It won’t be long before preschool classrooms are packed with little Eevees and Onyxs… and maybe even a Jigglypuff or two as well.
Pokémon Go, the augmented reality game that seems to have taken over the world this summer, has now invaded the world of baby names, too.
BabyCenter’s database shows that the names of some Pokémon characters have recently spiked in popularity. Evee, for instance, is up 1,394 spots from last year, Onyx is up 2,191 spots and Roselia has jumped a whopping 5,896 spots.
If you’ve seen groups of people wandering in circles with their phones held in front of their faces – or if, like me, just yesterday, you’ve been literally walked into by them – then you’ll know that the Pokémon Go craze has reached epic levels.
BabyCenter parents are definitely on board: A survey shows that nearly 50% of moms in the BabyCenter community are playing the game.
Pop culture-inspired baby name inspiration is nothing new: In recent years we’ve seen trends inspired by Frozen, House of Cards, Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad.
BabyCenter Global Editor in Chief says Pokémon seems to be the latest on this list: “Parents are always looking to pop culture for baby name inspiration and, right now, it doesn’t get hotter than Pokémon Go. It’s possible that parents’ enthusiasm for the game will reignite their love for the brand and spark a full-fledged naming trend.”
I’m not saying I’m a huge fan of the name Pikachu, but I think I’d choose a baby name inspired by a game over one inspired by a TV show about a DIY meth lab.
I haven’t been caught up in Pokémon fever just yet, but I can see its appeal. As one BabyCenter mom recently revealed of her “Pokémaniac” teenager: “My 13yo has traded her lie-in-bed-all-day ways for several long daily walks. It’s great!”
Are you a Pokémaniac?
Pokémon attacks! BabyCenter parents shared these pics of Pokémon lurking near babies
