Top Baby Names to Watch for 2024: The Latest Data Is In

The names from 2023 introduced significant strides in tech, space travel, and beyond, yet the year’s top baby names offered nostalgia mixed with all the modernity. Contemporary chart toppers held steady, but changing tides shook things up. Let’s explore 2023’s top baby names together to give you some inspirado for 2024 and beyond.

2023’s Top 10 Baby Name Changes

The Top 10 most popular boys’ and girls’ names mostly remained unchanged in 2023, though there is a new face you’ll love to meet. Hint: He’s a twist on a biblical favorite.

For boys, Liam continues to reign as the most popular male moniker, flanked by familiar friends Noah, Oliver, James, and Elijah, who maintained that exact order, holding steady from 2022. Our newbie on the list is Mateo at #6. A Spanish variant of Matthew, he ascended from #11 in 2022. Meaning “gift of God,” Mateo has gained ground for years, along with variant spelling, Matteo, who ranks at #144. The #7 slot goes to Theodore, a Greek great, up from #10 in 2022. Next is Henry, slipping a spot to #8, and then Lucas, cooling to #9. Rounding things out is William, who lost the most ground in the Top 10, easing from #6 to #10.

The Top 10 Girl names didn’t change much in 2023. Olivia retains her crown at #1, along with her beautiful buddies Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, and Sophia, who held their spots from 2022. The only rising name is Mia, with this short and sweet pick skipping up two slots to rest at #6, replacing Isabella, who slipped to #7. Ava also dipped a spot to #8, while the tail end remains the same, with Evelyn at #9 and the moon baby Luna at #10.

Who might we see in 2024’s Top 10? It’s anyone’s guess, especially for the boys. Over the past few years, we’ve seen some lone wolves making surprise appearances.

With boys, Levi is a big contender for making the Top 10 in 2024. As a Hebrew name with biblical ties, plus a fabulous meaning of “joined together,” he’s hard not to adore. We won’t count out Jack’s vintage appeal or Sebastian’sSebastian’s grandeur, either.

On the girls’ side, our sights are on Eleanor for 2024. Once deemed a grandma moniker, this treasure trove of nicknames has the wind in her sails. Violet may also start knocking on the Top 10 with this floral phenom prime for picking. Sofia is inching closer as well, so keep your eyes peeled!

2023’s Top 25 Baby Name Changes

The Top 25 Baby Names scrambled a bit last year, with a few names dropping out and others entering—including a handful for the first time ever!

Benjamin popped back in at #11 after falling out of the Top 10 Boy Names, while Levi and Sebastian held steady at #12 and #13, respectively. Jack inched a spot to land at #14, trailed by the handsome Ezra at #15. Meaning “help,” Ezra has ample cool factor with his inner Z styling, propelling him up from #26. Might he knock on the Top 10 door next?

The classic Michael maintained #16 as the last to hold his ground in the Top 25 Boy Names. Daniel dipped three places to #17, coincidentally tailed by the “lion” Leo at #18. That feline friend plodded forward four spots in 2023, a trend we see continuing in 2024. Hudson joined the Top 25 party to land at #21 with his New York charm and polished sound winners for parents. Another new face? Luca, with Lucas’ energetic cousin, snatching #24.

So, who might join 2024’s Top 25 Boy Names? Who will they replace?

Former Top 10 stars are declining, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Ethan or Alexander slip out of the Top 25. Several amazing monikers could replace them, but Luke seems the most poised to climb along with Miles. The latter rose 13 spots, remaining in a distant #43, though he has the strong meaning of “soldier” to help him march ahead.

As for girl names, the Top 25 glistens with rising stars. The stylish surname sweetheart Harper held onto #11. Sofia is close at her heels at #12, eager to join her twin, Sophia, after swapping spots with the Spanish stunner Camila. Eleanor galloped up the charts to #14, wowing with her grandma-chic vibes and endless nicknames. Other big movers are Violet and Hazel, as retro names continue to shine. Sassier, shorter picks are especially loved, like Lily at #20 and Nora at #25. Do you love longer names? Gianna and Aurora climbed higher, landing at #21 and #22.

Predicting 2024’s Top 25 for girls isn’t easy, but there are hints at who might not appear. The sing-songy Aria and Penelope may leave us, and quite a few names could join the ranks to fill their shoes. Our biggest bet is on Ivy. Both vintage and natural, she’s on trend in every way. The “island” girl, Isla, also has plenty of potential.

