Names that Peaked in 2022

  1. Gian
    • Origin:

      Italian, diminutive of Giovanni
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Gian sounds (almost) like John, so there's some potential for confusion, but the spelling makes it unmistakeably Italian. It could be a solution if longer names like Gianni and Gianluca aren't your style.
  2. Atreus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "fearless"
    • Description:

      Unusual name from Greek mythology gaining traction along with others in its class. Atreus was the father of the king Agamemnon.
  3. Zariyah
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "scattering wind"
    • Description:

      Zariyah has several possible origins: the Arabic Zahrah which means "flower" or Zariya "scattering wind"; the Hebrew name Azariah, meaning "God has helped"; or the Russian word Zaria which means "sunrise, dawn."
  4. Zayd
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "increase, growth"
    • Description:

      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.
  5. Ryatt
    • Origin:

      Invented name
    • Description:

      Ryatt — which may be a combination of names like Ryan and Wyatt — gives you the sound of Riot without the violent connotations. Naturally, it's almost twice as popular among baby boys than Riot, even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.
  6. Emiliana
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Emily
    • Meaning:

      "rival"
    • Description:

      The enormous popularity of Emily and Emma means that parents will be looking further afield for substitutes -- and this is one of the prettiest.

  7. Oaklynn
    • Origin:

      American invented name
    • Meaning:

      "oak lake"
    • Description:

      Many names relating to oak as in the tree are becoming more popular for baby girls, including Oaklynn, more popular than twin Oaklyn three to one. About 1800 baby girls were named Oaklynn versus 600 spelled Oaklyn.
  8. Rosalina
    • Origin:

      Variation of Rosaline, English
    • Meaning:

      "rose"
    • Description:

      A feminine and fragrant member of the Rose family.
  9. Mylah
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Mila or feminine variation of Milo
    • Meaning:

      "solider; merciful"
    • Description:

      The popularity of Mila has no doubt influenced the rise of Mylah, which can also be viewed as a feminization of Milo.
  10. Zhuri
    • Origin:

      Variation of Zuri, African, Kiswahili
    • Meaning:

      "good, beautiful"
    • Description:

      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.
  11. Zahir
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "helper, supporter"
    • Description:

      A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.
  12. Violeta
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Eastern European
    • Meaning:

      "purple; violet (flower)"
    • Description:

      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.
  13. Zyaire
    • Origin:

      Variation of Zaire
    • Description:

      While we're definite fans of Zaire -- the former name of the country now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- the "Y" really isn't necessary. This spelling variation debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.
  14. Julieta
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Juliet
    • Meaning:

      "little Julia"
    • Description:

      The lovely Shakespearean Juliet is finding renewed interest as a baby name today, and Julieta is along for the ride, especially among Spanish families.
  15. Kayce
    • Origin:

      Variation of Case
    • Description:

      A unisex name for which pronunciation differs by gender — the masculine variation is often homophonous with Case, while the feminine is a variation of Casey. Kayce was among the fastest-rising names of 2022, jumping 490 spots, thanks to the cool-cowboy association from character Kayce Dutton on the hit TV Western Yellowstone. This Kayce's name is pronounced like "Casey", leading to the rise of Casey as well for both boys and girls.
  16. Maddie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Madeline or Madison
    • Description:

      Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.
  17. Katalina
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Greek, Hungarian
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Spelling variant of Catalina, currently on the rise in the US.
  18. Sylas
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Silas
    • Description:

      This spelling of Silas hit a peak at Number 520 in 2013 -- likely to due the trendy Y -- but has since fallen a bit in the ranking. The classic spelling is much more popular.
  19. Milani
    • Origin:

      Variation of Milana or Melanie
    • Description:

      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.
  20. Keilani
    • Origin:

      Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "heaven, sky, glorious chief"
    • Description:

      Keilani is among the fastest rising girls' names in some US states, a once-unusual name perhaps popularized by its similarity to both Leilani and Kayla. Its rhythmic appeal cannot be denied.