Want to know the top baby names for 2021 so far? Here is a list of the top boy, girl, and gender-neutral baby names of 2021 so far, complete with my commentary!
Which trending names of 2021 are your favorites and which would you like to be over? View the past 20 years’ name rankings.

Top Baby Names of 2021 (so far)

	Male	Female	Gender-Neutral
1	OLIVER	CHARLOTTE	WILLOW
2	DECLAN	AURORA	EZRA
3	THEODORE	VIOLET	ROWAN
4	JASPER	HAZEL	JAMES
5	SILAS	LUNA	QUINN
6	LIAM	AMELIA	LOGAN
7	ASHER	ARIA	KAI
8	FINN	AVA	RIVER
9	OWEN	SCARLETT	AVERY
10	ETHAN	ISLA	LUCA

The top 10 seem to be pretty traditional in the male and female categories. James has been crossing over as a girl’s name for the past couple of years, especially when used as a middle name. Although Ezra is traditionally a Hebrew boys’ name, it is growing in popularity for girls, because of the -A ending.

11	ALEXANDER	IVY	SAGE
12	FELIX	FREYA	HARPER
13	HENRY	NORA	EDEN
14	GABRIEL	WREN	RILEY
15	ELIJAH	EVELYN	ARTEMIS
16	LEO	OLIVIA	JADE
17	NOAH	AUDREY	JULIAN
18	AUGUST	IRIS	FINLEY
19	LEVI	ELEANOR	DARCY
20	SEBASTIAN	ABIGAIL	BRIAR

As you can see, nature/flower names are holding strong as a baby name trend for girls. Biblical names are coming back for boys.

21	BENJAMIN	OPHELIA	CHARLIE
22	ATTICUS	MAEVE	RYAN
23	ARCHER	ADELAIDE	ASPEN
24	GRAYSON	EVANGELINE	SAWYER
25	MILO	ALICE	ADDISON
26	EMMETT	ELIZABETH	HAYDEN
27	ISAAC	LILY	AUBREY
28	JACK	ELOISE	ORION
29	EVERETT	GRACE	NOVA
30	WILLIAM	GENEVIEVE	DYLAN

I’m really loving the romantic Shakespeare names coming into style, Ophelia being one of my faves. Charlie is jumping the charts for girls and I predict will be in the top 20 very soon! Check out those Space Names: Orion and Nova!

31	ATLAS	PENELOPE	PIPER
32	ARTHUR	ROSE	ELLIOT
33	THEO	SOPHIA	BAILEY
34	RONAN	CHLOE	POPPY
35	SAMUEL	LYDIA	BLAKE
36	CALEB	EMMA	INDIGO
37	AIDEN	ANASTASIA	RORY
38	MILES	CLARA	EVERLY
39	ELLIOTT	ADELINE	RAIN
40	LANDON	ATHENA	BECKETT

Elliot has always been a fave of mine for girls ever since the TV show Scrubs. Notice that Elliott with two Ts is trending on the boy’s side while Elliot with one T is used for both.

41	AXEL	ELIZA	BLAIR
42	ARLO	CLAIRE	SKYE
43	ELIAS	ELLA	ECHO
44	ELI	ARABELLA	EMERSON
45	ANDREW	MILA	HARLOW
46	CALLUM	STELLA	JUDE
47	XANDER	JUNIPER	MORGAN
48	LUCAS	ESME	RAVEN
49	WYATT	ASTRID	SKYLAR
50	SOREN	CORA	PARKER

Twilight name Esme is holding strong for girls – will those ever drop out of popularity? E names in general seem to be trending on the girl’s side with Eliza, Ella, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Evangeline, and Evelyn all in the top 50.

