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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Most Popular Baby Boy Names of the Year Are Here — And You'll Be Surprised by What's Trending
If there's one thing that parents have shown, it's that all the "rules" for baby naming have gone out the window. (Good riddance!) Using last names as first names? "Girl" names for boys? Making up your own names? Anything goes! That doesn't mean that within this topsy-turvy world of baby names there aren't patterns to be found. From looking through the data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), which keeps track of the most popular baby names in the United States, we can see that parents are still gravitating toward some names more than others. These are some of the trends driving boy names in 2025. From Western monikers to variant spellings, here's what we'll be seeing sewn onto lunchboxes and backpacks in the year to come. Lots of parents are choosing names from words they hear in daily life. There's no hidden meaning there — they just say what they mean! This includes Truce and Chosen, two of the fastest-climbing names of last year; Truce rose a whopping 11,118 places in rank between last year and the year before, so they're taking the list by storm! Other names include Royal, Sincere and Loyal — all good qualities to have. Call it the Yellowstone effect. "One of the biggest trends we'll see for baby boy names in 2025 are 'Country Rebrand' names," says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of baby-naming site Nameberry, which recently launched its own list of 2025 baby-name trends. "Cowboy-style names have been in fashion this decade, but the cohort of Country Rebrand names goes past last names as first names like Carter and Tate. This new group embraces names that were once considered hokey, like Abner and Hiram; names from non-English cultures like Navarone and Santos and even 'bad boy' country names associated with outlaws like Jessejames." Those who dig the Cowboy Carter vibes can mosey on over and try these Nameberry suggestions on for size. Crockett Enoch Ephraim Harlan Hatcher Huck Jethro Lyle Truett Waylon Looking for more baby girl name inspiration? Check out other Good Housekeeping lists: Nature Baby Names | Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | Japanese Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls | Gender-Neutral Names | Western/Cowboy Baby Names | 1920s Names | 1930s Names | 1940s Names | 1950s Names | 1960s Names Whether it's War of the Rohirrim or A Court of Thorns and Roses, something is driving an interest in ethereal, fantastical names. In its round-up of baby name trends, The Bump noted that its own list of fantasy baby names has rocketed up the site's ranks and sits in the top 15 baby name lists of the year. The SSA notes that the names Cassian, Lucien and Azriel — all characters from A Court of Thorns and Roses — are on the list of names that increased most in popularity this year. ACOTAR isn't the only fantasy world inspiring baby names as these can attest. Arthur Auron Bastian Caspian Leif Oz Peregrin Rowan Seifer Wolf If it's not fantasy that's ruling over boys' names, it's sci-fi, with The Bump also reporting an uptick in interest in space-themed names inspired by constellations, planets and basically anything up in the sky. It's a sub-set of a trend we've seen for a while now, which is a rise in nature-inspired names like River or Cove. "Orion increased in popularity on The Bump by about 24 percent," the site reports. "Cassiel spiked 15 percent in 2024, while Jupiter and Venus remain on a slow but steady climb. Finally, the name Nyx (meaning 'night'), sits 41 percent higher than it did last year and will undoubtedly continue to skyrocket in 2025." Look up to these names for more celestial inspiration. Atlas Apollo Castor Cielo Cosmo Elio Leo Mars Sky/Skyler Sol Nameberry invented a term for these made-for-the-moment names: fast fashion names. "Fast Fashion names are modeled on the genuine articles but with a unique twist that references neither the past nor the future but right now," the site reports. "These names do not exist, at least not in their current form, in the established lexicon. Part of the point of Fast Fashion names is varying the spelling, marrying elements from different names, and creating something totally unique that also perfectly captures the current name climate." Many of the top names on the SSA's list of names that increased in popularity fit this bill, including Bryer (which moved up 615 places in rank between this year and last year), Chozen (up 70 places in rank), Kyren (up 135 places) and Jettson (up 212 places). The point of these names is that they're supposed to be bespoke, but here are more for inspiration. Adael Eithan Eyadan Ezrah Jakai Kendry Kyaire Luxton Sevyn Wylder Every year, there's a trend involving not what a name means, but