A naming expert said parents choosing 2025 baby names are going for names they like, with fewer worries about tradition
Parents are focused less on tradition when choosing names for their babies these days.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sophie Kihm, the editor in chief at Nameberry. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Working at a baby naming site, I see how much thought parents put into naming their kids. In the past, there’s been a lot of pressure to consider what other people, and society as a whole, will think about a name. But for 2025, parents are confidently choosing names that they like without worrying about others’ opinions.
Here are the top six trends I’m seeing and 58 baby names that will be right at home in the new year.
New and unique names
These new and unique names are really trend-driven. They synthesize different elements of historic names that parents find interesting and put their own unique spin on them.
These names aren’t just invented, and they’re no less legitimate than well-established names. They’re putting a fresh spin on names rooted in history, giving parents and their babies the best of both worlds.
Names for boys include:
- Luxton
- Jakai
- Kyaire
- Aven
- Ryett, pronounced like “riot,” but spelled with a softer touch
Names for girls include:
- Evani
- Hollyn
- Mayli
- Scottlynn
- Novalie
Names for world travelers
For a long time, American names were those steeped in English or Germanic tradition. But now, we’re seeing a rise in distinctly American names that also reflect a family’s specific cultural or ethnic background. These are also names that “travel lightly” and can be easily pronounced and understood in multiple languages.
Names for boys include:
- Elio
- Kenzo
- Luca
- Hassan
- Soren
Names for girl include:
- Adalia
- Leilani
- Oona
- Eleni
- Akira
Cutesy names
For a few years, we saw parents gravitating toward names that felt a bit mature for a baby. Lots of parents were reminded they were naming an eventual adult, not just a baby. But in 2025, parents are taking the opposite tact: they’re embracing cutesy baby names, and they’re not worried that a lighthearted name will hold their kid back.
Cutesy names for boys include:
- Bash
- Sonny
- Cub
- Koda
- Albie
Cutesy names for girls include:
- Blossom
- Echo
- Dolly
- Georgie
- Aqua
Vintage names coming back
These classic names will eventually become beautiful and beloved. Think of the vintage names that haven’t quite been revived yet. Parents in 2025 are ready to lean into those names, even if they’re not quite ripe for revival.
Names for boys include:
- Howard
- Murry
- Morris
- Oswald
- Virgil
Names for girls include:
- Ethel
- Enid
- Rita
- Sybil
- Louis
Country rebrands
Modern parents love country-inspired names, but they’re taking a more inclusive look at what it means to be country. This is inspired in no small part by Beyoncé’s foray into country music this year. There’s also a new spin on classics, like the all-in-one name Jessejames, after the infamous outlaw.
Country rebrand names for boys include:
- Santos
- Abner
- Enoch
- Hatcher
- Lyle
For girls, they include:
- Dottie
- Opal
- Susannah
- Lou
- Polly
Femininomenal Names
Another artist who’s shaping naming trends is Chappell Roan. I haven’t (yet) seen a surge in little girls named Chappell or Roan, but I’m seeing more parents leaning into feminine names that are witchy, gritty, and powerful, just like Chappell Roan’s music. These are also names that reimagine the stories of women in history or lore, like Circe and Guinevere.
Other femininomenal names include:
- Amaryllis
- Cosette
- Freyja
- Lilith
- Salome
Parents naming babies in 2025 are questioning what they’ve been told and embracing the fact that they can choose a name that they love. It’s ok to them that there are complexities to names — which matches the complexities of the people who wear them.
