The 6 Defining Baby Name Trends That Will Dominate in 2026

Ready or not—here comes 2026. It’s a new year and, if you’re expecting a baby, a new chapter of life that’s bound to usher in loads of change. On your to-do list as you prepare for the times ahead: pick a name for your upcoming addition. Don’t worry—we’ve got of-the-moment suggestions!

Based on data from The Bump, we’re predicting a whole new era of baby names inspired by events, movements and pop-culture happenings. So read on to find out more about the types of monikers we think will be on birth certificates everywhere in 2026—and discover the stats, studies and news we’ve analyzed to bring you the next big baby name trends.

Key Takeaways: The 6 Trends on Our Radar

• Joybait trend: Parents are rebelling against the negative social media tactic of “rage bait” by choosing baby names that reference peace and happiness to bring delight into their lives.
• Binge-worthy trend: As streaming consumption reaches record highs and serves as an escape during stressful times, parents are drawing baby-name inspiration directly from trending TV series and beloved characters.
• Loud luxury trend: Reflecting a maximalist shift in fashion and lifestyle, parents are choosing bold and aspirational names that project hope for the future and reject a more discreet aesthetic.
• Blind-box trend: In part driven by nostalgia for collecting cute, playful toys and accessories, this trend sees parents favoring monikers that are nickname-y, repetitive and innately “babyish” in sound.
• Gothic revival trend: Parents are embracing dark themes and Victorian aesthetics as a way to process anxiety, political conflict and global uncertainty by transforming fear into beauty.
• Tech-proof baby names: Amidst widespread technological and AI acceleration, parents are seeking an anchor in tradition by choosing ultra-classic, evergreen names that signal stability and human connection.

Joybait Baby Names

Ever come across a reel or post on your feed that felt like it was meant to make you mad? That’s what the internet now calls “rage bait.” The Oxford Word of the Year for 2025, rage bait is defined as controversial online content that deliberately stirs outrage for clicks, comments and increased visibility on the algorithm.

There isn’t a single way to “rage bait.” As the BBC writes, rage bait can be found in a revolting food recipe or a video attacking your favorite public figure. And then there are more dangerous forms of rage bait that can include misinformation or hateful and discriminatory posts against protected groups.

To counter the overwhelm of anger and division, influencers in 2025 have taken to TikTok to start the more wholesome trend of “joybaiting.” As the name suggests, it’s the total opposite of rage bait; it’s social media content that disrupts the algorithm by promoting kindness and positivity. Like rage bait, there isn’t one way to share “joybait”—but many social-media users, including theyyycallmelou, have been spreading the love by complimenting strangers on camera.

This cultural shift toward positivity is driving more than social media algorithms. Expectant parents on The Bump are all too familiar with the spread of online fury and fake news, but that won’t stop them from bucking rage bait with monikers that speak to peace, truth, unity and joy in 2026—or Joybait baby names, as we’re calling them.

The name Truce, for example, now sits among the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) top 1,000 baby names, after skyrocketing a remarkable 11,000 spots this year. And there are plenty more joybait baby names on The Bump that are starting to pick up speed. The name Amity, meaning “friendship” and “harmony”, sits 22 percent higher in ranking than it did in 2024. Dove also spread its wings this year, climbing The Bump’s baby name charts by 19 percent. Pax, Latin for “peace”, sparked plenty of interest and climbed 12 percent in views.

Even more parents are going to be looking to baby names in 2026 for a slice of delight. Sprinkle a little more into your pregnancy and parenting journey with other joybait baby names that leveled up in popularity throughout 2025:

Binge-Worthy Baby Names

2025 has been quite the year for the small screen, with lots of compelling and comforting shows streaming in households across America. The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP), starring Lola Tung, Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno, returned for its final and most-talked-about installment. (It’s Amazon Prime Video’s biggest TV series to date, amassing over 70 million views just 70 days after the premiere of season three). And don’t get us started on the massive cult following the show found on social media.

Not surprisingly, several monikers from the show are inching their way up the baby names leaderboard, according to our 2025 stats: Conrad, a steady riser since 2021, has had the biggest surge in popularity this year with a 36 percent increase. Skye followed close behind with a 21 percent boost. Moreover, the names Fisher and Laurel rose by 19 percent in ranking, while Isabel remains on a slow and steady incline.

