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Unlikely Baby Names That Are Quickly Gaining Popularity

Get ready to meet more baby Foxes and Maples.

Let's be honest: unique baby names have the tendency to be a little odd. After all, they're rare and different, but that's what makes them so special. So with that being said, we really shouldn't be that surprised that some unique names are quickly gaining popularity among parents.

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In particular, Nameberry reports that there are quite a few unlikely Biblical, word, animal, and place names that are picking up steam. So if you think the name you've chosen for your little one is 100 per cent original, you might want to check this list first.

Some of the names trending in popularity include Fox, Baker and Enoch for boys, and Reign, Maple and Artemis for girls. While these names might sound odd on their own, it actually makes perfect sense why they're trending.

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Fox, for instance, has the ever-appealing "x" ending, which gives it a cool factor parents love. Plus, the fact that animal names are commonly used as nicknames, and nicknames as first names has always been a big trend, Fox is not as unusual of a choice as you'd think. Last year, the name rose in popularity by 65 per cent.

And as for Baker and Enoch? They're both on the rise because they are a fresh take on common occupational and Biblical names such as Hunter and Noah. Nameberry notes that Baker is up 81 per cent this year and Enoch is now one of the fastest-rising boys' names, sitting at No. 320 on the site's charts.

Earlier on HuffPost:

For girls, it seems parents are still drawn to unique names inspired by celebrities. Remember when Kourtney Kardashian named her youngest son Reign in 2014? As it turns out, that was the year "royal" names started to explode, with celebs like Lil' Kim and Chris Brown choosing the names Royal Reign and Royalty, respectively, for their own daughters as well.

Since then, the "royal" name trend has only grown with Reign still in the lead, likely because it works for both boys and girls. However, Nameberry notes that the moniker is quickly climbing the charts for girls in particular and it now sits at No. 829.

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Names like Artemis and Maple are also quickly on their way to the top 1,000, likely due to parents' love of mythology and nature names. Plus, these are fresh alternatives to the more common mythological name Diana (Greek goddess of the hunt) and the nature name Willow.

Also on HuffPost:

Boy Names

Unique Baby Names Inspired By Nature

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