2012 in Names

Korra surged in 2012 following the premiere of Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra, an acclaimed animated series that brought the strong female protagonist to mainstream audiences.

The name 'Akin' spiked dramatically in August 2012 following a major political controversy involving U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin, which dominated national news coverage and public search interest.

Django surged 794% in late 2012 following the release of Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained,' bringing the character name into mainstream cultural consciousness.

Honey surged +93% in September 2012 following the viral success of TLC's 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,' which premiered in August and made the nickname 'Honey Boo Boo' a cultural phenomenon.

Katniss surged +1379% in March 2012 following the theatrical release of The Hunger Games film, introducing the character name Katniss Everdeen to mainstream audiences worldwide.

Lin surged +608% in February 2012 after Jeremy Lin's breakout performance with the New York Knicks sparked the global 'Linsanity' phenomenon.

Argo surged in 2012 following the theatrical release of Ben Affleck's acclaimed political thriller 'Argo,' which later won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Bane surged in summer 2012 following the release of The Dark Knight Rises, where Tom Hardy's portrayal of the iconic Batman villain captivated audiences and generated widespread cultural interest in the name.

The name 'Brave' surged in search interest in June 2012 following the theatrical release of Pixar's animated film 'Brave,' inspiring parents to consider the virtue name for their children.

Grey surged 173% in May 2012 following the release of 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' the bestselling erotic novel featuring protagonist Christian Grey.

Knight surged 144% in mid-2012 ahead of The Dark Knight Rises premiere, as the blockbuster finale of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy dominated popular culture and sparked interest in the iconic name.

Kristen surged 103% in July 2012 following the highly-publicized infidelity scandal involving actress Kristen Stewart, which dominated headlines and social media that summer.

Lebron surged in search interest in June 2012 following LeBron James' first NBA championship win with the Miami Heat, cementing his status as one of basketball's greatest players.

Tom Daley's documentary 'Diving for Britain' released in July 2012 boosted searches for the name during the London Olympics, where the young diver became a British sporting sensation.

Kendrick surged in November 2012 following the release of Kendrick Lamar's breakthrough album 'good kid, m.A.A.d city,' which introduced the artist to mainstream audiences and increased searches for the name.

Lana surged +468% in 2012 following the rise of musician Lana Del Rey and her debut album 'Born to Die,' bringing the name into mainstream cultural consciousness.

Les surged in search interest in December 2012 following the highly anticipated release of the film adaptation of Les Misérables, one of the year's biggest movies.

Madonna spiked in February 2012 following the pop icon's high-profile Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance on February 5, generating worldwide media attention and search interest.

Atlas surged in search interest in October 2012, likely driven by the major release of Cloud Atlas, the Wachowskis' ambitious sci-fi epic featuring the name prominently in its title.

Hathaway surged in late 2012, likely boosted by Anne Hathaway's acclaimed role as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises and heightened interest during the holiday gift-giving season.

Manning spiked in early 2012 as Peyton Manning became one of the NFL's biggest free agents, signing with the Denver Broncos and dominating sports headlines.

Carly surged in 2012 during the peak popularity of Nickelodeon's iCarly, where Miranda Cosgrove's character Carly Shay captivated millions of young viewers.

Cliff saw a spike in search interest in December 2012 during intense media coverage of the U.S. fiscal cliff, though this likely reflects heightened awareness of the word rather than a direct naming influence.

Dwight spiked in 2012 as the beloved character Dwight Schrute from NBC's The Office approached his character's culmination during the show's final season.

Flo spiked in 2012 as Progressive Insurance's iconic mascot character became a cultural phenomenon, with the cheerful Flo appearing in ubiquitous advertising campaigns throughout the year.

Halo surged in 2012 following the release of the live-action series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and the anticipation surrounding the Halo 4 video game launch.

Legend surged in 2012 following the premiere of Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra, the highly anticipated sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which brought renewed attention to the word 'Legend' among young audiences.

April spiked in early 2012 ahead of Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series revival, which prominently featured the character April O'Neil.

Searches for 'Channing' spiked in early 2012 following the HBO premiere of the documentary 'Carol Channing: Larger Than Life,' reigniting interest in the legendary Broadway star.

Derrick spiked in 2012 during Derrick Rose's peak years as an NBA MVP-caliber player, as the Chicago Bulls' star dominated headlines and inspired baby naming trends.

The search spike for 'Euro' in June 2012 coincided with the premiere of the Australian comedy series 'Hamish & Andy's Euro Gap Year,' which brought renewed attention to the term through the popular show's title.

Ivy gained attention in early 2012 as the character Ivy Dickens became central to Gossip Girl's Season 5 storyline, introducing the name to millions of devoted viewers.

Jeremy spiked in early 2012 as the family film 'Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life' entered its theatrical release cycle in March, drawing interest from parents and book fans.

Lance searches spiked in August 2012 during Lance Armstrong's high-profile doping scandal, likely as parents and the public reconsidered the name's association with the disgraced cyclist.

The name Evelyn spiked in searches following the June 2012 release of the drama film 'Evelyn,' likely boosting awareness of the name during peak summer viewing season.

Abbey gained search interest in early 2012, likely boosted by the enduring popularity of the character Abigail 'Abbey' Sciuto from the hit CBS series NCIS.

Felix spiked in August 2012, likely driven by widespread media coverage of daredevil Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking Red Bull Stratos freefall jump preparation, which culminated in October 2012.

Holmes spiked in July 2012 during a peak period of Sherlock Holmes cultural popularity, driven by BBC's acclaimed Sherlock series and renewed interest in classic detective fiction.