Nameberry has ranked which of its pages attracted the most hits in the first half of this year. Photo / iStock
Nameberry has ranked which of its pages attracted the most hits in the first half of this year. Photo / iStock
The most popular baby names of 2016 have been revealed, with one in particular raising eyebrows.
According to naming site Nameberry, among the common favourites such as Olivia and Charlotte, which ranked the most bestowed and most viewed last year, the name Aryan has seen a dramatic rise in popularity.
The name has jumped 49 places in the most-viewed rankings, to sit at number 697.
While Aryan is reportedly "Indo-Iranian" in origin and means "warrior or honourable", most would associate it with the "Aryan race", a concept used to justify racism and supremecism.
Other unusual names making the top 100 include Anouk, Cecilia, Freya, and Ophelia for girls and Hugo, and Lucian for boys.