2023 Top 100 Baby Name Changes

Venturing past the Top 25 introduces recognizable options without the huge risks of your kiddo sharing a name with three or more classmates. In 2023, the sky was the limit in style, origin, meaning, and more, making it the perfect time to track down your next favorite. Ever-popular picks like Jacob and Hannah lost ground while a few modern darlings, including Maverick and Emery, made splashes.

For boys, the Top 100 welcomes five new faces for their first visits: Gael, Amir, Luka, Enzo, and Thiago. They rocketed up the ranks, aided by edgy sounds and epic meanings. The “prince” Amir is a natural star, and we’re not surprised to see Luka. His name family has been red-hot recently. Gael, Enzo, and Thiago all easily cross languages and borders, suiting future globetrotters or bilingual families.

The biggest movers of 2023’s Top 100 were boyish buddies like Beau and Theo and grandpa-chic greats like Elias. One we’d watch in 2024? Rowan. This tree-themed cutie has the nature vibe parents love and a pleasant sound. As for losing ground this year, Landon, Jordan, or Easton may drop out of the Top 100. Taking their spots to join the ranks? Perhaps Zion, Austin, or Myles. All three have ingredients of today’s trending names.

On the girls’ side, 2023 brought a few newbies to the Top 100 for the first time, including Lyla, Lainey, Eden, and Maeve. A variant of Leila, Lyl, has been closing in for a few years, but that last trio saw explosive growth. Country crooner Lainey Wilson undoubtedly helped Lainey while the biblical beauty of Eden finally pounced ahead. As for Maeve, this Irish babe has been “intoxicating” for parents, mirroring her meaning.

Other big movers include the melodic Eliana and the posh Adeline. Both are loaded with precious nickname options, too! Who might slip away from the Top 100 in 2024? Lydia, Natalia, and Hailey appear likely to lose steam. For their replacements, the sweet and sassy Millie seems more than ready to rock the Top 100, as do Lucia and Daisy.

Biggest Chart Climbers of 2023: Boys

Many male names rose in rankings last year, but some really took off on the charts. Whether aided by pop culture or spinning off modern naming trends, these picks showed up in a big way, hopping more than 200 spots!

Boy names with the most significant bounces in popularity in 2023 include:

• Izael [+860]: Meaning “he who has wrestled God,” this form of Israel catapulted to #806 from #1666.
• Chozen [+666]: An alternative spelling of the trending word name Chosen, this cutie cruised to #813.
• Eiden [+590]: This Gaelic “fire” burned bright enough for parents to reach #890.
• Cassian [+403]: A cool, otherworldly feel helped this Latin moniker rise to #533.
• Kyren [+391]: Reaching #940 to enter the Top 1000 for the first time, he’s a variant of the Indian name Kiran.
• Semaj [+339]: An American name that’s James spelled backward, he climbed to #902.
• Kaizen [+317]: Originally from Japan, this handsome moniker meaning “change for the better” reached #587.
  Kyaire [+291]: This modern American gentleman entered the top 1000 to kick back at #867.
• Jahmir [+267]: He has the incredible meaning of “loyal and trustworthy,” which is perhaps part of why he’s now in the Top 1000 at #809.
• Jesiah [+256]: Meaning “the Lord exists,” this Hebrew find sailed to rest at #865.

More big movers for boys to watch in 2024: Matheo, Mael, and Elio.

Biggest Chart Climbers of 2023: Girls

The Top 2023 Boy names certainly saw movers and shakers, but those were rookie numbers compared to the explosion of popularity experienced by some girl names. From alternative spellings to beauties from faraway lands, they easily scaled the charts.

These gorgeous girl names soared to new heights in 2023:

• Kaeli [+1692]: A respelling of Kailee, this Gaelic gem means “slender” and breezed into the Top 1000 to land at #678.
• Alitzel [+1512]: Related to the Mayan fertility goddess Itzel, she danced to #871.
• Emryn [+1287]: As modern as she is magical, this American doll made it to #888.
• Adhara [+812]: Meaning “maiden,” this Arabic beauty debuted at #769 in the Top 1000.
• Azari [+715]: An Arabic treasure, she means “helped by God” and ascended to #695.
• Kya [+479]: Another spelling of Kaia, this precious pick popped into the Top 1000 at #820.
• Ivey [+437]: This twist of the plant princess Ivy grew into the Top 1000 to reach #851.
• Ainara [+393]: A Spanish name meaning “bird,” she flew to #870.
• Arely [+333]: A “golden” girl, she shined her brightest yet in 2023 and reached #837.
• Scottie [+306]: Rising to #617, this country-themed cutie continues to wow.

