Six months into 2024 and we’re now seeing several baby name trends that are going strong this year at BabyNames.com. Some of these trends are new and some have been around for a while, like the influence of celebrities, pop culture, and royal baby naming. Grandma and great-grandma names still remain strong among the baby girl names, like Hazel and Eleanor. Even Opal and Mabel have edged their way into the top 100 baby girl names. Charlotte remains strong in the top three, thanks to the UK’s royal princess and Bridgerton. We also see a strong resurgence of William from #40 to #16 among boys, which we believe is influenced by the increasing popularity of Prince William. And if you are team Harry,  the boy’s name Archie is also ranking in the top 100.

Other boy names that are ranking higher this year include Gabriel (up to #6 from #15) and Alexander (up to #4 from #16), both of which are more traditional baby names, showing a possible trend back toward more the more traditional. Looking at gender-neutral names, the nature trend remains strong, with Sage remaining at #1, accompanied by Willow and Eden in the top 10. Other nature names on gender-neutral names list include Rain, River, Kai, Poppy, and Sky, and Lavender.

The popular TV Series Bridgerton is part of the Pop Culture trend that's lasted for 2 decades.
The popular TV Series Bridgerton is part of the Pop Culture trend that’s lasted for 2 decades.

Girl names that stand out on the list include Odette (#93), Clover (#79), and Elowen (#62). Unusual baby boy names that caught the eye include Callum (#33), Evander (#35), and Caspian (#43). The particularly unique and unusual gender-neutral names include Briar (18),Teagan (31), and Orion (20).

The most enduring 2024 baby naming trend from roughly the last two decades is Pop Culture–particularly the Twilight effect, named after the book and movie series. Names popular among girls that increased with the debut of these series include Alice (#32), Rosalie (#87), and Esme (#90), all of which skyrocketed among baby name popularity. Similarly, we still see among boys the Twilight-inspired names Jasper (#11), Emmett (#25), and Jacob (#92). Other books, movies, and tv series represented in this year’s trends include Game of Thrones (Arya, still ranked #6 among girls), The Fault in Our Stars (Hazel ranked #4 among girls), and even classic film names such as Rhett (#97), Scarlett (#14). And to go back even further, Shakespeare Names are hitting the charts, including Juliet (31) and Ophelia (24).

Take a gander at the top 20 baby names and see if you can detect any other trends. We’d love to hear them!

Top 20 Girl Names for 2024 (so far)

1. Violet

Violet is a name of English origin meaning a “purple/blue flower.”

2. Aurora

Aurora is a name of Latin origin meaning “dawn.”

3. Charlotte

Charlotte is a name of French origin meaning “free.”

4. Hazel

Hazel is a name of English origin meaning “the hazel tree.”

5. Amelia

Amelia is a name of Latin origin meaning “work.’

6. Aria/Arya

Arya is a name of Persian origin meaning “friend, faithful.”

7. Evelyn

Evelyn is a name of English origin meaning “desired, beautiful.”

8. Juniper

Juniper is a name of Latin origin meaning “juniper berry.”

9. Maeve

Maeve is a name of Irish origin meaning “intoxicating.”

10. Nora

Nora is a name of Irish origin meaning “honor.”

11. Ivy

Ivy is a name of English origin meaning “climbing vine plant.”

12. Ava

Ava is a name of English origin meaning “to breathe, to live.”

13. Eloise

Eloise is a name of French origin meaing “famous warrior.”

14. Scarlett /Scarlet

Scarlett is a name of English origin meaning “red.”

15. Eleanor

Eleanor is a name of French origin with an unknown meaning.

16. Sophia /Sofia

Sophia is a name of Greek origin meaning “wisdom.”

17. Audrey

Audrey is a name of English origin meaning “noble strength.”

18. Adeline

Adeline is a name of English origin meaning “noble.”

19. Isla

Isla is a name of Scottish origin meaning “island.”

20. Lily/Lilly

Lily is a name of English origin meaing “lily flower.”

Top 20 Boy Names for 2024 (so far)

1. Oliver

Oliver is a name of English origin meaning “olive tree.”

2. Silas

Silas is a name of Latin origin meaning “man of the forest.”

3. Theodore

Theodore is a name of Greek origin meaning “gift of God.”

4. Alexander

Alexander is a name of Greek origin meaning “defender of the people.”

5. Asher

Asher is a name of Hebrew origin meanign “blessed, happy.”

6. Gabriel

Gabriel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is my strength.”

7. Liam

Liam is a name of Irish origin meaning “helmet, protector.”

8. Felix

Felix is a name of Latin origin meaning “happy and prosperous.”

9. Henry

Henry is a name of German origin meaning “ruler of the home.”

10. Owen

Owen is a name of Irish origin meaning “the Yew Tree” or “youth.”

11. Jasper

Jasper is a name of English origin meaning “treasurer.”

12. Declan

Declan is a name of Irish origin meaning “full of goodness.”

13. Lucas/Lukas

Lucas is a name of Latin origin meaning from “Lucania, Italy.”

14. Sebastian

Sebastian is a name of Greek origin meaning “venerable.’

15. August

August is a name of English origin meaning “great, to increase.”

16. William

William is a name of English origin meaning “will, desire and helmet, protection.”

17. Everett

Everett is a name of English origin meaning “wild boar herd.”

18. Alastair/Alistair

Alastair is a name of Sottish origin meaning “defender of the people.”

19. Caleb

Caleb is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “whole hearted.”

20. Leo

Leo is a name of Latin origin meaning “lion.”

Top 20 Gender-Neutral Names for 2024 (so far)

1. Sage

Sage is a name of English origin meaning “herb or prophet.”

2. Rowan

Rowan is a name of Irish origin meaning “little red one.”

3. Noah

Noah is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “rest, peace.”

4. Willow

Willow is a name of English origin meaning “from the willow grove.”

5. Avery

Avery is a name of English origin meaning “elf king.”

6. Finlay/Finley

Finlay is a name of Scottish origin meaning “fair warrior.”

7. Eden

Eden is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “paradise.”

8. Flynn

Flynn is a name of Irish origin meaning “descendent of the red-haired man.”

9. Luca/Luka

Luca is a name of Italian origin meaning “from Lucania, Italy.”

10. Rory

Rory is a name of Irish origin meaning “red king.”

11. Ezra

Ezra is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “help.”

12. Riley

Riley is a name of Irish origin meaning “descendent of Roghallach.”

13. Rain/Raine

Rain is a name of American origin meaning “blessings from above.”

14. Jade

Jade is a name of English origin meaning a type of “green gemstone.”

15. River

River is a name of English origin meaning “stream of water that flows to the sea.”

16. Harper

Harper is a name of English origin meaning “harp player.”

17. Kai

Kai is a name of Hawaiian origin meaning “ocean.”

18. Briar

Briar is a name of English origin meaning “shrub, small tree.”

19. Quinn

Quinn is a name of Irish origin meaning “descendent of Conn.”

20. Orion

Orion is a name of Greek origin meaning “mountain dweller.”

Mallory moss smiling into the camera

Mallory Moss is the co-founder of BabyNames.com and co-host of The Baby Names Podcast. Mallory has a PhD in psychiatric nursing and has written articles for The Huffington Post on names and name trends. She has one grown daughter, Veronica, who lives in Austria.