Summary
- These 12 Star Wars names are among the most popular baby names in the US.
- Surprisingly, Star Wars names Anakin and Kylo are both popular for babies.
- Some of Star Wars’ greatest heroes are very popular baby names.
These 12 Star Wars names are the most popular baby names throughout Star Wars movies and TV shows, according to TheBump.com. Innumerable names have been introduced throughout the Star Wars timeline, some of them invented within the franchise, and some of them pulled from real-world names. In fact, it’s long been suspected that George Lucas named the franchise’s very first hero, Luke Skywalker, after himself.
Of course, names can also be complicated things in Star Wars, from aliases many characters have used to the practice of Star Wars’ most powerful Sith adopting brand-new names once they fall to the dark side of the Force. Notably, many of these baby names are popular outside of Star Wars; however, several of them are directly from the movies. Here are the top 12 baby names that either appear in or originated from the Star Wars franchise.
Related The 15 Best Star Wars Characters
Star Wars has a decades-long legacy, and with that comes a number of incredibly popular characters—these 15 are the very best in the whole franchise.
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12 Aayla
Aayla Secura Was A Brilliant Clone Wars-Era Jedi
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According to TheBump.com, Aayla is currently ranked 4,334 in US baby names. While that might not seem all that popular, the name has grown exponentially in recent years. In fact, in 2005, the name was ranked 10,132. Notably, this is one of several names on this list that has a history pre-dating Star Wars considerably. The name has Sanskrit, Hebrew, and Turkish origins.
However, this is also the name of a brilliant Star Wars Jedi from the prequel trilogy era, Aayla Secura. Although Aayla may be best known for her particularly gruesome Order 66 death in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, she was also a fierce Jedi throughout the Clone Wars. In fact, Star Wars: The Clone Wars expanded her characterization considerably. While this baby name might not be popular from this franchise directly, it certainly does have a link to a wonderful Star Wars character.
11 Ben
Both Ben Kenobi And Ben Solo Are Popular Star Wars Characters
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Obi-Wan Kenobi
Created By George Lucas Cast Alec Guinness , Ewan McGregor First Appearance Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Alliance Jedi
Ben is, of course, a name that is plenty popular outside the Star Wars franchise, but it is also quite meaningful within Star Wars movies. In fact, the name now has significance in multiple eras. Originally, this was the alias of Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope when he was hiding from the Empire on Tatooine. However, the sequel trilogy revealed that Leia had named her son, Ben Solo, after Obi-Wan.
According to TheBump.com, Ben is ranked 1,639 in the United States. While that seems very low for a name as popular as Ben, it is important to note that TheBump.com separates the full name Ben from the name Benjamin. Benjamin, less surprisingly, is ranked 18 in the US. In either case, it’s unlikely that Ben’s popularity can be attributed to Star Wars. Undoubtedly, though, at least some babies have been given this name because of its significance in Star Wars.
10 Rey
Rey Skywalker’s Name Is One Of Star Wars’ Most Popular
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Rey Skywalker
Created By J.J. Abrams , Lawrence Kasdan , Michael Arndt Cast Daisy Ridley First Appearance Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Alliance Jedi
Rey Skywalker’s chosen last name might be controversial, but her first name is a relatively popular baby name. Rey is ranked 1,545 in US baby names, and, like the previous name, is popular beyond Star Wars. The name is gender-neutral and has French, Spanish, and Latin origins. Generally, this name is thought to mean ‘king.’ However, that clearly doesn’t mean this name is for baby boys only, given Star Wars’ use of the name.
TheBump.com
specifically calls out this
Star Wars
connection on the page for Rey.
Interestingly, TheBump.com specifically calls out this Star Wars connection on the page for Rey, which suggests that the name’s popularity is due in part to Rey Skywalker. This also makes considerable sense in light of the name’s progress on the website. In fact, the site did not begin tracking this baby name’s popularity for girls until 2016, directly aligning with the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
9 Rex
Captain Rex Is One Of The Most Beloved Clones
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Captain Rex
Created By George Lucas Cast Dee Bradley Baker First Appearance Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Alliance Clone Army, Rebel Alliance
Rex, like Rey, is a baby name meaning ‘king.’ This baby name is currently ranked 1,480 in the US, although it is ranked 722 for boys specifically, according to TheBump.com. Unlike Rey, though, TheBump.com does not call out the name’s Star Wars connection. Rather, it highlights the potential Jurassic Park connection and the name’s association with dinosaurs (the T-Rex in particular).
