Top Baby Names of 2019

Want to know what baby names are trending this year? Here are what our users are searching for and adding to their name lists since January 1st. These names are up-and-coming and will be debuting on the birth charts in the next 3-5 years!

Boys

  1. Liam – Still number one with the BabyNames.com members, Liam is a classic name, a variant of the more formal William.
  2. Oliver – Threatening to take over the number one spot, Oliver is still super popular, but can’t beat Liam. At least not yet!
  3. Theodore – Theodore is up from #8, so if you name your baby Theodore, expect there to be more than one in his class!
  4. Declan – A very Celtic name, Declan is the original name of singer/songwriter Elvis Costello. However how this name has jumped the charts is anyone’s guess!
  5. Owen – Owen is that name that every parent is so unique, and then are surprised it’s in the top ten! Is the name Owen over? Since last year it ranked #6, it’s still climbing the charts. Will Owen be the next Liam?
  6. Finn – Another classically Irish/Celtic name, Finn is a name that has been used for both boys and girls.
  7. Levi – Levi is a Hebrew name, but has become popular for all faiths! It’s identified with the Levi’s brand of denim jeans, a brand named after its founder, Levi Strauss.
  8. Henry – Henry is the formal name of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. It’s one of those “old fashioned” names that have been so popular on the girls’ side of the charts, now making their way onto the boys’ charts.
  9. Everett – Everett can be considered a part of the surname trend, but stands on its own as a first name. Since it’s climbing fast, expect it to climb even higher in 2020.
  10. Grayson – Grayson/Greyson is a name that we believe came out of the 50 Shades phenomenon. It also follows the surname and -son trends following the more popular Madison and Harrison.
  11. Alexander – Alexander is one of those classic boys’ names that never goes out of style.
  12. Elijah – Elijah is a Biblical name, and along with Eli, has been more popular in the last 3-5 years. It’s jumped 10 spots since 2018, so expect it to be super popular.
  13. Silas – Silas is a Latin name meaning “Man of the Forest.” This might have become popular due to the character on the popular TV show “Vampire Diaries.”
  14. Emmett – Like Everett, Emmett is an older name that is becoming popular again. Emmett is also a name that started to become popular after the book and movie series, Twilight.
  15. Ethan – Ethan blasted onto the boys’ charts about 8-10 years ago, and is now as popular as ever. But expect it to age off soon.
  16. Sebastian – Sebastian is both a first name and a surname, and is a classic Greek name. Could Disney’s The Little Mermaid have brought this name back into pop culture consciousness? Perhaps. Sebastian the crab’s full name is Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crutaceous Sebastian. So technically, it’s his last name.
  17. Jasper – Jasper is another name that appeared on the charts from the Twilight craze in the early 2000s and has stayed strong and kept climbing. Other Twilight names that are staying strong include Esme, Bella, Alice and Rosalie.
  18. Benjamin – Benjamin is a Biblical name, pretty traditional and has been in the top 100 for U.S. Births since 1968. It’s one of those names that seems to never go out of style.
  19. Leo – The name Leo seemed to jump onto the charts after the success and fame of Leonardo DiCaprio. But then why didn’t his full name Leonardo become as popular? Possibly because of its identification with the Ninja Turtle. Or maybe because Leo is just easier to spell and works well with longer surnames.
  20. Felix – Older folks will identify the name Felix with the television show The Odd Couple or perhaps the cartoon Felix the Cat. But despite its fastidious association, the name has now jumped onto the charts and will stay for a while!

Girls

  1. Charlotte – Thanks to Princess Charlotte (UK), this name has stuck in the top most popular names for several years, competing with Amelia for the top spot.
  2. Violet – Nature names are in! And particularly those of flowers. Violet rose 2 spots since 2018 and is holding strong. It’s a beautifully feminine name without being diminutive.
  3. Amelia – Amelia is dropping, since we’ve had it on the top of the charts since 2016 (if you combine the stats with Emilia). If you look at both spellings, it is one of the most popular girls’ names in the U.S.
  4. Aurora – Aurora, meaning dawn, is a great alternative to the name Amelia, however it’s climbing the charts fast. If you thought you were being clever and unique naming your daughter Aurora, expect there to be others in her class.
  5. Olivia – Olivia is a name that has been super-popular for the past ten years and is holding strong. Contrary to popular belief, the name has nothing to do with olive trees or branches. Its etymological origin is literally “Elf Army,” which might have just meant “Army with magical powers” or granting your army power.
  6. Aria – Aria and its alternate “Game of Thrones” spelling, Arya, has been climbing the charts rapidly and we predict will take over the #1 spot in 1-5 years.
  7. Ava – Once a #1 name, Ava is dropping now that it has become oversaturated as a baby girl’s name.
  8. Emma – Another name that is dropping, Emma was a name that first became popular over the U.K. then shot to #1 in the U.S. Like Ava, it is so overused, it will now be dropping consistently.
  9. Luna – Perhaps it was Luna Lovegood that popularized this name, but it is rising fast! Again, look for many baby girls being named Luna in the next 1-3 years, as it continues to remain super popular.
  10. Hazel – Hazel was my grandmother’s name and I’ve always loved it. Older folks might identify it with Hazel the bumbling TV maid, but the baby-making millennials will make an association with the beloved character in the book and movie The Fault in Our Stars.
  11. Penelope – Penelope is a classic Greek name, but popular with Spanish-speaking cultures. It’s possible that actress Penelope Cruz helped catapult this name onto the top 20!
  12. Nora – Nora is a classic English name, spelled either with or without an H at the end. It originated as a short form of the name Honora.
  13. Scarlett – Scarlett has made its resurgence onto the charts, possible from the character in the popular TV show Nashville. Older folks will identify this name with the iconic Scarlett O’Hara from the book and classic movie Gone With the Wind.
  14. Isla – Isla is a name that we predict will make the top 5 names soon. It seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry are naming their daughters Isla. Most probably Scottish-Australian actress Isla Fisher was the catalyst for this name coming into pop culture consciousness.
  15. Maeve – I honestly have no idea why the name Maeve is on the charts, other than it fits the 100-year name and sounds quaintly old-fashioned. Actress Emma Mackey plays a character named Maeve Wiley in the Netflix series Sex Education. It is also a prominent character on the HBO series Westworld played by actress Thandie Newton.
  16. Eleanor – Eleanor is the name of my other grandmother (actually her name was Henrietta Eleanor, but she went by Eleanor or Ettie). It’s another one of those literal “grandma names” that have become so popular. It’s sophisticated, but can also be shortened to the cute “Ellie.”
  17. Genevieve – Genevieve is a rare French name that has made it onto the baby name charts, popular in the early 20th century and now making a comeback.
  18. Adeline – Ade-names (along with A- names in general) are permeating the girl name charts, starting with the most popular Addison and…
  19. Adelaide
  20. Abigail – Abigail is the only classic Biblical name on the girl’s top 20 names. It jumped onto the top 100 for U.S. girls in 1989 and has stuck.

