Top Name Searches on BabyNames.com
Episode 93 – Jennifer and Mallory review the top meanings searched on BabyNames.com, top name searches and the top names not found on the site. Names mentioned in this episode:…
Name Prejudice, Discrimination, and Bullying
Episode 92 – Jennifer and Mallory are joined by Dr. Iman Nick, onomast and researcher in names and prejudice. We talk about name bullying, prejudice and discrimination against names,…
Best and Worst Celebrity Baby Names of 2022
Episode 91 – Jennifer and Mallory are joined by celebrity baby blogger Kate Fann, to rank the BEST and WORST celebrity baby names of 2022. Must listen to hear the…
Top Names of 2022
Episode 90 – Jennifer and Mallory review the list of the Top Baby Names of 2022, as calculated from our millions of users’ favorite name lists during the year….
Middle Names – part 2
Episode 89 – Jennifer and Mallory go over the BabyNames.com middle name survey results and give advice on how to choose a great middle name. Also – the latest celebrity…
Name Pronunciation
Episode 88 – All about name pronunciation. Is there a proper pronunciation? Jennifer and Mallory talk about how pronunciation can be geographic and ethnographic, and how mispronuncing names can be…
Baby Names from Animal Names
Episode 87 – Jennifer and Mallory review animal names that have jumped onto the baby name lists, names you can use that have animals in the meanings, mythological animal names,…
Name Bites: Thor and Jayna
In this mini-episode of the podcast, Jennifer and Mallory deep dive into two names of superheroes: Thor and Jayna!
Names from Cartoons
Episode 86 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from cartoons, options for naming babies after characters, and the history of some of the most iconic cartoon character’s names. We also…
Name Bites: Clementine and Antoine
Jennifer and Mallory pick two French names that have crossed over onto the U.S. Charts: Clementine (Clémentine) and Antoine. We discuss the etymology, history, and stats of the names as…
Names from Star Wars
Episode 85 – Jennifer and Mallory are joined by our in-house Star Wars aficionado Kees Andersen to discuss character names from the Star Wars Universe and how they’ve affected human…
A Century of Names: Name Trends of the Last 100 Years
Episode 84 – We welcome friend and onomast Dr. Cleveland Kent Evans to discuss U.S. name trends from 1921-2020 for U.S. Births. We talk about the Social Security baby names…
Name Bites: Rudolph and Theda
Jennifer and Mallory do a deep dive into names of silent film stars, Rudolph Valentino and Theda Bara! Name Bites is a feature of The Baby Names Podcast. Don’t forget…
Names and Women’s Rights
Episode 83 – To celebrate Women’s History Month, Jennifer and Mallory dive into how names are affected by women’s rights and lack thereof. We discuss women’s surnames, names, naming…
Name Bites: Golda and Duke
Jennifer and Mallory each choose a name of a leader and discuss the background, meaning, and namesakes for that particular name. Names included in this episode: Golda and Duke. Name…
2022 Baby Name Trends we HATE
Episode 82 – Jennifer and Mallory take turns discussing 2022 baby name trends that they absolutely do not like. We also report on the latest celebrity baby news and take…
Name Bites: Carlton and Marva
In this Name Bites, Jennifer and Mallory pick names of educators Carlton Moody and Marva Collins. Carlton Moody was our vice principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Laboratory School in…
How the Internet Changed Baby Naming
Episode 81 – Jennifer and Miranda (standing in for Mal) discuss baby naming before and after the public Internet, and how online culture has changed baby naming in many…
Best/Worst Celebrity Baby Names of 2021
Episode 80 – Jennifer and Mallory welcome Celebrity Baby Blogger Kate Fann to review our choices for the best and (not so best) celebrity baby names of 2021. Names…
Top Names of 2021
Episode 79 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the Top Names of 2021. They review the top 20 most popular names of 2021, interesting names beyond the top 100, surprising…
Name Bites: Madison and Kirk
In our between-the-episodes Name Bites, Jennifer and Mallory each deep dive into one name and review its meaning, origin, namesakes, and popularity. This Name Bite’s theme is SURNAMES! In this…
