Baby Name Favorites Right Now

Thu Dec 10 2020By Sophie Kihm

Baby names that are favorites of today's parents, both those at the top of the popularity lists and those that have been rising through the ranks, may appeal if you're in search of names perfectly in step with the current styles. Currently, the most popular names for babies in the United States are Olivia for girls and Liam for boys.

Along with Olivia and Liam, other baby name favorites from the US Top 25 include Charlotte, Oliver, Amelia, Henry, Evelyn, Jack, Luna, and Sebastian. Among the fast-rising favorites to look out for are Magnolia, Zaire, Lilith, and Callum.

Baby names achieve favorite status for a reason — these tend to be names that resonate with stylish parents and can be worn by children of various backgrounds. Classic names such as Elizabeth and James are represented, as are newly adopted names like Blakely and Maverick. Search our collection of America’s favorite baby names, below.

Luna

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"moon"
Description:
The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna’s divine complement is Sol, the god of the Sun. In Roman art, Luna is often depicted driving a chariot.

Aurora

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"dawn"
Description:
Aurora is the name of the Roman goddess of sunrise whose tears turned into the morning dew. She was said to renew herself by traveling from East to West across the sky, announcing the arrival of the sun each dawn. Aurora is also associated with the scientific term for the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis.

Aurora Continued

Kai

Origin:
Hawaiian
Meaning:
"sea"
Description:
Kai has many origins, but in the US is most commonly referred to as being of Hawaiian derivation, meaning “sea.” In Europe, Kai is largely considered to have Frisian origin as a diminutive of the name Kaimbe, meaning “warrior.” Kai is also found as an independent name in African, Chinese, Turkish and Native American cultures.

Maeve

Origin:
Irish
Meaning:
"she who intoxicates"
Description:
Maeve appears in Irish mythology in two forms, one as the powerful Queen of Connacht, the other as the queen of the fairies. Maeve of Connacht was a warrior queen, famous for starting a war in attempt to steal her ex-husband’s stud bull. Other spellings are Meabh, Medb and Meadhbh, which are connected to mead, a honey-based wine that was produced in many ancient cultures.

Maeve Continued

Isla

Origin:
Scottish place-name or Spanish
Meaning:
"island"
Description:
Isla, the Spanish word for island, is also the name of a Scottish river, an island (spelled Islay), and the red-haired actress Isla Fisher, married to Sacha Baron Cohen. A top girls' name in the US, Isla is also popular overseas, especially in England, Wales, and her native Scotland.

Eloise

Origin:
French and English variation of Heloise
Meaning:
"healthy; wide"
Description:
To some, Eloise will forever be the imperious little girl making mischief at the Plaza Hotel, while the original version Heloise recalls the beautiful and learned wife of the French philosopher Peter Abelard, admired for her fidelity and piety.
Along with many other names with the El- beginning and featuring the L sound in any place, Eloise is newly chic. Eloise jumped back onto the popularity list in 2009, possibly thanks in part to the Eloise Hawking character on the popular TV series Lost. Eloise was the name of Jennifer Aniston's character in Love Happens. Denise Richards named one of her daughters Eloise.

Eloise Continued

Ava

Origin:
Hebrew, Latin or Germanic
Meaning:
"life; bird; water, island"
Description:
In medieval times, Ava was a diminutive of Germanic names beginning in Av-, in particular Aveline, from which the name Evelyn would eventually arise. It may derive from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "island" or "water". However, the medieval name eventually fell out of use entirely, only to resurface in contemporary times. This suggests that today’s Ava may be a modern variation of Eva. Alternatively, Ava could also derive from the Latin avis, meaning “bird.” Ava has separate Persian roots as a name meaning “voice” or “sound.”

Leo

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"lion"
Description:
Leo was derived from the Latin leo, meaning “lion.” Thirteen popes have carried the name, including St. Leo the Great. In Germanic languages, Leo has historically been used as a nickname for names including Leon and Leopold. In Latinate languages, Leonardo is considered a full form for Leo.

Ezra

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"help"
Description:
Ezra is potentially an abbreviation for the Hebrew phrase Azaryahu, meaning “Yah helps.” In the Bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. The Latin name Esdras derives from Ezra.