Gender-Neutral

  1. Rowan – Traditionally a male name or surname, Rowan has now jumped the charts to the female side, as well. Expect it to climb both charts in the next 1-3 years.
  2. Quinn – Quinn is one of those names that has long been used for both genders and is not greatly identified with either.
  3. Tyler – Tyler is originally a surname that was popular for boys first, but has now made it onto the girl’s chart as well. Similar to Taylor.
  4. Harper – Harper is one of those occupational surnames that works for either gender. Ever since Posh and David Beckham named their daughter Harper, it’s risen as a popular girls’ name. It’s also the name of the daughter of Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka.
  5. Smith – Being the most popular surname in the United States, it’s no wonder it has now jumped onto the baby name charts as a first name. Easy to spell and easy to pronounce, Smith could be a unique name for either a boy or girl…but it won’t be unique for long at #5.
  6. Asher – Asher, Archer, Archie, and Ashton have all become popular and great alternatives to the oversaturated names, Ashton and Ashley.
  7. Parker – Actress Parker Posey might be responsible for bringing this name to the girls’ charts. Parker was originally an occupational surname and has also placed high on the boys’ charts.
  8. Ezra – Traditionally a Hebrew boys’ name, Ezra follows the trend for girls names that end in -a. Honestly, when I first heard this name, I thought it was a girls’ name. But like Ira, it’s been used for boys of Jewish faith.
  9. Addison – Addison came out of the Madison trend, when people got tired of everyone naming their babies Madison. But Addison is one of the few names that started on the girl charts and has since jumped to the boy’s side.
  10. Hayden – Hayden was an Aiden-rhymy name (Aiden/Brayden/Caden), super popular for boys names until it jumped onto the girl’s side, too. Its popularity for girls is possibly due to the rising fame of Heroes and Nashville actress Hayden Panettier.
  11. Avery – Avery is traditionally a boy’s name but has jumped to the girls side. Perhaps because of the soft consonants or the fact that it starts with A and ends with the y sound. It is now being used for both genders.
  12. Noah – Although rare up until this point, there are girls named Noah–including Miley Cyrus’s sister, Noah Cyrus.
  13. Jude – Jude had been traditionally used as a girls’ name, especially its diminutive, Judy. But actor Jude Law might have had a hand in making the name Jude popular for boys. Expect the name to climb higher onto the boys’ charts in the next 3-5 years.
  14. Micah – Traditionally a boy’s name, the name Micah has now been used for girls, as is the more traditional name, Michael.
  15. Finley – Finley, like Finn, has been used for both boys and girls was originally and Irish surname.
  16. Logan – Logan is a super-popular name for boys and is climbing the girl’s charts fast. Expect this name to stick around for the next ten years – on both sides.
  17. Sage – Being a nature name, Sage has been popular lately for girls, and is now making its way over to the boy’s chart. We are seeing simpler, shorter, names for boys becoming popular lately and will stay for quite a while.
  18. Charlie – In 2018 there were more girls named Charlie than boys in the United States. This name (which is technically a nickname for Charles) most probably  appeared on the girls’ charts as an alternative to the super-popular name Charlotte. It is also a brand name of a woman’s perfume.
  19. James – Ever since Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds named their daughter James, it has become more and more prevalent as a baby girl’s name. Its diminutive, Jamie, has always been used for either gender.
  20. River – River is one of those nature names that is gender-ambiguous. Although River Phoenix was a male actor, it’s often been used as a crossover name. Although it’s currently higher on the male charts, they’re very close in ranking.

Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.

Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.