Deciding what to call your newborn baby is one of the first major choices you and your partner make when becoming parents - whether it is for the first time or not. While some parents will always stick with timeless classics, others are keen to veer off the beaten path and scour books and other resources to find a moniker that is distinct and full of personality.
As 2026 begins, there is a clear shift in the way we pick our children's names. While the internet gains more and more of our attention, we are seeing names plucked from the pages of TikTok's favourite fantasy novel and parents paying tribute to aesthetics that flood their For You pages, such as old-world glamour.
If you have just had a child or are in that stage of pregnancy where various names are haunting you in your sleep, look no further.
Curious to know the names of the year, HELLO! enlisted the help of a baby naming expert. Here's a comprehensive guide to the most coveted, popular, zeitgeisty names of 2026…
Top 10 girls' names
Sophie Kihm, baby name expert and editor-in-chief at Nameberry, the world’s largest website devoted to baby names, shared her top ten names for girls and boys in 2026 with us, at HELLO!. These include:
- Aurelia
- Bronte
- Cordelia
- Daphne
- Elodie
- Medina
- Liana
- Peggy
- Romy
- Sylvie
Top 10 boys' names
- Agastya
- August
- Barnaby
- Bernard
- Elio
- Koa
- Lael
- Lando
- Robbie
- Ziggy
© Getty ImagesThe rise of geography-inspired monikers
As we enter 2026, more focus is being placed on traditionally rooted names that originate from particular cultures and communities around the world. English-origin names are unsurprisingly leading the charge in the UK, while Arabic and Indian names are catching up.
Sophie explained: "Names in the top ten, like Lily, Ivy, and Elsie for girls, Oliver, George, and Archie for boys, are all English. But Arabic and Indian names are rising very quickly in the UK. Muhammad, the new top name in England and Wales, is Arabic in origin.
"Reem, Hadiya, and Huda are fast-rising Arabic girl names, and Hadi, Essa, and Kabir are fast-rising Arabic boy names. Trending names with (various) Indian origins include Avani, Saanvi, and Aadhya for girls, Gurnawab, Agastya, and Rudra for boys."
An era of fantastical escapism
Elsewhere, names are more commonly being plucked from parents' favourite fantasy literature and movies. Inspired by emerging media trends, newborn babies are being named after whimsical characters and social media phenomena.
"As we enter 2026, parents are seeking names fueled by escapism. Literature - both romantasy and the classics - epic movies, and favourite music are driving many of our 2026 trends, including romantasy names, Brit Lit names, ancient civilisations, and showgirl names," Sophie revealed.
She continued: "2025 name trends were more directly influenced by social media, but this year, parents are expanding their media inspirations. We’re also seeing a shift towards names that connect to culture and heritage.
"Parents increasingly want their children’s names to be rooted in some type of history, whether that’s global history (think: ancient civilisation) or personal family history."
© Getty ImagesHow are baby name trends shifting as we enter 2026?
A new year has arrived, and with it comes a new take on what to call your baby. But how is this year going to differ from last year? SJ Strum, baby name expert and author of Baby Name Envy, shared the answer with us.
She said: "The drive for a unique name is now a top priority for modern parents. Parents-to-be are often 90’s babies themselves. In 1996, a whopping 61,100 girls shared a Top Ten Baby Name, with over 7,000 having the top spot Sophie, while number one Jack was given to over 10,000 boys.
"It’s created a natural compulsion for parents to want a name that their own child won’t share with another 3-4 kids in their class at school. In the 90s, there were 3,795 girl names registered compared with 5,891 names last year - an increase of over 2,000 new names, showing that parents are seeking rarer names and getting increasingly braver with their picks.
"Parenting styles have shifted the dial towards more unique naming too; with the tradition of passing names from parent to child having died out as we see less nuclear families, the rise of social media meaning we know all the names of our full circle of friends past and present kids narrowing the pool plus the very lovely way we’re embracing individuality and a more playful style of parenting bringing a lot of creativity to the baby naming process," the expert added.
SJ continued sharing why couples love names based on their own passions and interests.
"Outdoorsy nature-inspired names continue to rise and get more daring with River, Atlas and Wilder leading the charge for boys as we embrace the benefits of getting outdoors and off screens.
"And whimsical word names are a breakout trend this year in a modern spin of old virtue names like Charity and Hope. Today, Fable, Blythe and Storie are the new It Girl names."
© Getty ImagesWhat is the biggest change between naming trends in 2025 versus 2026?
The predictions are officially in, and the experts have revealed what the biggest difference is between names chosen in 2025 compared to those being picked already in early 2026.
SJ said: "In 2026, I predict we’ll see more polarising vintage comebacks - think Rudy, Ludo, Sybil and Myrtle. Plus, the comeback of double-barrelled or compound first names for girls as we seek that standout combo; enter Evaluna, Olivette and Isabeau to the name mix.
"2026 is a time to get creative and personal when it comes to your baby name. Tap into a passion, be it travel or books or nature and research for a name that hits your heart and go for it. This is the brave new world of baby names and it’s exciting."
© SJ StrumSJ Strum is the UK’s leading baby name expert and celebrity name consultant. Known for reinventing the way we choose Baby Names for modern parents, the author of Baby Name Envy is passionate about finding parents their perfect name which is a mix of personality, style, heritage and meaning. SJ has poured her years of experience into her Number 1 book ‘Baby Name Envy’ TheNew Way To Choose A Baby Name You’ll Love.
© Sophie KihmSophie Kihm is the Editor-in-Chief of Nameberry, the world’s largest website about names. At Nameberry, Sophie covers name news, forecasts baby name trends, and consults with clients about baby names and name changes. She lives in Chicago.
