Fastest Rising Girl Names 2026: Soaring Ailany, Beloved Eliana

Every year, we dive into the May update of popular baby name data in the United States. But we almost always focus on change in popularity rank.

Rank signals relative change. Analeia rose more than 400 spots, from #920 to #514.

But here’s the funny thing: if we look instead at increases in count – the number of newborns receiving a name – Analeia didn’t actually gain in use all that much.

Analeia is still a fast riser and a name to watch. But names already in the Top 100, like Lainey, or even Top Ten, like Charlotte, increased by count even more dramatically. They just don’t have quite as far to climb, since they’re already popular.

Sometimes making this list of fastest rising girl names 2026 signals a name’s entry into the mainstream. Appearing on this list for several years in a row almost always means that a name is on its way to the top of the popularity charts.

That said, one year’s gain isn’t nearly as meaningful. Sometimes it’s a pop culture-fueled blip. Or possibly just a fluke – a name overperforms slightly and makes the fastest rising girl names 2026, but then hits a plateau.

Another quirk of rank versus count? A name can gain modestly in overall number of births, and still fall in rank, especially near the top of the charts. That was true for names like Alice and Ruby last year. The opposite also happens. Sometimes a name might actually fall in use and still gain a spot or two on the charts. Sarah fell in terms of absolute number of births, but gained slightly in the popularity rankings.

Rank tells us something about this year. Count signals the future.

And so with all of that in mind, what were the fastest rising girl names 2026?

25. BLAIR (+394 births; unranked on last year’s list)

Polished Blair has been a favorite for our daughters since the 1980s. Television boosted it twice, first on The Facts of Life and then Gossip Girl. Now it’s less tied to pop culture figures and more a modern staple, a successor to Quinn with a nod to classic Claire.

24. SOPHIE (+410 births; unranked on last year’s list)

Sophia and Sofia have been Top Ten staples for years; Sophie has followed them into the Top 100 and continues to climb. One factor? It’s now a Bridgerton name, thanks to season four’s Cinderella-style romance between Benedict and Sophie.

23. LEILANI (+438 births; unranked on last year’s list; #16 in 2022; #6 in 2021)

Imported from Hawaii? That sounds odd, but it’s one of the most powerful trends of the 2020s, with girls’ names ending in -lani surging in popularity. Leilani has more history than some; it means “heavenly flowers” and was popularized to a wider American audience way back in 1937. Crooner Bing Crosby recorded “Sweet Leilani” for a movie called Waikiki Wedding. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.

22. SADIE (+439 births; unranked on last year’s list)

This vintage charmer was boosted by reality television’s Duck Dynasty earlier in the 21st century. Today it’s a solid go-to choice for a daughter. Originally a nickname for Sarah, it shares the meaning – princess – and outranks the original.

21. ARLETH (+441 births; unranked on last year’s list)

Arleth, Arlet, and Arlette are all on the rise. Popular with Spanish-speaking parents and throughout Latin America, they’re all forms of a very old school Germanic name. Mexican actress Arleth Terán is one famous figure.

20. MILLIE (+442 births; unranked on last year’s list; #12 in 2023; #5 in 2022)

Molly meets Ellie in sweetly antique nickname Millie. Mildred and Millicent are stuck in style limbo, but this short form is popular across the English-speaking world.

19. SOPHIA (+473 births; unranked on last year’s list)

An elegant name with classic appeal, Sophia has long been in the Top Ten. Rising from #6 to #5 doesn’t seem like much of a gain, but this name has enjoyed a burst of new popularity with parents.

18. PENELOPE (+484 births; unranked on last year’s list)

The faithful wife from The Odyssey, Penelope’s leap probably has a little bit to do with the third season of Netflix hit Bridgerton. It debuted in May of 2024, perfect timing for parents starting think of a daughter’s name for calendar year 2025.

17. AYLANI (+504 births; unranked on last year’s list)

The. biggest story of this list? It’s Aylani, which appears in three separate spellings. Combined, it’s a tsunami of popularity. Unlike the legitimately Hawaiian Leilani, this -lani name owes more to Spanish favorites like Aylin, Aylen, and Ayelen, with more than one possible meaning and origin attached.

16. ELEANOR (+522 births; unranked on last year’s list; #3 in 2021)

A solid classic of a name, Eleanor has also become a rising style star.

