Mellow Marshmallow

I always find baby names interesting because it's a reflection of our cultural influences, and it's important. You're naming a human being. I've heard that people with weird or ugly names are more likely to be bullied and so on. Lately I even heard that people whose last names are at the end of the alphabet have lower self-esteem. Names are important things.

The predicted 2013 baby names make sense. They predict that names related mythology from TV shows will increase, such as Thor.

The phonological "bug" was planted in expecting parents' minds with all the talk about hurricane Sandy, so they expect names which are phonologically similar to Sandy (i.e. Sandra, Alexandra, Cassandra) to increase as well.

Middle names are expected to be more unique, place names are expected to increase (i.e. London, Paris), as well as some "retro" names like Maxwell, Fay, Hank, and Millie.

Names with /l/ in them are on the rise! Like Lilly.

I like the wildflower name trend. Names are growing short and sweet (Cole, Will) or lengthy (Penelope).

There are more details here, if you want to read more. Makes me wonder what I'll name my kids. I always like Mariah or Ariel for a girl, and Russell and Todd for a boy. How about you guys?

Places are named things that mean something (or nothing). This map and series of links shows us maps of what the names really mean, or are speculated to mean.
Here, here, here, and here.