8 Baby Name Trends We Expect to See in 2026

Baby names give you such a fun little snapshot of the world your baby is being born into. And right now, that world is all about comfort and creativity—think classics like Olivia and Liam right alongside evocative word names like Halo and Clover. So, which baby names will define 2026? To figure out the front-runners for the coming years, we scrutinized the latest baby name trends. Here are the names we expect to pick up steam next year.

Classics have staying power.

In a wobbly world, parents are still flocking to names that feel warm, familiar, and easy to wear at every age. Case in point? Liam has been the #1 boy name in the U.S. for eight years straight, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), with Noah sitting comfortably at #2 for six years in a row. On the girls’ most popular list, Olivia has held the #1 spot for six years running, with Emma camped out at #2 that entire time. Other lists echo the same story with Olivia and Noah riding high, and long-time favorites Amelia, Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Oliver, Elijah, and Mateo filling out the top ranks.

In other words, expect another year where classroom roll calls still start with Liam, Noah, Olivia, and Emma—but in the mix, you’ll hear more of the slightly less-saturated soft classics parents are using to stand out just a bit. Evelyn, Charlotte, Sofia, Mia show no signs of slowing in popularity for girls, while Theodore, Mateo, Henry, James, Lucas, and William seem just as likely to hold firmly to their top 10 spots. These names give “timeless and trustworthy,” which parents clearly aren’t done loving. And if you’re looking for a name that feels both of-the-moment and will stand the test of time, browse these rare alternatives to popular names!

Shimmering, light-filled names keep rising.

If you love names with a built-in glow—sun, light, gems, or sparkle—2026 will be full of them. Names meaning light—ones that that sound sunlit, glittery, and glowy—are absolutely on the move—especially on the SSA “fastest risers” lists.

From 2023 to 2024 Soleil (“sun” in French) blasted up 151 places to #824, while Solana rose 242 spots (from #933 to #691), doubling down on sunny vibes. Likewise, Goldie moved up 42 places, now in the mid-600s. Halo showed up on both lists. This gender-neutral name shot up 466 places for boys (to #994) and rose another 52 spots for girls. Gentle, bright Elio (a sun-adjacent name) leapt 139 spots into the low 500s. Nameberry’s popularity lists are packed with similarly luminous choices—think Aurelia, Opal, and Emerald, all showing multi-dozen-spot jumps in the SSA data too. Light-adjacent choices for boys—like Lucian and Cyrus, are inching upward as well.

Wildflower, bird, and forest names take flight.

Nature names aren’t new, but they’re getting more specific and whimsical. Instead of just River and Lily, parents are creeping into “storybook forest” territory.

On the girls list, Wrenlee soared 229 spots, from #583 to #354 in a single year, while variant Wrenleigh skipped over 185 spots, and Wrenley rose another 26, showing serious love for all things wren. Lavender, Marigold, and Meadow all posted healthy jumps, putting more florals in the mix. Nameberry’s user data shows nature darlings like Violet, Daisy, Hazel, Clover, and Elowen attracting lots of clicks; Violet sits in the #2 spot on their girls’ popularity list for 2025.

For boys, Aspen summited 72 places to break into the Top 1,000, and Forest/Forrest both ticked upward. These are blazing a path for other trail- and tree-minded monikers, along the lines of Meadow and Elowen/Elowyn. On the sea side, Ocean moved up 18 ranks and continues to be used across genders. And don’t be surprised if similar names—think: Marina—get a similar wave of support.

These choices manage to feel whimsical and grounded at the same time—which is exactly what many parents are going for.

Global and heritage names go mainstream.

One of the clearest themes in the latest SSA data is the rise of names with strong cultural roots and cross-border appeal. Nameberry’s editor-in-chief notes that Americans are increasingly choosing “heritage choices” that work in many languages.

Mateo sits at #7 on the SSA boys’ list, making it one of the most broadly loved Spanish-language names today. And Sofia, a pan-European favorite, entered the SSA girls’ Top 10 for the first time in 2024, after years of hovering just outside.

Spanish name Ailany had the single biggest jump among girls—up 754 spots, from #855 all the way to #101—with close cousins Aylani and Hawaiian-rooted Ailani posting triple-digit gains. And Arabic names like Musa, Mustafa, Yahya, and Kabir each picked up 60+ spots on the boys’ side.

