An intriguing trend is emerging regarding the most favored baby names projected for 2026
As we approach the new year, 2026 is anticipated to bring forth new trends as well as new additions to families, with over three million babies born annually in the US.
Settling on a name for your newborn can be a daunting task.
Fortunately, a group of experts has released a list predicting which names are likely to be most popular in the coming year, easing the decision-making process for new parents.
According to Nameberry, recognized as the largest source for baby names, 2026 is anticipated to be driven by ‘escapism.’ The names for newborns are expected to draw inspiration from ‘invented worlds, idealized pasts, and imagined futures’ with the hope that those who carry these names will contribute to making the world a better place.
Leading the trend list is the influence of ancient civilizations, with names suggesting emperors, warriors, and intellectuals that connect us to history and heritage.
Examples of such names include Marcella, Arath, Cyril, and Olympia.
“This aestheticization of heroes and ancient lifestyles will be bolstered by cultural events such as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated film adaptation of The Odyssey,” notes the site.
Additionally, pop icon Taylor Swift is expected to continue influencing future generations. Nameberry suggests that names inspired by showgirls, highlighted in Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl, will gain popularity.
We might notice an increase in names such as Ophelia, Honey, Opalite, Priscilla, Vivienne, and Roxie, or other names with extravagant feminine inspiration from real-life stars like Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett.
Names with a biblical or spiritual essence are also anticipated to be popular next year, including Olive, River, Cedar, Dove, and Purpose.
Nameberry describes soulful names as being ‘designed to be flexible’ where subtlety permits personal interpretation, regardless of religious affiliation.
The ‘100 Year Rule’ is also anticipated to come into play next year, suggesting that names come back into style every century.
This time, the theory has been adjusted, with popular baby names from the Boomer generation reemerging 30 years earlier than expected.
“A-OK Boomer Names are the latest iteration of clunky-cool, counterculture baby names favored by trendsetting parents,” it states. “Some babies will be named directly after their Boomer grandparents, but many more will be called Nancy, Wayne, and Judith simply out of their parents’ appreciation of 1950s names and glamorized post-war era.”
Other names we might hear more of next year include Patti, Beverly, Bruce, Besty, Hal, Monty, Darla, and Ronald.
Furthermore, names inspired by ‘Romantasy’ novels like A Court of Thorns and Roses are expected to rise. These names exude an otherworldly aura, perfect for a romantic fantasy novel protagonist—think Oriane, Emrys, Lilivere, and Leontel.
‘Vowel hiatus names’ also make the prediction list, with names like Deia, Leonie, and Eziah among the fastest-rising on Nameberry.
Names containing numbers are on the upswing as well, following trends like Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s latest addition, Rocky Thirteen, and pop culture references such as Eleven from Stranger Things.
‘Mom Tok’ and a ‘cultural obsession with all things Utah’ are anticipated to influence names such as Dottie, Elden, Brighton, Scotlyn, and Zealand for the coming year.
While anime-inspired names have gained traction over the past decade, they are set to maintain their popularity.
“Fueling the trend is a surge of travel to Japan and the proliferation of anime on streaming platforms like Netflix,” Nameberry states, citing examples like K-pop Demon Hunters.
“Names from the movie, including Mira and Jinu, will rise, but the biggest hit will be Rumi.”
Finally, British literature names derived from classics such as Wuthering Heights, Sense & Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice have seen renewed interest.
Nameberry notes: “Names of iconic characters, including Great Expectations‘ Estella and Atonement‘s Briony, will see greater use, along with stylish literary surnames Darcy, Crusoe, and Eyre.”