How Taylor Swift Has Influenced Baby Names

Plus, see a list of 59 names mentioned in or inspired by Taylor Swift’s lyrics.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been influencing music, fashion and cultural trends for over a decade — but could she also have a hand in the names parents choose for their babies?

“Taylor Swift is absolutely a baby name influencer,” says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of Nameberry.com.

“There’s an important formula required for a pop culture influence to boost a name’s popularity: The name must be already trending and/or have similarities to currently trending names,” Kihm says. “Plus, the pop culture catalyst has to be ‘right.’”

In the case of Swift, her influence can be seen with names that come from her hits. Names found in her deep tracks, however — not so much.

“Popular songs have a long history of sparking baby name trends, from ‘Peggy Sue’ to ‘Hey There Delilah,’” says Namerology.com founder Laura Wattenberg. “You see the biggest impact when a fashion-forward name is the romantic focus of a song. For instance, the names Romeo and Juliet rose in popularity after (Swift’s) ‘Love Story.’ The popular name Willow also got a boost from the song by that name.”

Kihm notes that names like Tim, Corey, Stephen and Aimee — which appear in lyrics from Swift’s lesser-known songs — didn’t receive a boost.

“These names are in line with the generation of today’s moms and dads, which modern namers tend to avoid,” she adds. “This is the biggest factor as to why Swift’s own name, Taylor, has continued to decline in popularity even as her star rises.”

Similarly, Kihm says names like Emma, James, Leo and Stella are “ubiquitous or already at the height of their popularity” and don’t tend to see boosts from pop culture references.

Keep reading to discover 59 names referenced in or inspired by Taylor Swift’s lyrics, including six that Kihm says have “risen faster and/or higher than expected thanks to Taylor Swift.”