My husband and I love [name]Adrian[/name] as one of our top names for our first child (TTC). However, popularity is the NUMBER [name]ONE[/name] turn-off to a name for me, and to my surprise, it looks like [name]Adrian[/name] ranks higher for boys in the United States than the names [name]Madelyn[/name]/[name]Madeline[/name]/[name]Mackenzie[/name]/[name]McKenzie[/name]/[name]Makenna[/name]/[name]McKenna[/name] rank for girls. My sister has worked in a daycare setting for seven and a half years, and has never met a little [name]Adrian[/name]. But that’s because in our state [name]Adrian[/name] is not even in the top 100. However, in states like [name]California[/name], [name]Nevada[/name], and [name]New[/name] [name]York[/name], where trends start, [name]Adrian[/name] is pretty high up. So my question is: Is [name]Adrian[/name] a rising trend? Is this the next [name]Aiden[/name]? It seems like trends (fashion, etc) start in [name]CA[/name] and NY, then spread out, and I’m afraid a wave of Adrians is coming this way. 
My guess is that [name]Adrian[/name] is probably popular in states which have large Hispanic populations. It was No# 56 nationally in the US last year but remember that’s only 7,291 boys. Compare it to the No# 1 name of [name]Jacob[/name] (20,153 boys) and I don’t think you have to worry too much because the name was in the same position for two years in a row (see stats below). Also, it hasn’t had an astronomical rise in popularity in the last ten years either but has remained steady. If it’s not popular where you live, chances are that there is no cause for alarm. Personally, I love the softer sound of [name]Adrian[/name] but many parents want a stronger name for their boys.
2011 - 56
2010 - 56
2009 - 58
2008 - 56
2007 - 61
2006 - 63
2005 - 65
2004 - 72
2003 - 68
2002 - 73
2001 - 75
2000 - 78
I have liked [name]Adrian[/name] ever since I read [name]Mary[/name] [name]Shelley[/name]'s terrible apocalyptic novel The Last [name]Man[/name]. It sounds very posh. I predict it’s the next [name]Sebastian[/name] (but maybe that’s just because [name]Adrian[/name] in the novel felt like a righteous [name]Sebastian[/name] Flyte to me). I’ve been waiting for it to come back so I’ve been keeping tabs on it and it has been rising. It is predominantly popular for Latino babies, but it’s spreading to other ethnicities as well, which explains the trend. I have known only 2 Adrians in real life however. [name]One[/name] was Latino and I remember being confused about why he had a girl’s name (I was young) and the other was Caucasian and he went by [name]Adie[/name], which really worked for him.
Overall, I think it’s a great name and that at this point it’s just popular enough not to confuse people, but I doubt it will ever get to the status of [name]Aiden[/name].
I like [name]Adrian[/name] as well, but I could see it getting used as people steer away from [name]Aiden[/name], like the whole [name]Emily[/name]-[name]Emma[/name]-[name]Ella[/name] progression. I think it depends on how soon you conceive. You’ll at least have access to 2012 data before your baby arrives, so you can keep an eye on any shift that occurs.