Expecting a new addition in 2026? Finding the perfect name for your baby can feel like a monumental task. Maybe you’ve had a running list of potential baby names in your phone for years now, and just need to whittle your list down. Or maybe you’re starting from scratch on figuring out what you’ll name your sweet babe.
Whether you’ve got no idea where to begin or have one locked down, seeing predictions on upcoming baby name trends can be fun. We talked to three baby naming experts for their take on 2026 baby name predictions, and tapped The Everymom team for their thoughts, too.
Think: global names, gender-neutral names, and classic, traditional names. Read on to hear more about what baby name trends are in store for 2026, and whether you should be worried about being on trend or not.
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Colleen Slagen, Baby Naming Expert and Author
Colleen Slagen is a baby naming consultant, content creator, and author who is passionate about helping parents find the perfect name for their little one. Her work has been featured in the Today, Glamour Magazine, Insider Business, NPR, ABC News, and—most notably—in her book, Naming Bebe: An Interactive Guide to Choosing a Baby Name You Love.
Sherri Suzanne, Owner of My Name for Life
Sherri founded MyNameforLife.com in New York after years of private consultation. She is known for helping parents discover unexpected name selections from literature, art, history and religion as well as from modern and ancient cultures and languages. Sherri credits her name research ability to two decades as a magazine editor in New York City and attributes her ability to perceive the impact of names to 10 years in public relations and marketing.
Taylor A. Humphrey, Founder of What’s In A Baby Name
As a childbirth doula, reiki practitioner, and professional baby name consultant, Taylor support parents in the sacred process of baby naming. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Cosmopolitan, People, Romper, The New York Post, and her personal blog, What’s In A Baby Name. She has worked with thousands of parents to select the perfect name for their little ones.
Global names
Expect to see more names from different cultures, says Colleen Slagen, baby naming expert and author of Naming Bebe: An Interactive Guide to Choosing a Baby Name You Love. “People are looking for names that are rooted and established yet feel fresh.”
Sherri Suzanne, who owns the popular baby name consultancy company My Name For Life, agrees. “Parents are crossing borders and selecting many non-English names,” she says, which she thinks will continue in the new year.
Global baby name ideas could include:
- Rafael
- Paloma
- Freya
- Dahlia
- Santiago
- Giovanni
- Kalani
- Azai
Gender-neutral names
Long gone are the days when names had to be only for one gender, and our experts predict that this trend will continue in 2026. That said, Suzanne says that while this trend continues to grow, there’s only a small set of gender-neutral names that are actually used equally by both genders. Gender-neutral names are more popular for parents to give to girls.
Blake, the #265 most popular name for boys and #210 most popular name for girls, is one example where it is more equally used. But Slagen also says she expects some gender-neutral names that have been used more for girls, like Morgan, Addison, and Cassidy, will start to be used more for boys in 2026.
Another trend Suzanne and Slagen have been seeing more of is using boy names for girls. “I don’t see Scottie, Charlie, or Andie slowing down,” Slagen says.
Other gender-neutral name options include:
- Perry
- Billie
- Hayes
- Stevie
- Murphy
- Collins
- Elliott (I might be biased)
Religious baby names
“With Catholic conversions growing among Gen Z, I predict we’ll see a rise in off-the-beaten-path Biblical and Saint Names over the next 20 years,” says Taylor Humphrey, another popular baby naming expert. For some parents, that might mean putting a twist on more classic biblical names, like using Mateo instead of Matthew or Micah instead of Michael. For others, she says, turning to what she calls “vaguely” religious names like Saint, Priestly, or Galilea will be popular.
Suzanne agrees, saying she predicts that parents will continue to move toward minor characters from the Bible, like Amos, Micah, and Ezra, in 2026.
Consider these religious baby names:
- Eden
- Haven
- Noelle
- Genesis
- Messiah
- Zion
Classic traditional names
When selecting the perfect baby name, many parents go one of two ways. They either choose something unique or they opt to go the traditional name route. “Finding a dusty heirloom name is a treasure for some parents,” says Suzanne, “and I think this trend, which has been heating up for more than a decade, will continue into 2026.”
These names have maintained their place on the charts time and time again for a reason. It’s a classic case of, why fix what isn’t broken? These names were likely popular in the past, so there’s a good chance someone special in your life shares one. Rather than giving baby a “trendy” name, these monikers can be deeply personal. Here are some of Slagen and Suzanne’s favorite vintage-style names.
Vintage baby name ideas to consider:
- Eloise
- Vivian
- Celeste
- Celine
- Lucille
- Hazel
- Theodore
- Silas
- Eloise
- Otto
- Ophelia
Nickname proof names
One of the trends that Humphrey predicts for 2026 is parents choosing nicknames as first names. Think Liam instead of William or Leo instead of Leonard.
Slagen has predictions along similar lines, saying that she thinks we’ll see more one and two-syllable, three to four-letter names that are ‘nickname proof.’ Having a super short name does limit obvious nickname choices, but it doesn’t mean that your child will be exempt from a future nickname. Still, it’s hard to shorten these options.
Some favorite nickname-proof names:
- Kip
- Arlo
- Oak
- Dean
- Kit
- Penn
- Rowe
- Liv
- Indy
Top 2026 name predictions
So, what will be the most popular baby names of 2026? Our experts have some hunches on what names may top the list next year. Here are some of Humphrey and Slagen’s take on what names parents will be choosing the most:
- Conrad (yes, influenced by The Summer I Turned Pretty)
- Beckett
- Sterling
- Marigold
- Clementine
- Summer
- Kit
- Annie
- Margot
- Tate
- Roman
- Miles
- August
- Archer
- Louise
Elliott Harrell, Contributing Writer
Elliott is a mom of two little girls and is based in Raleigh, NC. She spends her days running a sales team and doing laundry and her nights writing about the things that she loves. She’s passionate about all things motherhood and women’s health. When she’s not working, writing or parenting you can find her trying a new restaurant in town or working on her latest needlepoint project.
Brett Nicole Hayden, Former Assistant Editor
As the former Assistant Editor, Brett worked with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own stories. Her favorite topics to write about are baby names, culture, relationships, and living.