Parents tapping into TSITP for name ideas is no surprise when you consider the “mental palate cleanser” TV shows have come to represent, especially in times of uncertainty—not to mention the record-high stats in streaming time and usage this year: A report by Netflix reveals that over 95 billion hours of programming were streamed in the first half of 2025 alone. Similarly, Nielsen notes that streaming usage in the US has increased by 71 percent over the past 12 months.

As people turn to TV for an escape from stress—even for just an episode or two—parents will continue to find moniker inspiration from their favorite watches. Below are even more binge-worthy baby names that ascended The Bump charts this year. You may recognize them from popular series like The Bear, The White Lotus, Stranger Things, Severance, Andor, Adolescence, The Pitt and Paradise. Some honorable mentions include Briony—a name featured in Adolescence— which shot up the list by 38 percent; Irving—from Severance—with a 21 percent increase; and Albie—from The White Lotus—at a 30 percent increase.

Lochlan
Cassian
Miller
Trinity
Kier
Collins
Sydney
Scout
Eddie
Billy

Loud Luxury Baby Names

Economic instability has been a huge pressure point for US citizens over the last 12+ months, and families are especially feeling the weight.

But even in the current state of the world, expectant parents aren’t giving up on their wishes of “what could be one day”—a future of financial freedom where their children get to enjoy the finer things in life. And the proof is in the revival of the “loud luxury” trend—both on the runway and in baby-naming.

Loud luxury, Marie Claire explains, is a type of aesthetic style that puts bold, high-end branding front and center through designs with in-your-face logos. It’s an exciting trend that totally rejects the simple, understated, discreet “quiet luxury” style that dominated the early 2020s. According to Harper’s Bazaar, it might just draw the curtain on minimalist fashion altogether.

Not only is loud luxury the next big maximalist movement, it’s also become a tool for high-end retailers to rebel against an increasingly volatile market. Various brands—especially those in the luxury goods sector—have seen a significant decline in sales due to waning demand, the implementation of trade tariffs and the overall increase in product pricing. However, Gucci and Burberry are reported to make a return to “loud luxury” clothing designs and assertive trademarks in the hopes of reigniting brand desirability and boosting revenue, according to a recent CNBC article.

Of course, dealing with the financial climate of 2025 hasn’t been as easy a journey for growing families. But it won’t stop expectant parents from dreaming about a better tomorrow—and many on The Bump have been looking to fancy and aspirational loud luxury baby names as a way of projecting their hopes and dreams. Rich, for example, jumped the charts by a whopping 52 percent over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, brand-inspired Calvin accelerated in ranking by 25 percent, and Kenzo was 11 percent higher than last year. The feminine name Perla also made an impression, resulting in a 12-percent climb on The Bump charts.

The Bump’s up-and-coming loud luxury baby names don’t stop there. Read on to see more on-the-money monikers that have been inching their way up the charts over the past year.

Blind-Box Baby Names

Sonny Angel, Skullpanda, Crybaby or Labubu ring a bell? If the answer is yes, it’s because this year saw the monumental rise of the “blind-box” empire. Playful surprise collectibles are dominating bedrooms now more than ever, and almost everyone has a cute keychain or “bag charm” dangling from their purse.

The extreme demand for—and scarcity of—these rare and irresistible little dolls and accessories is still at its peak, as retailers around the world continue to sell out and make billions in revenue. Pop Mart, a popular trinket store from China, brought in approximately $1.93 billion in sales from blind-box Labubus in the first half of 2025.

Interestingly, the current toy and collectible market is no longer being driven by adults purchasing for children. Rather, according to a 2024 article by Retail Dive, it’s grown-ups purchasing for themselves. As British Vogue shares, the reason for this is pure nostalgia: Buying Labubus, Sonny Angels and other secret blind-box toys to display or bring on the go is one of many ways adults are reconnecting with their “kid-selves” and rekindling the joy of a much simpler time.

As the collectibles craze continues, we’re anticipating more and more parents will channel the cutesy, kiddie vibes—not just through blind-box toys, but through blind-box-inspired baby names. These lovely little monikers are rising in popularity and share the signature traits of many blind-box names: They’re baby-ish, nickname-y and repetitive in sound (similar to actual blind-box characters, like Ququ, Baba, Sisi, Zizi and Monchhichi).

