How Taylor Swift has influenced baby names

How Taylor Swift has influenced baby names

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.comfounder 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.”

59 Baby Names Inspired by Taylor Swift’s Music

Abigail 

From “Fifteen” on 2008’s “Fearless” and “Ruin the Friendship” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Aimee 

From “thanK you aIMee” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Archer

Inspired by “Archer” on 2019’s “Lover.”

August

Inspired by “August” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

“August was going to be a popular boy name regardless of Swift’s influence, but it finally broke into the Top 100 in 2024 after being featured in the ‘Eras Tour,’” says Kihm. 

Betty

From “Betty” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

“Betty has drastically increased in use since Swift used it in her ‘Folklore’ album,” says Kihm. “Betty is extremely close to breaking into the Top 1,000. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it there when the 2025 data is released.”

Bill 

From “The Last Great American Dynasty” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

Bobby 

From “Starlight” on 2012’s “Red.”

Bonnie

From “Getaway Car” on 2017’s “Reputation.”

Burton

From “…Ready For It?” on 2017’s “Reputation.”

Carolina

Inspired by “Carolina” on the “Where the Crawdads Sing” soundtrack.

Charlie

From “The Tortured Poets Department” on the 2024’s album of the same name.

Clara

From “Clara Bow” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Chloe

From “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Clyde

From “Getaway Car” on 2017’s “Reputation.”

Corey

From “Stay Beautiful” on 2006’s “Taylor Swift.”

Cornelia 

Inspired by “Cornelia Street” on 2019’s “Lover.”

Daisy 

From “You’re Own Your Own, Kid” on 2022’s “Midnights” and from “Wood” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Dorothea 

From “Dorothea” on 2020’s “Evermore.”

This name was “due for revival, but it hasn’t been as widely embraced,” Kihm says. “It would likely be more popular if Swift’s song was prominently featured in the ‘Eras Tour’! Dorothea does not rank in the Top 1,000, but rose more than 52% between 2023 and 2024.”

Drake

From “I Forgot That You Existed” on 2019’s “Lover.”

Drew 

From “Teardrops on My Guitar” on 2008’s “Taylor Swift.”

Dylan

From “The Tortured Poets Department” on the 2024 album of the same name.

Elizabeth

From “Elizabeth Taylor” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Emma 

From “When Emma Falls in Love” on 2023’s “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”

Este 

From “No Body, No Crime” on 2020’s “Evermore.”

Evermore

From “Evermore” on the 2020 album of the same name.

Sound like an unfamiliar name? That’s because it is. It’s a new addition to the baby name canon.

“Evermore joined the baby name charts in 2020, the year her album of the same name was released,” says Kihm. “That year, seven baby girls were named Evermore. In 2024, the last year on record, there were 14 baby girls named Evermore.”

Gatsby 

From “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” on 2017’s “Reputation.”

Grace

Inspired by “State of Grace” on 2012’s “Red.”

Hannah

From “But Daddy I Love Him” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Inez

From “Betty” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

Ivy

Inspired by “Ivy” on 2020’s “Evermore.”

Jack

From “The Tortured Poets Department” on the 2024 album of the same name.

James

From “Begin Again” on 2012’s Red, “Style” on 2014’s “1989” and “Betty” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

John 

From “Dear John” on 2010’s “Speak Now.”

Juliet

From “Love Story” on 2008’s “Fearless.”

“Juliet was already on the rise in 2008 when Swift’s song ‘Love Story’ was released, but the prevalence of the song likely helped Juliet reach its height of No. 226 in 2017, up from No. 516 in 2007,” Kihm shares.

Kitty

From “The Life of a Showgirl” on the 2025 album of the same name.

Leo 

From “The Man” on 2019’s “Lover.”

Lucy

From “The Tortured Poets Department” on the 2024 album of the same name.

Marcus

From “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Marjorie

From “Marjorie” on 2020’s “Evermore.”

Kihm calls “Marjorie,” named after her maternal grandmother, Swift’s “biggest success story.” The name was a popular pick in the 1920s and was due for a bump, but it had only seen a “modest rise” before the ‘Eras Tour.’ She adds that Swift’s “set list inspired many parents — some of whom are likely using Marjorie to honor their own grandparents — to give the name to their daughters. Marjorie rose in popularity by more than 81% between 2023 and 2024, which put it back into the Top 1,000.”

Mary

From “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” on 2006’s “Taylor Swift.”

Opal

Inspired by “Opalite” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Ophelia

From “The Fate of Ophelia” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Patti

From “The Tortured Poets Department” on the 2024 album of the same name.

Penny

From “Wood” on 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Peter

From “Cardigan” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

Sam

From “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Sophia

From “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Rebekah

From “The Last Great American Dynasty” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

Robin

From “Robin” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Romeo

From “Love Story” on 2008’s “Fearless.”

Ronan

From Swift’s 2012 single “Ronan.”

Sarah

From “But Daddy I Love Him” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Stephen

From “Hey Stephen” on 2008’s “Fearless.”

Stella

From “London Boy” on 2019’s “Lover.”

Stevie

From “Clara Bow” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Taylor

From “…Ready For It?” on 2017’s “Reputation” and “Clara Bow” on 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Tim

From “Tim McGraw” on 2006’s “Taylor Swift.”

Wendy

From “Cardigan” on 2020’s “Folklore.”

Willow

Inspired by “Willow” in 2020’s “Evermore.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:



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