Which were the top baby names for 2023?

Nameberry, the world’s largest website devoted to baby names, has come up with a definitive list of trending names for 2023. The names include the last name of a 19th-century literary star, a noun describing elegance, and even a Seinfeld/martini throwback.

Namesberry describes the name Alden as “charming, understated, old-school and a little bit woodsy." Although growing in popularity for boys, this name from the Old English word meaning “old friend” can also be used for girls.

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This name of German origin means “truly brave” and is usually short for Archibold. Nameberry says that many royal observers are getting the name idea from Harry and Meghan and that it’s managed to transcend associations with Archie Bunker and the Archie comic books.

While usually short for Wilhelmina, Nameberry says Billie is part of the booming trend of giving girls “boyish nicknames.” The rise of the singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is also helping boost this name in the 2023 ratings. Also, the reference to Billie Holiday is always in style.

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Breland has English and German origins and means “watery meadow,” drawing associations of nature, tranquility, and simplicity. Nameberry mentions how the up-and-coming singer Breland could propel this little-known name to one of the coolest names of the year.

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This Latin name means “heavenly” or “celestial” and brings to mind the soothing color of pale turquoise blue. While this name has never gone out of style, more and more parents are opting for this chic name. In English, it’s almost always for girls, but Celeste is traditionally a unisex name in Italy and France.

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This name has Greek origins and means “order and beauty.” Cosmo was traditionally associated with intelligence, creativity, and sophistication but later rose into the pop culture lexicon after it was revealed that it was Kramer’s first name in an episode of ‘Seinfeld.’ It also brings to mind outer space, martinis and women’s magazines. However, Scarlett Johansson just chose it for her son's name, so it looks like it’s set to go to the moon next year.

This name fits into Disney’s recent trend of choosing quirky names for its heroic characters. While yet to drop, ‘Elio’ is Pixar’s next big film, which follows the intergalactic adventures of 11-year-old Elio, who finds himself transported across the galaxy and aliens confuse him for the ambassador of planet Earth. Namesberry also loves Elio for its “cool O ending, liquid sound and international appeal.”

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This unisex name may seem new, but it was actually popular in 15th-century England due to its meaning “dweller on the Eure river.” Mount Everest even got its name from a Welsh geographer Sir George Everest. According to Nameberry, Everest is one to watch because it ticks the boxes of the outdoorsy name trend (like Atlas) and the trendy ‘ever’ sound.

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Another unisex name with English origins, Halston means “hallowed stone.” Nameberry predicts that it’s going to be big in 2023 due to its modern sound, ties to the fashion world and use of the very trendy ‘Hal’ sound.

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The name is already experiencing “a quiet renaissance,” according to Nameberry, but next year it’s expected to pop like never before. While the name related to the French word for pretty, it most often brings to mind the Dolly Parton song. However, the country singer is now loved by almost everyone… so an homage to Dolly is just what some parents want with the name. Plus, as Nameberry mentions, “it comes with a built-in lullaby"... well, at least the first verse would work.

Nameberry says it’s about time this historic name loses its ties with the blanket-loving Peanuts character. The name is of Greek origin meaning 'flax' and was also the name of a mythological character who was a talented musician. Later on, Linus was also an early pope’s name.

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This name is an elegant throwback, “with a royal air,” according to Nameberry, and also contains the “on-trend ‘Lu’ sound.” It is the feminine version of Louis, meaning “famous warrior.” Although Louise comes from French and Latin, it has been a common English name since the mid-19th century.

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Perhaps the most controversial entry, this noun referring to elegance, wasn’t very popular this year but is “just one celebrity baby away from being a massive hit,” according to Nameberry. Although the name wasn’t popular this year, Lux is up-and-coming and experts in baby name trends said Luxury has a good chance of rising exponentially in 2023. What do you think?

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This flower name of English origin is quietly gaining in popularity, and Nameberry expects it to get on the ranking of most popular names pretty soon. Nameberry argues that Marigold is perfect for “parents seeking an offbeat nature name” with Juniper and Magnolia no longer as fresh as they once were.

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While this Biblical name is a classic for boys, Nameberry says that more and more parents are using it for girls. This also falls in line with the more “boyish” sounding name trend for girls. It’s already creeping up on the traditionally feminine name Noa, which is used widely in Israel.

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Another Old Testament name, this one was the name of the sixth king of Israel. While it hasn’t been super popular in recent years, Nameberry notes how it’s been getting tons of buzz on the website, which usually indicates it’s about to soar. It is also praised for its “similar vibes” to other popular classic names like Henry, Ezra and Arlo.

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"Romy has such a rich sound, caramel sauce rich, that it makes me feel happy every time I hear it,” wrote Namesberry author Pam. This unisex name of Greek origin is also picking up with celebrities. Matt Lauer, Sofia Coppola and Boris Johnson have all recently given their daughters this name. It wasn’t unheard of before either, giving name to a protagonist in the fantastic film 'Romy and Michele’s Highschool Reunion.’

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Namesberry said this name is poised to crack the Top 100 names in the US for the first time since the early 1960s. Since then, it’s been most common for a middle name, but with celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and Pippa Middelton choosing it, it’s becoming a more popular choice for a sweet and elegant first name.

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According to Namesberry, Sayer was originally an occupational name for someone who went around reciting poetry and news to their community and beyond to keep them informed. Given this quirky and powerful history, Nameberry recommends this name over similar ones like Sawyer or Skyler.

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The Labrant family is one of the most popular influencer families in the US, and they just named their daughter after the last day of the week. Given their past performance in boosting the popularity of odd names like Everleigh and Posie, Nameberry says Sunday also has a good chance of rising next year.

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With “part modern virtue, part vintage nickname, with a super streamlined look and sound,” Nameberry thinks this name is bound to see strength in 2023. While the name itself is quite new, it was the nickname of writer Truman Capote. So, Tru could either be short-form for Truman or true. Another boost is that Khloé Kardashian just named her baby the more literal form: True.

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Nameberry says Wilde, Wild and Wylde are lowkey celebrity favorites at the moment, but predicts that this spelling will win out. While the name refers to “wild,” the extra ‘e’ at the end turns it into a literary name honoring the witty and daring Irish author Oscar Wilde. This, according to Nameberry, gives it “ a surname-y edge to temper the wildness of the word.”

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With its hyper-multicultural origins, the name Yuna is common in Japan, Breton, Korea, China, Russia, Ukraine and many other countries. Its near-universal appeal may also come down to its pleasant and ancient sound. It also rhymes with the name Luna, which is currently exploding in popularity. That's why Namesberry thinks it could crack the 1,000 most popular names in the US for the first time next year.

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Even with all the wild(e) names trending for 2023, the top baby names for 2022 were all pretty, pretty classic. According to Babycenter the names, Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah, and Mateo were the top five names for boys.

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The same study found that Olivia was the number one girl name this year, followed by Emma, Amelia, Ava and Sophia… showing the ‘A’ ending is incredibly in style. Not until Charlotte, which came in at number nine, did a most popular name stray from the ‘A’ ending.

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