15. CLARA (+541 births; #23 on last year’s list)

Like Eleanor, a long-time favorite that’s rising again.

14. SIENNA (+546 births; unranked on last year’s list)

As colorful as Scarlett, as borrowed-from-the-map as Savannah, Sienna is a lovely, flowing name that picks up on modern naming trends but feels nicely distinctive, too.

13. VIOLET (+574 births; #10 on last year’s list)

Colorful, floral Violet has appeared on this list more than once, a name equally vintage and sharp.

12. LILY (+580 births; unranked on last year’s list; #17 in 2022; #18 in 2021)

Another nature name with serious ecovintage energy, Lily has become a fixture for modern girls’ names, a Top 50 name since 2005.

11. LAINEY (+591 births; #2 on last year’s list; #1 in 2023; #8 in 2022; #15 in 2021)

A sister for Wyatt or Stetson, Lainey owes its burst of popularity to Yellowstone actress and country music’s Lainey Wilson. More than that, Lainey updates classics like Helen and Elaine, while also nodding to popular surname choices like Riley and vintage nicknames like Sadie. Lainey checks all of the boxes, and continues to hit the different-not-unusual sweet spot for parents.

10. IRIS (+605 births; unranked on last year’s list; #19 in 2022; #14 in 2021)

This year’s fastest-rising flower name is elegant, restrained Iris. It’s popular because we love our botanicals, but it also appeals because Iris is the goddess associated with rainbows in Greek myth.

9. ISLA (+645 births; unranked on last year’s list; #1 in 2021)

Smooth and stylish Isla has been a rising favorite for some time. It’s Scottish, borrowed from the name of an island. It also looks like the Spanish word for island, though isla is pronounced differently.

8. SCOTTIE (+711 births; #4 on last year’s list)

Following a sky-high debut during calendar year 2022, Scottie leapt again – and again. It’s part of the Stevie-Charlie-Andie trend, but Scottie also benefits from our love of TT names. Just look at Lottie, Lettie, Violette, Charlotte, and Colette are just a few rising names with that double letter.

7. LUCY (+780 births; #22 on last year’s list; #6 in 2023)

If you’re looking for something more serious than casual Sadie but not as buttoned-up as Mary, Lucy hits the sweet spot. The association with light is another bonus.

6. ELOISE (+821 births; #12 on last year’s list)

Antique darling Eloise has been a frequent fastest-rising name. The combination of El- and a bright O sound seems incredibly appealing to parents now. Another bonus? It comes with its very own storybook.

5. CHARLOTTE (+848 births; unranked on last year’s list)

Now the second-most popular name in the US, Charlotte is the classic favorite even more familiar than Elizabeth or Katherine.

4. AILANI (+861 births; #15 on last year’s list)

Like Aylani, this name borrows from modern favorites including Kaylani and Leilani; Aaliyah and Alaia. It’s the second spelling of a sound that feels very fresh and current today.

3. VALENTINA (+916 births; unranked on last year’s list; #10 in 2022)

A traditional name with broad appeal, Valentina follows former favorites like Alexandra to the top of the list.

2. ELIANA (+1744 births; #3 on last year’s list; #5 in 2023; #21 in 2022; #20 in 2021; #20 in 2020)

Unstoppable Eliana entered the US Top Ten this year. We love an elaborate, romantic choice. El- names are at peak popularity. And Eliana feels like a well-established choice for a daughter, even though it would have been virtually unheard of even fifty years ago. Bonus? It’s sometimes connected to a Greek word meaning sun.

1. AILANY (+4530 births; #1 on last year’s list)

The undisputed champ of fastest rising girl names 2026 and last year, too? It’s Ailany. It’s a fast favorite among Spanish-speaking Americans. (Check Baby Center’s Spanish language site. It’s a powerful mix of popular sounds that’s set to define a generation of girls’ names.

Speaking of trends, there’s not one defining story for the fastest rising girl names 2026. This mixes names that we wouldn’t have been talking about even ten years ago with time-tested classics. And that’s the story of naming a child right now – we can choose from the brand new Ailany or the old school Eleanor, or maybe find something in-between, like Lainey or Blair.

And so the fastest-rising favorites are a good representation of all the names we’re considering right about now. You’re just slightly more likely to hear these on a playground near you.

Are any of these names a future #1 favorite in the US?

Do you have a favorite from the fastest rising girl names 2026?