New Name Names Showdown 2024: Girls Final

July is flying by!

We’re already at the big moment: the final girls’ match in the annual New Names Showdown.

If you’re new here, let’s catch up.

(Almost) every May, the US Social Security Administration releases the updated list of the 1,000 most popular names for children born during the prior calendar year.

Inevitably, some names fall out of the rankings. Others return, and some debut for the very first time.

From this list of newcomers, I pick eight that seem interesting. Sometimes they’re names we love that have been catching on for ages and finally rank. Others represent a new trend, an intriguing sound, or something that just feels noteworthy.

This year’s choices were as follows.

• AINARA #870
• ALITZEL #871
• DANIA #853
• ELEANORA #946
• EMRYN #888
• SERAPHINA #974
• SOLANA #934
• WINIFRED #967

Your votes took us down to just four names left in the semfinals.

SEMIFINALS RESULTS

• Seraphina sailed past Solana. With more than 75% of the total, Seraphina confidently strides in to the final match. At least one reader has been on record as calling Seraphina the future champ since day one!
• Eleanora battled past Winifred. In a much closer match, Eleanora scored just over 52% of the tally to best Winifred.

This leads us, of course, to one final chance to vote!

THE FINAL MATCH

PAST WINNERS

One of those two names will join this exalted group of New Names Showdown champs:

• Marigold (2023)
• Guinevere (2022)
• Etta (2021)
• Elodie (2020)
• Zora (2019)
• Marlowe (2018)
• Sylvie (2017)
• Arden (2016)

Voting remains open until Thursday, July 25th. Thank you so much for being a part of this year’s contest, and please check back to see if your favorite wins!