Our hottest baby names are those we see attracting an outsized share of attention from expectant parents, based on number of views of our name pages for the first quarter of 2018 compared with the same period last year.

　　These hot names may not show up on the popularity lists….yet. Most are unusual, even unique, but hit the right style tone for today.

　　If you’re looking for a rare, cool name for your baby and want to be ahead of the fashion curve, we recommend these 30 hot baby names.

　　

Baby Girl Names

Adelia — So many girls’ names that start with Ad — from Ada to Adelaide to Adele to all the variations of Adeline — have become hugely popular that it seems inevitable that the lovely vintage Adelia would be rediscovered. Adelia can also make a good choice for parents who love Amelia but want something more unusual.

　　Alma — This unusual A name means soul.

　　Bee — Beatrice and its short form Bea have been among the hit vintage names of recent years, but Bee pushes the name into nature territory.

　　Cassia — This Greek name, a relative of Cassius and Cassian, is prime for widespread discovery.

　　Cora — Cora may not be unusual but it’s the hottest girls’ name of all. Simple and strong, we see this one heading for the top.

　　Eira — This Welsh name means snow.

　　Lumi — Another name that means snow, this one is popular in Finland and suddenly feels possible in the US, perhaps thanks to the visibility of Rumi, the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby daughter.

　　Pixie — Some Manic Pixie Dream Girls are growing up and giving their baby daughters this sprightly name.

　　Posie — Also spelled Posy or Posey, this sweet flower name can be short for Josephine or Penelope or can stand on its own.

　　Zaina — Zaina is an Arabic and African name meaning “beautiful” and a new entry to the group of fashionable names starting with Z.

　　

Baby Boy Names

Bear — An unlikely hit name of the decade, Bear is a cuddly nature name.

　　Brogan — Brogan is an unusual member of the trendy Irish surname group of boys’ names, a saint’s name with the same appeal as Logan and Brody.

　　Elio — Elio is an Italian version of Helios, the name of the Greek sun god, that is popular in France.

　　Keir — Following the recent trend of boys’ names that find new visibility following the popularity of their feminine counterparts — such as Emmett after Emma and Everett after Eva — the male Keir is hot on the heels of his popular sister Keira, Kiera, and Kyra.

　　Lazarus — This Biblical name is finally being used by a new generation of parents.

　　Leander — A leonine name popular in Europe with an inspirational mythological namesake.

　　Lorcan — A unique Irish name that means little and fierce; Declan for the next generation.

　　Orion — A celestial name that’s come down to earth in recent years.

　　Seth — One of the classic Biblical names that’s being quietly used.

　　Thelonious — A jazzy name that can sometimes lead to Theo.

　　

Gender-Neutral Baby Names

Amari — Amari is a unisex name with roots in several cultures and an appealing meaning: eternal.

　　Azariah — A Biblical name that’s used nearly equally for both genders in the US and is moving up the list.

　　Darcy — Jane Austen‘s dreamy Mr. Darcy has passed on his soft name to a new generation of boys and girls.

　　Indigo — Indigo is a fashionable color for clothing as well as trendy name for both girls and boys, made even more appealing by the nickname Indy.

　　Kit — Actor Kit Harington made this nickname for Christopher stylish for boys; for girls, it’s a new short form for Katherine.

　　Marlowe — Also spelled Marlow and Marlo, this is one of the trendiest gender-neutral baby names.

　　Monroe — Singer Mariah Carey started a trend when she chose star Marilyn‘s surname for her daughter. As a male name, it’s a vintage choice finding new life.

　　Ren — This Japanese name means lotus, a symbol of purity and perfection.

　　River — Nature name River is among the Top 20 gender-neutral baby names in the US today.

　　Zephyr — This name of the God of the West Wind is attracting well-deserved attention.