Emerging global names include Betsaida (Spanish/Latin American form of Bethsaida, which ranks in several Latin American communities), Angelino (Spanish/Portuguese/Italian elaboration of Angelo/Ángel), and Annachiara (a mashup currently in Italy’s Top 200). With that, names like Emilio and Amara/Amora feel poised to rise.

If you’re hoping to honor your family’s roots and pick something globally wearable, the data says you’re in very good company.

Surname and western-coded names ride again.

Surname-style names and “little ranch hand” picks are still on a roll—and they’re getting a touch more polished.

Callahan and Callan both jumped 97 spots on the SSA list in a year. Rhodes notched up 94 places, Wells rose 71, and Baker moved up 84 ranks.  Cowboy-adjacent Boone, Riggs, Stetson, Rowdy, and Wilder each saw double-digit gains.

BabyCenter’s 2025 data tells a similar story. Walker, Bennett, Adriel, Ember, and Oakley all cracked BabyCenter’s Top 100 for the first time, pushing out previously popular choices like Kayden and Dominic. Nameberry’s newest-names list throws in Bishop, labeled as a “spiritual occupational surname” that’s recently been given to both boys and a small number of girls.

In the girl and gender-neutral category, don’t be surprised if Ember, Oakley, Campbell, Blair, and Tatum start to pepper nurseries. They feel modern and cool but still familiar—perfect if you want something that sounds like it belongs on a book cover and a little league roster.

Vowel-powered, storybook girl names float on.

Girl names that feel literary, ancient, and maybe just a little bit witchy are huge right now—and poised to grow in popularity.

Eliana climbed from #34 to #18 on the SSA list in just one year and broke into BabyCenter’s Top 10 for the first time. On its heels, Aurora joined BabyCenter’s girl Top 10 in 2025, signaling big mainstream appeal for this Roman-dawn name. Vintage darlings Florence, Lottie, Greta, Margot, Matilda, Aurelia, and Vivienne all logged notable gains, and Elodie and Elowyn/Elowen each made jumps of 160+ spots, moving solidly into the mid-ranks. Meanwhile, Nameberry’s top five list included Ophelia, Violet, Esme, Maeve, and Phoebe.

Gentle gender-neutral names have broad appeal.

Parents are into soft, compact names that don’t shout gender—ideal for families who value flexibility and low-frill cool. (You’ll notice here that many of the names that follow this trend fit into another top trend, too!)

The gender-neutral-leaning Rowan rose a bit to sit in the low 70s for boys and is also well-used for girls. Ocean moved up 18 spots on the boys’ side and continues to be used across genders. Sunny climbed 34 ranks for girls (now in the high 300s), with Sol following its upward journey. Tatum appears on both the boys’ and girls’ “fastest risers” lists, moving up 38 spots for boys and 21 for girls. Surname-style Bellamy, another gender-neutral fave, rose 59 places in the boys’ rankings.

Additional gender-flex names that feel especially 2026 include Amias, Milo, Silas, Blair, Parker, Sage, and Quinn. Think: easy to pronounce, easy to wear, and ready for any future your kid dreams up.

Classic names get remixed and reinvented with creative spellings.

Newly minted names and spelling-twist favorites are still going strong, and they’re getting more elaborate. These monikers give a very “TikTok-era creativity” energy—parents mixing familiar sounds in new ways to get a one-of-a-kind name that still feels on-trend.

The SSA’s biggest movers list is full of mash-ups and embellished endings. Lakelyn climbed 175 spots, and Lakelynn rose 106, both carrying that -lyn/-lynn ending Gen Alpha parents adore. Maelynn shot up 113 places, and Wrenlee and Wrenleigh jumped 229 and 185 spots respectively.  Novalee, Zaylee, Navy, Emberly, and Brynlee all registered solid gains, too. Nameberry’s own data backs this up, highlighting names like Hollyn, Scottlynn, Skylynn, and Sevyn as names to watch. On the boys’ side, surname-meets-sci-fi creations are also rising: Wylder climbed 38 spots, Ryatt jumped 160, and Jettson (yes, with two Ts) moved up 212 places.

More Baby Names to Watch:

• Baby Names to Rescue From Extinction
• Our Favorite Baby Names From A to Z
• The Most Popular Baby Name in Every State
• Rewind: The Top Baby Names of the 2000s

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.