Ireland was gripped with Fifty Shades Of Grey hysteria last summer and we couldn’t hop on a train, pop to the canteen or run into the bookshop without spotting someone with their nose pressed within the pages. The raunchy novels certainly inspired many to become more adventurous within the tousled bed sheets but it seems the tale the dirty doctor is set to stay with us until we die.
The most popular baby names of 2013 are set to be the product of some erotica inspiration as analysts have already seen an increase in the number of children named after submissive Anastasia Steele.
According to birth registers in the UK, Anastasia has risen by more than 10 percent, while Ana has moved up 35 spots on the most popular name list.
Grey has also risen dramatically after experiencing a 20 per cent increase however Christian has not improved in the popularity stakes.
Try explaining this one to the kids!
Linda Murray global editor-in-chief of BabyCenter, who conducted the study said: “Earlier this year we heard moms telling us… “this book is an aphrodisiac,” and it’s helping them get pregnant. So it was not a surprise to see these names coming up the list.
“I’m wondering how the moms are going to explain the inspiration for these names in a few years,’ she added.
It seems Mad Men’s January Jones has also inspired new mums as Betty has sky rocketed on worldwide birth registers. Old-fashioned names such as Ben, Monty and Alice are also set to make a dramatic comeback this year.
As the world becomes more addicted to social media and technology, it’s clear that gadget-inspired names will be on the roll calls of the future as the name Apple has risen by 15 per cent and Mac is up 12 per cent.
Murray explained: “This was a surprise to us this year. We hadn’t seen Apple rise when Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter, but people love their technology.”
Although naming your tot after your laptop is nothing short of insane the rise in the number of erotica-inspired baby names is more than a little bit unsettling.
When those children ask about the origin of their name what in God’s name will their mother say?
“I once read a love story about a submissive girl and a creepy overpowering and dominant doctor whose relationship blossomed in the Red Room of naughty sex.”
We can’t say that would go down well.
