Middle Name Trends 2025
Middle names were once an afterthought — meaningless and bland connectors between first and last names. Generations of babies were given middle names like Ann and Allen, Lynn and Lee, Marie and Michael, for no good reason other than their rhythm within the full name combination.
Today, middle names have become an opportunity for parents to be creative. Unlike first names, which many parents hold to high standards of practicality and wearability, middle names offer freedom, flexibility, and fun. Parents are willing to be a little — sometimes a lot — braver with their children's middle names than first names.
More than ever, parents are considering the impact and aesthetics of their children's first and middle name combinations. The ideal middle name offers a contrast from the first name. In juxtaposing syllables, style, or uniqueness — maybe all three — parents can create full names that are balanced, meaningful, and distinctive.
When it comes to modern middle names, there are no strict rules, but clear patterns are emerging. We analyzed over 1000 birth announcements from 2024 to determine the top middle names and middle name trends today.
Popular Middle Names
The top middle names for babies today are classic connectors with staying power. Today's parents are using them to ground first names that are more unique, meaningful, or whimsical.
Top Middle Names for Girls
1. Rose
2. Grace
3. Elizabeth
4. Marie
5. Jane
Top Middle Names for Boys
1. James
2. Alexander
3. Michael
4. Joseph
5. Thomas
Grandpa Middle Names for Girls
Social media makes it seem like James is the middle name du-jour for baby girls. But the fascination around James for a girl recently peaked, less than a decade after the birth of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds's daughter James in 2014.
Plenty of parents are still using James as a middle name for their daughters, but forward-thinking namers have expanded the category of grandpa middle names for girls. The latest hit is Lou — spurred by model and influencer Nara Smith's daughter Whimsy Lou — but expect the likes of Scott, George, and Charles to join the club.
Color Middle Names
The evocative nature of color names makes them perfect candidates for eye-catching middle names. Blue and Gray have been among the most popular choices of late, but metallic hues Gold and Silver are beginning to climb the charts.
We've heard many parents choose color middles as unconventional honor names — if Grandma's favorite color was purple, Lavender might conjure her memory.
Modern Single Syllable Middle Names
One syllable middle names are easy connectors for multi-syllable first and last names. They've topped the middle name charts for decades — historically, choices like Ann, Jane, and Lynn have dominated for girls, while Charles, John, and Lee have been popular picks for boys.
Rose, Grace, and Jane are the top one syllable middle names for girls today, and James is Number 1 for boys. For parents seeking out short middle names with a modern edge, cowboy-cool options like Boone, Jude, and Lane appeal for boys, while sleek surnames Reese, Shea, and Sloane are trending for girls.
Bold Single Syllable Middle Names
Increasingly, middle names are a place to go bold. The punchiest of options are one syllable word names, which are at once striking and seamless connectors.
Ace, Love, and Reign have been some of the most fashionable choices in recent years, and show no signs of slowing down. Joining them among the ranks are choices like Dream and Charm for girls, Knight and Wild for boys, and Lux and True for both sexes.
Nouveau Spiritual Middle Names
As Millennial and Gen Z favorites Faith and Hope begin to fade from the middle name charts, parents are embracing a new wave of spiritual middle names. These include symbolic choices like Cross and Shepherd, biblical place names such as Salem and Zion, and religious virtues like Creed and Solace.
These nouveau spiritual middle names are inherently gender-neutral, with choices like Psalm and Soul used for girls and boys in roughly equal proportion.
New Iambic Middle Names
What do popular middle names of yesteryear like Marie, Louise, Nicole, Michelle, and Renee all have in common? Their emphasis is on the second syllable. In other words, they're iambic.
An iambic rhythm is the secret sauce behind many name combinations with "perfect flow". Iambic names go with anything and everything. But with few iambic choices in circulation, they become popular as middle names quickly. Noelle, Celeste, and Soleil are among the most popular picks of the moment, but Estelle and Lenore are hot on their heels.
Nature Middle Names
Nature middle names have been trending since the 2010s, when celebrities started to give their children names like Agnes Lark, Willow Sage, and Charlie Ocean. The trend has ballooned since then, to the point where it seems every parent has a nature middle name on their shortlist.
The peaceful Dove comes out on top for girls, but quickly rising behind it is the pan-botanical Bloom. For boys, wild nature names Bear, Wolf, and Storm are go-to choices, but the gentler Cove and Coast are newly trending.
Mythology Middle Names
For seekers of bold middle names, mythology offers a treasure trove of options. Mythological names combine graivty, meaning, and storytelling, lending them an unmatched grandeur.
Mythology names on the first name charts, including Atlas, Itzel, and Phoenix, are likewise among the most popular choices in this category. But many lesser-used names from legend — such as Jove, Moon, and Nyx — are unexpectedly gaining traction as middle names.
Extravagant Feminine Middle Names
Juxtaposition adds wow factor to a full name combo. As shorter, unisex-style names like Blair and Noa climb the charts for girls, parents are seeking balance with over-the-top feminine middles.
Elizabeth, of course, remains the most popular multi-syllable middle name for girls. But the trendiest options today include classics like Josephine and Marjorie, Spanish favorites Catalina and Esmeralda, and the ultra-romantic Juliette and Valentine.
- Anastasia
- Anneliese
- Catalina
- Clementine
- Elodie
- Esmeralda
- Evangeline
- Marceline
- Marjorie
- Josephine
- Juliette
- Valentine
Last Names as Middle Names
In our analysis of 2024 birth announcements, we were surprised to see one middle name appear over and over again for baby boys: Ellis. Both soft and strong, classic and contemporary, Ellis appeals to parents searching for a middle name that's traditional and distinctive, yet not too unique. Now, Ellis has become the key player among the larger category of last names as middle names.
Graham is another popular choice among this group, along with the subset of plural names such as Rhodes, Townes, Santos, and Oakes.
Vintage Revival Middle Names
Vintage names will always be popular as middle names, whether used to honor loved ones or just for style alone. Today's top picks include many single syllable names, like Faye, June, and Pearl for girls, Clark, Dean, and Royce for boys.
Quirky old-fashioned names are also trending in the middle name spot. Options such as Bea and Frances, Walter and Hank are used to add some retro flair to a baby's full name.
Ahead-of-the-Curve Middle Names
These names are not back in style as first names, so why are they popular middles? Parents are using them as honor names. Popular names of the 1940s (Dorothy, Eugene), '50s (Joyce, Frank), and '60s (Dawn, Todd) are the grandparents and great-grandparents of today's newborns, making their names ideal candidates for the middle position.
Parents may be subconsciously drawn to these choices over other potential honor names thanks to the flow they give to the full name combination. One syllable and iambic names from this generation seem to be used more often than their multi-syllable counterparts.