Fans of the Marvel cinematic world are naming their children after their favourite characters, with Thanos, Bucky, and Quill gaining popularity.
Marvel characters have always been popular among comic book fans, but thanks to an explosion of superhero films published by Marvel Studios (the huge Marvel Cinematic Universe), Marvel mania has gone mainstream and Marvel-inspired baby names are now on the rise. Not everyone understands why someone would want to name their child after an anthropomorphic raccoon, but it’s better than naming them after IKEA furniture. So, which popular Marvel names are appearing on birth certificates across the universe?
Highlights —
- Most popular Marvel baby names
- Least popular Marvel baby names
MOST POPULAR MARVEL BABY NAMES
According to a new study from retailer Lost Universe, unique Marvel names like Bucky, Thanos, and Wanda are growing more popular among parents. Between the debut of the first Avengers film in 2012 and today, the merchant collected data from the UK and the US. Lost Universe did this study to see if Marvel movies influenced baby names. This data includes the popularity rankings of the names as well as the number of babies born in the United States named after each character by 2021.
In recent years, the names Bucky, Thanos, and Quill have risen in popularity the most. Bucky, the moniker for the Winter Soldier, has seen the most gain in popularity, which will come as no surprise to Marvel fans. In 2021, it has risen to 6,193rd place in popularity. Since 2012, it’s climbed 11,244 places.
So far this year, more than 3,000 parents have given Bucky the name Bucky thanks to the success of Endgame and the characters in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’. Thanos is the 4670th most prevalent name in the United States, which may surprise some. Surprisingly, the villain’s name has been given to 4,666 kids.
Popular names from the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ include Quill, which is getting more popular, and 1,333 anticipated newborns called Groot or Drax. Scarlet Witch has become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most beloved heroes following her key role in Endgame and the introduction of Marvel’s latest series ‘WandaVision’.
This is especially remarkable when you consider that the name ‘Wanda’ has jumped 3,711 places, with 11,000 newborns receiving the name from the sorceress in 2021. The ‘Loki’ series, which debuted this year, appears to have piqued the interest of many fans. Loki-named newborns are becoming more prevalent, whereas Thor’s popularity is dropping.
LEAST POPULAR MARVEL BABY NAMES
If you’re seeking something a little less common, the names that are dropping in popularity may have what you’re looking for. Rocket was the least popular name to fall 2822 places in popularity. The scientifically engineered monster and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ member is certainly not a favourite among parents, but the name is cute, right?
Clinton Francis “Clint” Barton’s nickname, Barton, experienced the second-largest drop in popularity. He’s a former S.H.I.E.L.D. special agent and one of the Avengers’ founding members, as well as an extremely skilled marksman. Carol, AKA Captain Marvel (down 1329 spots), Steve, AKA Captain America (down 1051) and Natasha, AKA Black Widow (down 608) are other Marvel names that have declined in popularity. Thor, Bruce (Hulk), and Tony (Iron Man) were also losing popularity but were still used.
So, what’s your favourite Marvel name? Let us know in the comments down below.
