You’ve arrived at that crucial time of your pregnancy. No, we don’t mean starting Lamaze classes or packing your hospital bag. Of course, we’re talking about picking out your baby’s name, and we have the top baby names of 2023 to help you in your search. Rest assured, none of these names will overlap with banned baby names around the world and hopefully don’t overlap with the worst celebrity baby names of last year, either.
Because your baby’s name will stick with them for the rest of their life and can affect situations like employment due to unconscious name bias, choosing a name can be a huge headache and of utmost importance to parents. Read on for the most popular baby names of 2023.
More from Mom.com: What I Thought About Before Naming My Baby
Top boy names and top girl names 2023: Feeling optimistic
What can cause a name like Jacob to be the number one most popular boy name for 14 consecutive years (1999 to 2013)? After all, it’s sort of strange how all of a sudden, everyone starts naming their baby the same name — but every year it happens.
For 2023, Nameberry founder Pam Redmond foresees some specific trends. “There’s a pop, upbeat, bright, 1920s/1960s vibe around. It’s the feeling of a new world, where we’re dancing as fast as we can and there’s a complete reinvention of mood and style,” Redmond said. She also added that there’s a wish to leave everything that happened “before” behind (we’re looking at you, COVID.)
Maximalist namesRedmond’s theory can explain how over-the-top and extravagant names are expected to dominate after years of restraint. Some examples include:
- Amadeus
- Casimir
- Esmeray
- Iolanthe
- Lysander
- Mazikeen
- Octavius
- Persephone
- Valerian
- Zephyrine
Golden namesAlong the literal lines of a bright and happy future are the gilded and shiny names — another trend we can look forward to:
- Apollo
- Eos
- Goldie
- Helios
- Lucien
- Marigold
- Oriana
- Sterling
- Sunniva
- Zora
Names with an XSimilarly, parents are looking for names with an X-factor — and they’re not limiting the letter to just the beginning. Here are some names that have that “je ne sais quois”:
- Abraxas
- Bellatrix
- Felix
- Huxley
- Jinx
- Lexington
- Nyx
- Roux
- Xerxes
- Xiomara
Top boy names and top girl names 2023: Make it unique
Keeping with the current fashion of unique and unusual baby names, many are making up entirely new names (although if you think about it, all names were made up at some point). Be warned, though; you may raise some eyebrows if you follow in the footsteps of Elon Musk and Grimes, who named their baby X Æ A-12.
Invented namesSome examples that you definitely won’t find at a tourist trap novelty store are:
- Aziel
- Cyaire
- Dariel
- Ellowyn
- Icelyn
- Novarae
- Rhyett
- Riverly
- Wrenley
- Zakhai
As for writer and coach Aaronica Bell Cole, she chose unusual names that were still meaningful. “All of mine have meanings for different things they’ve called into my husband’s and my life. I wanted them to be reminders every time someone said their names,” Cole told Mom.com.
Adjective NamesIn many ways, Cole’s philosophy reminds us of another trend that many celebrities popularized: naming your kid a praiseworthy adjective. These virtuous names are to signal more intention versus aspiration and some to consider are:
- Brave
- Celestial
- Epic
- Glorious
- Legendary
- Majestic
- Righteous
- True
- Valiant
- Worthy
Top boy names and top girl names 2023: Inspired by the world around us
In addition to golden and shiny names, many parents are concerned about identity, values and pressing issues like global warming, and what these names say about their families and place in culture. “There’s a sea change upon us. The mood of names is going to change along with the mood of people,” Redmond said.
Earthy Blue-green namesAs if to hammer home that point, not only is blue-green taking over fashion, it’s taking over names, too. We’re talking about names that either directly stem from the colors themselves, or will remind you of them.
- Azula
- Cerulean
- Emerald
- Fern
- Indigo
- Lupine
- Moss
- Rainey
- Rivers
- Storm
Shortened international namesMany parents, mindful of the global world we now live in, are thinking of choosing more internationally inspired or shortened versions of names. They often sound like nicknames (again, possibly because they’re often shortened international names).
- Avni
- Bibi
- Gigi
- Kiri
- Lumi
- Nori
- Rumi
- Suki
- Tavi
- Xavi
More from Mom.com: 20 Gorgeous Baby Names Inspired by Mother Earth
Top boy names and top girl names 2023: Keeping it old school
Miranda Wicker wanted to make sure her kids’ names were common enough so they could easily find products with their names on them. It wasn’t about what was trendy. “Growing up with a different name, I could never find it on school supplies or bicycle license plates, weird things like that, that kids sometimes like,” the mom of two shared with us. “I don’t regret it at all.”
Royal namesAfter the recent coronation — the first one in over seventy years — of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, traditional names from the royal family tree will certainly start trending.
- Charles
- Phillip
- Arthur
- Camilla
- Rosemary
- Alice
- Alexandrina
- Hyacinthe
- Salomea
- August
- Claude
- Constantine
- Edwyn
Retro namesWe can thank the show Stranger Things for the resurgence in names from the 1980s. While they’re not uncommon like the adjectives, they’re certainly not completely made up, either!
- Blane
- Chrissy
- Dustin
- Eddie
- Heather
- Johnny
- Julie
- Marty
- Penny
- Sandy
Old man names for girlsWhile we’re settling into the nostalgic vibe, why not take it back even further? Some parents are choosing grandpa names for their daughters, like:
- Arlo
- Bobbie
- Frankie
- Ira
- Lou
- Murphy
- Ozzie
- Rudy
- Stevie
- Teddy
Cowboy namesAgain, tapping into nostalgia, we have cowboy- and southwestern-inspired names:
- Boone
- Ennis
- Foster
- Huck
- Lloyd
- Reeve
- Sayer
- Walker
- Wilder
- Zane