Italian Names
Episode 78 – Jennifer & Mallory talk about how many culturally Italian names are hitting the U.S. baby names charts, go over the top names in Italy, predict some new…
Name Bites: Sian and Mamoru
In our between-the-episodes Name Bites, Jennifer and Mallory each deep dive into one name and review its meaning, origin, namesakes, and popularity. The theme for this episode is ASTRONAUTS! In…
Names from the Art World
Episode 77 – Sisters Jennifer and Mallory Moss curate a list of iconic artist names that would work as baby names today, and tell some stories behind the names. Names…
Name Bites: Jolyon and Celestine
In a new addition to our podcast, we present our third installment of Name Bites! Jennifer and Mallory each pick a name to present and discuss its origin, history, popularity,…
Top Names from Around the World
Episode 76 – Jennifer and Mallory review and analyze the top 5 names from 40 countries around the world: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark,…
Name Bites: Leo and Lavender
In a new addition to our podcast, we present our second installment of Name Bites! Jennifer and Mallory each pick a name to present and discuss its origin, history, popularity,…
Zen, Sage, and Names from New Age
Episode 75 – Jennifer and Mallory suggest names associated with and reminiscent of New Age spirituality. We also report on the current Celebrity Baby News and take name questions…
Name Bites: Lilibet and Roman
In a new addition to our podcast, we present our first installment of Name Bites! Jennifer and Mallory each pick a name to present and discuss its origin, history, popularity,…
Olympic Names
Episode 74 – In honor of the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, we’re reviewing names from the U.S. Olympic team, past and present. We also review the current celebrity baby…
Jewish Name Changing in America
Episode 73 – Part two of our series exploring Jewish Names and Identity, with special guest Kirsten Fermaglich, Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Michigan State University and author…
Jewish Names and the Holocaust
Episode 72 – Part 1 of a two-part series on Jewish names and identity. Jennifer and Mallory speak with sociolinguist Dr. Iman M. Nick, author of Personal Names, Hitler, and…
Social Security Baby Names 2020
Episode 71 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the top names on the U.S. Social Security baby names list, surprises on the list, and baby names we’ve spotted on the…
Virtue and Expectation Names
Episode 70 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the new/old trend of giving babies “Expectation Names” names that imply an expectation on the child, a quality of their character, behavior, or…
How to Pronounce Irish Names – with Dusty Rhodes
Episode 69 – Last year at this time, we did an episode about Irish Names – and our Irish listeners had quite a laugh at how we Americans pronounced Irish…
Chicago-Inspired Baby Names
Affiliate Links Episode 68 – Chicago natives Jennifer Moss and Mallory Moss discuss a vast list of Chicago-inspired baby names for parents who want to honor the Windy City. We…
This Not That – 2021
Episode 67 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss less-popular alternatives to the top 10 boys and girls names on the BabyNames.com charts. We also discuss interesting stories from celebrity baby news,…
Minisode: Behind the Scenes at BabyNames.com
In this minisode, BabyNames.com founder Jennifer Moss talks about the history of the website, how she and her sister Mallory started The Baby Names Podcast, and what’s in store for…
Best/Worst Celebrity Baby Names of 2020
Episode 66 – Our celebrity baby blogger, Kate Fann, joins Jennifer and Mallory in counting down the 5 best celebrity baby names and 5 worst celebrity baby names of the year….
Top Baby Names of 2020
Episode 65 -The list is out! BabyNames.com has compiled the top most popular names of the year, and Jennifer and Mallory go at it with their opinions and predictions for…
Can a Name=Success?
Episode 64 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the age-old question: Can a name make or break your success in life? We also speak with special guest Abby Sandel from AppellationMountain.net….
