One of the most exciting parts of having a baby is choosing the name. This name will form a huge part of your little one’s identity, so selecting the perfect one is an important process for anyone expecting a new bundle of joy to come into their lives.
From unusual names to the classics, trends over time have changed with more people now choosing to name their baby after a favourite celebrity, character in a film or tv series or even a song that means a lot to the parents. 2023 saw the name ‘Taylor’ double in popularity – a potential increase due to Taylor Swift’s continuing global success.
So, how did the names line-up last year?
In 2023, the top 10 names for girls were….
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Isla
- Lily
- Ava
- Freya
- Ivy
- Sophia
- Grace
- Willow
Whilst the top 10 names for boys were…
- Muhammad
- Noah
- Theo
- Leo
- Oliver
- Arthur
- George
- Luca
- Freddie
- Jack
Names such as Mia, Isabella and Daisy were just outside of the top 10 for baby girls, whilst for baby boys Ethan, Charlie and Henry just missed out on being some of the top names for boys in 2023. Recent years have seen a rise in unisex names, with parents increasingly opting to go for a more gender-neutral angle for their babies – with ‘Marlowe’, ‘Blair’, ‘Ren’ and ‘Oakley’ entering the top 1,000 children’s names.
What does all this mean for 2024? Well, experts Nameberry and Babycentre have revealed their expectations for naming trends in 2024, with nature inspired names being some of the favourites after Ivy, Willow and Lily all made the top 10 last year – with rises for ‘Fern’ and ‘Hazel’ expected this year. Air-y names like Storm, Sky, Phoenix and Celeste have all also been predicted to climb up the lists for 2024.
Despite being released last Summer, Nameberry has suggested that parents expecting babies in early 2024 may take naming inspiration from the Barbie movie and it’s lead actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, with other popular 60’s names expected to see more registrations, including Betty, Brad and Tommy. Films based on both Elvis and Priscilla Presley could also boost registrations of these names across the year.
Science and Space are also seemingly a huge inspiration for parents, as both Luna and Nova made last year’s top 100 for baby girls, as did constellation and moon moniker’s Ophelia, Phoebe and Lyra. Darwin, Astra and Mars have also started to see more registrations over the last few years.
Whether you decide to go against the trends or keep with tradition, naming a baby is a deeply meaningful experience. Whichever name you decide to give your little one, the most important thing to do is choose a name that resonates with love and significance for you and your growing family.