how it sounds. (Remember the year that all boys' names ended with -ias, like Silas, Amias or Elias?) This year, BabyCenter has identified it for boys in its trend report: Names that begin with the letter E. "The unique Emrys took a huge jump up 839 spots, to No. 954 (making its first-ever appearance in the top 1,000 boy names in the U.S.)," the site notes. "Other E names gaining ground are Emir (up 146 to No. 632), Enrique (up 121, to No. 743), Edgar (up 171, to No. 799), Eliseo (up 204, to No. 847) and Eliel (up 185 to No. 824)." These names are rated E for excellent. Easton Elian Elijah Ellis Emiliano Emory Enzo Evander Everett Ezra In order to understand the trends for the next 12 months, you have to know which names are already the most common. The SSA keeps track of which names are the most popular and also which names have experienced the biggest year-over-year gains. Liam Noah Oliver Theodore James Henry Mateo Elijah Lucas William Benjamin Levi Ezra Sebastian Jack Truce Colsen Bryer Halo Azaiah Noa Azai Eliam Kolter Eliel Zymir Rocky Evren Kace Kyaire Expect to see a lot more of these next year! You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
These Are The Baby Names Everyone Loved In 2005 That Are Basically Extinct Now
The list of most popular baby names in the U.S. doesn't change too dramatically from one year to the next, but looking back over decades, some interesting shifts and trends do emerge. Knowing the Social Security Administration's baby naming data goes back more than a century, we decided to take a look at the top names from two decades ago to see how they stack up to their ranking today. While popular picks from 2005 like Emma, Olivia, and Michael remain in wide use today, others feel so 20 years ago. Think Tyler, Alexis, and Alyssa. And who could've known how the connotation of the name Brandon would've shifted? 'Millennial names — those of the current generation of parents — have dropped significantly from 2005 to today,' Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief at the website Nameberry, told HuffPost. 'Marissa is the fastest-falling girl name that was in 2005's Top 100. Today, it's outside of the Top 1,000. Along with Marissa, other Millennial names like Megan, Haley, and Katelyn for girls, Kyle, Cody, and Brandon for boys have fallen significantly since 2005 due to oversaturation and feeling tied to older generations.' She noted that the names that have dropped the most in ranking between 2005 and today feel distinctly of another era. 'Names like Jennifer and Michelle, Brian, and Eric were holding on in the Top 100 of 2005 but peaked in the 1970s, making them true Gen X names,' Kihm said. 'Gen X is more likely to be the grandparents of today's babies, and parents are largely avoiding their names for fresher options.' At the same time, we've seen a revival of what Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, calls 'old-school antiques.' 'Favorites of 2025 like Eleanor, Evelyn, and Hazel would've felt like granny names compared to Kayla, Taylor, and Destiny,' she said. 'But now Megan is the mom, and she's naming her baby Florence.' Kihm also pointed to the decline of names ending in -ayden for boys and a counterpart to that trend ― names like Kaylee, Kailey, Kayleigh, Kaylie, Kaleigh, Kaley, Kayley, and Kayli for girls. 'Girl names with a strong K sound like Katelyn, Kaitlyn, Katie, Kayla, Kimberly, Kylie, Kaylee, and Katherine each fell more than 100 spots, reflecting a shift toward today's girl names with stronger vowel sounds, like Eleanor, Aurora, and Eliana,' she said. Interestingly, many names that were popular for boys in 2005 but have since fallen are two-syllable monikers ending with the letter 'n.' 'Brandon and Gavin and Justin and Kevin all have history prior to 2005, of course,' Sandel said. 'Along with names like Ethan, Ryan, Nathan, Logan, Dylan, Austin, and Evan, they came to define the default sound for a 21st century boy's name.' Mother holding toddler in front of new home Although the 'n' ending hasn't fully fallen out of favor, things have shifted a bit. 'Softer, more flowing names, like Liam, Julian, and Sebastian are wildly popular,' Sandel said. 'Boys' names ending with vowels, like Elijah, Luca, Theo, and Kai have become Top 100 go-tos. Twenty years ago, vowel-ending names were just starting to enter the mainstream. It's a trend that continues to accelerate.' 'Overall we're seeing many more unisex and gender-neutral names used for both sexes today, whereas in 2005, male usage of a name typically dropped if it was rising for females,' she said. 