Baby Name Trends

What baby names are coming into style and what name trends do we predict for the months and years ahead? Baby name trends and predictions are Nameberry's specialty, and here's where you'll find all our news on the subject. For more research on name trends and data on name popularity, visit our Unique Names page or browse Nameberry's up-to-the-minute lists of popular girl names and popular boy names.

Unpopular Names: Which ugly ducklings grow up to be swans?
Thu Oct 24 2013

Unpopular Names: Which ugly ducklings grow up to be swans?

Historically, the least popular names in the U.S. include Arabella and Miley, Jason and Sebastian down at the bottom of the barrel with Spurgeon and Icy. Which of today’s ugly ducklings will become tomorrow’s swans?
Unisex Names 2013: The top 20 (so far)
Wed Oct 16 2013

Unisex Names 2013: The top 20 (so far)

There’s a new Number 1 on our list of names that can be used for both girls and boys, and it’s one of the most appealing of the bunch. (And no, it’s not North, but we have news on that too.)
Top 100 Boys’ Names of 2013…so far
Tue Oct 15 2013

Top 100 Boys’ Names of 2013…so far

There’s a new star name on the boys’ most popular list for the first nine months of the year, thanks to Britain’s young prince. All about George’s turn in the spotlight along with the other hottest boys’ names.
Most Popular Girls’ Names of 2013….so far
Mon Oct 14 2013

Most Popular Girls’ Names of 2013….so far

With three-quarters of 2013 behind us — can you believe it? — we see Imogen widening her lead over Charlotte as the Number 1 girls’ name on Nameberry. Here’s what’s hottest among our 100 most -searched girls’ names. Guess Number 101 and win a fabulous prize!
Trendy Names in the News: Maceo, Azura, and Knox:
Sun Oct 13 2013

Trendy Names in the News: Maceo, Azura, and Knox:

As in everything else, styles in baby names change too; this week in her Nameberry 9 newsiest names, Appellation Mountain’s Abby Sandel points to possible trends represented by this week’s new entries.
Quirky Vintage Nicknames for Boys: Huey, Louie and Howie
Thu Sep 26 2013

Quirky Vintage Nicknames for Boys: Huey, Louie and Howie

Angela Mastrodonato of Upswing Baby Names, shows us that the long-term UK trend for quirky vintage nickname names for boys like Freddie and Louie has the potential to make it on this side of the pond.
Owen? Max? Lucy? Will They Ever Make the Top 10?
Thu Aug 15 2013

Owen? Max? Lucy? Will They Ever Make the Top 10?

Some names just have a Top 10 feel about them, says Upswing Baby Name’s Angela Mastrodonato, and yet they’ve never made it. Do they still have a chance or has their moment passed?
Unusual Baby Names: 10 same-but-different girl names
Wed Aug 14 2013

Unusual Baby Names: 10 same-but-different girl names

Have you loved an unusual name forever only to find, now that you’re finally in a position to use it, that it’s become the trendy favorite of the moment? Here are some fresher choices that might take its place.
1913 Baby Names:  Does the hundred-year rule still rule?
Wed Aug 07 2013

1913 Baby Names: Does the hundred-year rule still rule?

Lovie and Dovie, Loyal and Royal were all on the popularity list of 1913. Those might not be so revivable, but there are many from a century ago that are.
Trendy Baby Names: The trendiest of all time
Mon Aug 05 2013

Trendy Baby Names: The trendiest of all time

Trendy baby names have been around as long as America, and the trendiest provide a look into our history: What and who fascinated us for a moment, only to be dropped for the next hot topic or attractive figure.
Sassy Short Girl Baby Names: Blythe, Blake, Blair
Sun Aug 04 2013

Sassy Short Girl Baby Names: Blythe, Blake, Blair

They’re smart, sleek and sophisticated. Angela Mastrodonato of Upswing Baby Names sees a refreshing wave of short, brisk girls’ names as an antidote to the frilly Victorians.
Artemis, Italy and Eve: Vowel Names
Sun Aug 04 2013

Artemis, Italy and Eve: Vowel Names

A is the most popular first initial for baby names, closely followed by E, with I and O up-and-coming. Abby Sandel surveys the most stylish vowel names in the news.
Are these the next ‘Twilight’ names?
Fri Aug 02 2013

Are these the next ‘Twilight’ names?

