Baby names 2019 will include lots of names from new sources around the world and in nature, trends reflecting spirituality and nonbinary ideals, an F and a U and a goodbye to a longtime favorite group. Here, Nameberry’s 12 leading baby name trends for 2019.

　　Biggest Big Picture Trend: International names

　　As the world gets smaller, the pool of international names becomes larger, with new choices from ever-more-diverse origins entering the global lexicon every day. At Nameberry we’ve added thousands of new names from around the world: Maori names and Xhosa names, ancient Greek names and South American Indian names, Korean names and Israeli names. With the appetite for unique and meaningful names expanding all the time, parents are looking to these original choices with deep roots as baby names in 2019.

　　Acacius

　　Aroha

　　Cyrene

　　Jedda

　　Kiran

　　Lautaro

　　Lior

　　Niabi

　　Sena

　　Walken

　　Newest Gender Bend: Nonbinary names

　　Parents who want to raise their children free of gender stereotypes are looking for truly

　　gender neutral names. That means no names that end in son like Madison, no names that were originally boy or girl names that have migrated to the other side, such as Charlie. And if the names also evidence a gender-free ideal such as Justice, all the better. The nonbinary baby names of 2019 include the following.

　　Briar

　　Campbell

　　Finley

　　Journey

　　Justice

　　Laken

　　Revel

　　Robin

　　Royal

　　Story

　　Hottest Direction in Baby Naming: East

　　Names related to Eastern religions and non-European mythology have taken over from Biblical and saints’ names as the favorite spiritual names. The mainstreaming of yoga, meditation, and non-traditional spiritualism has sparked the trend, along with a search for meaning that transcends the name’s surface qualities such as style and sound. Eastern-influenced baby names we’ll hear in 2019 include the following.

　　Asherah

　　Bodhi

　　Kali

　　Lakshmi

　　Manu

　　Osiris

　　Raiden

　　Rama

　　Tanith

　　Zen

　　Coolest New Color Names: Muted Hues

　　All color names are, well, colorful, but we’re beginning to see a shift in tone as vibrant shades like Scarlett and Ruby and Poppy are giving way to softer pastels. Grey/Gray is starting to replace Blue as a first and middle color name du jour, while popular Violet has been joined by other vintage pale purplish hues. Another prediction: More Crayola names for boys. Soft color names 2019 include these.

　　Ash

　　Fawn

　　Grey/Gray

　　Ivory

　　Lavender

　　Lilac

　　Mauve

　　Moss

　　Olive

　　Sage

　　Richest New Nature Names: Rare gems

　　For a long time the most popular jewel names for babies have been those usually assigned to girls—Ruby, Pearl, Amber— all of which came into favor at the turn of the last century, along with flower and other nature names. But one of the most interesting new areas to be mined is the more unusual gem names which can be not only for girls, but for boys, or sometimes both. The rare gem names we’ll hear in 2019 include the following.

　　Amethyst

　　Emerald

　　Garnet

　　Jasper

　　Jet

　　Onyx

　　Opal

　　Peridot

　　Sapphire

　　Topaz

　　Latest Vintage Trend: Old-School Nickname Names for Boys

　　We’re seeing charming vintage boy nickames like Archie and Alfie and Freddie beginning to join their sisters Millie and Maisie and Josie, but more surprising to us is the nascent revival of early 20th century faves like Johnny and Jimmy and Billy on birth certificates, names which once were confined to comic strips and old radio and TV shows. Even more startling is the reappearance of some generic/badass appellations now appealing to the hipster sensibilities of celebs and others.

　　Ace

　　Billy

　　Buddy

　　Buster

　　Hank

　　Ike

　　Jimmy

　　Johnny

　　Sonny

　　Spike

　　Most Fashionable Consonant: F

　　For a letter that had been sitting quietly in the shadows for decades, F has suddenly rocketed forward, with

　　boy names that start with F led by Irish Finn and pack and fashion-forward girl names that start with F ranging from the florals to the Frans and beyond. F is a first initial just beginning a steep climb upward to lead baby names 2019.

　　Faye

　　Felix

　　Fern

　　Finnian

　　Flora

　　Florian

　　Frances

　　Frankie

　　Frederick

　　Frost

　　Coolest Vowel: U

　　U finally gets its turn in the spotlight as the leading vowel for baby names 2019. There are fewer baby names starting with U than any other letter in the alphabet, and U hasn’t featured in any major baby name trends in….forever. But now U – and its oo sound – features in many newly stylish names. Is it the influence of little Prince Louis? His unexpected name may have simply upshifted the trend to major.

　　Eulalie

　　Hugo

　　Jude

　　Juniper

　　Louise

　　Luca

　　Luna

　　Reuben

　　Tallulah

　　True

　　Trendiest Name Length: Three letters

　　Four letters might be a marker of name popularity, ala Number 1 Emma and Liam, but minimalist three-letter names are the sleek, sweet names of the future. The short sweet baby names hot in 2019 include these.

　　Hal

　　Ida

　　Jem

　　Kit

　　Koa

　　Liv

　　Lux

　　Rex

　　Rio

　　Van

　　Wildest Middle Name Trend: Animalia

　　Parents who want to add a touch of fierceness or individuality to more conventional first name choices are turning to animal names in the middle. As in many other trends, celebs have led the way, starting with Mariel Hemingway’s daughter Langley Fox back in 1989 to the number of more recent starbabies bearing Bear as their middle name.

　　Bear

　　Falcon

　　Fox

　　Hawk

　　Koala

　　Lion

　　Lynx

　　Otter

　　Tiger

　　Wolf

　　Trendiest Trend-Related Trend: Celebrity surname-names

　　Celebrities have influenced baby names since the days of Shirley Temple, and surname-names such as Morgan and Carter have been rising since the conservative 1980s. Now those two trends have combined into one megatrend: Celebrity surnames for girls and boys. Goodbye, Shirley; hello, Temple.

　　Beckham

　　Bowie

　　Ellington

　　Hendrix

　　Jolie

　　Ledger

　　Lennon

　　Lennox

　　Monroe

　　Wilder

　　Trend Ready to Jump the Shark: Em– Names

　　We predict that baby namers are about to become all Emmed-out when it comes to baby names in 2019. After all, we had Emily in the Top 25 for 35 years, at #1 for 12 of them. Then came Emma, in the Top 25 since 1998, and still reigning in first place. A number of dueling names that start with Em followed in their wake and we predict that the consensus is about to be that enough Em is enough.

　　Ember

　　Emerson

　　Emery

　　Emilia

　　Emily

　　Emma

　　Emme

　　Emmeline

　　Emmett

　　Emmy

　　With contributions from Emma Waterhouse, Clare Green, Sophie Kihm, Esmeralda Rocha, and Abby Sandel.