Is it a bird? It it a plane? Oh, it's a baby

Virgin Radio

1 May 2022, 14:31

Are you - or is your child - named after a superhero?

Many are. In fact, a new report by children’s personalised book retailer, In the Book, has listed the unique superhero inspired names parents are giving their children.

The retailers team have analysed data going back 25 years to present day, and the findings reveal the unique monikers which have seen the biggest spikes in use following a film’s release.

Popular superhero films such as Avengers, Iron Man and Batman have all influenced name selections, while Suicide Squad’s release saw a huge 65% increase in girls named Harley just one year later. 

Some superheroes have more traditional names, such as Peter (Spider-Man) or Natasha (Black Widow), which may often be considered outside of their inclusion within popular films. However, research has shown some of these more regular names have seen a year-on-year spike following the release of high grossing superhero films. 

Other names take a little while to catch on, with monikers such as Neo (The Matrix), Rocket (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Donatello and Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) not being given to a single newborn in the year their respective films were released, with spikes in usage coming the year after.

That said, the 1999 film The Matrix was particularly influential, leading to 48 baby’s named Neo just one year after its release!

Bet little Neo had fun at school. And don't name your kid after a talking racoon.