Meet the baby name consultant raking in thousands advising parents on the perfect baby names

Pandemic Zoom calls and being online so much is behind parents choosing more nicknames for their babies, expert reveals.

An baby naming expert has shared views on 2022's top baby names so far - and spotted some surprising trends.

Taylor A. Humphrey, 34, works as a baby name consultant and doula running her business, 'What's In A Baby Name'.

She rakes in thousands every year advising expectant parents on the perfect names for their little ones.

As BabyCentre reveal 2022's top 100 baby names so far, Taylor spotted how this year's list has been impacted - by the PANDEMIC.

She said those countless Zoom quizzes, virtual drinks and family Facetimes during lockdown have changed the way people have been naming their little ones.

Taylor, from San Francisco, California, said: "I'm seeing a major trend towards using nicknames as first names.

"Perhaps as we spend more time online, connecting with friends, family and colleagues via URL, our sense of formality is diminishing.

"That seems to be reflected in our linguistic and onomastic choices."

The list - comprising of 100 boy and 100 girl names - sees Muhammad and Lily top for each categories.

But Taylor noted that the list only reflects the first six months of the year, and things could change by December.

But she explained that nicknames being used as first names was a clear pattern - likely as a result of lockdown Zoom calls.

She said: "For girls, you see diminutives such as Evie (Eve), Sophie (Sophia), Gracie (Grace), Lottie (Charlotte).

"For the Boy's Top 100 list, you see a great many more diminutives being used such as Theo (Theodore), Leo (Leonardo, Leonard, Leon), Charlie (Charles)."

But the naming expert also noticed some other trends emerging from the list.

Taylor identified that for girls, names with roots in mythology and nature were very common.

"Names like Matilda, Isla, Freya, Luna, Aurora, Willow, Poppy, among others, all contribute to a delightful sense of whimsical, ethereal femininity," she said.

"Even names like Grace, Nur, Maeve, Olive and Rose, which are among the very few one-syllable names found on the top 100, add to this playful, mystical aesthetic."

But for boys, parents are "gravitating towards two-syllable, sturdy, masculine names" - unlike in the US, where gender-neutral monikers are becoming more popular.