The Trendiest Names of the Century

Updated Thu Oct 17 2024

If you know someone named Atlas or Amyra, Bear or Briella, chances are they were born after 2000. These names are among the trendiest of the 21st century — virtually unheard of before the new millennium, but now part of the mainstream.

To determine these top trending names, we looked at girl and boy names currently within the US Top 1000 which have increased in rank by at least 5000 spots since 2000. To put that into perspective, the most common name on this list in 2000 was Ophelia, given to just 21 baby girls, ranking it at Number 5310. By 2023, over 1000 baby girls were named Ophelia, and it climbed to Number 267.

The resulting collection includes 55 girl and 47 boy names, all newly popular in the modern American baby name landscape.

Like many lists of fast-rising baby names, the trendiest names of the 21st century include their fair share of invented names and creative spellings, a la Lakelyn and Karsyn. But vintage and historic names are also represented, with choices like Etta, Loyal, and Mavis among the choices recently revived. Collectively, the names here illustrate the most defining baby name trends from 2000 to today.

The most notable 21st-century name trend, which we've observed in studies such as The Reddest and Bluest Baby Names, is the rise of names from non-English origins. Over 41% of the trendiest names of the century are rooted in languages other than English. These include Sanskrit names like Nyra and Veer, Scandinavian names such as Matheo and Ander, and names with Indigenous origins, like the Mayan Alitzel and Lakota Sioux Koda.

This reflects a broader movement toward Global Americana names, one of our top baby name trends 2025. Parents are increasingly turning to their roots when choosing baby names, particularly those with Latin American and Hispanic heritage. More than 10% of the names in this study are disproportionately popular among babies of Latin American and Hispanic descent, such as Yaretzi, Aitana, and Alitzel for girls, Eliam, Gael, and Benicio for boys.

Other century-defining name trends exhibited here include mythological names like Calliope, Lyra, and Atlas; faux Hawaiian names such as Khalani and Milani; and modern Christian names including Shepherd, Saint, and Kyrie.

And, of course, there are the names boosted by post-2000 pop culture. We wouldn't have Beckham without David, or Bristol without Palin. Dream and Saint come to us from Kardashian children, and Kyrie is thanks to the NBA's Irving. Koda was popularized by the 2003 Disney film Brother Bear (and interestingly, Bear is also one of the trendiest names of the century).

While the popularity of these names has increased exponentially since the turn of the millennium, today's expectant parents are unlikely to have encountered them growing up, making it easy to underestimate the trendiness of a unique-sounding name like Calliope or Caspian.

But with names rising this quickly, a significant portion of them — think Clover and Ophelia, Atlas and Tadeo — could easily break the Top 100, maybe even the Top 10. For the popularity-averse, heed this as a warning: your favorite "undiscovered" baby name may not stay unusual for long.

Other names on this list are recently past their peaks — such as Karsyn, Elliot, and Memphis — but remain emblematic of the shift in baby name style from 2000 to today.

Top 10 Trendiest Girl Names of the 21st Century

1. Khalani

Current rank: 867

Change in rank between 2000 and today: +9875

2. Emersyn

Current rank: 146

Change in rank: +9725

3. Amora

Current rank: 362

Change in rank: +9509

4. Navy

Current rank: 363

Change in rank: +9508

5. Calliope

Current rank: 492

Change in rank: +9379

6. Everly

Current rank: 69

Change in rank: +9092

7. Alitzel

Current rank: 871

Change in rank: +9000

8. Ensley

Current rank: 878

Change in rank: +8993

9. Mylah

Current rank: 388

Change in rank: +8773

10. Yaretzi

Current rank: 551

Change in rank: +8610

Top 10 Trendiest Boy Names of the 21st Century

1. Beckham

Current rank: 199

Change in rank between 2000 and today: +10148

2. Zaiden

Current rank: 518

Change in rank: +9829

3. Eliam

Current rank: 641

Change in rank: +9706

4. Krew

Current rank: 647

Change in rank: +9700

5. Amias

Current rank: 681

Change in rank: +9666

6. Matheo

Current rank: 870

Change in rank: +9477

7. Harlem

Current rank: 911

Change in rank: +9436

8. Ermias

Current rank: 931

Change in rank: +9416

9. Asaiah

Current rank: 957

Change in rank: +9390

10. Karsyn

Current rank: 983

Change in rank: +9364

Trendiest Girl Names of the Century

The top trending names of the 21st century have increased in rank by at least 5000 spots since 2000 and currently rank within the US Top 1000. Here, they are listed in order of trendiness, with the fastest-rising names at the top.

Trendiest Boy Names of the Century

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm's Personal Website

Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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