Cece takes the lead for emerging blind-box-inspired baby names, with a 43 percent popularity increase. Meanwhile, a 30 percent boost sets oh-so sweet Vivi up for blind-box-girl-name success. Zuzu took off this year too, rising by 25 percent since 2024. Lulu also entered The Bump’s list of the top 1,000 names, thanks to a 9 percent bump in position.

Lots of other sweet-and-sassy baby names inspired by blind-box bagatelles are going to bag top spots in 2026. Keep reading to see which ones piqued the interest of expectant parents over the past 12 months.

Gothic Revival Baby Names

It’s been a mad-good year for dark, dreamy monikers on The Bump, as our Gothic Baby Boy Names list saw a 70 percent increase in views and our Gothic Baby Girl Names surged 37 percent in popularity.

Parents took particular interest in the name Noctis, sparking a 36-percent popularity boost, while Twila rose in traffic by 31 percent. With Lune 36 percent higher since the previous year, it’s clear parents drawn to the maudlin and macabre are also looking to the moon—a prevalent symbol in Gothic imagery—for ideas. Additionally, spikes in popularity for the names Poe (25 percent), Bronte (38 percent) and Bram (35 percent) tell us that baby names borrowed from Gothic literature will be taking the leaderboard by storm in 2026.

Although pop culture plays an important role in sparking new trends or bringing old ones back, the Gothic revival this year runs much deeper than just the release of films like Nosferatu, Dracula: A Love Tale and Frankenstein, not to mention Wednesday’s newest season. A recent article by The Independent explains that the Goth genre ”holds a mirror” up to the times we live in, reflecting our anxieties around political conflict, inequality and the global climate. As Brown Political Review adds, Gothic culture takes the things that are meant to frighten, and transforms them into “objects of beauty or admiration”—hence, the emergence of Gothic music, Gothic clothing and even Gothic baby names.

So despite what the uncertainty of the world might have you believe, embracing the darker themes of Gothic culture has—for decades—been a powerful way for people to cope. And we’re expecting parents to sink their teeth into the resurrecting trend with gorgeous names drawn from the aesthetic. Find even more Gothic revival baby names that made it big on The Bump’s popularity stats this year, below.

Tech-Proof Baby Names

From the way we consume information to how we operate in the workplace and seemingly every interaction in between, technology has become an inevitable force. And millennials and Gen Z-ers are leading the revolution. In a 2025 survey by the Salesforce company Slack, 60 percent of millennial respondents said they leverage AI agents in the workplace to streamline processes. Another study by Future found that 1 in every 2 Gen Z-ers and millennials use AI for fitness, cooking, art and travel.

That said, while expectant parents may dabble with baby name generators, they’ve yet to fully warm up to the idea of using advanced tech in their final baby-name decision-making. In a recent article by Yahoo Life, parents shared their experience of roping ChatGPT into the process—and while they agreed that GenAI definitely helps to narrow down choices, they also felt that no machine can replace the human touch that goes into pinning down the perfect name for their little one.

Parents’ skepticism about machine-assisted baby-naming and the overall influence of technology has definitely been felt through name choices this year, as evergreen classics—used long before the age of AI—are experiencing a massive resurgence. Celebrity parents are taking the lead: There’s Henry (son of Erin Bates and Chad Paine), Vincent (son of Sammi Giancola and Justin May), Francesca (daughter of Jenna Compono) and Colette (daughter of Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey).

Many classic baby names are making moves on The Bump too: George has seen a 22 percent increase in popularity, while Margot jumped up 32 percent. Moreover, our Vintage Baby Names, Vintage Boy Names and Vintage Girl Names list pages improved in views by 45 percent, 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

Ready or not, tech is developing rapidly. But tried-and-true baby names could be the anchor more and more parents seek as technology dramatically alters daily life in 2026. Read on to see more tried-and-true baby names on their way to total chart domination:

To Sum It Up

The baby names set to dominate in 2026 are a direct reflection of societal anxiety, the need for emotional escape and a widespread desire for more light, levity and love in life. Joybait, loud luxury and gothic monikers may come and go, but parents will continue to choose names that anchor their children in their values and the promise of a brighter future.