What are the Best New Baby Names 2024?

There are plenty to choose from. In the May 2024 data update, 44 girls names’ debuted in or returned to the rankings, along with 38 new boy names.

From those lists, here are the eight boys’ names and eight girls’ names picked as the best of the best.

What does that mean?

It’s hard to explain, but they’re the names that seem bigger than just their letters and sounds. They’re interesting. The ones that seem like they’ll influence trends into the future. Names that should keep on rising, into the Top 500 and beyond.

Of course, these predictions aren’t always right.

But that’s the fun!

These sixteen names are the basis for every July’s New Name Showdown. More on that later this summer.

For now – the names!

BEST NEW BOY NAMES

BOAZ #958

Cool first syllable Bo puts this Old Testament name in the company of modern picks like Bodhi and Boden. But that Biblical status means it could appeal to parents who love Ezra and Isaiah, too.

FOSTER #967

Boys’ names ending with R aren’t quite as popular as those ending with N, and yet, we’ve seen Carter and Hunter, Parker and Connor, all very popular in recent years. Foster feels a little softer than some of those names, but still powerfully appealing.

HOLLIS #1000

If it’s not boys’ names ending with R, then S is the newest go-to. Surname-style names with a hint of the natural world are very current. So if Brooks is trending, Hollis fits, too.

KENAI #959

Kai and Malakai, Zakai and Jakai are all rising. Kenai, originally the name of an animated bear in a 2003 Disney movie, fits in with this sound.

TRUE #980

A virtue name that feels nicely universal, brief and complete.

ULISES #994

The Spanish spelling of Ulysses, a name that might suit a child set to explore.

VEER #981

In some ways, Veer feels like a modern word name. It means to change direction. But it’s also a Hindi name meaning brave. The latter likely explains this name’s debut in the US Top 1000, but both backstories appeal.

WREN #991

Gone are the days when a name that rose for girls couldn’t catch on for boys. A decade after catching on for our daughters, Wren is soaring for our sons, too.

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BEST NEW GIRL NAMES

AINARA #870

Speaking of birds, Ainara is likely a variant of Enara, a Basque name referring to the swallow. Ainara is popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

ALITZEL #871

A newly invented name by way of Mexico.

DANIA #853

Dania might be an Italian feminine form of Daniel, or possibly an Arabic name meaning close.

ELEANORA #946

Gorgeous elaboration of Eleanor.

EMRYN #888

It looks a little bit like a borrowing from a fantasy novel, a sort of Emrys-Eowyn hybrid, with hints of traditional Emma and Emily mixed in.

SERAPHINA #974

Fiery, dramatic Seraphina has attracted attention ever since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter. But it’s taken a decade and a half for the name to crack the US Top 1000.

SOLANA #934

A lovely name with Latin roots and a Spanish sensibility, Solana means “a place in the sun.”

WINIFRED #967

An old school martyr saint, antique Winifred feels fresh again in 2024. One reason: breezy nickname Winnie.

These names will be back in July for the New Names Showdown! Do you have any favorites?

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

1 Comment

  1. Kenai is so Alaska! The peninsula is break-taking and rugged. It’s a clever way to get to Kai. He almost feels like a Keenan/Malachi smoosh.

    Solana has a whiff of Solange or Dayana. Lovely and strong without being masculine. It’s easy to imagine this as the name of a perfume.

    Dania is a furniture store to me. Sleek, Scandi, and light. Pronunciation would leave me troubled. Some say, “DANE-yah” and others, “DAY-nee-yah”. Pretty name, though!