How The Presidential Election Could Impact Baby Names

Getty/AP Parents regularly named their children after politicians in the past, but does that trend hold up today? We asked experts to weigh in on the influence of presidential politics on baby names and the popularity of “Kamala” and “Donald.” The Impact Of Presidential Politics On Baby Names “In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, parents regularly named their children after their political heroes,” Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, told HuffPost. “It peaked in 1964 ― the year Kamala Harris was born ― when it was given to 105 American baby girls.”She cited two cultural influences that likely contributed to the name Kamala’s 138% increase in popularity between 1963 and 1964. “Kamala has a beautiful meaning of ‘lotus flower or lotus blossom,’” said Heidi Prunkl, a name consultant and founder of Baby Name Sunday. “I can definitely see it rising, as both nature names and K-names are very sought out for as parents.” “Kamala also has an uncommon sound and an interesting ‘K’ initial that are intriguing to parents already considering names like Kaia, Kamila and Kehlani,” echoed baby name consultant and My Name for Life founder Sherri Suzanne.