""There's a certain set of parents that believe weapons-inspired names have a renegade spirit, which has been a rising theme among today's trendy baby names," Kihm noted. "Maverick ranks higher than ever, and cowboy-style names like Dutton, Stetson and Boone are climbing the charts.""
""'Last names as first names' are a stylish category for baby names, with English surnames most likely to be adopted as given names," Kihm explained. "Popular last names as first names include Carter, Parker and Hunter - itself somewhat aggressive ― which match weapon names like Shooter, Trigger and Dagger, with the two syllables and 'er' endings.""
""Assigning these overly violent names might be a reaction to the fear that their son might have less-than-masculine traits," she said. "So these parents assign a dictionary word name that has been traditionally associated with aggression or strength, hoping to instill those characteristics into their male offspring.""
Weapon-inspired given names for boys are growing in popularity due to perceptions of renegade spirit and parallels with cowboy-style names like Maverick, Dutton, Stetson and Boone. Many weapon names resemble surnames and fit the 'last names as first names' trend common with English surnames such as Carter, Parker and Hunter. Phonetic similarity to popular names (e.g., Wesson and Weston) aids adoption. Some parents choose violent or aggressive words to signal traditional masculinity or to counter perceived threats from shifting gender norms. Two-syllable names ending in 'er' (Shooter, Trigger, Dagger) align with current stylistic preferences.
Read at BuzzFeed
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