Parents are taking inspiration from comic book names from the popular Marvel superhero series and naming their babies after some of its most popular- and controversial characters.
According to new research by retailer Lost Universe, unique Marvel names such as Thanos, Wanda and Loki and are rising in popularity with parents.
Data was collected from the UK and the US between the release of the first Avengers movie in 2012 and 2021 to see if some of the world's most famous heroes and villains have been popular with parents.
The data was broken down to include the names ranking in popularity, the total number of babies named after each character in the US in 2021, and the hidden meanings behind each name.
Bucky, Thanos and Quill have seen the biggest rise in popularity over the last few years, with Thanos becoming the 4,670th most popular name in the US, rising 8,955 places since 2012, according to The Mirror.
A whopping 4,666 babies have been named after the notorious villain who wiped out half of the population with a snap of his fingers in the movie Infinity War.
Alongside Quill, Guardians of the Galaxy names are also in favour with mums and dads with a predicted 1,333 babies being named after both Groot and Drax so far this year.
However, the findings show that the nickname for the Winter Soldier, 'Bucky', is the name that has risen the most in popularity.
In 2021, it is currently the 6,193rd most popular name, moving up 11,244 places since 2012.
A total of 3,000 parents have named their baby 'Bucky' so far this year, with the character becoming a real fan-favourite in the film Endgame and recent series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The Loki series released this year looks to have also influenced fans. Babies named after the Asgardian villain Loki have become more common, while his brother Thor's moniker seems to have fallen in popularity.
Marvel names that have risen in popularity between 2012 and 2021:
Bucky (Winter Soldier) +11,244
Quill (Star Lord) +9,264
Thanos +8,955
Groot +4,224
Drax +2,331
Wanda (Scarlett Witch) +2,297
Loki +455
Nick (Nick Fury) +230
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