When most people picture the “big” baby names, the same familiar picks tend to come up — but more and more parents are choosing distinctive options instead.
Choosing a name is a bigger decision than it sounds. It’s the word you’ll be calling up the stairs for years — whether dinner’s ready or it’s time to clean their room.
Families arrive at names in all kinds of ways. Some stick with classics, while others honour relatives or close friends. And plenty of parents look further afield for inspiration.
There are also perennial favourites that never really go away. Biblical names, for example, remain a reliable source, with Noah continuing to climb — alongside choices like Jacob, John, Mark, Ruth, and Mary.
Another route is borrowing from pop culture — choosing a name from a beloved film, book, or series. That can backfire if the story (and a character’s reputation) takes an unexpected turn. Some parents learned this the hard way after naming daughters Khaleesi or Daenerys, inspired by Game of Thrones.
With that in mind, here’s a snapshot of unusual baby names that are drawing attention in the US, along with the most popular names overall.
One reason “rare” names are rising is a growing desire for individuality, with parents drawing from a wider mix of spellings, languages, and cultural influences.
For girls, the most unusual top pick was ‘Klarity’ — a creative spelling of “Clarity” that fits into the long-running tradition of virtue-inspired names like Hope, Faith, or Chastity.
After that came Rynlee, a newer-sounding modern choice, followed by Ailanny, which has Hawaiian roots.
Naylani also appeared on the list and shares the same origin.
Rounding out the set was Madisson — essentially Madison, but with an extra “s”.
For boys, the leading unusual name was Kasai, which translates to “fire”.
In second place was Akari, a name with Japanese origins.
Eziah followed — more traditional in feel, but presented as an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Isiah.
Jasai is another contemporary-sounding option, and Neithan joins the list as a twist on the more familiar Nathan.
These are for 2025.
1. Olivia
2. Charlotte
3. Emma
4. Amelia
5. Sophia
6. Mia
7. Isabella
8. Evelyn
9. Sofia
10. Eliana
1. Liam
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. Theodore
5. Henry
6. James
7. Elijah
8. Mateo
9. William
10. Lucas