Harry Potter Names
Affiliate Links Episode 63 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from the Harry Potter series of novels (and movies) authored by JK Rowling*. We also report on this week’s celebrity…
Gaming Naming – with Matt Mercer
With Special Guests Matt Mercer and Lee Perry Episode 62 – Jennifer and Mallory talk all about gaming naming – names from video games and role playing games. Joining us…
The Bird is the Word! Dictionary Names
Episode 61 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names that were originally dictionary words! Dictionary words have become very trendy for baby names, whether they’re flower names, brand names, occupational names,…
Transgender Renaming
Episode 60 – This is the second in a two-part episode about Changing Your Name. Jennifer is joined by guest host Kees Wiederspan, social media manager for BabyNames.com and a…
U.S. Social Security Top Baby Names For 2019
Episode 59 – The U.S. Social Security top baby names list has dropped for 2019, and Mallory and Jennifer have some opinions! A special between-the-episodes episode to discuss the top…
Changing your Name – Part 1
Episode 58 – This is the first of a two-part episode on Changing your Name. Mallory and Jennifer discuss why a person might want to change their name-first or last-and…
Names of Names! A Names Glossary
PR Sample Episode 57 – Eponym, Aptronym, Cryptonym, Zoonym – Jennifer and Mallory talk names of names and names of everything! With examples and—of course—some differing of opinions. We also…
Twilight Names
Affiliate Links Episode 56 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the top names from the Twilight Saga and discuss their effect on baby naming for the past fifteen years. Also: the…
Names from Classic TV
Episode 55 – That’s Entertainment, Part II: Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from classic television shows including Leave it to Beaver, I Love Lucy, Bewitched, Gilligan’s Island, The Brady Bunch,…
Names from Classic Hollywood
Episode 54 – Jennifer and Mallory talk about names from the Golden Age of Hollywood. We also report on this week’s celebrity baby news and give our opinion on their…
Welsh Names with Dr. Sara Louise Wheeler
Episode 53 – Jennifer and Mallory talk all about Welsh Names – given names, surnames, and place names! Our special guest is Dr. Sara Louise Wheeler, Welsh Names academic, author,…
Trending Names of 2020
Episode 52 – Jennifer and Mallory tabulate and discuss the trending names of 2020 (so far), Elon Musk’s new baby boy named X Æ A-12, and take fascinating questions from…
Names from Fashion
Episode #51 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from the fashion industry: designers, models, and brands! We also gab about the latest celebrity baby news and take questions from you,…
Star Trek Names
Episode #50 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from the Star Trek Universe. The stories behind how the most iconic characters got their names, Star Trek names that you can…
All About Middle Names
Episode #49 – Jennifer and Mallory talk all about MIDDLE names: why we have them, the most common middle names, fun middle name stories, and celebs who go by their…
Irish Names
Episode #48 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Jennifer and Mallory talk all about Irish names, including the history and traditions of Irish naming, Irish name pronunciation, Irish surnames, the top…
Choosing a Baby Name
The Process, Pitfalls, and Pain Points Episode #47 – Many parents are finding it hard to choose a baby name in this day and age. Mallory and Jennifer discuss the…
Names from Black History
Episode #46 – In honor of Black History Month, Jennifer and Mallory discuss names inspired by iconic Black Americans and the history of naming in the Black American culture. We…
This Not That: Cool Alternatives to the Most Popular Baby Names
Episode #45 – In this episode, Mallory and Jennifer give cool, unique alternatives to the Top Baby Names on the BabyNames.com charts. We also get input from our VIP members…
Top Baby Names of 2019
Episode #44 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the BabyNames.com Top Baby Names of 2019. We go over the top ten names, names that stand out in the top 100, and…
Names from Disney
Episode #43 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss Disney names from mice to dwarfs to princesses to Mousketeers. Also: the latest celebrity baby news and listener questions on names and naming!…
Pet Names
Episode #42 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss everything about pet names! Dog names, cat names, even hippos! We discuss common pet name categories, famous historical pets, celebrity pets, and best…
Names from Horror
Episode #41 – Just in time for Halloween, Jennifer and Mallory talk about iconic names from the horror genre: movies, tv, and books. They also cover True Crime with a conversation…
Shakespeare Names
Episode #40 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from the works of William Shakespeare: names Shakespeare (allegedly) created, how Romeo and Juliet discussed names, Shakespeare names currently on the U.S….
