Yellowstone: Inspiring television – and naming babies for 2023 .
It’s a hit for television — and for baby-naming.
According to the Social Security Administration, the “fastest rising” boys’ names heading into 2023 were “Dutton” and “Kayce” — inspired by the Paramount Network series “Yellowstone.”
In the show, Dutton is the surname of the fictional family who owns the Yellowstone ranch in Montana. The blockbuster series depicts the generations of Duttons living on the land since the 1800s and their battles to keep the ranch.
Kevin Costner plays John Dutton, the patriarch of the family and the sixth generation to run the ranch, and Luke Grimes plays his son, Kayce Dutton.
It’s not uncommon for pop culture to influence popular baby names, with parenting website Nameberry predicting the top 23 baby names of 2023 would be influenced by celebrities like Billie Eilish, Dolly Parton and Scarlett Johansson.
The SSA has been compiling baby name lists since 1997.
“Just like your name, Social Security is with you from day one. One of the first things parents do for their newborn is get them a Social Security number. That makes Social Security the ultimate source for the most popular baby names each year!” said Kilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of Social Security.
“And just like a name, Social Security is with you through life’s journey,” Kijakazi added.
The top five fastest-rising boys’ names in 2023were:
Dutton
Kayce
Chosen
Khaza
Eithan
The top five fastest-rising girls’ names in 2023 were:
Wrenlee
Neriah
Arlet
Georgina
Amiri
The top 10 boys’ names in 2023 were:
Liam
Noah
Oliver
James
Elijah
William
Henry
Lucas
Benjamin
Theodore
The top 10 girls’ names in 2023 were:
Olivia
Emma
Charlotte
Amelia
Sophia
Isabella
Ava
Mia
Evelyn
Luna
The SSA said that the boy’s name Liam has topped its list for six years running, adding that Luna hit the girls’ top 10 for the first time.
“Yellowstone,” created by Taylor Sheridan, inspired spin-offs which included the prequels “1883” and “1923” — featuring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford — as well as the upcoming series “Bass Reeves.”
The “Yellowstone” spinoff “1883” goes back in time to when the Dutton family settled on the land that would become Yellowstone ranch, while “1923” picks up the story 40 years later as the family faces famine and disease.
The beleaguered hit series has starred Costner, Grimes, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser and is set to wrap with the second half of Season 5 this summer.
The show is riding off into the sunset as creator Sheridan has faced accusations of “ridiculous” spending.
It has also been hog-tied by an alleged feud between him and Costner that has led to claims that the former’s “ego” was getting in the way of production and that the latter’s schedule additionally hampered filming.