Other noteworthy girl names on the rise include Avani, Aleyna, and Miley.

Biggest Losses in Popularity: Boys

Not every name can have a standout year. In fact, some names sank fast in the rankings.

These male monikers lost the most ground in 2023:

• Dior [-384]: Luxury ties weren’t enough to save this French find as he plummeted to #1224.
• Maxton [-273]: Cooling to #1237, this trendy Englishman couldn’t hold onto the Top 1000.
• Davian [-206]: This modern twist on David lost traction, dipping to #1174.
• Heath [-196]: This Hollywood heartthrob couldn’t hold onto his Top 1000 star, falling to #1059.
• Braden [-186]: The -aiden trend continues to lose steam, with this Irish member tumbling to #1121.
• Niklaus [-185]: A Slavic form of Nicholas, he tumbled to #1146.
• Bryant [-178]: This surname with sports ties dipped in popularity to #1091.
• Dion [-168]: Falling to #1073, this short form of the Greek Dionysius failed to make the Top 1000.
• Kase [-165]: Meaning “box,” this one-syllable wonder went down to #1030.
• Lux [-164]: Despite his bright meaning of “light,” this Latin legend flickered from the Top 1000 to #1151.

Biggest Losses in Popularity: Girls

Some girl names fell out of favor in a big way. It was a mixed bag across the board, from trendy modern monikers to ancient marvels.

These girl names saw the most considerable losses in ranking in 2023:

• Addilynn [-374]: Somersaulting down to #1315, this respelling of Adeline lost the most spots in girl names.
• India [-299]: While place name perfection, she sank to #1272.
• Madisyn [-257]: The Top 1000 is no more for this alternative spelling of Madison, as she landed at #1063.
• Chanel [-227]: Parents weren’t wowed as much by brand names like this beauty, who parachuted to #1171.
• Averi [-221]: This form of Avery slowed on the charts, slipping to #1124.
• Itzayana [-214]: As magnificent as this Mayan moniker may be, she dropped to #1069.
• Jayda [-213]: The Top 1000 is no more for this form of Jada, who landed at #1036.
• Marleigh [-213]: This respelling of Marley didn’t have as many parents under her spell, resting at #924.
• Jada [-198]: As precious as this jade-inspired name is, she still descended to #1035.
• Jayleen [-178]: While pleasing on the ear, this beautiful name dipped to #788.

2023 Name Trends to Watch for in 2024

Some naming themes left their mark in 2023, and it’s safe to say they’ll continue into 2024, especially those that have blossomed for a few years now.

First up: Obscure Vintage

Old-school baby names are nothing new on the charts (ask Theodore and Amelia,) but if you study 2023’s list of rising names, you’ll spot heaps of undercover oldies making a resurgence.

Lionel and Douglas caught on with the boys, along with the biblical Enoch and Abner. They have the same appeal as Oliver and Henry without the mega popularity. If all things vintage rock your world, standouts nailing the trend are Harry, Alvin, and Franklin.

For girls, the retro theme took us back to the 1940s era with Elaine and Barbara. We also visited the time of flower power with the 1960s staples Lisa and Paula. Throwback picks are plentiful, but selecting an under-the-radar find fits in without being too common in the classroom later in life. A few of our obscure vintage favorites are Daphne, Sally, and Edith.

Next: Surname Surge

Today’s parents love surname names, from Jackson to Harper and everything in between. Don’t believe us? See Madison, Avery, and Riley for girls and Carter, Lincoln, and Brooks for boys.

2023 was the same, with several trending picks under the surname umbrella. On the boys’ side, Rhodes is creeping higher, along with Sutton and Colter. For girls, the surname stunners lean into unisex territory, like Murphy and Miller.

Lastly: Mighty Meanings

Words have power, echoed by many of 2023’s most popular baby names.

Literal words are rising in popularity, such as Chosen and True for boys and Blessing and Navy for girls, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll see even more strength behind the surface of many names. A shining example is the rising Adriel, a Hebrew name meaning “of God’s flock.” Another is the “guardian” Samara and the “heavenly maiden” Celeste.

Loving the specialness of extraordinary hidden meanings? Check out more of our favorites in Nehemiah, Viviana, and Osiris.

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Did your favorite names rise, fall, or stay the same in popularity? Any predictions for 2024’s most popular baby names? Be sure to browse and see where your name list landed!