Spanish Names
Episode #39 – In honor of Hispanic History Month, Jennifer and Mallory discuss Spanish names, the history of Spanish naming and name construction, Spanish surnames, the top names in Spain,…
Superhero Names
Episode #38 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names of famous superheroes (and supervillains) from the comics, movies, and television. We also report on current celebrity baby news and answer letters…
Names from STEM
Episode #37 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names inspired by STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We go over namesakes of inventors, mathematicians, physicists, and tech gurus! We also…
French Names
Episode #36 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss everything about French names! We start with the history of naming in France, then discuss the top 20 most popular names in France…
Names from Big Brother
Episode #35 – Big Brother is an international reality show that has been on air in the U.S. since the year 2000, and just recently started season 21. The premise…
Names from Musicals
Episode #34 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from musical theater – movie and stage musicals! We first go over musicals with names in the titles, then name songs from…
Color Names
Episode #33 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss a spectrum of baby names derived from colors. We also gab about the latest celebrity baby news and take questions from you, our…
Archie, Psalm, and the 2018 Social Security Baby Names List
Episode #32 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the royal baby Archie, the newest Kardashian-West, the top 1000 names of actual U.S. babies born in 2018, and take listener questions on…
The History of English Names
Episode #31 – Our guest is Kevin Stroud, attorney and host of The History of English Podcast. We talk about English naming, and what happened in the year 1066 to…
Fun with Dick and Maryjane – Names that Mean Other Things
Affiliate Links Episode #30 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss names that have evolved into meaning other things, particularly in slang or colloquialisms. Please Note: this episode contains sexual expressions, drug terminology, and…
Names from Game of Thrones
Affiliate Links Episode #29 – To celebrate the premiere of the final season of the HBO series Game of Thrones, Jennifer and Mallory discuss names from the book series, A…
The Absolute WORST Baby Names Ever
Episode #28 – What are the absolute WORST baby names we’ve ever heard? In this episode, Jennifer and Mallory address this question that they get over and over from the…
Baby Names from Women’s History
Episode #27 – Mallory and Jennifer celebrate Women’s History Month by discussing some names of iconic women from the past and present. We also cover the current celebrity baby news…
Baby Names, Influencer Culture, and Personal Branding
Episode #26 – We interview Laurel Sutton, founder of Catchword, one of the top naming companies in the world. Laurel discusses how the process of naming people is not that…
Love Names and Terms of Endearment
Episode #25 – Need some Valentines Day baby name inspiration? Jennifer and Mallory discuss names that are associated with love, as well as terms of endearment – those cute little…
Naming Fictional Characters-for writers!
