Baby Name Trends for 2009

 They’re baaacck….

 The ladies who write nameberry.com and a bunch of baby naming books have now graced us with the 15 hottest baby name trends of 2009. The biggest big-picture trend (their words, not mine)? Depression era names – not inspired by the current economic climate but by Mad Men. Yes, we’re supposedly going to start seeing names like Don, Betty, Joan and Peggy be trendy again.

But oh it gets better. “Plus stylish new occupational names – Gardener, Ranger, Miller – are likely to gain in appeal for both boys and girls as actual jobs become more scarce.”

Give your kid a job name because you don’t have one? So I suppose around here we can expect to see lots of little “Autoworker,” “Newspaper Reporter” and “Scandal-Plagued Ex-Mayor”s?

And the, no lie “trendiest trend-related trend”? Names that are rejected by trendy parents before they even get popular, because of their similarity to other popular names or association with high-profile celebrities. ‘Kay. People not wanting their kid to be the fifth Ava in first grade is somehow a trend, now?

And supposedly using nicknames is a trend that will cross the pond from England. Good news for my kids, both of whom go by cute nicknames of very, very traditional names. Which, again, trend? Or just about every baby I have ever known ever?

I will give them this though — they named the Boy Name ready to jump the shark as the “aden” names – Braden, Hayden, Caden, etc. I thought Jaden was the coolest name ever when my college roommate gave it to one of her sons – ELEVEN YEARS AGO. Now? It’s the Rachel haircut of names.