Up and Comers

Names that have been gaining popularity and could definitely enter the top 1000 in the next 5-10 years. Based on SSA data from 2018. I tried to figure out why they're gaining popularity; I could be totally wrong but it was interesting that most of them fit into some trend or another.
  1. Elodie
    • Origin:

      French, variation of Alodia, German
    • Meaning:

      "foreign riches"
    • Description:

      The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. This once uncommon member of the El- family is a Top 100 name in the UK, Canada, and New Zealand, while in the US, it was one of the fasted rising names of 2024 and now sits in the Top 400.
  2. Imogen
    • Origin:

      Celtic
    • Meaning:

      "maiden"
    • Description:

      Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
  3. Ambrose
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "immortal"
    • Description:

      Gentle but grandiose and beloved by British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose was a fast rising name in 2022. Entering the UK Top 1000 for the first time and proving popular among Nameberry users, its elegance, softness, and vintage style means it fits in with popular Theodore, Sebastian, and Jeremiah.
  4. Seraphina
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "ardent; fiery"
    • Description:

      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.
  5. Cleo
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "glory"
    • Description:

      Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history.
  6. Flora
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "flower"
    • Description:

      Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names that's making a big comeback. Short and sweet, it joins Cora, Florence, Iris, and Ivy in the charts.
  7. Casper
    • Origin:

      Dutch form of Jasper, Persian
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of treasure"
    • Description:

      This ancient name, also spelled Caspar, is finally shedding its ghostly image and moving into the 21st century. Popular in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where it's sometimes shortened to Cas, Casper could ride the style coattails of cousin Jasper.
  8. Emrys
    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Ambrose
    • Meaning:

      "immortal"
    • Description:

      Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin, it's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales Top 500 over all.
  9. Caius
    • Origin:

      Variation of Gaius, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "rejoice"
    • Description:

      Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a Twilight vampire. We would pronounce the name to rhyme with eye-us though at Cambridge University in England, where it's the name of a college, it's pronounced keys.
  10. Winnie
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Winifred
    • Meaning:

      "holy peacemaking, gentle friend"
    • Description:

      This pet form of such names as Winifred and Edwina and Gwendolyn has loads of vintage charm, a la Millie and Maisie, with a decidedly winning vibe. And it just got celebrity cred as the baby daughter of Jimmy Fallon.
  11. Sybil
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "seer, prophetess"
    • Description:

      The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and most popular in the 1920s and '30s.
  12. Agnes
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pure, virginal"
    • Description:

      Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
  13. Evander
    • Origin:

      Scottish; Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bow warrior; strong man"
    • Description:

      Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
  14. Birdie
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "bird"
    • Description:

      Birdie was until recently a middle-aged Ladies' Club member wearing a bird-decorated hat --but now it's just the kind of vintage nickname (think Hattie, Josie, Mamie, Millie) that's coming back into style in a big way. Actress Busy Philipps named her baby Birdie (inspired by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson), as did soap star Maura West.
  15. Althea
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "with healing power"
    • Description:

      Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon.
  16. Marceline
    • Origin:

      Feminization of Marcel, French
    • Meaning:

      "little warrior"
    • Description:

      Balancing femininity, vintage charm, and fantasy nerdiness, Marceline is one to watch. Marceline the Vampire Queen from the 2010-2018 animated TV series Adventure Time brought her elaborate French name back into public consciousness. It re-entered the Top 1000 in 2020, after an 86 year hiatus, and rose into the 700s in 2021. Nicknames Marcie and Marcy are rising in popularity as well. Marceline may appeal to parents who like frilly, traditional, and sophisticated names such as Josephine and Genevieve.
  17. Linus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "flax"
    • Description:

      Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be yes.
  18. Harriet
    • Origin:

      English variation of French Henriette
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider it.
  19. Amias
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "loved; friend"
    • Description:

      Amias is a friendly and attractive sounding name, with a lovely meaning and knightly feel. Though it might sound like a Biblical name, similar as it is to Amos and Ozias, it is in fact a Latin name, ultimately from the elements amicus or amo meaning "friend" and "love" respectively.
  20. Winifred
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "blessed peacemaking"
    • Description:

      One of the few remaining unrestored vintage gems, with a choice of two winning nicknames--the girlish Winnie and the tomboyish Freddie. Winifred, the name of a legendary Welsh saint, was a Top 200 name into the mid-1920's.

Introducing the Nameberry App

Nameberry App
Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.
Nameberry App Logo