Despite TheBump.com not highlighting the Star Wars link, this is an important name in the franchise. In fact, this is the name of one of the most beloved clone troopers in Star Wars movies and TV shows. Specifically, Captain Rex, who worked side-by-side with Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano throughout The Clone Wars, is a very popular character. Rex even had follow-up appearances in several Star Wars shows, revealing how well-liked this clone trooper is.
8 Anakin
The Chosen One’s Name Is Surprisingly Popular
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Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Created By George Lucas Cast Bob Anderson , Hayden Christensen , James Earl Jones , Matt Lanter , Matt Lucas , Jake Lloyd , David Prowse , Sebastian Shaw First Appearance Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Alliance Jedi, Sith
Although Anakin Skywalker is undoubtedly one of Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi, it’s nevertheless a surprise that his name is one of Star Wars’ most popular baby names. Currently, the name is ranked 1,081 in the US. Unsurprisingly, TheBump.com specifically states that this name has deep Star Wars connections, but it does mention that this name existed in America prior to its introduction in the galaxy far, far away.
Of all the names on this list thus far, this name is undoubtedly the most unusual to see outside of Star Wars. Delightfully, this likely means that the popularity of this name is almost entirely to do with Anakin Skywalker. While he may have had a complex Star Wars arc, to say the least, this is a wonderful way to honor one of the most important characters in the franchise—and one that, in the end, represents hope, no matter how bad things have gotten.
7 Cassian
Andor’s First Name Really Is A Great Baby Name
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Cassian Andor
Created By John Knoll Cast Diego Luna First Appearance Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Alliance Rebel Alliance
Although Andor is a relatively new addition to Star Wars, it has gained considerable popularity, as has the show’s titular lead, Cassian Andor. It seems this popularity extends beyond the show, though, as the baby named Cassian is currently ranked 1,055 in the US according to TheBump.com. This name has Irish and Gaelic roots, and therefore existed long before Cassian Andor was introduced to the Star Wars universe in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Nevertheless, this is an incredible Star Wars character to honor with a baby’s name. Cassian represents hope, bravery, and perseverance in Star Wars. In addition to that, Cassian is simply a lovely name. Notably, the name Cassian rose considerably in popularity between 2016 and 2017, suggesting that perhaps Rogue One had an influence on this baby name after all, as the movie was released in December of 2016.
6 Kylo
This Dark Side Name Has Impressively Gained Popularity
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Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
Created By J.J. Abrams , Michael Arndt , Lawrence Kasdan Cast Adam Driver , Matthew Wood First Appearance Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Alliance Jedi, First Order
Kylo is one of the most surprising inclusions on this list, as, like Anakin, it is one of the most explicitly Star Wars names. Nevertheless, Kylo comes in at number 786 among popular baby names in the US. Unsurprisingly, this means that the name Kylo saw a sharp increase in popularity around 2016, suggesting that the beginning of the sequel trilogy had a massive influence on this baby name.
TheBump.com
also suggests that ‘Kylo’ may be derived from the ‘ky’ in Skywalker and the ‘lo’ of Solo.
In fact, according to TheBump.com, the origin of this name is the Skywalker Saga itself. The site therefore almost exclusively refers to Star Wars in its description of the name, highlighting that this is the villainous alter ego of Han Solo and Leia Organa’s son, Ben Solo. Interestingly, TheBump.com also suggests that ‘Kylo’ may be derived from the ‘ky’ in Skywalker and the ‘lo’ of Solo. This would be an odd choice for Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, as he seemed determined to rid himself of his father’s identity, but perhaps this was part of the name.
5 Leia
Princess Leia’s Name Is High On The Star Wars Baby Name Charts
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Leia Organa
Created By George Lucas Cast Carrie Fisher , Ingvild Deila , Vivien Lyra Blair First Appearance Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Alliance Rebel Alliance, New Republic, Resistance
Unsurprisingly, Leia is one of the most popular Star Wars-inspired baby names. Leia has been a fan-favorite Star Wars character from the very beginning, and, although the name did exist prior to Princess Leia’s introduction in A New Hope, the name is widely associated with her. TheBump.com indicates that Leia is currently ranked 471 in US popularity, and the site connects that directly to Princess Leia’s legacy in the Star Wars franchise.
