Names that Peaked in 2020

Though Genesis is a Top 100 girls' name in the US, it's by all rights a unisex choice.

This name is a combination of the traditional Grace and the popular suffix -lyn. Gracelyn could work as an alternative to the popular Brooklyn while also sharing the modern feel of Emberlynn and Oaklyn.

Lucca first entered the US Top 1000 in 2012 and has been trending upwards.

This name directly translates to the way most parents feel about their sons. It's rising quickly in popularity, along with many other names from the Indian subcontinent.

Widely used in the Hispanic community, as is the shorter Isai. While the original Isaiah and cousin Isaac are much more popular, Isaias commanded attention as the name of a storm in the summer of 2020.

Abbreviated form of Zahara that was used by Chris Rock for his daughter and as a middle name by both Eddie Murphy and David Bowie. Compared with the even-more-abbreviated Zara, Zahra may create more spelling problems but clarify pronunciation.

Emir can be a title of honor in Arabic-speaking nations. In Turkey and the Balkan countries, Emir is one of the fairly popular Arabic names for boys.

The most popular spelling of the fast-climbing member of the Aiden-rhyming clan is used by parents who love the first initial Z. Zaiden is nearly as popular, and Zaden is a ways behind.

Lovers of the name Carter and the Kardashians method of baby naming have popularized this choice, one of many boys' names starting with K that began life as boys' names starting with C. Karter has been in the charts since 2005, riding on the success of the original Carter. Since 2014, Karter has been just inside the Top 200.

Evocative of tranquil island escapes. One of several Hawaiian (and pseudo-Hawaiian) names ending in "-ani" that's soaring in popularity, Nalani made its debut on the US Top 1000 in 2016.

Aliza might seem like yet another variation of the eternal Alyssa/Alicia/Eliza loop, but it's a distinct name all its own. The z adds zip.

A melodic name that's taking off in the African-American community, along with sound-alikes such as Amari, Jamari, and Damari.

A unisex surname now seeing some use for girls, as it fits right in with such trendy crossover girls' names as Everly. Ellery and Emery, and others with the popular ly/leigh/lea ending

Zayd (or its most common variant Zaid), an old and still well used Arabic name, was a enslaved man whom Muhammad adopted as his son.

One of the fastest-rising names currently, thanks to LeBron James' daughter Zhuri. This spelling entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, following in the footsteps of red-hot Zuri.

Violeta is the variation of Violet found throughout Eastern Europe -- the name is styled this way in Bulgarian and Roumanian as well as other languages -- and Spain, while Violetta is the Italian form. Violeta re-entered the Top 1000 in 2018. The Violetta spelling is given to about half as many baby girls. A lovely choice for parents who love Violet but want something more unusual.

Alaya has connections as a Buddhist term, and it could be a creative coinage, based on similarities to names like Alayna and Layla. In Buddhism, Alaya refers to the base consciousness—all of our memories, ideas, and desires. It's a lofty concept, and an attractive name, slowly on the rise since entering the US Top 1000 in 2009.

Anaya is a spelling variant of Inaya , a name that derives from the Arabic word "inayah", meaning "care, concern, help". It is an indirect Qur'anic name, and the strictly feminine form of the unisex Inayat.

Is Milani an elaboration of Italian city name Milan or is it a modern form of Melanie? While it's newly on the Top 1000, Milani is not a choice we recommend.

An increasingly popular spelling of Carson, Karson feels at home with Kayden, Kieran, and Kai. While the Carson spelling sits just outside the Top 100 and is used three times more often, Karson is still given to around 980 babies each year.