Names that Peaked in 2023

This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not surprised that Rhodes cracked the Top 1000 in 2022, and we expect it to keep rising. Rhodes was recently chosen by actress Emma Roberts for her son, born in 2020.

Rhodes

2019 was the year of seven, as both Seven (for boys) and Sevyn (for girls) broke into the Top 1000. Sevyn's use may be inspired by Sevyn Streeter, a singer and songwriter. She was born Amber Denise Streeter but chose Sevyn as her stage name — rather appropriately, since her birthday is July 7.

Sevyn

With the ubiquitous Max heard at every playground across the US, international versions have been gaining traction in an attempt to provide a fresh avenue to the highly sought nickname. This Spanish iteration has been in the US Top 1000 since the early 2000s and is currently trending upwards.
 
One of many <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/161/spanish-names">Spanish baby names</a> with international power, Maximo derives from the Roman family name Maximus, giving it the loft meaning "greatest".
 
With Mateo currently on trend, Maximo might provide an alternative option, still familiar, just outside the US Top 500 as opposed to in the Top 10. Given to around 500 boys in 2023, it is also popular in Chile and Mexico.

Maximo

This unusual name from Greek mythology is gaining traction along with others in its class, such as Atlas, Artemis, and Apollo. The King of Mycenae (to where he'd been banished, after murdering his half-brother) , Atreus was also the father of King Agamemnon, an important commander in the Trojan War.
 
The name entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and in a recent year, it appeared in the Top 500. It has a number of different pronunciations, including the Classic Greek AY-TREWS and the contemporary sounding uh-tray-us, inspired by the character in video game Franchise, God of War.
 
The popularity of Atreus has led to some parents considering Atreides, a spin on the Greek name that appears in the Dune novels and subsequent films.

Atreus

With its cool, modern sound, Kyren is one of the fastest-rising boy names. It was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2023 and climbed over 130 spots in 2024. It appeals thanks to its short form Ky, its on-trend K initial, and perhaps because it feels like an update on Kyle. 
 
Possibly a variation of Irish Kieran or Persian Cyrus, Kyren may also be an invented name, based on Kyron (itself based on Kyle, Myron, and Byron).

Kyren

Marigold, once found almost exclusively in English novels and aristocratic nurseries, is beginning to be talked about and considered here. It has a sweet, sunny, quirky feel. The marigold was the symbol of the Virgin Mary.

 Marigold appears in several children's book titles, such as Magic for Marigold, Once Upon a Marigold and Marigold in Godmother's House, and in the adult Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym. On the TV show 1600 Penn, Marigold was the President's young daughter. 

 The name got a big boost from its use in the period drama Downton Abbey, in which it belongs to a sweet little girl – which no doubt helped to endear parents to the name! It has risen dramatically since then, and recently entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022. It was also one of the fastest rising names in 2023. We expect Marigold to be one to look out for as parents are looking for unique botanical names now that the previously offbeat Magnolia and Juniper are feeling less fresh.

Marigold

Jamir is a modern invention, created by blending together traditional Arabic names Jamal and Amir, giving the meaning "beautiful ruler". It has replaced the once popular Jamar in the US Top 1000, and currently sits in the Top 600. 

Jameir is another, much less popular spelling.

Jamir

Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina. The name was first was brought into the contemporary spotlight when chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck for their second daughter, following the influential choice of Violet for their first. Shockingly, however, it was not until 2023 that Seraphina cracked the US Top 1000. 
 
Today's parents finally seem to be recognizing this name as a fresh and distinctive alternative to popular Sophia as 2024 saw it leap nearly 200 places up the US charts. Latinate version Serafina is also getting some attention, suggesting the name is enjoying a style revival thanks to the current taste for strong, old-fashioned, yet elaborately <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">feminine names</a>.
 A variation, Seraphita, is the eponymous heroine of a Balzac novel, while Seraphina itself was borne by a 13th century Italian saint. 
 Despite being on the rise, for now, Seraphina remains a beautiful, distinctive choice. Other name ideas if you like Seraphina: Raphaela, Angelica, Serena, Delphine, and Sabrina.

Seraphina

The uber-popular nickname-name Ellie has led to the surge of all names that can be shortened as such. This includes Eliana, a current go-to for parents seeking a frilly name that shortens to a cuter option. Aliana is riding a similar wave, though this time the presumed nickname is Ali/Allie.
 Aliana Lohan is the younger sister of Lindsay. She goes by Ali.

Aliana

A commonly used name in Māori culture, Amiri refers to the wind that blows from east to west. A 2011 New Zealand film titled Amiri & Aroha is a modern Māori interpretation of Romeo & Juliet.
 
