Baby Name Experts Say A Taylor Swift Song Made This "Controversial" Girl's Name Popular Again#

“Marjorie sits in the cross section between more popular ‘M’ names like Magnolia, McKinley, Melody or Mallory, and more alternative three-syllable ‘M’ names like McKinleigh, McKenlee or McKinzie,” said baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey. “Its ‘ie’ ending gives it an air of preppiness and playfulness. It feels vibrant and youthful, while still maintaining a classic, familiar sound.”

She praised Marjorie’s sense of “casual approachability” and pizazz while still maintaining elegance and refinement. Humphrey also highlighted its place with popular syllable trends of late. 

“Over the last two years, I’ve had multiple clients consider or use the name Mara,” she said. “I suspect we will continue to see rising popularity for other ‘Mar’ and ‘Ar’ names like Marjorie, Maria, Marla, Marlowe, Margot, Marion, Marilyn, Margaret, Amara, Amari, Arabella, Mary, Marley, Marianna, etc.”

“Marjorie was the third-fastest-rising girl name within the Top 1,000 between 2023 and 2024, which coincides with Swift’s Eras Tour,” Kihm said. “The Eras Tour had a lot of exposure during its year-and-a-half-long run, and some parents were likely influenced by Swift secondhand ― after hearing the name Marjorie in the zeitgeist, chose the name without making an overt reference to Swift.”

She added that other parents might’ve chosen the name intentionally for its ties to Swift. 

“I have no doubt that the Taylor Swift Effect is at play with the name Marjorie,” Humphrey said. “Other names mentioned in her songs, like Willow and August, have seen an increase in popularity since the eponymous song titles’ release in 2020.”

There are many other names with the same vibe as Marjorie for siblings ― or as alternative options if the specific pop culture and political associations of the name put you off.  

“I could imagine these names on a baby name list alongside Marjorie,” Humphrey said, giving options like Annie, Hazel, Charlotte, Eleanor, Willa, Juniper, Susannah and Virginia for girls and Silas, Warren, Boone, Bradley, George, Harlan and Baylor for boys. 

Ultimately, Marjorie’s rise is a reminder that most names never truly disappear ― they just wait for the right moment, or the right cultural spark, to shine again.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.