When it comes to expectant parents, it’s likely they’ve gotten their hands on a baby naming book in anticipation of their new arrival.
Back in May, the Social Security Association announced the most popular baby names of 2023 in the United States, with Olivia ranking as the most popular female name of the year. The name dethroned Emma, which had maintained its spot as most popular female name for the previous five years. Meanwhile, Liam was the most popular male name for the seventh year in a row.
Although the most common names in the US aren’t going away anytime soon, naming experts believe that parents are turning towards different strategies when they welcome their children.
Here are some of the baby naming trends we’re expected to see next year.
Longer names that have a nickname
Speaking to The Independent, baby naming consultant Emily Kim – who frequently shares her predictions for influencer’s baby names on her TikTok – suggested that parents will choose long first names in an effort to give their baby a cute nickname.
“Charlotte could be Charlie or Lottie. Theodore could be Theo or Teddy. In my work, I overwhelmingly see parents looking for names with nickname options,” Kim said.
Family surnames as first names
According to baby naming consultant Taylor A Humphrey, parents are inspired by meaningful names within their family. As such, one popular trend she’s witnessed is parents giving their surnames as first names to their babies.
“In many cases, these are familial names that are being used to honor a passed loved one,” she explained. “It’s a fun way to modernize the honor-name tradition. For example, if your beloved grandmother was named Ethel Taylor, but you fear Ethel being a little too outdated, you could choose the more modern, androgynous Taylor for your son or daughter.”
Humphrey also shared some other gender neutral surnames she’s noticed, including Lawson, Sutton, Rooney, Murphy, Rhodes, and Collins.
Names inspired by TV shows, films, and celebrities
Celebrities could also shape our approach to baby names, according to baby naming experts. For example, Humphrey noted that while the name Jack was already on the Social Security Association’s recent ranking of popular boy names, she predicted its popularity to go up in 2025 after Hailey and Justin Bieber named their son Jack Blues Bieber.
According to Kim, some of the most popular names in the US have a special tie to pop culture. The hit Netflix show Bridgerton – which debuted in 2020 and is currently filming its fourth season – featured popular names like Violet, Penelope, and of course, Charlotte. With that in mind, Kim predicts that popular characters in movies or TV shows from 2024 could influence next year’s trending baby names.
“I’m not saying The Idea of You about a 40-year-old single mom’s unexpected romance with a young boy band member is the proper homage for a baby name, but I am saying that Hayes and Soléne are some very cool potential names,” Kim said.
Names with references to nature
When it comes to new and trending names, Kim admitted that names like Olivia or Emma are not always at the top of her mind. Instead, she predicts that baby names in 2024 will have more to do with themes that frequently surround us.
“I think of names like Indigo, Crew, Ocean, Banks, and Isla. These sorts of names have lots of references to ‘nature themes,’” she told The Independent. “Instead of being a conventional name you may hear from a baby name list, parents are looking at the world around them and finding inspiration outdoors.”
Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief of Nameberry, also shared some trending baby names inspired by nature in a video posted to TikTok. “Cove of course is a big one, but we’ll also see more babies named Coast, Creek, and Trail,” she said, referring to these monikers as “landscape” names.
Names that literally sound like ones for a baby
Kihm also predicted that parents will want to give their children names that are “playful and youthful,” which she categorized under the trend: “Baby Names, Literally.”
“They’re definitely not ‘adult names,’ if you know what I mean,” she said on TikTok.
Trending choices under the “Baby Names, Literally” category included Blossom, Gio, and Sonny, as well as Lottie and Suede.