'As society has shifted its views on gender and gender identity, parents have become more comfortable with children of any gender with names like Parker, Charlie, or River.' Without further ado, keep scrolling to find 20 names that were in the Top 50 in 2005 but have dropped considerably down the SSA's list since then. Are any of these ripe for a revival? Only time will tell. Girls: 1. Alexis (No. 13 in 2005, now No. 449) 2. Alyssa (No. 16 to No. 333) 3. Lauren (No. 21 to No. 343) 4. Taylor (No. 24 to No. 261) 5. Kayla (No. 25 to No. 324) 6. Jessica (No. 27 to No. 553) 7. Jasmine (No. 29 to No. 190) 8. Sydney (No. 30 to No. 306) 9. Destiny (No. 32 to No. 439) 10. Morgan (No. 33 to No. 247) 11. Kaitlyn (No. 34 to No. 621) 12. Alexandra (No. 37 to No. 204) 13. Rachel (No. 38 to No. 255) 14. Kaylee (No. 40 to No. 180) 15. Megan (No. 41 to No. 694) 16. Jennifer (No. 42 to No. 517) 17. Angelina (No. 43 to No. 314) 18. Makayla (No. 44 to No. 457) 19. Trinity (No. 48 to No. 349) 20. Faith (No. 49 to No. 242) Boys: 1. Joshua (No. 3 to No. 60) 2. Andrew (No. 6 to No. 65) 3. Christopher (No. 10 to No. 55) 4. Ryan (No. 14 to No. 83) 5. Nicholas (No. 15 to No. 109) 6. Tyler (No. 16 to No. 177) 7. Jonathan (No. 19 to No. 82) 8. Christian (No. 22 to No. 77) 9. Brandon (No. 27 to No. 219) 10. Zachary (No. 29 to No. 171) 11. Jose (No. 30 to No. 93) 12. Kevin (No. 33 to No. 186) 13. Justin (No. 36 to No. 185) 14. Robert (No. 37 to No. 89) 15. Austin (No. 38 to No. 101) 16. Evan (No. 39 to No. 137) 17. Aidan (No. 43 to No. 300) 18. Jordan (No. 46 to No. 98) 19. Gavin (No. 47 to No. 231) 20. Connor (No. 48 to No. 126) This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The Independent
10-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Goodby Luna, hello Sofia: America's top baby names have been revealed
For the sixth year running, Liam and Olivia remain the most popular baby names in the US, according to data released by the Social Security Administration. This marks Liam's eighth consecutive year at the top of the boys' list and Olivia's sixth for girls. The data, compiled from Social Security card applications and released just in time for Mother's Day, also revealed that Noah and Emma held onto their second-place positions for the sixth year in a row. The Social Security Administration tracks baby names annually, maintaining records dating back to 1880. The girls' name Luna slipped out of the Top 10 and was replaced by Sofia, which enters at number 10 for the first time. After Liam, the most common names for boys are, in order: Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas and William. After Olivia, the most common names for girls are Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava and Sofia. Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of nameberry, a baby naming website, said the latest data showcases how American parents are increasingly choosing names that have cross-cultural appeal. Kihm's first name shows up in two variations on the annual list. 'A trend we're tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices," Kihm said, including names that work 'no matter where you are in the world." 'More families in the U.S. come from mixed cultural backgrounds and I hear parents commonly request that they want their child to travel and have a relatively easy to understand name." The Social Security Administration's latest data show that 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024. That's a slight increase from last year's 3.59 million babies, representing an overall increase in the American birthrate. Social media stars and popular television shows are having some impact on the rising popularity of certain names, Social Security says. Among those rising in popularity for girls: Ailany, a Hawaiian name that means 'chief," topped the list. The boys' name Truce, an Old English name meaning 'peace,' rose 11,118 spots from last year's position to rank 991. The complete, searchable list of baby names is on the Social Security website.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Surprising baby names that have surged as most popular in America are revealed
The most popular baby names in America for 2024 has been revealed, with two unexpected names claiming the top spots. Just in time for Mother's Day, the Social Security Administration released its annual list of the most popular baby names based on Social Security card applications on Friday - a tradition that dates back to 1880 and spans all 50 states. Liam and Olivia have once again topped the list, marking their sixth consecutive year as the most popular baby names in the US. Last year marked the eighth year in a row that Liam held the number one spot for boys, while Olivia led the girls' list for the sixth year in a row. The number two spots have also remained unchanged for the sixth consecutive year, with Emma holding steady for girls and Noah for boys. Luna dropped out of the girls' Top 10 names in 2024, making way for Sofia, which entered the list at number 10 for the very first time. Following Liam, the top boys' names in order are: Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas and William. After Olivia, the most common girls' names are: Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava and Sofia. The data collected is based on Social Security card applications, and has been a tradition that dates back to 1880 and spans all 50 states Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of the baby naming website Nameberry, noted that the latest data highlights a growing trend among American parents - choosing names with cross-cultural appeal. 