by Linda Rosenkrantz

　　Doesn’t it sometimes seem that just about any word in the dictionary can find its way onto a birth certificate these days? (Yes, looking at you, Kardashians!). And it’s not only color and flower and occupational nouns, but even adjectives and adverbs that were never conceived of as names before.

　　The current Social Security list is packed with word names of every description, many of which are rising in popularity. The list below divides the ascenders into distinctive categories–representing current trends–with those that have made the greatest leaps marked with an asterisk.

　　

NATURE-RELATED WORD NAMES

*Azalea-#510, flower name also influenced by Iggy Azalea

　　Briar–#687–used by Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen, Disney associations

　　*Ember–#209–the new Amber

　　Forest—new on the list with this spelling

　　Ivy-#86, #30 on Nameberry

　　*Juniper, #281

　　*Magnolia, #314, used by Adrian Young of No Doubt

　　*Meadow, #516, first attracted attention on The Sopranos

　　*Poppy, #592, used by chef Jamie Oliver, also actress Poppy Montgomery

　　Raven, #412,  played by Jennifer Lawrence in the X-Men films

　　Ridge, #702,

　　*River—for both boys (#197) and girls (#244)

　　Willow, #62,  grown daughter of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith

　　Plus 3 gem names in pursuit of Ruby:

　　Onyx—new to the list, #867 boys; used for their daughter by Alanis Morissette and Souleye

　　Opal-#820

　　Pearl–#647, used by Maya Rudolph

　　

SEASONAL WORD NAMES

August—new on the list for girls, #905

　　Summer-#199

　　Sunny, #871, daughter of Adam Sandler

　　Winter, #390, daughter of Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden

　　

ASPIRATIONAL WORD NAMES

*Ace, #255, associated with Ace Frehley of Kiss

　　*Atlas, #291

　　Legacy, #787 girls, artist Legacy Russell

　　*Legend, #217 boys, associated with John Legend, used by Donald Glover

　　Promise—new to the list, #908

　　

ROYALLY ASPIRATIONAL WORD NAMES

Duke, #531, John Wayne nickname

　　Prince, #318, legendary pop star

　　Queen—new to the list, #959–British band, hit movie

　　*Reign—girls-#532

　　Royal—boys–#483, ‘The Royal Tenenbaums

　　Royalty—girls–#371

　　

SPIRITUAL, SERENE, LYRICAL WORD NAMES

Deacon–#486–used by Reese Witherspoon, Marvel Comics character

　　*Dream–#621–dreamed up by Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian

　　Harmony–#175

　　Journey–#231

　　Justice–#558, Marvel Comics

　　Lyric, #323

　　Melody, #137

　　*Mercy—a classic virtue name–#729

　　Saint—new to the list, thanks to Kimye, #859

　　Serenity, #76

　　

BOLD WORD NAMES

Cannon-#538

　　Maverick–#73

　　Scout—new for girls–#976

　　Wilder–#523

　　

Single-Syllable C boys—in a class of their own

Case–#506

　　Cash–#276

　　Clay–#687

　　*Colt–#236

　　Creed—new to the list–#962

　　*Crew–#573

　　In addition to these hot up-and-comers, there are lots of other word names on the list still holding their own or slightly slipping– from  Amber and April to Hunter and Heavenly.

　　What’s your favorite word name?