This Baby Name Expert Shared The Top Baby Names To Watch In 2024
Some of them are super surprising!
Choosing a name for a child is one of the most exciting parts of becoming a parent, but it can also be one of the most nerve-wracking and pressure-filled. Research shows that a child’s name can literally alter their personality and how they are treated in life. Yikes! That’s a lot to take on.
Most parents want to make sure that whatever they decide to pick a baby name has meaning, fits who the child is, and is somewhat unique. While some parents opt for totally out-of-pocket names, some go for the classic. Whichever kind of name a parent picks, there’s always that cringe moment when the little one gets to school and there are 10 other girls named “Isla” in the class. (Not speaking from experience or anything...)
For expectant parents looking to see what kind of names are on the up and up, baby name expert and consultant, Steph, listed off some of the top baby names to watch in 2024.
Steph notes that some of the names she predicts will spike in popularity will be based on pop culture and a desire to get back to basics.
“In the year of the Barbie movie, I do think there will be more Margot’s and Greta’s next year, and hopefully more Barbara's, Babs and Barbie’s. I would love that. And Alan, that is my prediction for the men,” she said before predicting that “short two-syllable girl names” will thrive like Willa and Cleo.
For trending boy names, Steph thinks parents will opt for either highly masculine names or cater to the softer side of boyhood.
“For boys, we've got country names on the rise, but I'm also seeing two different extremes. So, we're seeing either people really wanting these masculine, like intense rugged boy names like Duke or Maverick. And on the other hand, I'm seeing people who want the softer boy names like Silas and Soren and Atlas,” she wrote.
It cannot be a coincidence that Atlas is going to be a trending boy name in the same year that Colleen Hoover’s books, It Ends With Us and It Starts With Us took over Booktok.
She also predicts a trend of more masculine names for girls like Spencer and Logan.
“I see two popular names for next year really fit with these themes. For girls, I'm thinking we're going to see a lot more Lennies. How cute is the name Lenny?” she asked before noting that “Sonny” is also on her list of names to watch for a girl or a boy.
In the comment section, expectant parents shared potential names for their 2024 babies, giving a glimpse into what will be popular in the coming years.
“My little girl is due March 11th — naming her Bonnie (after my mom),” one user wrote.
“We’re expecting a little boy named Wesley in April,” another noted.
“Planning to *hopefully* have a second and if it’s a boy I’m pushing for Harrison and calling him Sonny!” another shared.
One user wrote, “Sister just has a baby in December & her Lenora (Lenny) & my name is Sonni ☀️so we love that!”
One user pointed out that maybe going outside of the box with baby names isn’t always the best choice. “I always had at least 2-3 other Jessica’s in my class & it never bothered me. Having a common name isn’t a bad thing. Better than a made-up name,” they wrote.
Steph also shared some baby names that are trending downward as we head into 2024, including Jaxon, names that end in “Leigh,” and mid-century names like Susan, Diane, Wayne and Bruce — all of which are landing outside of the top 1,000 baby names.