In the US, it's more often seen as a variation of the Arabic and Hebrew name Amir. Amiri Baraka was an African American writer who changed his name from LeRoi Jones after Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965. Luxury fashion brand AMIRI pushed it into the mainstream — Amiri was the fastest-rising boy name of 2021.

Amiri

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

Mylah

Kyro is an even more modern twist on the stylish place name, Cairo. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and has been rising quickly ever since. Less popular than Kairo and Cairo, Kyro is nevertheless given to around 450 boys each year. 
 
Originally deriving from the Arabic al-Qāhirah, the name means "the conqueror" and is best associated with the Egyptian capital, a busy city and a site of historical importance. The Kylo spelling likely too its inspiration from one of the many Ky- that were on trend before it - from well known Kyle, to pop-culture Kylo. 
 As a given name, Cairo and co. owes its sudden popularity to its choice by rapper Tyga for his son King Cairo's middle name. And Brazilian place kicker Cairo Santos helped popularize the name when he joined the Chicago Bears football team. Santos is named for his father, also Cairo. 
Trending upwards in the US and the UK, Kyro still sits outside the Top 500, however, when you combine all the Cairos, Kairos, and Kyros together, it was given to nearly 3000 babies in a recent year, making it feel like a name around the #120 mark, similar in popularity to River, Harrison, or Jonah.

Kyro

Halo is a glowing word name that's both cosmic and spiritual, and with its shiny imagery and bright sounds, it was one of the fasted rising names in 2023. 

The word "halo" has been used in English since the 1500s, and is defined as a circle of light, usually around the sun, moon, or other luminous bodies, created when light interacts with ice crystals in the atmosphere. The word derived from the Ancient Greek "hálōs" and means "disk". 

In the sacred sense, it replaced "glory" in the 17th century as the term for divine light, and refers the a circle shown round the head of a holy person, saint, or angel, to symbolise their holiness. 

Halo wasn't used as a name until the 19th century, but it took until the 2000s before it was given to any substantial amount of babies in the US. The video game series "Halo" bolstered the name up the charts throughout the 2000s, and it has continued to climb throughout the 2010s, finally entering the Top 1000 in 2019.
 
Nick Cannon welcomed daughter called Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott in 2022, which may well have contributed to its jump up the charts in 2023. 
 
Given to over 500 baby girls, and a not insubstantial 120 boys in the US, Halo is a space-age virtue name with lots of potential. Sharing sounds with Hazel, Hayes, and Harlowe, and the vibes of Stella, Genesis, and Eden, it makes for a bold choice that won't sound too out of place in a 21st century classroom.

Halo

Created in the style of Jabari, a fashionable Swahili name. Jakari is mainly used among African American families in the US.

Jakari

Yahya is an Islamic name derived from the Hebrew Yochanan, making it both an honor for the prophet John the Baptist, and one of many international forms of John. In Islamic tradition, Yahya is celebrated for his gentleness, his goodness, and his dedication to and understanding of scriptures from a young age. 
 
Currently popular in Tunisia, and Belgium, Yahya has also been on and off of the US Top 1000 charts since 2015. In a recent year, however, it was one of the fastest rising names, climbing 175 places and given to nearly 380 boys. It also made the England and Wales Top 100 for the first time in the same year.
 
Notable bearers include footballers Yahya Black and Yahya Gaad, and actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who may have had an influence on the rise of the name in the US.

Yahya

A short form popular in the Netherlands, though in the U.S. Koen and Coen are easily confused with Cohen, the Jewish surname meaning "priest" which has recently gained currency as a first name.  The Dutch pronunciation is more like "coon."

Koen

The Kylian spelling of this popular Irish name was introduced to the lexicon by French soccer star Kylian Mbappé. A Top 500 name in France since the 1990s, Kylian entered the US Top 1000 back in 2019 and has since joined the rankings in England and Wales and Puerto Rico. 

Cillian is the native Irish form and Killian the most popular international spelling. The three spellings -- Kylian, Killian, and Cillian -- are all pronounced the same: KILL-ee-an.

Kylian

Bright and pretty, resembling Aaliyah, Delilah, Amaya and Sarah, Sariyah is a celestial and stylish choice,
 
Sariyah can be a variant of the Mormon 'Sariah' meaning "Yahweh is ruler", or it is an alternative spelling for the Arabic "Thurayya" meaning "The Pleiades" or "night traveller". 
 
One of the fastest rising girls names of 2023, Sariyah rose 156 places and is now given to more than 500 girls each year. The could be because it sounds similar to other popular choices, or because the name was made more visible by influencer Sariyah Yaya Panton.

Sariyah

A traditional name still used in Orthodox families. Rivka is the original form of Rebekah or Rebecca, today used far more widely than the original.  Rifka is a variation.

Rivka

Though this is a popular name for men in the Bible, today it's used with this spelling for nearly equal numbers of girls and boys. The Azaria variation is much more often given to girls.