According to Nameberry, the experts in names and naming trends, “hero” names, in honour of great people, are gaining popularity. They are often strong names, and have good connotations for parents. Some of them are surnames that are used as first names, while others are first names used as such. Here are their top 12 names on the charts – my fave is Crosby, and my least favourites are Thatcher (perhaps I watched too much Grey’s Anatomy with the mumbling Thatcher Grey) and Darwin.

• Branson (inspired by Richard Branson)
• Crosby (inspired by hockey player Sidney Crosby)
• Darwin (inspired by Charles Darwin)
• Denzel (inspired by Denzel Washington)
• Franco (inspired by James Frano)
• Hendrix (inspired by Jimi Hendrix)
• King (inspired by Martin Luther King)
• Landry (inspired by football coach Tim Landry)
• Langston (inspired by poet Langston Hughes)
• Lennon (inspired by John Lennon)
• Thatcher (inspired by Margaret Thatcher)
• Winston (inspired by Winston Churchill)