Our Predictions for the Top Baby Name Trends of 2023

As 2022 comes to a close, we start a brand new chapter in the new year. Of course, this also means that there are going to be a lot of changes. This is especially true when it comes to baby name trends. 

Compared to last year, there are a lot of new and unique names that we predict to top the charts. There are even ones that were once popular that seem to be making a comeback

We are going to talk about some of these new trends that surround pop culture and other areas of entertainment. We will also look back at the top 10 boy names and girl names of 2022. 

Related: 75 Futuristic Baby Names for Your Little Ones

Just so you get an understanding of the changing trends, we will also touch on the history of some of the most popular baby name trends as well as names that are on the decline.

Most Popular Baby Name Trends in Recent History 

Let’s take a look at the last few year's most popular baby names for boys and the most popular baby names for girls as well as the hottest trends for 2023. 

The most popular baby names of 2021

Looking back, 2021 was the year that may parents opted for unique spellings for their children’s name. Some of the most prominent examples are “Sofia” instead of “Sophia” and “Jaxson” instead of “Jackson.” However, when you look at the top 10 names according to the Social Security Administration, there are few changes compared to 2022 when it comes to the most popular names.

The most popular baby names of 2022

Unique names were definitely on the rise in 2022 but that didn’t seem to change the most popular baby names too much. It is looking like the top 10 for both boys and girls is going to be very similar to 2021. Names such as “Birdie” and “Bear” were also clear favorites.

What Baby Names Will Be the Most Popular in 2023? 

The predicted baby name trends of 2023 will ultimately influence the top 10 for girl names, boy names, and gender-neutral name choices. The trends that we are noticing for the coming year have very interesting vibes and we are going to talk about the most common trends we are expecting to see.

1. Grandpa Names

Despite what the label may imply, “Grandpa Names”  is actually a baby name trend we are seeing that influences baby girl names and baby boy names.  These names are more old-fashioned and traditionally masculine names that are coming back and style“Billie” and “Max” are two popular examples of these old man names we expect to see more of in 2023. 

2. Maximalist Names

Goodbye minimalism, hello maximalism! Maximalist Names are meant to make a statement. These fancy baby names take take inspiration from popular period piece dramas like Bridgerton. Some examples of maximalist names that will be big in 2023  are “Amadeus” and “Persephone.”

3. Blue-Green Names

Color names and baby names inspired by different hues of the rainbow have always been popular. In the past, we’ve seen names that mean blue and names that mean red be popular picks from parents. Now in 2023, blue-green names are predicted to be in style!

 Many people associate calm with the colors blue and green, and that is definitely reflected in this emerging trend. We predict you will see more names like “Indigo” and “River” in 2023.

4. Neo-Cowboy Names

The Neo-Cowboy baby name trend is the perfect mix of old and new! These updated cowboy names names combine the old-school cool of the Wild Wild West with futuristic flair. 

Sci-FI cowboy shows are very popular right now and the unique character names in shows like Yellowstone are rising. Examples of Neo-Cowboy names we expect to see more of include names like “August, “Foster,” ”Hawkins,” and “Wade.” 

5. Retro Names

Sometimes the new name trends are actually vintage! In 2023 we expect to see lots of names from the 80s and 90s come back strong. With shows like Stranger Things becoming a global hit, many people are experiencing 80s nostalgia to influence current baby name choices. Popular 1980s names like “Eddie,” “Steve,” “Amanda,” and “Heather” are all predicted to make a comeback

Most Popular Baby Girl Names of 2022

The top baby girl names of 2022 came from a variety of different languages and backgrounds. Most of the top 10 girl names in 2022 are sweet and feminine sounding picks. See the full list of the Top 1000 Girl Names of 2022 for even more baby name ideas! 

1. Olivia - Olivia is a Latin and Old Norse girl name meaning “kind one”
2. Emma - Emma is a German girl name meaning “all-encompassing”
3. Charlotte - Charlotte is a French girl name meaning “little and womanly” 
4. Amelia - Amelia is a German girl’s name meaning “industrious” 
5. Ava - Ava is Latin girl’s name meaning “blooming” or “birdlike” 
6. Sophia - Sophia is Greek girl’s name meaning “wisdom” 
7. Isabella - Isabella is a popular girl’s name with Hebrew origins meaning “consecrated to God” 
8. Mia - Mia is a popular girl’s name with Italian, Hebrew and Scandinavian roots. Mia can mean “mine,” “bitter,” or “star of the sea” 
9. Evelyn - Evelyn is an English girl’s name meaning “hazelnut” 
10. Harper - Harper is an Old Norse girl’s name meaning “whaler” 

Most Popular Baby Boy Names of 2022

The top baby boy names of 2022 include classic boy names and some new favorites. See the top 10 boy names of the year below. See the full list of the Top 1000 Boy Names of 2022 for even more baby name ideas! 

1. Liam - Liam is a boy’s name with Irish origins that means “Irish: Unwavering protector.” 
2. Noah -The name Noah is derived from the biblical figure by the same name, and comes from the Babylonian word "nukhu" meaning repose or rest. 
3. Oliver - Oliver is a male name originally derived from the Latin word olivarius meaning olive tree planter. 
4. Elijah - The English translation of the name Elijah from the Old Testament means “Jehovah is God.” 
5. James - The name James means “Supplanter” in Hebrew. 
6. William - The name William has German origins and means “resolute protector.” 
7. Benjamin - The name Benjamin has Hebrew origins and means “son of the right hand.” 
8. Lucas - The name Lucas is a Latin name meaning "man from Lucania." 
9. Henry - The name Henry has German origins and means “ruler of the home.” 
10. Theodore -The name Theodore is of Greek origin and means "gift of God."