Freya

Origin:
Norse
Meaning:
"a noble woman"
Description:
Freya is derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning “Lady, noble woman.” It is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Freya can be considered a feminization of Frey or Freyr, the name of the goddess’s brother.

Freya Continued

Olivia

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"olive tree"
Description:
Olivia is one of the top US baby names as well as one of the top girl names in English-speaking and European countries around the world.

Olivia Continued

Hazel

Origin:
English
Meaning:
"the hazelnut tree"
Description:
Hazel is a name applied from the English word hazel, referring to the hazelnut tree. The word was derived from the Old English hæsel of the same meaning. Historically, a wand of hazel symbolized protection and authority.

Hazel Continued

Ivy

Origin:
Botanical name
Description:
Ivy is derived from the name of the ivy plant, which got its name from the Old English word ifig. Ancient Greeks presented an ivy wreath to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity. In the language of flowers, Ivy signifies faithfulness.

Theodore

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"gift of God"
Description:
Theodore is a derivative of the Latin Theodorus, a variation of the Greek name Theodōros. The components are from the Greek words theos, meaning “God,” and dōron, meaning “gift,” giving Theodore the meaning “God-given” or “gift of God.” Names with similar origins include Theodora, Dorothy, and Dorothea.

Theodore Continued

Asher

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"fortunate, blessed, happy one"
Description:
In the Bible, Asher was one of Jacob's twelve sons who gave their names to the tribes of Israel. Asher is derived from the Hebrew word osher, which means “happiness.” Rabbinical scholars claim that the Asherites lived up to this meaning, as they had the most oil, wisdom, and male children compared to the other tribes.

Asher Continued

Arthur

Origin:
Celtic
Meaning:
" bear"
Description:
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by some stylish parents, emerging as a top contender among names for the new royal prince.

Arthur Continued

Esme

Origin:
French; Persian
Meaning:
"esteemed, beloved; emerald"
Description:
Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing “to esteem” or “to love.” It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda. Esmé was traditionally as masculine name, as in its original bearer, Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, and Esmée, with the same pronunciation, was the feminine form. Today both spellings are used as feminine given names.

Eleanor

Origin:
English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown
Description:
While some think Eleanor is a variation of Helen via Ellen, it actually derives from the Provencal phrase alia Aenor, meaning "other Aenor," used to distinguish the original Eleanor, who was named after her mother Aenor. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine brought it from France to England in the twelfth century. Other spellings include Elinor and Eleanore.

Eleanor Continued

Henry

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"estate ruler"
Description:
Henry was derived from the French Henri, which ultimately comes from the Germanic name Heimrich, made up of the components heim, meaning “home” or “estate,” and rich, meaning “ruler.” The most famous wearer is Henry VIII of England, best known for having six wives—two of whom he beheaded for not bearing him sons. It’s been used in the British royal family many times since.

Henry Continued

Lilith

Origin:
Assyrian, Sumerian
Meaning:
"ghost, night monster"
Description:
Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning “of the night.” In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him. Lilith is unrelated to most other Lil- names, with the exception of Lilita, which is the Latvian variation.

Lilith Continued

Evelyn

Origin:
English from French and German
Meaning:
"desired; or water, island"
Description:
Evelyn derives from the French feminine given name Aveline, which is from an obscure Germanic root which may mean "desired, wished for" or "water, island". The name Aveline was brought over to England by the Normans, but it first became popular as a masculine name – a transferred use of the surname Evelyn, which comes from the same source. Variations include Evaline, Evalyn, Evelin, and Eveline.

Evelyn Continued

Atlas

Origin:
Greek mythology
Meaning:
"bearer of the heavens"
Description:
Previously thought too powerful for a baby boy – who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders – Atlas has joined the pantheon of Greek and Roman god and goddess names now in the realm of possibility, along with Mars, Zeus and Apollo. It was one of the fast-rising names on the list in recent years in the USA, jumping from oblivion in 2012 into the Top 500 in 2015, and climbing several hundred places higher since then. Anne Heche was one of the first to make this audacious choice, but several celebrity parents have followed suit.

Atlas Continued

Jack

Origin:
English, diminutive of John
Meaning:
"God is gracious"
Description:
Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. The name went from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin to Jack. The name was so common in the Middle Ages that Jack became a generic term for a man.

