If you're due in 2024 or planning to try to conceive in the near future, you might be thinking about possible baby names for your future child. And most likely, you might also be wondering what baby names are going to be in for the new year.
Some people have had their names chosen out for years before even becoming parents, but for others it may not be as easy to decide. Well, experts are here to help. A group of them teamed up to predict the popular baby names that are to be expected in 2024. Read on to find out what they are!
The first name predicted to be popular is Cleo. "Many associate Cleo with Cleopatra, which gives the name a strong, heroic, and decidedly feminist feel," baby naming expert and Nameberry editor-in-chief Sophie Kihm says. The second name prediciton is Bear. According to Abby Sandel, creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, the name has been "catching on since the early 2000s, but now it's set to become a mainstream favorite."
The third name on the list is one that's rising pretty fast for girls, Ophelia. “It’s gone up more than 100 spots in the last five years, and that’s kind of a clear indicator that something is gaining popularity quickly ― how fast it’s jumping up the charts,” Jennifer Moss, founder of BabyNames.com said. The fourth name is Rhodes. “It has positive associations, such as the celebrated Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and the Colossus of Rhodes statue in Ancient Greece, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,” baby name consultant Sherri Suzanne explained.
Fifth on popularity list would be Elodie. “I strongly believe Elodie is poised to capture hearts in 2024, embodying a perfect blend of elegance and strength,” name consultant Lilia E. Corrigan of Heartbabynames said. “This name’s timeless grace appeals to parents seeking names that transition seamlessly from babyhood to adulthood, reflecting a desire for sophistication.” As for sixth, Renzo seems to be a rising boy name. Sophie deemed it as the "name that has everything," adding that “the ‘ren’ syllable is the sound of the moment.”
Coming in seventh is Enola, which, according to Abby, gained popularity after the release of the first Enola Holmes movie on Netflix in 2021. The eight name on the list is Apollo, which founder of Baby Name Sunday Heidi Prunkl believes "will be one of the big rising baby names for boys."
As for ninth, experts predict the name Romy to gain popularity. “For girls, many are looking for simplistic or minimal names that are cute sounding but at the same token, have a power behind them," Heidi said. The tenth name has been number one on BabyNames.com for the past two years. It currently sits as number 19 for boy names in the Social Security Administration data.
For the eleventh name, Davina seems to be gaining some traction. After 30 years off the charts, the name reentered the SSA Top 1,000 list in 2016 and now ranks at number 563. Harley makes the list as the twelfth expected popular name, and one that Lilia is "betting on to gain popularity in 2024" because of its versatility.
Falling thirteenth on the list is Valkyrie, and according to Sophie it's "one to watch." Number fourteen is Nolie. “It’s simple, has the ‘O’ and has the cutesie ending,” Heidi says. “It also can be shortened from Magnolia, which continues the trend of those vintage revival names ― but modernized.”
Leia takes place as number fifteen. “Its simple, elegant sound is making more parents take notice,” Sherri explained. Kelso is sixteenth on the list. This was the name of Ashton Kutcher’s character on That ’70s Show.
As for the seventeenth name on the list, Eliza seems to be sitting strong. “Eliza is a peppy, fresh and rejuvenated diminutive of the classic and timeless name Elizabeth,” said baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey. The eighteenth name is Thiago, which, according to Taylor, has a "strong multicultural appeal."
The nineteenth, and the last, name on this list predicted by experts is the very common James. “In terms of gender-neutral names, what’s becoming big is the name James, specifically crossing over to the girls side,” Jennifer said. “It’s becoming more common for girls, especially as a middle name,”
