Popular Names and Name Trends
Baby Name Favorites Right Now
Across 8 pages
of 8
Emmett
English masculinization of Emma, German
"universal"
Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series. Emmett originated in…
Magnolia
Flower name, from French surname
"Magnol's flower"
Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat , is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with unexpected blossoms…
George
Greek
"farmer"
Iconoclasts though we may be, we like Fred, we like Frank, and we like George, which was among the Top 10 from 1830 to 1950, when the number of little Georges started to decline. Solid, strong, royal…
Ryder
British surname
"cavalryman, messenger"
Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending boys’ names , has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several…
Charlie
English diminutive of Charles or Charlotte, French from German
"free man"
Charlie is a friendly, boyish nickname name now used slightly more frequently for girls than boys, with over 2200 baby girls named Charlie last year versus about 2100 boys. That makes Charlie one of…
Jameson
English
"son of James"
This is a strong new James varietal, sometimes shared by girls. An original way to honor Grandpa Jim, Jameson is swiftly moving up the charts, entering the Top 100 for the first time ever in 2017.…
Leon
Greek variation of Leo
"lion"
Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart. Just as leonine as Leo and Leonardo, Leon is…
Declan
Irish
"man of prayer, good man"
Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán, popularized in the 90s and 2000s following its appearance in the movie The Jackal . Also featured in the 2010 movie Leap Year , along with the…
Zion
Hebrew
"highest point"
Zion has taken off in recent years, particularly after singer Lauryn Hill used it for her son back in 1997 and incorporated the name into a hit song. It combines a user-friendly Ryan-Brian sound with…
Remi
Variation of Remy, French
"oarsman"
Remi is an adorable name that's fashionable and keeps gaining momentum. Remi entered the US Top 1000 in 2013 and is now approaching the Top 100. The Remi spelling is more popular for girls, while…
Kehlani
Hawaiian
"sea and sky"
This name first entered the US Top 1000 in 2016, probably because of R&B singer Kehlani, whose full name is Kehlani Ashley Parrish. It was the fastest-rising girls' name of the year. Kehlani may be a…
Arya
Sanskrit; Modern variation of Aria
"noble; air/song"
Arya was derived from an Indo-Iranian word meaning "Aryan" or "noble." It is a masculine given name in Iran, Indonesia, Bali, and Sanskrit-speaking regions of India. In Hindu- and English-speaking…
Hayes
English surname and nature name
"hedged area"
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it…
Ariella
Spelling variation of Ariel
"lion of God"
This variation of Ariel, with the extra-feminine suffix, has been on the rise in recent years and has now surpassed the original. The similarity to the name of the Little Mermaid gives Ariella a…
Freya
Norse
"a noble woman"
Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning…
Sutton
English
"from the southern homestead"
Sutton is a habitational surname propelled to popularity by Tony-winning Broadway actress Sutton Foster, who's also the star of Hulu's Younger -- based on a novel written by Nameberry co-creator…
Amari
Hebrew, Sanskrit, Latin, Yoruba
"eternal, goddess, loved, strength"
Amari is a name that's rising in popularity for both boys and girls in the US, used last year for about 2000 baby boys and 1000 baby girls. It's among the Top 20 gender neutral names. The range of…
Blakely
English surname
"dark wood or clearing"
Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter…
Legend
English
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Malakai
Fijian and Tongan form of Malachi
Malakai puts a South Sea Island spin on the Biblical Malachi, which may be just what It needs to fit in with contemporary trends.