New baby names are those that have never (or rarely) been used until recent years, but are red-hot for children now.

　　Each generation wants to do things differently from the last. For some parents that means looking wider for baby name inspiration, and choosing a name that they’ve never heard on anyone else.

　　The biggest attraction of a brand new name — on a brand new person — is its freshness and lack of baggage. When a child’s name doesn’t have the weight of history on it, it’s theirs to shape as they wish, and no one is going to tell them it’s the same as their grandpa / boss / childhood pet.

　　By the same token, kids with these names may share their name with some people their age or younger, but in the grand scheme of people who are alive now, it’ll be pretty uncommon. I doubt that digital identity is the main concern for most parents, but there’s the bonus point that Aubriella has a better chance of getting straightforward email addresses and usernames than Elizabeth.

　　New baby names come in many flavors and styles, from brand new inventions to borrowings from the dictionary or other languages. Here are some of the new baby names smashing the charts right now.

　　

Newly popular names

Sure, some of these have been around a long time, but not many people were using them until recently. These names were brand new to the US Top 100 in the last 10 years (according to the latest data available):

　　

New girl names

HeartAdelineChevron - RightHeartAriaChevron - RightHeartAuroraChevron - RightHeartBrielleChevron - RightHeartDelilahChevron - RightHeartElenaChevron - RightHeartElianaChevron - RightHeartEllieChevron - RightHeartEmeryChevron - RightHeartEmiliaChevron - RightHeartEverlyChevron - RightHeartHarperChevron - RightHeartIslaChevron - RightHeartIvyChevron - RightHeartKennedyChevron - RightHeartKinsleyChevron - RightHeartLunaChevron - RightHeartLydiaChevron - RightHeartMilaChevron - RightHeartNovaChevron - RightHeartPaisleyChevron - RightHeartPenelopeChevron - RightHeartPiperChevron - RightHeartQuinnChevron - RightHeartScarlettChevron - RightHeartSkylarChevron - RightHeartValentinaChevron - RightHeartWillowChevron - Right

　　

New boy names

HeartAsherChevron - RightHeartAxelChevron - RightHeartBrysonChevron - RightHeartEastonChevron - RightHeartEliasChevron - RightHeartEzekielChevron - RightHeartEzraChevron - RightHeartGraysonChevron - RightHeartGreysonChevron - RightHeartHudsonChevron - RightHeartJaceChevron - RightHeartJamesonChevron - RightHeartJaxsonChevron - RightHeartKaydenChevron - RightHeartLeonardoChevron - RightHeartLincolnChevron - RightHeartMateoChevron - RightHeartMaverickChevron - RightHeartMilesChevron - RightHeartNolanChevron - RightHeartRomanChevron - RightHeartSantiagoChevron - RightHeartSawyerChevron - Right

　　

New international names

Every year the name pool becomes more diverse, as parents use names from countries and cultures across the globe. They may be well-known in their homeland, but they are fresh to anglophone ears. These are some that are catching on fast in the US:

　　HeartAinhoaChevron - RightHeartBodhiChevron - RightHeartBrisaChevron - RightHeartCruzChevron - RightHeartElowenChevron - RightHeartGiuliaChevron - RightHeartIdrisChevron - RightHeartImanChevron - RightHeartKenzoChevron - RightHeartKianChevron - RightHeartKoaChevron - RightHeartMeilaniChevron - RightHeartNayeliChevron - RightHeartNoorChevron - RightHeartRaidenChevron - RightHeartSantinoChevron - RightHeartSaoirseChevron - RightHeartYaraChevron - RightHeartZuriChevron - Right

　　

New names from place names and surnames

Another big source of inspiration is last names, whether they’re from your family tree or a movie credits roll. The map is also a great place to find names that are familiar, but not common on people.

