Amid the soaring success of the Barbie movie, the names Barbie and Ken have been enjoying a surprising resurgence in popularity as baby names. The iconic duo, who have long been household names thanks to their roles in the world of fashion dolls, have found themselves lending their monikers to a new generation.
According to People, the baby naming website Nameberry says searches for “Barbie” have gone up 603%, while “Ken” searches have seen a 293% increase in page views.
“Barbie and Ken are piquing parents’ interest, but this doesn’t mean it will translate into actual usage. As of now, Barbie is a predominant Amish name,” Nameberry Editor-in-Chief Sophie Kihm shared, adding that both are “dated names” that “aren’t due to comeback yet.”
Barbie and Ken won’t even make the list of most popular names, Kihm notes. Barbie lands at 1,896 out of 2,000 popular names while Kenneth, the most popular name that is shortened to Ken, lands at 113 of 2,000.