22 Baby Names That Are About To Get More Popular

In just a few weeks, we’ll see the new popular baby names list for the U.S.. The official list is always packed with surprises, as everything from pop music to sports stars influence what we name our children. Other names rise and fall without any obvious cultural connection, buoyed by style and sound alone. Usually it’s both a promising name plus a positive association that makes a baby name soar.

Here are our bets for some of the names to watch.

Fastest Rising Vintage Names: Oliver & Hazel

Once musty and fusty, Oliver and Hazel are now the freshest vintage names on the block. Celebrities have embraced them Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas have an Oliver, while Emily Blunt and John Krasinski went with Hazel. Part of their appeal? They’re vintage gems that boast high-value Scrabble letters in their names z and v.

Nature Names to Watch: River & Briar

River Phoenix was once the only person we could list with this nature name. Now it’s a mainstream pick for boys, and rising for girls, too. Likewise, Briar once mostly associated with Sleeping Beauty’s Briar Rose debuted on the U.S. Top 1000 for both genders in 2015. Parents have embraced –r ending names, and our affection for borrowing from nature continues.

Coolest New Names: Fox & Sylvie

We’re always looking for names outside the current top 1000 that seem likely to debut in future years. Sweet Sylvie could follow Sophie and Sadie into wider use, while Fox feels like a logical successor to Max and Knox. In 2015, both names ranked just beyond the official list but not by much. Two dozen more girls would put Sylvie over the top, along with 15ish boys for Fox.

Hottest Celebrity-Inspired Names: Remington & Luna

With John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s adorable Luna Simone in the spotlight, this Harry Potter heroine should keep rising. Ditto for Remington, a surname name chosen by Kelly Clarkson for daughter River Rose’s little brother. Remington is poised to join tough-guy names like Hunter and Ryder near the top of the charts plus it comes with built-in nickname Remy.

Mini Names to Watch: Axl & Liv

They’re short, they’re Scandi, and they’re finding favor with American parents. Axel is a Danish spin on the Biblical Absalom. Drop the ‘e’ – as in rocker Axl Rose – and it takes on an edge. Liv comes from Old Norse, but matches up with a modern word meaning life in several Scandinavian languages. Both names pack a lot of sound and substance into just three letters. 

Pop Culture Powerhouses: Bowie & Ophelia

Music and musicians have put dozens of names on the charts, from “Hey There, Delilah” to John Lennon. Bowie, as in the late David, and Ophelia, from The Lumineers’ song, could be next. The early 2016 passing of legendary singer Bowie is likely to inspire more namesakes. As for Ophelia, the Lumineers’ chart-topping song makes the tragic name seem light and new.

Comeback Classics: Harvey & Louisa 

Henry and Sophia, meet Harvey and Louisa. Long-neglected, these names are perfectly poised to make a big comeback in 2017. Suits gave the name Harvey to a handsome character, played by Gabriel Macht, nicely updating it for the new century. And Louisa is every bit as literary as Emma, but with the same flowing, feminine, but still substantial, style of smart Sophia.

Meaningful Monikers: Bodhi & Sage

Looking for a meaning-rich name for your child? You’re not alone. Bodhi, from the Sanskrit word for enlightenment, is a new favorite for boys, along with spellings like Bode. Meanwhile, Sage means wisdom but also brings to mind the spice, as well as the familiar girl name Paige. Spelling Saige is trending, but only for girls, while the Sage spelling feels more unisex.

Biblical Names to Watch: Ezra & Ruth

For ages, Ezra seemed too out there, a name reserved for a few historical figures. Lately, the name’s edgy sound has taken it into the U.S. Top 100 – the most popular the name has ever been. Loyal Ruth, on the other hand, dominated the early 20th century popularity charts before fading. In recent years, parents are rediscovering the Old Testament name.

The New Emma & Noah: Asher & Nora

We don’t think the number one names will necessarily fall out of favor anytime soon. But which names are poised to take their place someday? Like Emma, Nora is brief but complete, and feels sweet on a child, serious on an adult. Biblical boy Noah might pass the baton to Asher, a fast-rising possibility with a great meaning: happy.

Names Berries Bank On: Milo & Isla 

Not only do we keep the U.S. Top 1000 on our site, we track the most popular names specific to Nameberry. Two choices that readers love that could catch on everywhere? Milo and Isla. Milo combines the sounds of Miles and Leo, but has a quirky charm all its own. Isla seems like a successor to girl names like Ella, Lily, and Mila.

Which names are you watching? Are you hearing more of any of these names?