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Baby Name Trends For 2017 Are Basically All Bad-Ass

So there is clearly nothing wrong with soft, sweet, old-fashioned names. Personally, I'm a fan of flowery names for little girls like Violet, Rose, Lily (actually, my dog is named Lily) et al. But just having a look at the baby name trends for 2017, I'm thinking sweet and gentle aren't going to make the top of the list. After the roller coaster of emotions that was 2016, parents are looking to imbue a little strength and power into their bundles of joy. A girding of our collective loins, if you will. And while I'm still a fan of Daisy, I'm so on board with naming a baby after a Viking. Because for real.

According to Today's Parent, distinct, powerful names that roll off the tongue while still managing to be succinct are totally hot for 2017. While there was a time when naming your baby something unique like Apple was left to the realm of celebrities (I'm looking at you, Gwyneth Paltrow), these days parents aren't afraid to make a bold choice. Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Name Wizard, explained to Today's Parent:

There’s definitely a sense of celebrating a child with a name that puts them on top of the hill. It’s about instilling confidence rather than holding them back.

Power Names

Want to give your little one a leg up in the power struggle that will someday be the schoolyard? Think names like Maverick, Chaos, Riot, Axl for your little boy (or girl, because we are so not playing the gender game)... anything that sounds bad-ass. Want something a little less aggressive and more altruistic? Virtue name like Destiny, Dream, or Journey are going to be popular for 2017.

Now if you're worried you might be beating around the bush with these slightly more subtle power names, Nameberry cited a new trend for the boldest of the bold names.

God. Or Lucifer. Mic drop.

Viking Names

Think naming your baby "God" might be a little too on-the-nose? How about naming them after a Viking god, or just a Viking in general? Nordic names like Thor, Odin, Wagner, Freya, Astrid or Sigrid are expected to trend in 2016, according to Wattenberg.

Smarty-Pants Names

OK, so naming your baby after a scientist like NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler or inventor Nikola Tesla won't guarantee that they'll turn out to be a genius. But tending names like Kessler, Tesla, and Edison (as in Thomas Edison) prove parents are willing to take their chances. And let's not forget one of the ultimate bad-ass smarty-pants; naming your baby after firebrand Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a surefire win.

Allison Shelley/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Traditional names that sound old-timey aren't off the books, of course; Isabella and Sophie will remain popular mainstays as will the unisex names of choice like Avery, Sawyer, and Elliott. Naming your baby after your favorite literary heroine works as well, with monikers like Matilda, Ramona, Fern, Alice and Holden expecting a resurgence. But for the most part, it looks like many parents are ready to take on the challenge of a bold new future with bold new names for 2017, and I'm all for it.