There's a new baby name trend emerging across the United State. As the Hispanic population increases across the U.S., along with the cultural its influences, white parents are increasingly giving their children Latino names. Social media baby naming website, Belly Ballot, predicts a large emergence of Latino names based on their latest data. "Hispanic is definitely in," says Belly Ballot editor and baby name expert, Lucie Strachonova. "We have seen strong indications of white parents selecting Latino baby names in greater numbers, and the trend continues to grow. Fall 2013 through 2014 will certainly be a pivotal year."
One strong reason for white couples trending towards Latino names is the desire to better assimilate in the emerging multicultural climate of the United States. Tiffany Wilson, a mom in Millersville, Tennessee of Irish-German descent, wants her daughter to more easily relate with her peers. "We want our child to fit in," says Wilson. "Hispanic culture is growing rapidly here in Tennessee. Her friends are Hispanic. I think having a Latino name has helped her make friends."
Nadia Villapudua, a California school psychologist, has also observed this cultural shift. "Elementary education is where we are seeing a large demographic change. In historically white communities, Hispanics have now become either a significant minority or an outright majority. This growth will have an impact on how these traditional cultures raise children."
Shaina Heimpel, a white mom from Colorado Springs feels giving her daughter the Latino name of Isabella definitely opens up more opportunity for her child in the U.S. "I did well in school with a 3.5 GPA, but doors didn't open, there were no scholarships for someone like me. My Hispanic friends on the other hand got scholarships and grants. Isabella (who is one quarter Hispanic) will now have every opportunity available to her, and not go through what I did.”
Not everyone looks upon this trend as favorable though. James Logsdon, a top member for the Creativity Movement, an advocacy group for the expansion and advancement of the white race, feels this trend is the result of white guilt being taught in schools and the mainstream media. "Abandoning your culture for another is highly negative," says James. "Your family comes from a culture, and for someone to abandon that is treasonous. I understand they don't want their children to suffer in this country for being white, but these parents are forcing their white guilt onto the children."
Hispanic names are definitely not a new entrant to traditional American baby naming. Popular names like Sofia, Mia, and Olivia are already on the top of the baby names charts every year. According to real-time voting data on Belly Ballot, new trending names among white Americans nationally include: Lola, Maria, Ernesto, Isabella, Santos, Carmen, Diego, Sierra, Miguel, Luis.
Of actual baby names in California, the Hispanic trend is clearly stronger among girls than boys.