Baby Name Favorites Right Now

Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year. 
 
On one hand, Kyler can be seen as a modern invention, created by combining the on-trend sounds of Kyle and Tyler into something new. With this in mind, the meaning would be "tiler of roofs on the narrow spit of land". 
 
Alternatively, Kyler could be an Anglicized form of the Dutch surname "Cuyler ", which may mean "hole, pit", "bowman, archer", "chapel", or "victory of the people" according to different translations.
 
A surname-as-a-given-name, with the on trend sounds of Kai, Kyler became a popular choice from 1986 onwards, when it first debuted in the charts. Remaining in the Top 300 for most of the 2000s, Kyler did drop by 70 places in 2023 - the first time it has fallen so significantly since it entered the Top 1000. 
 
With parents currently favoring Cooper, Colter and Kaizen, Kyler may continue to sink as Kyle did before it - or, it may just be a temporary blip in its popularity.

Kyler

A modern English variant of the Arabic name Aaliyah, Alayah was likely inspired by the names Amaia, Amaya and Alannah. It could also be an alternative spelling of the Basque name, Alaia, which means "joyful", and it coincides with Alaya, a type of consciousness in Buddhism.
 
Alayah features in the Top 500 in both the US and the UK, and while Aaliyah does outrank it in both cases, it is nevertheless given to nearly 800 American babies and 100 in the UK. 
 
Swiss footballer Alayah Pilgrim and model and influencer Alayah Benavidez are notable bearers.

Alayah

Fresher, brisker and, yes, cooler than Summer or Autumn or Spring, Winter is now a full-fledged female choice, especially since Nicole Richie and Joel Madden used it for daughter Harlow's middle name, and Gretchen Mol picked it as her daughter's first, as did media mogul Sean Parker. Winter continues to be the preferred spelling and has risen in popularity significantly over the past few years.
 Although Winter entered the U.S. Top 1000 in 1978, it was been used as a first name as early as the seventeenth century.
 Some interesting international words for winter: Aeneva (Cheyenne, Native American), Cole (Chinook, Native American), Hima (Sanskrit), Jara (Hindi), Saradi (Hindi), Vandi (Kashmiri), Zaya (Old Persian) and Zima (Russian, Bulgarian). Here's a more complete look at <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">winter baby names</a>.

Winter

Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble.  We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign.  

Reign is as appropriate for girls as for boys.  The female version is often spelled Rain -- or Raine or Rayne -- though that makes is more nature and less royal word name. Reign entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016. 



Reign

Zaire was a Central African state from 1971 to 1997 that has recently risen up the charts as a boys name. Deriving from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", it makes a bold and wearable choice for a son.
 
It began to climb up the charts in the late 90s, after the dissolution of the state and the establishment of the Republic of Congo. Zaire has been in the US Top 1000 consistently since 2002, and as of 2023, it is in the Top 500, given to around 650 boys - and a small handful of girls - each year. 
 
Notably borne by footballers Zaire Anderson and Zaire Barnes, Zaïre (or Zara) is also the name of a play by French playwright, Voltaire, while alternative forms, Zyair, Zyaire, and Jaire are also in use.

Zaire

In the Bible, it's the name of an ancient prophet who was able to withstand Satan. It has gained modest attention in recent years, hitting the US Top 1000 in 2008.
 Abdiel Colberg is a Puerto Rican professional rollerblader.

Abdiel

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines after her pregnancy and having appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She subsequently (almost) single-handedly propelled her distinctive name, derived from the name of a city in England, into the Top 1000 and up the charts. 
 
A very rare name before 2008 when Palin's mother was chosen as the Republican's vice president running mate, Bristol had sky-rocketed by 2009 when it made the charts. The number of girls called Bristol doubled between 2007 and 2008 when it was given to 65 babies. The following year, it was seven times more popular again, given to around 440 girls.
 
Bristol Palin was named in honor of the Bristol Inn where her mother was employed, along with Bristol, Connecticut , and Bristol Bay, Alaska, where her father spent his childhood. Meaning "the site of the bridge", it could also be a nod to the English city and to American Independence Day, as the Bristol 4th July Parade in Rhode Island is one of the longest running celebrations of the event.
 
Bristol remains in the US Top 1000 but it had seen a decline in use in recent years. Given to 573 girls in a recent year (along with 11 boys), it is a slightly off-beat yet familiar choice.

Bristol

A modern-sounding unisex name which belongs to a dragon in Turkish mythology, Evren has huge potential to rise more globally, thanks to its accessible sound and its wide-reaching meaning "universe". It may appear to those who are looking to a choice that works internationally, or for alternatives to the likes of Atlas and Cosmo. 
 
Almost unheard of in the US before the 2010s, it has rapidly climbed up the ranks in recent years. In 2024, it entered the Top 1000 for the first time, when it was given to around 230 babies — five times more than it was given to a decade earlier. 
 
Notable bearers include American composer Evren Celimli, Turkish footballer Evren Turhan and pianist Evren Ozel. 
 
Entourage actor Adrian Grenier and his wife Jordan Roemmele named their son Evren in 2025.

Evren

Ruby could be a short form of the Biblical name Reuben and especially its streamlined form, Ruben. As a gemstone name, it's currently enjoying a fresh boom of popularity for girls – nearing the US Top 50 for the first time in almost a century. 
Despite its two waves of popularity for girls, it has been occasionally used for boys since the 1890s. Since Ruby re-entered the US Top 100 for girls in 2011, nearly 70 boys have been bestowed the name.
 
While Ruby isn't likely to become a (statistically) unisex name just yet, as softer options like True, Ari, Robin, Casey, Alby, and Tatum come into style, perhaps a few more parents will consider it?

Ruby

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, Evren, Elodie, 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.

Baby names that are popular and fast-rising, such as Charlotte, Evren, and Callum, with meanings, origins, and popularity (Page 8)