'A trend we're tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices,' Kihm told the Associated Press, including names that work 'no matter where you are in the world'. Interestingly enough, Kihm's own first name appeared on the list in two different variations. 'More families in the US come from mixed cultural backgrounds and I hear parents commonly request that they want their child to travel and have a relatively easy to understand name,' she added. According to the Social Security Administration's latest data, 3.61 million babies were born in the US in 2024 - up slightly from 3.59 million the previous year - indicating a modest rise in the national birthrate. Although some names have withstood the test of time, the administration noted that social media influencers and popular television shows play a major role in influencing the rising popularity of certain names. Among the girls' names rising in popularity, Ailany - a Hawiian name meaning 'chief' - topped the list. On the boys' side, Truce, an Old English name meaning 'peace', made a remarkable leap, rising 11,118 spots to rank 991. In 2023, Kaeli was the fastest-rising girls name, climbing 1,692 spots, likely influenced by YouTube and TikTok star Kaeli McEwen, known as Kaeli Mae. With more than one million followers, Mae promotes a clean and tidy lifestyle across her social media platforms. Popular TV shows have also influenced parent's decisions, with Game of Thrones-inspired baby names skyrocketing in the 2010s. Nearly 5,000 children were named after its characters in 2018, and even five years after the series ended, the names have remained somewhat popular, with 397 baby girls being named Khaleesi in 2023. Nevertheless, Liam has been overwhelmingly popular as a boy's name since it took over the top spot in 2017, replacing Noah - the number one choice since 2013. The name was inspired by several pop-culture celebrities, including Irish actor Liam Neeson and late former band member Liam Payne of One Direction. Olivia has remained the most popular girl's name in the US since 2018, which first increased in popularity following the release of the 2012 TV show, 'Scandal', after the lead character, Olivia Pope. Other celebrities may have inspired Olivia's rise to number one, including the late 'Grease' star Olivia Newton-John and pop singer Olivia Rodrigo. Of the 3.6 million babies born last year, 22,164 of them were named Liam while 14,718 were named Olivia. In the last decade, parents have become more apt to choose a name that rolls off the tongue versus ones that have a 'hard stop,' Linguist Adam Cooper, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, told last year. 'It's really interesting to see how prominent the patterns were,' Cooper said. 'Names like Patrick, Peter or Greg - these are names that would be more 'stopful,' so to speak. These stop sounds are not here in the list, really.' Parents have also started focusing on what's called phonaesthetics - the beauty or elegance associated with the names - that sound softer, ending with a vowel or 'nah' sound. 'One might say that there's more of a flow to the sounds and sound combinations making up these popular names,' Cooper said, referencing 2023's top baby names list. 'Connecting what's been studied about English phonaesthetics, pretty much all the names here would be 'phonaesthetically pleasing,' he added. The complete, searchable list of baby names is on the Social Security website.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025's Girl Names Are Going to Be the Cutest, Experts Say
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." When it comes to baby names, there's a sweet spot between too popular and too unusual — but sometimes it can be hard to tell which names are poised to make it to the big time and hit the list of the most popular names put out by the Social Security Administration (SSA) each year. And while it can be hard to predict the sudden explosion of a name like Kaeli or Emryn — two of the fastest-climbing girl names this year — it helps to keep track of the general baby-naming patterns to see what's getting hot. This year, experts say these are the trends driving 2025's baby girl names. What do we see in the year ahead? Think short, sweet and maybe even a little boyish. The idea that "you're not naming a baby, you're naming an adult" is holding less sway with today's parents. "For girls, 'Baby Names, Literally,' are one of the fastest-growing trends," says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of