Luke and Leia have always been popular baby names. But a more unlikely "Star Wars" character claimed the spot, thanks to The Sith's Anakin Skywalker.
Yes, "Anakin" is becoming a popular name choice for boys, which is the given name of the infamous "Star Wars" villain, Darth Vader. Just last year, 218 boys were blessed enough to be named Anakin.
According to the Social Security Administration, Anakin was the 957th most popular boys' name in 2014. This actually marks the first time the name Anakin made it to the top 1000. Back in 2013, it had the 1,238th spot.
It's a surprising turn of events, since more babies typically leave the hospital being named after one of the good guys from the "Star Wars" franchise.
Also in 2014, Luke was ranked 28th among boys' names, although many of them could have also been taken after the Biblical reference. 10,431 babies born in 2014 carried this name.
Meanwhile, 605 female babies were born and given the name Leia. The "Star Wars" princess' name was ranked 509th most popular in 2014 as well.
The name Anakin isn't naturally expected to be a choice for babies, but Pamela Redmond Satran does attest that popular fantasy franchise characters heavily influence the choice of names.
The co-author of "The Baby Name Bible" and creator of Nameberry, notes:
"I think it's the influence of other fantasy properties, like 'Game of Thrones' and 'Hunger Games.' [...] Those two dramatizations also have outsized heroes and a devoted fan base, and they've broken through a barrier in terms of parents using names that were invented specifically for a movie or book."
In fact, names like Khaleesi from "Game of Thrones" (368 girls in 2014) and Katniss from "Hunger Games" (38 girls in 2014) have also been used.