However, TheBump.com also highlights that the name has a very, very ancient history, as Leia was also used in the Old Testament of the Bible. Interestingly, the website states that the name Leia initially meant weary or tired. It’s clear that the name took on a brand-new meaning in Star Wars, though, as Leia was a fierce, brilliant, and beautiful character. Undoubtedly, these are the traits many parents have in mind when they pick this baby name.
4 Morgan
Morgan Elsbeth’s Name Is Popular Far Beyond Star Wars
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Morgan Elsbeth
Created By Dave Filoni Cast Diana Lee Inosanto First Appearance The Mandalorian Alliance Empire/Dathomiri
Morgan Elsbeth may not be one of the best-known characters in Star Wars, but she is an incredible character, and she has quite recently grown in importance. In fact, within the last year, Morgan Elsbeth appeared in live-action in Ahsoka and was one of the two main characters in Star Wars: Tales of the Empire in animation. In addition to being a complex villain in her own right, Elsbeth is one of the Nightsisters of Dathomir, making her Star Wars story all the more fascinating.
Of course, Morgan is popular as a baby name beyond the name’s connection to this Star Wars character. Rather, TheBump.com indicates that Morgan is currently ranked 385 in US popularity and has Welsh origins. As TheBump.com also highlights, the name is gender-neutral, making it even more commonly used than several other names on this list. Clearly, Morgan does have plenty of meaning outside of Morgan Elsbeth, but this is nevertheless a brilliant Star Wars baby name.
3 Finn
Finn Is One Of Few Popular Sequel Trilogy Baby Names
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Finn
Created By J.J. Abrams , Lawrence Kasdan , Michael Arndt Cast John Boyega First Appearance Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Alliance Resistance
Finn is an amazing Star Wars character who was sadly underused in the sequel trilogy. Initially, it seemed as though Finn would be the main Jedi in the Star Wars sequels, as promotional materials showed Finn wielding the iconic blue Skywalker lightsaber. However, that ended up not being the case, and, by the end of the trilogy, Finn had been all but sidelined in the franchise. Nevertheless, Finn remains a popular baby name, both from Star Wars and beyond it.
According to TheBump.com, Finn is currently ranked 348 in US popularity. Notably, this is separate from longer variations of the name, such as Finley, which is ranked 296. It does seem as though Finn’s popularity is separate from the Star Wars franchise, as this baby name has had a steady climb throughout the 2000s, and no major increase happened after the sequel trilogy premiered.
2 Luke
Star Wars’ Original Hero Is High On The Baby Names List
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Luke Skywalker
Created By George Lucas Cast Mark Hamill , Grant Feely First Appearance Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Alliance Jedi
It’s no surprise that Luke is one of the most popular baby names that appear in Star Wars. In many ways, Luke is still the main hero throughout the entire Star Wars franchise, even in light of Anakin and Rey serving as the protagonists of the prequel and sequel trilogies, respectively. In fact, despite the name Luke having a very long history prior to the introduction of Luke Skywalker, TheBump.com includes this Star Wars reference in the description of the baby name, proving what a massive influence the franchise has had on the name.
According to TheBump.com, Luke is currently ranked 47 in US popularity, and that number rose sharply around the 1970s. Like other nicknames, Luke is separate from Lucas on TheBump.com; Lucas is ranked 15 in US popularity. Given this discrepancy, it seems opting for the baby name Luke over Lucas may indeed be a decision directly linked to Luke Skywalker. Of course, this is particularly funny, as many have long believed George Lucas chose Luke’s name based on his own.
1 Owen
Uncle Owen Shockingly Tops The Baby Name List
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Uncle Owen is likely not the first Star Wars character that comes to mind, yet it’s Owen’s name that is the most popular baby name to appear in the franchise. According to TheBump.com, Owen is ranked 29th in US popularity. Of course, this name is likely popular for reasons other than the Star Wars franchise. After all, this name has a very long history and has Welsh, Irish, Celtic, and Greek origins.
Nevertheless, Uncle Owen is a worthy Star Wars character to serve as a namesake. Not only was he Luke’s charming uncle in the original Star Wars trilogy, but he was also the kind man who willingly adopted Luke as an infant in the prequels. Obi-Wan Kenobi only further proved how compassionate and brave Owen was, as he fought Reva fiercely to protect young Luke. Somewhat surprisingly, Owen therefore tops the charts of Star Wars baby names, but he truly is a great choice for a name inspired by the franchise.
Source: TheBump.com