51	AARON	MIA	ELLIS
52	THOMAS	AURELIA	ROBIN
53	NOLAN	MAYA	CARTER
54	HUDSON	VIVIENNE	AERO
55	ALASTAIR	DAPHNE	ARDEN
56	JACOB	NAOMI	CAMERON
57	TOBIAS	RUBY	ASHTON
58	SIMON	SADIE	HADLEY
59	NATHANIEL	MARGOT	JORDAN
60	ADRIAN	SOPHIE	ADALIA

We’re now seeing some traditional Hebrew/Biblical names on the girl’s side with Sadie, Sophie, and Naomi – while on the boys’ side we see some traditional Brit names like Simon, Adrian, Tobias, and Alastair. If you’re wondering why Adalia is in the gender-neutral column, it was originally a boy’s name. In fact, Adalia was the son of Haman in the Bible.

61	JACKSON	ROSALIE	ZEPHYR
62	VINCENT	PHOEBE	SALEM
63	LINCOLN	ZOE	SHILOH
64	DOMINIC	LUCY	SPENCER
65	RHYS	LORELEI	BENNETT
66	GIDEON	ISABELLA	EMBER
67	WESLEY	KAIA	FLYNN
68	MAX	DELILAH	PHOENIX
69	GAVIN	EMILY	BODHI
70	BEAU	BEATRIX	LENNOX

We’ve noticed that the name Lincoln is falling as fast as it rose – now down from #49 in 2020. Seeing some New-Agey names in the gender-neutral column with Zephyr, Salem, Phoenix and Bodhi. Some names that were super-popular five years ago like Emily, Lucy, and Isabella – are dropping now.

71	ACE	HANNAH	AUSTIN
72	KADEN	DAHLIA	OAKLEY
73	LEON	DAISY	TYLER
74	CONNOR	ADA	FALLON
75	OSCAR	ELODIE	HUNTER
76	JONAH	VERA	DORIAN
77	MICHAEL	ELIANA	EASTON
78	COLE	THEA	HOLLY
79	MICAH	ODETTE	DAKOTA
80	APOLLO	CELESTE	ASA

Another favorite O name, Odette, is rising in popularity. Odette is the name of the Swan Queen character in the ballet Swan Lake. Note the other French names in this segment: Celeste and Elodie. I predict French names will be rising on the charts through 2023. Although Holly has been used as a female name in more recent times, it’s also a nickname for the male name and surname Hollis. We also see two more flower names in this segment, Daisy and Dahlia!

81	EVANDER	MATILDA	REID
82	KNOX	ELENA	KENNEDY
83	HARRISON	EVA	REAGAN
84	HOLDEN	AUTUMN	EVAN
85	NATHAN	MAGNOLIA	JESSE
86	MASON	MAISIE	KIERAN
87	DANTE	CLOVER	ADLER
88	MATTHEW	ADALYN	ARI
89	GRIFFIN	SAVANNAH	AINSLEY
90	CHARLES	MABEL	WINTER

And yet ANOTHER flower name, Magnolia, appears in this segment – a name that could be a really nice alternative to the name Margaret with the same nickname, Maggie. No doubt that the name Maisie jumped onto the charts because of the Game of Thrones actress Maisey Williams, as her character’s name Aria/Arya has been topping the charts as well. Beware of using the name Kennedy – click through to the name detail to find out why!

91	SLOAN	ELISE	KYLER
92	ZACHARY	JANE	LENNON
93	CASPIAN	CALLIOPE	ARIEL
94	AMBROSE	AMARA	CARSON
95	IAN	AARALYN	LANE
96	FORREST	IMOGEN	REMY
97	MALACHI	SAOIRSE	CADE
98	DAMIEN	SIENNA	SASHA
99	DAVID	DIANA	DELANEY
100	AIDAN	FLORENCE	GREER

I just love that a traditionally Celtic name like Saoirse (pr SEER-sha) has made the top 100. Especially since it’s not easy to pronounce or spell for Americans. Caspian is a surprise on the boys’ side – where did that come from? The Chronicles of Narnia? The rock band? The sea? Calliope is interesting in the girl’s column. Hey, what about twins named Caspian and Calliope? I think that would work.

What are your impressions of the trending names of 2021? Join us in our Facebook Group to chat about them!