Simon Cowell Inspires American Baby Names

The Meanest Man Across the Pond is a big inspiration for baby names on this side of the Atlantic.

Music mogul Simon Cowell is so popular Stateside that Americans are now naming their tots after The X Factor judge, sources at the Social Security Administration (SSA) tell The Daily Star. It seems the biblical name, which means “The Listener” in Hebrew, has made a comeback among US parents in the years since Cowell rose to fame on American Idol back in 2002.

In 2009, barely 1,000 newborn Simons were registered in the US and trailed behind choices like Hudson, Kaiden, Braden, Camden, Jaxson and Drake, “but this past 12 months, with Cowell’s face everywhere, it’s a hot pick There will be thousands and thousands of little Simons running around.”

“It’s looking likely Simon will break into the top 50, up from 263rd most popular in 2009. The name has come from absolutely nowhere since Cowell started appearing on television. For years it’s been around the 250th most popular name, a generation ago it was in the four or five-hundreds,” the SSA insider says.

Additionally, baby-naming website Berry.com has pegged Simon its 85th most searched for name on their site.