Violet

Origin:
English from Latin
Meaning:
"purple"
Description:
Violet is soft and sweet but far from shrinking. The Victorian Violet, one of the prettiest of the color and flower names, was chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, definitely a factor in its rapid climb to popularity. Violet cracked into the Top 50 for the first time ever in 2015.

Violet Continued

Amelia

Origin:
German
Meaning:
"work"
Description:
Amelia is derived from the German name Amalia, which in turn is a variation of Amalberga. The root, amal, is a Germanic word meaning “work,” and in the context of female given names suggests themes of fertility as well as productivity. Aemilia, the name from which Emily is derived, is unrelated to Amelia.

Amelia Continued

Charlotte

Origin:
French, feminine diminutive of Charles
Meaning:
"free man"
Description:
Charlotte is the feminine form of the male given name Charles. It derived from Charlot, a French diminutive of Charles meaning “little Charles,” and the name of Charlemagne’s son in French literature and legend. The name was popularized by England's Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George III.

Charlotte Continued

Sebastian

Origin:
Latin from Greek
Meaning:
"person from ancient city of Sebastia"
Description:
Sebastian is derived from the Greek Sebastianos, meaning “from Sebastia.” Sebastia was a city in Asia Minor—modern day Sivas, Turkey. Sebastian is a name with a substantial history, first as the third-century martyr whose sufferings were a favorite subject of medieval artists, then as the name of memorable characters in such varied works as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Tempest and Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

Sebastian Continued

Aria

Origin:
Italian
Meaning:
"air; song or melody"
Description:
Aria has origins in both Italian and Hebrew. In the former, Aria's literal meaning, air, is meant as a musical term denoting a kind of song or melody. Hebrew Aria is a variation of Ari, meaning “lion.” In Persian, Aria is a male name, and in Indian it is considered unisex. Arya is an alternate spelling.

Owen

Origin:
Welsh
Meaning:
"young warrior; well-born"
Description:
Owen was derived from two names—the Welsh Owain and the Celtic Eoghan. Each are connected to Eugene, which ultimately came from the Greek word eugenes, comprised of the elements eu, meaning good, and genes, “born.” Owen became a Welsh patronymic surname during the Renaissance. The legendary St. Owen was a Benedictine monk who was a follower of St. Chad.

James

Origin:
English variation of Jacob, Hebrew
Meaning:
"supplanter"
Description:
James is an English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob. James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives named James (six) than any other name), and it is shared by countless great writers and entertainers.

James Continued

Ethan

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"strong, firm"
Description:
Ethan derives from the Hebrew name Eitan. There are several Ethans in the Old Testament, the most prominent of whom, Ethan the Ezrahite, is praised for his wisdom. International variations include Etan and Izan.

Ethan Continued

Levi

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"joined, attached"
Description:
In the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Leah and Jacob, from whom the priestly tribe of Levites descended; in the New Testament, Levi was Matthew's given name before he became an apostle. It is suspected that Levi derives from the Hebrew word yillaweh, meaning “he will join.”

Penelope

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"weaver"
Description:
Penelope is a name from Greek mythology; she was the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. It has two possible origin stories—Penelope was either derived from the Greek pēnē, meaning “thread of a bobbin,” or penelops, a type of duck. Mythological Penelope was cared for by a duck as an infant, and later was known for delaying her suiters by pretending to weave a garment while her husband was at sea.

Penelope Continued

Elijah

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"Yahweh is God"
Description:
Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire. Elias is the related, Greek variation of Elijah.

Elijah Continued

Maisie

Origin:
Scottish diminutive of Margaret
Meaning:
"pearl"
Description:
Maisie, a hundred-year-old favorite, is in perfect tune with today. Spelled Maisy in a popular children's book series, Maisie is rising in tandem with cousin Daisy. While Maisie might be short for Margaret, Mary, or even a name like Melissa or Marissa, it stands perfectly well on its own.

Maisie Continued

Miles

Origin:
English form of Milo
Meaning:
"soldier or merciful"
Description:
Miles, which took on a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boy name starting with M that has been appreciated in particular by celebrity baby namers, including Elisabeth Shue, Mayim Bialik, Larenz Tate, Joan Cusack and Lionel Ritchie.

