
• Bear

Names that used to be really unusual a few years ago like River, Storm, Forrest, Hudson, Bodhi and Koa are now really mainstream and topping the charts moving 1000's of places up to the top 100 spots. Parents are now scouring baby name youtube channels and blogs for the next upcoming nature name, we have listed a few of our favourites that are totally rare and not commonly used. 

• Reef 'a ridge of coral'
• Coast
• Tide
• Wild
• Holliday
• Rainer
• Riviera 'a coastal region'
• Tiger
• Blush 
• Bloom
• Moon
• Light
• Stardust
• Lavender
• Cedar
• Valley
• Palmer
• Wellford 'a springtime ford'
• Mars
• Wrenly 
• Tarlow 
• Niles 'River Nile'
• Ceesa 'from the woodland clearing'
• Mirrie - 'shimmering'
• Rivie - 'from the coast'
• Faeley - 'from the fairy meadow'
• Meadow
• Cyro - 'sun'
• Midnight
• Blaze

As we have all been locked down over the last few years due to covid 19, parents of the UK are obsessing over place names. We have popped together a list of our favourite place names that are gender neutral.

• Dover
• Bristol
• Boston
• Bude
• Hastings
• Mawes
• York
• Airlie
• Sydney
• Ayres
• Rhodes
• Sicily 
• Adelaide
• Melrose
• Sloane
• Everest
• Morrocco
• Rome
• Scotland
• Athens
• Aspen
• Alaska
• Kitts
• Oslo
• Bonnaire

Another name trend we are seeing soar all over the world; USA, Australia, UK is occupational baby names, this has become so popular for either gender. See our list of occupational names that also lean into the nature baby name trend slightly too.

Occupational names are word names meaning an occupation that someone can work as. These all work fabulous on their own or combined with shorter middle spot names like Rae, Grey, Blue, Rose, Blush, Bloom, Dove, Dash, James. 

• Thatcher 
• Skipper
• Booker
• Archer
• Drummer
• Mason
• Shepard
• Woodrow
• Crew
• Sailor
• Painter
• Gunner
• Saxon
• Tanner
• Heath
• Forrester
• Sawyer
• Poet
• Walker
• Hunter
• Fisher
• Tucker
• Scout
• Striker
• Draper
• Hooper
• Baker
• Sadler
• Knight
• Noble
• Squire
• Judge
• Duke
• Maverick
• Anchor
• Racer
• Taylor
• Miller
• Brewer
• Rider
• Carter
• Pilot
• Colter

Middle spots can be a space for a daring name which parents weren't brave enough to use as the first name, here are some of our favourite middle spot, super cool names... if you are brave enough to use them! 

Girls

• Loveday
• Darling
• Peaches
• Dove
• Navy
• Suede
• Reef
• Ocean
• Saturn
• Bliss
• Bluebell
• Soul
• Evergreen
• Scout
• Fauna
• Stardust
• Wildflower
• Wilderose
• Juniper
• Sunrise
• Cloud
• Sunflower
• Monday
• Breeze
• Soilei
• Confetti
• Story
• Minty
• Misty
• Goldie
• Halo
• Lullaby
• Sunset
• Everbloom

Boys

• Nyx
• Ziggy
• Wolfe
• Rocket
• Bowie
• Princeton
• Sentry
• Fox
• Dusk
• Thunder
• Rocker
• Kru
• Quest
• Marzo
• Lux
• Lander
• Wilderness
• Journey
• Harvest
• Cairo

Some wonderful pairings we are loving right now: 

Girl names 

• Ziggy Oceane
• Winslet Darling
• Koa Everbloom
• Ocean Raine
• Mirabelle Blush
• Lilibeau Peace
• Sailor Bloom
• Birdie Loveday
• Sicily Storm
• Gigi Wilder
• Sunday Soul
• Airlie Hayze

Boys names

• Ludlow Wolfe
• Bodhi Reef
• Wulfrick Knight
• Oslo Dusk
• Thunder Hayze
• Sentry Light
• Golden Athens
• Mawes Lennox
• Drummer Jagger
• Monaco Reign
• Dawsey Bo
• Wilder Oaks/Oax  

Without a doubt we believe that nature names will blow any other name theme out of the water this year in the UK. See our top 10 chart topper baby name predictions for 2022 below: 

• Forrest
• Koa
• River
• Wolf
• Ocean
• Hudson
• Rome
• Bodhi
• Arlo
• Beau

There are no rules when naming your baby. It is your choice, your vibe, enjoy the process to the maximum. As we enter 2022, we have entered a realm where we are able to be expressive and creative with baby names as mainstream names are now becoming totally unheard-of names. We hope we have provided some inspiration, tag us on instagram @thetinybedcompany if you have used any of the names mentioned in this blog post.