Predictions for the Top Baby Girl Names of 2023

With 2023 right around the corner, here are predictions for what baby names will be trending next year! Here are some of the girl names we expect to see more of in 2023. 

1. Aria - Hebrew, “like a beautiful melody”
2. Aura - Latin, “glowing light”
3. Billie - English, “resolution” or “wise”
4. Bobbie - Latin, “foreign” and English, “famous”
5. Carey - Latin, “dear” and Irish, “pure”
6. Cassiopeia - Greek, “mother of Andromeda”
7. Euphemia - Greek, “spoken well of”
8. Fern - Old English, “leafy plant”
9. Frankie - Old French, “free man”
10. Gigi - English, “sword pledge”
11. Goldie/Golden - Old English, “to shine”
12. Heavenly - American, “spiritual”
13. Indigo - Greek, “dark blue”
14. Ira - Hebrew, “watchful”
15. Ivy - Old English, “vine”
16. Leni - Latin, “light” or “woman from Magdala”
17. Lou - Old German, “warrior maiden” and Latin, “light”
18. Luna - Latin, “moon”
19. Margot - French, “pearl” and Greek, “child of light”
20. Marigold - Greek, “a flower”
21. Max - Gaelic, “son of the wise leader”
22. Mila - Italian, “miracle” and Russian, “dear one”
23. Persephone - Greek, “bringer of destruction”
24. Sky - English, “sheltering” or “eternal life”
25. Sloane - Irish, “raider”
26. Soleil - French, “sun”
27. Stevie - Greek, “crown”
28. True - German, “adored warrior”
29. Venus - Greek, “goddess of love”
30. Wednesday - American, “born on Wednesday”

Predictions for the Top Baby Boy Names of 2023

Curious about the most popular boy name trends in 2023? We predict these baby boy names will be the most popular. 

1. Amadeus - Latin, “love of God”
2. Apollo - Greek, “manly”
3. Arlo - German, “famous throughout the land”
4. Beaux - French, “beautiful”
5. Beck - Swedish, “brook”
6. Calix - Latin for “chalice”
7. Caspian - English, named for the city of Qazvin
8. Cerulean - Latin, “dark blue”
9. Cyan - English, “greenish blue color”
10. Dallas - Irish, “skilled”
11. Dutton - An Old English habitational name for a hill enclosure
12. Eddie - Old English, “rich guardian”
13. Ferris - Latin, “iron”
14. Forest - Old French, “out of the woods”
15. Helios - Greek, “God of the sun”
16. Hendrix - Old English, “lord’s manor”
17. Lucien - Latin, “light” and English, “bringer of light”
18. Miller - Old English, “one who mills”
19. Ned - English, “prosperous guardian”
20. Octavius - Latin, “eighth child”
21. Ozzie - Old English, “divinely powerful” and Hebrew for “strength”
22. Rafi - Hebrew, “healed by God”
23. Rhett - Old Welsh, “enthusiastic”
24. Rivers - English, “by the riverbank”
25. Scottie - Old English, “from Scotland”
26. Steele - A Middle English nickname for someone considered “as hard and durable as steel”
27. Teddy - Old English, “rich warrior” and Greek, “gift of God”
28. Wave - English, “arched form” or “to fluctuate”
29. Wilder - An English, German, and Danish variant of “wild”
30. Wolfgang - Teutonic, “wolf strife”

Unpopular or Declining Girl Names

Some of the past baby name trends are no longer as cool and have become less popular over time as different names go in and out of style. Pop culture and current events also impacts the popularity of different names, as some formerly favorite baby names can gain unfortunate implications overnight. 

Remember when parents regretted naming their daughters “Danerys” after the Game of Thrones finale? And the infamous “Karen” meme made that name unpopular for girls for a long time to come. Here are some of the girl names that declined the most in 2022 according to the Social Security Administration. 

1. Carolyn - French, “little and strong”
2. Christie - Greek, “anointed”
3. Debra - Hebrew, “bee”
4. Georgette - Greek, “farmer”
5. Gladys - Welsh version of Claudia (French, “lame”)
6. Jackie - French, “supplanter”
7. Julianne - Latin, “youthful”
8. Meryl - French, “blackbird”
9. Shelly - Hebrew, “like God” or “little lamb”
10. Tammy - Hebrew, “perfect one” and Greek, “twin”

Unpopular or Declining Boy Names

Do you want to make sure your baby boy name isn’t just a passing fad? Here are some of the baby boy names that are now unpopular or are becoming more uncommon according to the Social Security Administration. 

1. Alexandro - Greek, “man’s defender”
2. Brad - Old English, “broad meadow”
3. Drake - Latin, “dragon” and German, “male swan”
4. Finneas - Persian, “oracle”
5. Greg - Greek, “watchman”
6. Lamar - Latin, “the sea”
7. Neville - French, “from the new farmland”
8. Rhuben - Hebrew, “behold, a son”
9. Roderick - English, “broad ridge” and German, “famous one”
10. Walt - German, “powerful warrior” and Old English, “dweller by the wall”

While we can’t see what the future will hold in 2023, our baby name experts feel confident that these baby names will be popular picks.

For more baby name inspiration check out these popular baby name lists:

• Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
• Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S.
• The 100 Coolest Baby Names in the World

 If you’re expecting a new little girl or boy next year, pin this list to use as inspiration!