Episode #24 – Jennifer Moss, founder of BabyNames.com and author of four novels, discusses best practices in naming fictional characters, from historical to contemporary to futuristic! Also Mallory and Jennifer…
Names from Space
Episode #23 – In the premiere of season two, Jennifer and Mallory talk about baby names inspired by the planets, our solar system, and space exploration! Names mentioned in this…
Top Names of 2018
Episode #22 – In our final episode for season one, Jennifer and Mallory discuss the top baby names of 2018 and the new name trends for 2019. Also: the current…
Name Rhythm and Musical Names
Episode #21 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss name rhythm and baby names derived from musical notation, musical instruments, and musicians! Also: recent celebrity baby news and baby names Q&A from…
Names and Gender
Episode #20 – Jennifer and Mallory talk about names and gender designations, crossover and gender-neutral naming, the decision to not separate names by gender in The One-in-a-Million Baby Name Book,…
Dark, Gothic, and Mystical Names
Episode #19 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss spooky, dark, Gothic, and mystical names–just in time for Halloween! In this episode our guest “cub reporter” Miranda Mendelson helps report the current…
Names in Songs
Episode #18 – Pop culture has a huge influence on baby naming and that includes names in songs. Jennifer and Mallory discuss the stories behind iconic songs with names in the…
Place Names as Baby Names
Episode #17 – Sisters Jennifer Moss and Mallory Moss Katz discuss the ongoing trend of using place names as baby names. We also dish about the current celebrity baby news…
Occupational Surnames as Baby Names
Episode #16 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the popular new trend of occupational (sur)names becoming first names, like Mason, Sawyer, and Harper. Also Emmy Award nominees, celebrity baby news, and…
Back to School 2018!
Episode #15 – Jennifer & Mallory discuss the names of kids entering first grade this year, and compare them to 10 and 20 years ago. We also dish about celebrity…
Created Names and “Kreatyve” Spellings
Episode #14 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss created names, combination names, and “Kreatyve” spellings of common names. We also talk about names we’ve discovered recently, the current celebrity baby news,…
Temporal (Time-based) Baby Names
Episode #13 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss temporal names – names from time – including months, days of week, and signs of the zodiac. Then we report the current celebrity…
Twin Baby Names and Naming Multiples
Episode #12 – Jennifer and Mallory talk about best practices in naming twins and multiples, then discuss some celebrity twins and celebrity baby twins and multiples. We announce the celebrity…
Apple, Brie, and Baby Names from Food
Episode #11 – When parents look for baby names inspiration, some of them turn to food! Jennifer and Mallory talk all about names inspired by food and names with food…
Name Myths and Urban Legends
Episode #10 – We talk with name expert Dr. Cleveland Kent Evans about various name myths and urban legends! Find out if your cousin’s sister’s neighbor really is named “La-a”…
The Big Baby Names Survey Results!
Episode #9 – We run several ongoing surveys on BabyNames.com about names and naming. In this episode, Jennifer and Mallory go over the surprising results of the baby naming survey,…
Baby Name Trends by U.S. State
Episode #8 – Jennifer and Mallory continue to discuss the U.S. Social Security Baby Names list, comparing trends that are unique by state. We’ve found interesting anomalies and characteristics for…
The 2017 US Social Security Baby Names List
Episode #7 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the U.S. Social Security Baby Names, ranking the birth names for 2017. What are the newest trends for boys and girls and what…
Pseudonyms, Stage Names, & Pen Names
Episode #6 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss why actors, writers, and other artists might pick another name for their career, real names of some of your favorite celebrities, why writers…
Character Names and their Influence on Baby Name Trends
Episode #5 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss how fictional character names have a definite influence on baby naming trends–both positively and negatively. We also talk about character naming conventions from…
Nature Names & Major League Baseball
Episode #4 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss interesting nature names, names from the 2018 Major League Baseball roster, celebrity baby news, and take your questions on names and naming…including a…
Brand Baby Names
Episode #3 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss how brand names are now being used as baby names, a baby named Donald Trump, Khloe K follows our baby name advice, baby…
Black Panther Names and Researching Your Family Tree
Episode #2 – Jennifer and Mallory discuss the cool names from the Marvel movie Black Panther, how to start and research your family tree, names in the news, and take…
Stormi, Chicago, and Names from the Winter Olympics
Episode #1 – In this episode, Jennifer and Mallory talk about their own names, names from the Winter Olympics, the latest celebrity baby names and more! Need name advice? Have…
Catch up with the 
Baby Names Tip: Make sure you check the current most popular baby names charts to see if a name is going to be super popular. Names that hit the top ten or top five usually feel dated after a couple of years.