Miles Continued

Luca

Origin:
Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
Meaning:
"man from Lucania"
Description:
If there was once a bias against this charming and venerable Italian name for possibly sounding too feminine, consider it gone. Since Luca entered the boys’ names U.S. popularity list in 2000, it has shot up in popularity. It's a popular choice throughout Europe as well.

Emmett

Origin:
English masculine variation of Emma, German
Meaning:
"universal"
Description:
Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series.

Emmett Continued

Lucas

Origin:
Latin form of Luke
Meaning:
"man from Lucania"
Description:
Lucas is the Latin derivation of the Greek name Loukas. The meaning of the name references Lucania, an ancient territory in Southern Italy. Lucas is related to the names Luke and Luca; however, Lucius and Lucian derive from a different root and have a different meaning.

Lucas Continued

Amara

Origin:
Igbo or Latin
Meaning:
"grace or bitter"
Description:
Amara is the Italian word for bitter, from the same root as Mary and Miriam. It has separate roots in West Africa as a name that means “grace” in the Igbo language. These two meanings are the best-known, but Amara is also a Sanskrit name meaning immortal and a Mongolian name meaning peaceful.

Amara Continued

Elias

Origin:
Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew
Meaning:
"Yahweh is God"
Description:
Elias, strong and charismatic, is following in the path of family members Elijah and Eli, and is also moving on up in popularity.

Elias Continued

Nova

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"new"
Description:
Nova is a name that has the feel of both newness, from his meaning, and great energy from being an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.

Delilah

Origin:
Hebrew or Arabic
Meaning:
"delicate"
Description:
Delilah has shed the stigma of its Biblical image, and is now appreciated for its haunting, melodic, feminine qualities. Checking out Delilah's popularity graph shows that Delilah's use is heading straight for the top. Right now, Delilah is among the most popular Hebrew names for girls in the US as well as the Number 1 girls' name starting with D.

Delilah Continued

Mia

Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of Maria
Meaning:
"mine or bitter"
Description:
Mia originated as a short form of Maria, which ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Miryam. In modern times, Mia has been used as a nickname for names including Amelia, Emilia, and Miriam. Mia is also an Italian and Spanish word meaning 'mine.'

Jacob

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"supplanter"
Description:
Jacob comes from the Latin name Iacobus, which was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov. In the Old Testament, Jacob was one of the most important patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He was the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca and the twin brother of Esau, as well as the husband of both Leah and Rachel. The 12 tribes of Israel evolved from his 12 sons.

Jacob Continued

Mateo

Origin:
Spanish
Meaning:
"gift of God"
Description:
Mateo is a Latinate form of Matthew, which derived from the Hebrew name Mattiyahu, consisting of the elements mattan, meaning “gift” and yah, which references the Hebrew God. Mateo can also be spelled Matteo, which is the Italian variation. Matheo is an archaic Spanish spelling, although it is used in France as Mathéo.

Mateo Continued

Archer

Origin:
English
Meaning:
"bowman"
Description:
Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.

Archer Continued

Roman

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"citizen of Rome"
Description:
Roman -- a surprise hit name of recent years -- owes much of its popularity to Cate Blanchett and Debra Messing, who almost simultaneously chose Roman for their sons, as Molly Ringwald did later.
In fact, several relatives of Roman are also newly stylish, from Romy to Romilly to Romeo. Definitely a romantic name, however you use it.

Roman Continued

Noah

Origin:
Hebrew
Meaning:
"rest, repose"
Description:
Noah was derived from the Hebrew name Noach, which itself came from the root nuach, meaning “rest.” In the bible, Noah was deemed the only righteous man of his time, singled out by God to survive the great flood sent to punish the world. Noa is generally a separate feminine Hebrew name, although it's also found as a variant spelling of the male name Noah.

Willow

Origin:
English nature name
Meaning:
"willow tree"
Description:
Willow came into use as a given name after the willow tree, whose name was derived from the Old English word welig, meaning “willow.” Willow trees are associated with grace and elegance, which gave way to the adjective “willowy.” Other names with meanings related to willows include Arava, Willoughby, Dozier, Wellesley, Selby, and Salton.

Willow Continued

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