There are new book and movie names in town, set to take the place of Twilight’s megapopular Isabella and Jacob. Brooke Cussans of Baby Name Pondering surveys the fresh competition.
Names on the Cusp
Tue Jul 23 2013

Names on the Cusp

Kelli Brady of thenamefreak! takes a long hard look at the names she predicted would crack the Top 1000 in 2012, and shares how right or wrong she was. What names do you see making it onto the 2013 list?
Combo Names: When 1 plus 1 equals 1
Sun Jul 21 2013

Combo Names: When 1 plus 1 equals 1

Could Miabella be the next Annabella? Angela Mastrodonato of Upswing Baby Names sees a new wave of smoosh names sailing in. What do you think?
Boy Names: The Top 100 of 2013 (so far)
Mon Jul 08 2013

Boy Names: The Top 100 of 2013 (so far)

There’s a new old name at the top of Nameberry’s 2013 popularity chart for boy names, and some hot choices moving quickly up the ladder. What’s Number 1? And can you guess Number 101?
Preppy boys’ names ending with S: Ames, Keats, and Yates
Wed Jun 05 2013

Preppy boys’ names ending with S: Ames, Keats, and Yates

Abby Sandel of appellationmountain.net spots a new trendlet: preppy boys’ names that end in ‘s’, as in Eames, Yates and Keats.
Springtime in Paris: A New Generation of French Names
Mon May 27 2013

Springtime in Paris: A New Generation of French Names

The French names popular in Paris these days have moved far beyond old-school choices like Jacqueline and Jacques. These new choices sound exotic to us and may just be ready for export.
Baby Names 2012: The Best of the New
Wed May 15 2013

Baby Names 2012: The Best of the New

Of the new names to enter the Top 1000 of 2012, here are the Nameberry Picks of the most likely to succeed–from Azalea to Zahra.
Unusual Baby Names: Top choices under the radar
Mon May 13 2013

Unusual Baby Names: Top choices under the radar

Just below the new Top 1000 are dozens of wonderful names, some on the brink of wider popularity along with classics sailing toward extinction. Are your favorite baby names — or your own name! — among them?
A Letter to Jacob and Sophia
Sun May 12 2013

A Letter to Jacob and Sophia

A Dad’s humorous hypothetical letter of apology to future bearers of the year’s most popular names, Sophia and Jacob.
Playground Analysis: The REAL Top 50 Names
Fri May 10 2013

Playground Analysis: The REAL Top 50 Names

Are Sophia and Jacob really the top baby names? Kelli Brady of NameFreak!’s analysis of spelling variations shows that for boys, there’s a different Number 1…AND 2.
Popular Names 2012: The new top baby names!
Thu May 09 2013

Popular Names 2012: The new top baby names!

The official list of Most Popular Names for 2012 has been announced, and the top baby names are….
Popular Names 2012: Guess the Top 10 and win!
Tue May 07 2013

Popular Names 2012: Guess the Top 10 and win!

Will Sophia hold onto her new crown? Will Jacob hang in at Number 1? Guess the correct order of the new U.S. Top 10 and win this gorgeous personalized necklace, a Nameberry exclusive.
Baby Names Trend: I-Ending Girl Names To Keep An Eye On
Sun May 05 2013

Baby Names Trend: I-Ending Girl Names To Keep An Eye On

Yes, a preponderance of girls’ names end in the vowel ‘A’, but there’s a new trend approaching for I-ending names as well.