July flew by so fast, and now it’s time for the final match-up in the New Names Showdown 2026! Get ready for the girls’ final, where your vote decides which name will join the winners’ circle.
As a reminder, every year the United States Social Security Administration updates the most popular baby names: 1,000 for girls and 1,000 for boys. Inevitably, some names leave, while others return or debut.
The annual New Names Showdown is about those returning or debuting names. Which are the best of the best? Which will likely continue to climb?
The eight names competing are chosen for being interesting. Different. Emblematic of a trend, maybe, or names that have been beloved on the site for years. (AM readers have great taste.)
And then your votes decide which one is really the top of the new and returning names. Your choice will join:
- Romy (2025)
- Seraphina (2024)
- Marigold (2023)
- Guinevere (2022)
- Etta (2021)
- Elodie (2020)
- Zora (2019)
- Marlowe (2018)
- Sylvie (2017)
- Arden (2016)
We’ll vote in just a minute, but first, let’s look at results of the last round.
Table of Contents
GIRLS SEMIFINALS RESULT
Winifred handily defeated Laken, with nearly 77% of the vote. These two names couldn’t be more different. Antique powerhouse Winifred versus smooth, nature-plus Laken. Still, this wasn’t a surprise – AM readers adore Winifred.
Odette slipped past Mariel with just over 52% of the total. These names were evenly matched. Both blend a long history of use with a very current sound. And they’ve been on fringes of the Top 1000 for ages. But it’s Odette that advances this year.
GIRLS FINAL MATCH
WINIFRED versus ODETTE
Voting remains open for just a few days. As always, thank you for playing along with our summer contest and be sure to check back soon to see the results!
