More parents in the United States are naming their babies after Pokemon Go characters, a pregnancy and parenting website said. This comes as the Pokemon Go craze has become a big hit among gamers not only in the United States but in several other countries as well.
BBC reported that several names related to Pokemon Go have jumped up in popular baby name rankings in Babycenter. Roselia has risen 5,859 spots from around the same time last year, while Onyx rose 2,184 spots, Star jumped up 2,040 spots, Eevee rose 1,377 spots, Ivy leapt 1,287 spots, Ash rose 248 spots and Shay is now higher by 64 spots compared to last year.
People are naming their children after Pokemon: https://t.co/6D5dcrLtZf
— Real Simple Magazine (@RealSimple) July 28, 2016
Parents Looking Back to '90s In Baby Naming
A report from NDTV said that the name Onyx started to be used by parents in naming their babies during the 90s or around the time Pokemon was first launched. The names Star and Ivy reportedly could have been inspired by Pokemon Go creatures Starmie and Ivysaur.
"Millennials are particularly attracted to technology and '90s nostalgia, which is one of the reasons we think Pokemon Go is already having an impact on baby naming trends among pregnant women," said Babycenter editor-in-chief Linda Murray in an interview with BuzzFeed, according to the report. Half of Babycenter's users are said to be playing Pokemon Go presently.
Parents Turn To Pop Culture In Baby Naming
Meanwhile, Digital Trends reported that one of the names seeing a spike in baby naming trends, Roselia, is the name of a third-generation Pokemon. Roselia first appeared in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald for the Game Boy Advance and has yet to appear in Pokemon Go.
"Parents are always looking to pop culture for baby name inspiration and, right now, it doesn't get hotter than Pokémon Go," said BabyCenter editor-in-chief Linda Murray, according to the report. "It's possible that parents' enthusiasm for the game will reignite their love for the brand and spark a full-fledged naming trend," Murray added.
