11 Baby Name Trends To Look Out For This Year
Year after year, popular classics like Olivia, Emma and James have dominated the Social Security Administration’s list of Top 1,000 names in the U.S. But that doesn’t mean American parents are unwilling to think outside the box and draw naming inspiration from a variety of places.
“In 2025, I believe we’ll see parents continuing to prioritize names that feel deeply personal, connected to meaningful themes like nature and heritage, and reflective of evolving societal values like gender inclusivity,” name consultant Lilia E. Corrigan of Heartbabynames told HuffPost. “I do wonder if we will also see more traditional names being paired with modern and bold middle name choices, inspired by the celebrity baby naming world in 2024.”
Looking ahead to 2025, HuffPost asked naming experts to share some of the themes they think will influence parents’ baby name choices this year. We’ve rounded up 11 interesting trends below.
Nostalgic Elegance
“Vintage names like Eloise, Maeve and Otis strike a perfect balance of familiarity and originality,” Corrigan said.
She believes parents are drawn to these kinds of names for their timeless charm and cultural depth.
“With ‘Eloise’ and ‘Jack’ being used in the celebrity naming world this past year, many parents have been coming to me seeking out more vintage and traditional first names, and choosing to go more bold and fun with the middle pairings instead,” Corrigan added.
Global Influences
“As cultural exchange becomes more widespread, names from diverse languages and traditions ― like Aria, Ayaan and Leila ― are being celebrated for their beauty and meaning,” Corrigan said.
Baby naming expert and Nameberry editor-in-chief Sophie Kihm similarly predicts a rise in “Global Americana” names.
“Those tied to cultures outside of the U.S. as well as ‘traveling lite’ names that feel at home almost anywhere continue to rise as the world becomes increasingly connected,” she said.
‘Nature-Plus’
“Parents are continuing to embrace names tied to the natural world,” Corrigan said. “Botanical, celestial and elemental names like River, Sage and Aurora reflect a desire for grounding and connection in a fast-paced world.”
Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, sees the trend expanding to “nature-plus names.”
“A generation of Kaylas and Haileys grew up with mix and match names, taking two name elements and combining ― think Raelynn, Kylee, Maylee, Jayla,” she said. “Then came a wave of novel nature names like Ember and Wren. Put the two trends together and they’re Nature-Plus names. Wrenley, Emberlynn, Oaklee and Lakelynn were all fast risers last year, and there are many more possibilities.”
Minimalism
“We are going to continue to see nature names be a very big continuous trend, but I also envision the ‘minimal’ name theme to be a big hit for both genders, like 2-4 letter names,” said Heidi Prunkl, a name consultant and founder of Baby Name Sunday. “Simple, yet wow-worthy.”
Names like Ava, Mia and Leo have dominated in recent years, so it only makes sense we might see them joined by the likes of Cleo, Bear, Gia, Arlo, Jade, Ivy or Kai.
Lesser-Used Biblical References
“For centuries, the Bible was the source of the most popular English boy names ― from John to James to Joseph to Michael,” said Sherri Suzanne, a baby name consultant and the founder of My Name for Life. “In later years, a new crop emerged that included Jesse and Joshua, followed by Ethan and Caleb. Once Noah and Elijah reached the Top 10 in the U.S., the hunt was on for lesser-used Bible names: enter Ezra and Micah and Ezekiel.”
She anticipates a new round of biblical names will emerge soon with picks like Enoch and Boaz.
Safe Haven Names
“Safe haven names, which evoke places and feelings of peace, will resonate with parents in this time of global conflict and political unrest,” Kihm said.
Some examples of these peaceful, cozy names include Eden, Dove, Foster, Arcadia, Meadow and Shiloh.
Gender Neutrality
“Cool, unisex names like Blair, Rowan and Ellis are becoming even more popular as parents seek names that offer flexibility and inclusivity,” Corrigan said. “These names feel fresh, modern and versatile.”
Baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey listed some other names that offer a similarly fresh vibe while maintaining an air of familiarity.
“Parents love a gender neutral option,” she said. “Thanks to their blend of sophistication and versatility, Sterling, Palmer, Finley and Teagan are poised to rise in popularity in 2025.”
Meanwhile, Suzanne pointed to gender-neutral names stemming from surnames (like Emory), place names (such as Denver) and word names (River) ― choices that were never strongly associated with gender in the first place.
“The major exception is ‘boyish’ nicknames for girls ― Andie, Frankie, Charlie, Scottie,” she explained. “Statistics show these names are being given to girls as formal names on birth certificates.”
Influencer Influence
“Overall, we are predicting a rise in baby name trends spurred by social media influences,” Kihm said. “Notable influencers like Nara Smith and Jaci Marie Smith will encourage parents to use ‘babyish’ names for their children, inspired by their daughters, Whimsy Lou and Benny Marie.”
Multiple naming experts also pointed to the inspiration of Campbell “Pookie” and Jett Puckett, who named their baby daughter Paloma.
“The name is so soft and sweet,” Prunkl said. “They are also so loved by many, so it has wonderful connotations ― plus it’s a beautiful name meaning ‘dove’ ― which is symbolic of peace.
‘Crunch and Grind’
Sandel believes 2025 will mark the return of what she calls “crunch and grind.”
“Just like we’re trading a minimalist, pared-down aesthetic for the abundance of maximalist design, I think we’re ready for a vibe shift in names, too,” she explained. “After a generation of flowing, liquid choices, parents are cautiously considering names with more consonants and hard sounds. Think Astrid over Sienna, Ruth and Maeve instead of Luna and Mia. On the boys’ side, swap Liam and Kai for Conrad and Briggs.”
Meaning-Based Names
“I believe that for 2025 we are going to see a lot of meaning put into names ― names inspired by a moment in time, or a modern play on a name from your culture or background that represents their family and where they came from,” Prunkl said.
Younger Millennial and Gen Z parents seem to be more comfortable exploring the wide range of possibilities with eclectic names that carry special meaning.
“In general, while there’s still plenty of pressure to choose the right name, I do think the new generation of parents is enjoying the freedom of finding something personally meaningful,” Sandel said. “It’s a post-Baby Name Dictionary world, and they’re finding inspiration everywhere.”
Enchantment
“I predict a rise in beautifully enchanting names like Imogen, Flora, Cillian and Thorin,” Prunkl said. “These names have a ‘feel like magic’ kind of vibe to them with a romantic historic feel.”
Paloma also plays into this magical vibe. Humphrey believes the name “taps into the broader whimsical garden-inspired category” with enchanted nature names like Marigold and Clementine.