　　HeartAstonChevron - RightHeartBellamyChevron - RightHeartBentleyChevron - RightHeartCairoChevron - RightHeartCrosbyChevron - RightHeartDeaconChevron - RightHeartHayesChevron - RightHeartHuxleyChevron - RightHeartJerichoChevron - RightHeartKingstonChevron - RightHeartMalaysiaChevron - RightHeartMemphisChevron - RightHeartMilanChevron - RightHeartNashChevron - RightHeartSailorChevron - RightHeartWellsChevron - RightHeartWestleyChevron - Right

　　

New word names

Words are an endless source of namespiration, especially those from nature and with uplifting meanings. Here are some words that have crossed over into mainstream names in recent years.

　　HeartBearChevron - RightHeartBriarChevron - RightHeartCoveChevron - RightHeartGenesisChevron - RightHeartHavenChevron - RightHeartHonestyChevron - RightHeartJourneyChevron - RightHeartJuniperChevron - RightHeartLegacyChevron - RightHeartLyricChevron - RightHeartPaxChevron - RightHeartRidgeChevron - RightHeartRoyalChevron - RightHeartSoleilChevron - RightHeartStoryChevron - RightHeartTraceChevron - RightHeartTrueChevron - Right

　　

Mix’n’match names

These names are new, but they feel familiar. That’s because they either respell traditional names, or combine existing elements into a new whole. There’s a lot of scope for creativity with these — here are some that are becoming popular.

　　HeartAliviaChevron - RightHeartBeaudenChevron - RightHeartBraysonChevron - RightHeartCharleighChevron - RightHeartDexChevron - RightHeartEmberlyChevron - RightHeartIcelynChevron - RightHeartKysonChevron - RightHeartLondynChevron - RightHeartMaxtonChevron - RightHeartMilaniChevron - RightHeartNovaleeChevron - RightHeartOaklynChevron - RightHeartSkylaChevron - RightHeartZaydenChevron - Right

　　

New names from pop culture

The names we see on screen and in celebrity news influence us. So when a previously obscure name gets a lot of media attention, it’s no surprise that there’s an uptick in parents using it.

　　Pop culture names can be completely invented (hi, Khaleesi) or flying under the radar until one person rockets them to stardom (looking at you, Luna). This list includes character names from books and screens, the names celebrities give their children, and the celebs’ names themselves.

　　HeartAliviaChevron - RightHeartBeaudenChevron - RightHeartBraysonChevron - RightHeartCharleighChevron - RightHeartDexChevron - RightHeartEmberlyChevron - RightHeartIcelynChevron - RightHeartKysonChevron - RightHeartLondynChevron - RightHeartMaxtonChevron - RightHeartMilaniChevron - RightHeartNovaleeChevron - RightHeartOaklynChevron - RightHeartSkylaChevron - RightHeartZaydenChevron - Right

　　

New names on Nameberry

We’re always adding new baby names to our database — many of them suggested by you lovely readers! If there’s a name you think should be here, tell us in the forums. Here are a few we’ve added recently:

　　HeartAvalineChevron - RightHeartCampionChevron - RightHeartDeuceChevron - RightHeartForsytheChevron - RightHeartGesinaChevron - RightHeartHeimoanaChevron - RightHeartKirpaChevron - RightHeartLanChevron - RightHeartNaseemChevron - RightHeartProvidenceChevron - RightHeartReiChevron - RightHeartSevastiChevron - RightHeartSisaChevron - RightHeartThorfinnChevron - RightHeartTopekaChevron - Right

　　

You-made names

Nameberry readers have (of course) great taste in creating new names. Occasionally we run an “invent a name” competition.

　　HeartElysianChevron - RightHeartSperoChevron - Right

　　

About the Author

　　

Clare Green

　　Clare Green has been writing for Nameberry since 2015, covering everything from names peaking right now to feminist baby names, and keeping up-to-date with international baby name rankings. Her work has featured in publications such as The Independent and HuffPost. Clare has a background in linguistics and librarianship, and recently completed an MA dissertation researching names in multilingual families. She lives in England with her husband and son. You can reach her at [email protected]

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