The most popular lists of 2023 have mostly been around for years. At least one of these debuted way back in 2012. Chances are that you’ve seen them before!
And yet, they’re all freshly updated, within the last year or two. And truly, there are some great names collected here, along with inspiration and advice worth considering.
So let’s dive in to the most popular lists of 2023!
30. THISBE AND THORA: GIRL NAMES STARTING WITH TH
Theodore came first for the boys, followed by Thea and Theodora. More TH names could be right behind … Thora feels like one that we’ve been overlooking.
29. TOP 100 GIRL NAMES: COOLEST, CLASSIC, NEW
Sure, we love the rarities and the undiscovered gems. But the 100 most popular names in the US make it to the top of the list for reasons, and this list breaks down why.
28. GIRL NAMES ENDING IN ET AND ETTE
Move over, Scarlett and Juliette. There’s a whole world of -ette enders, from Ayelet to Winslet and more.
27. UNEXPECTED NICKNAMES FOR ALEXANDER
Most Alexanders will be Alex. A few might answer to Xander. And then the tiniest handful could be Sasha or Dex or Zane … or another creative possibility from this (ever-expanding) list.
26. ANNA, ANNALISE, AND ANNIKA: THE ANNIE NAMES
When it comes to names for girls, it doesn’t get more classic than Anna and Anne. But we’ve been elaborating and reinventing those Ann- names for centuries. The result? A massive collection of beguiling Anne names.
25. GIRL NAMES ENDING IN LIA: AMELIA, CECILIA, THALIA
It’s the sound of a generation: girls’ names ending with IA, and especially with LIA. Whether that means Top Ten picks like Amelia or uncommon classics like Cordelia, it’s a familiar favorite.
24. GORGEOUS GOTH BABY NAMES: ZELLA, BRAM, CLAUDIA
Goth. Emo. Dark Academia. Are there subtle differences? Sure. But it’s a style that appeals to many, and it suggests a whole category of appealing names, too.
23. WIZARDING WORLD BABY NAMES
Harry Potter mania has died down quite a bit, and plenty of former fans have moved on – sometimes deliberately so. But a generation grew up reading and watching this world, and the impact lingers.
22. FAIRYTALE PRINCE NAMES
Plenty of fairytale princes go nameless – think Prince Charming. But drawing on medieval legend and contemporary storytelling, it’s possible to come up with plenty of boys’ names that would sound just right astride a white horse – or on a playground near you.
21. UNIQUE GIRL NAMES: OVER 100 WEARABLE CHOICES
Unique isn’t quite the right word. After all, every name on this list has been given to at least a handful of girls in recent years. But when tens of thousands of girls receive the Top Ten names annually, these choices do feel delightfully uncommon.
20. OOH LA LA: FRENCH NAMES FOR GIRLS
There’s a much more current list of French Names for Girls on the site, but this quirky throwback with the Find Your Fanciful French name artwork is the one that keeps being read.
19. LONG BOY NAMES: ALEXANDER TO ZACCHAEUS
For every Beau, there’s a Sebastian. These are some of the best choices with all the sounds and syllables.
18. FORMAL NAMES FOR RORY: AURORA, MARJORIE, LORELAI
Irish boy name Rory has been used for girls in small numbers for years. (Hollywood Golden Age icon Errol Flynn was among the first.) But then Gilmore Girls gave us the idea of Lorelai-called-Rory and a whole new category of possibilities evolved.
17. CHARLES NICKNAMES: CHARLIE, CHASE, HUCK
Just as Alex is the go-to for Alexander, Charlie is the obvious Charles nickname. But it’s far from the only option, and especially for families with multiple generations all answering to the same name, these choices might be just what you need.
16. LEO NAMES: FROM LEONARD TO LEOVANNI
Mighty Leo stands on its own, but it’s also short for so many longer choices. There’s buttoned-up Leonard, ancient warrior Leonidas, modern portmanteau Leovanni.
15. FORMAL NAMES FOR MILLIE: MILLICENT, AMELIA, AND MORE
Sparky, modern-meets-vintage Millie makes a great independent name. But it’s also short for so many lovely options.
14. GIRL NAMES CONTAINING Z: AZURA, MAZARINE, CHARLIZE
Sure, there’s Zara and Zoe/y. But girls’ names with a Z in the middle are perpetually cool, names with just a little bit of zest, from Azure to Zuzu.
13. TOP 100 BOY NAMES: COOLEST, CLASSIC, NEW
As with the girls’ list, this is a healthy reminder that the most common names are truly great choices, with history, style, and sound to offer.
12. EDGAR ALLAN POE CHARACTER NAMES
From Annabel Lee to Tamerlane, Edgar Allan Poe has created some truly haunting characters – with equally unforgettable given names.
11. ROSE NAMES: ROSALIE, ROSEMARY, PRIMROSE
In many ways, Rose is like Anne – infinitely combineable. But it’s different, too, a floral with ties to the natural world that suggest even more options.
10. ELIZABETH NICKNAMES: BETTY, LIZA, ELLE
The most classic of names for our daughters, Elizabeth has been consistently popular across the centuries. That means dozens of different forms, including nicknames, foreign translations, and creative twists.
9. RARE 1885 BABY NAMES: LEDA, DEMPSEY, ROME
There are plenty of look back lists on this site, but 1895 is among the most popular.
8. HOTTEST 1920 GIRL NAMES
The names that would’ve been trending on social media back in 1920 … if trending on social media were possible in 1920 …
7. SPUNKY GIRL NAMES: PIPPA, ROMY, AND MORE
Call them spirited or high-energy, but people searching for this list? They most often refer to this category of names as “spunky.” Neither traditional nor modern, they blend the best of multiple styles and historical eras for names that sound capable and maybe a little mischievous, too.
6. RARE SURNAME NAMES FOR GIRLS: ADAIR, ISLEY, ZAVALA
We all known an Avery or a Quinn, but this list? It offers the same style, but in names you probably won’t hear on your local playground.
5. BOY NAMES WITH GREAT MEANINGS
When meaning matters most of all, this is your go-to list.
4. NUMERIC BABY NAMES: UNA, IVY, FINN, ELEVEN
For every Harper Seven or Rocky Thirteen, there’s a subtle numeric name or three. Is Blue Ivy’s middle a reference to the number four? (Probably.) And can Finn really mean five? (Kinda yeah!) It’s a new micro trend that just won’t stop …
3. THE GREAT BIG LIST OF BIRD NAMES FOR GIRLS
Nature names are huge, and lately it’s bird names soaring for our girls. Robin and Raven are back; Wren is unstoppable; and new options like Dove are catching parents’ attention, too.
2. SWEET SPOT BOY NAMES: JONAH, MALCOLM, LANE
Not too different, not too common: these boys’ names hit the sweet spot for parents trying to find a name everyone knows that no one is using.
1. ONE-SYLLABLE MIDDLE NAMES FOR GIRLS: BESIDES GRACE AND ROSE
Grace and Rose are lovely, of course. And we choose them because they balance out a longer first or a complicated surname, or possibly moderate a truly unusual or maybe unisex given name choice. But it turns out that dozens and dozens and dozens of middle name possibilities serve that same function. And they’re all gathered here …
There are so many of these links that I have been relieved to send to expecting friends! It makes me cringe to hear, “Yeah, the C-section is tomorrow, and we have NO IDEA what the baby’s name is.” After affirming help would be appreciated, they get one of these articles in their inbox.
It has helped SO MANY children!
Happy New Year, Abby! It was so good to read the first post- 2024 really has started now! Rose names are probably my favourite group here, especially Rosabel.