the baby-naming site Nameberry, which recently released its own round-up of 2025 baby name trends. ''Adult-sounding' names have been coveted for a few years now, but parents are now embracing names clearly meant for babies. This trend has been spurred by influencers — Nara Smith's Whimsy Lou and Jaci Marie Smith's Benny Marie are both examples of 'Baby Names, Literally.' Nickname names like Scottie, Lottie, Nori and Dolly are playful choices in this trend, along with novel word names like Wednesday, Echo, Posey and Blossom." For those who like to keep it sweet and possibly short, there are lots of baby names to consider. Aqua Bunny Dovie Georgie Honey Lilibet Lula/Lulu Pixie Willa Zelie Zuzu It's not just Billboard — pop acts are taking over the baby-name charts as well. Two of the year's biggest pop acts — Charli XCX and Billie Eilish — have names that actually fit perfectly into the "Baby Names, Literally" trend as well. BabyCenter notes in its name trend report that names inspired by pop acts are experiencing a surge in interest. "Sabrina is up 109 spots for girls, to No. 342, and Billie is up 37 spots for girls, to No. 842," the site says. "We might even see Chappell (or the more traditional spelling, Chapel) get some attention as a girl name next year, thanks to Chappell Roan's meteoric rise to fame." Song titles, too, can have an effect. "No one named their baby Brat this year," BabyCenter reports (thankfully). "But Apple, a song on the Brat album, is spiking, rising 900 spots as a girl name, to No. 2,597. The last time the name Apple was this popular was in 2011, the year Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs died." And there are plenty more pop-inspired names where that came from. Ariana Bay/Bey Gracie Lana Megan Reneé Rey Roan Tate Taylor One trend we've seen for a while now is that every name is basically a gender-neutral name: Any name is fair game for any gender, no matter which one used it traditionally. In its year-end look into baby names, Babylist noticed that a lot of traditionally masculine going to girls in a trend it calls "my BFF's dad's name." Colleen Slagen, a naming expert, told Babylist that these names are "not totally out there but they're unexpected, yet cutesy." Two names we already mentioned — Billie and Scottie — are good examples, though Babylist predicts that the name Drew will eclipse them all. Look around to the other dads in your life for more inspiration for names like these. Andie Avery Blake Benny James Mattie Noah Riley Ryan Tatum Nature-inspired names have been huge for a while now, but Nameberry predicts "landscape names" will be of particular interest in the next 12 months. "Landscape names particularly appeal to parents in search of frills-free names that are easily understood, but not endemically popular," the site notes. "They're also inherently gender-neutral, a strong selling point for many contemporary namers." Nameberry believes Cove will be a standout, but Rye, Reef, Coast and Creek will be hot on its tail, along with these other outdoorsy names. Cloud Dune Isle/Isla Marsh Meadow Ocean Prarie River Shore Vale Looking for more baby girl name inspiration? Check out other Good Housekeeping lists: Nature Baby Names | Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | Japanese Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls | Gender-Neutral Names | Western/Cowboy Baby Names | 1920s Names | 1930s Names | 1940s Names | 1950s Names | 1960s Names Parents finding themselves gravitating toward a traditional name but who want to add a modern twist to it seem to be flocking to one suffix, -lynn. In fact, the SSA reports that Lakelynn, Emberlynn and Evelynn (a variant spelling of Evelyn) are three of the fastest-climbing names for girls this year."Avalynn is a perfect example of this," BabyCenter reports. "Up 402 spots at No. 861, this new name joins the top 1,000 girl names in the U.S. for the first time ever." Then, of course, there's always the name Lynn, full stop, though parents seem to be looking for something longer (double 'n' optional). Adelyn/Adelynn Ashlyn/Ashlynn Braelyn/Braelynn Brooklyn/Brooklynn Gracelyn/Gracelynn Jazlyn/Jazlynn Madelyn/Madelynn Oaklyn/Oaklynn Raelyn/Raelynn Roselyn/Roselynn Where are these names in the hype machine? The SSA keeps track of the most popular baby names in use right now — but are these names so popular, they're on the way out? On the flip side, it also keeps track of the names that had the biggest year-over-year gains, so those are likely on the rise. Olivia Emma Amelia Charlotte Mia Sophia Isabella Evelyn Ava Sofia Camila Harper Luna Eleanor Violet Ailany Aylani Marjorie Scottie Analeia Elodie Romy Julietta Adhara Ailani Elowyn Elani Yusra Rowyn Solana Only time will tell how these names will drive trends in the future, but they look poised to be big in the short term. 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