Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Even if you aren't bringing a child into the world, it's fun to peep the most popular baby names. Baby name trends come and go every year, decade and era. And for sweet baby girls, there have been many former frontrunners. From the reign of Heather in the 80s, Jessica in the 90s, Emily in the 00s, and Emma during the 2010s, they're always evolving.

Entering into 2025, the baby girl name scene is getting inspo from pop culture (including pop stars) and nature. And as Gen Z begins to have babies, they're also brining their influence to the table. While it can be hard to nail down exactly which baby girl names will prove to be standouts, one way to guess is by taking a look at recent baby girl name data.

Most Recent Popular Baby Girl Names
Each year since 1924, the Social Security Administration releases the top baby names. While the top names have yet to be released for 2024, these were the top 10 baby girl names in 2023 in the United States:

  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Charlotte
  4. Amelia
  5. Sophia
  6. Mia
  7. Isabella
  8. Ava
  9. Evelyn
  10. Luna
Since 2019, Olivia has held the #1 spot on the list. And since 1924, the name Mary has held the top spot a record 32 times. However, the name last appeared in the top 5 back in 1967–a testament to ever-evolving name trends.

Olivia RodrigoPeace Drivers License GIF by Olivia RodrigoGiphy

'Baby Names, Literally'
One surprising baby girl name trend you may see more in 2025 is a move away from 'adult' sounding names towards more youthful ones.

"For girls, 'Baby Names, Literally,' are one of the fastest-growing trends," Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of the baby-naming site Nameberry, shared with Good Housekeeping. "Nickname names like Scottie, Lottie, Nori and Dolly are playful choices in this trend, along with novel word names like Wednesday, Echo, Posey and Blossom." The site released its list for their predications on baby girl name trends in 2025, noting that 'baby names' inspired by influencers and celebrities (such as Nara Smith’s Whimsy Lou). A few popular 'Baby Names, Literally' include:

  • Aqua
  • Bunny
  • Dovie
  • Georgie
  • Honey
  • Lilibet
  • Lula/Lulu
  • Pixie
  • Willa
  • Zelie
  • Zuzu
Pop Culture and Pop Stars
Pop girlies will continue to infiltrate baby girl names in 2025, per BabyCenter. Chart-topping artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish have created a bump in popularity for both names. Movies and television will also continue to inspire baby girl names in 2025, including Riley (from Inside Out 2) and Rain (from the Alien franchise). Pop singer Chappell Roan has also inspired feminine and feminist names thanks to her hit "Femininomenon". Those include:
  • Amaryllis
  • Aurelia
  • Circe
  • Cordelia
  • Cosette
  • Emerald
  • Lavender
  • Lavinia
  • Lilith
  • Ophelia
  • Rhiannon
  • Seraphina

Sabrina CarpenterSabrina Carpenter Hot Ones GIF by First We FeastGiphy

Nature
A back-to-basics and connection to nature is another baby girl name you may see in 2025. "Landscape names particularly appeal to parents in search of frills-free names that are easily understood, but not endemically popular," Kihm wrote. "They’re also inherently gender-neutral, a strong selling point for many contemporary namers." A few nature-inspired baby girl names include:
  • Cloud
  • Coast
  • Isle
  • Oak
  • Prarie
  • Shore
  • Vale
  • Valley
Outer Space
Names from the great beyond may also be more popular in 2025. BabyCenter notes that names including Sol, Eclipse, Luna, Aurora and Nova are all celestial baby girl names that have seen bumps in recent years. Nameberry agrees, with sci-fi also inspiring baby girl names–and suggests the following may be chosen:
  • Arwen
  • Aura
  • Cielo
  • Ember
  • Indigo
  • Journey
  • Lumen
  • Solstice
  • Valkyrie
  • Vesper
Gen Z
Gen Z (those born in 1997 and onward) are bringing the letter 'Z' back into fashion. Kihm notes that names with 'Z' offer a softer sound. These include:
  • Azalea
  • Azure
  • Hazel
  • Itzel
  • Mazie
  • Zainab
  • Zaya
  • Zinnia
  • Zuri
peaceoliviarodrigoolivia rodrigodrivers licenseoliviarodrigopeace signs

The Latest

Groundbreaking study reveals a massive country splitting into two
Science

Groundbreaking study reveals a massive country splitting into two

Armless mom stuns travelers with her parenting skills at the airport
Past Events

Armless mom stuns travelers with her parenting skills at the airport

Man soaking in a large pool or tub
Past Events

What the Japanese can teach us about bathing at night

A cup full of chocolate kisses.
Past Events

Teen's braille promposal to blind girlfriend resurfaces, and it's still melting hearts

More For You

bat dog, Omaha the Bat Dog, baseball dogs, OC Riptide, cute animal stories, retriever training, minor league baseball, dog celebrities

A 'bat dog' carries a baseball bat in its mouth

Canva

Omaha the bat dog becomes baseball's cutest celebrity

This energetic retriever is stealing bases—and hearts.

In baseball, the most beloved players don't always wear a number on their jersey. Sometimes, they wear a collar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mom surprises blind son with a secret braille message he can feel
Generative photo by Canva

Mom surprises blind son with a secret braille message he can feel

When Karissa Livia sat down for her latest manicure, she wasn’t just thinking about a bold new design—she was planning a heartfelt surprise for her 15-year-old son, Shay. Shay, who is visually impaired, had previously enjoyed hearing his mom describe her nail colors. But this time, Karissa wanted to take it a step further.

The result? A manicure featuring a message in braille, spelled out with tiny rhinestones that Shay could feel. And the message? “Love U, Shay.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Sisters thought they were saying goodbye—then their dad made a surprising announcement
TikTok | @brittneyswanzer

Sisters thought they were saying goodbye—then their dad made a surprising announcement

Saying goodbye to family is never easy, especially when it involves a father watching his daughters leave home to chase their dreams. One emotional TikTok video perfectly captured this bittersweet moment, showing a dad who couldn’t bear to simply wave goodbye—so he found a beautiful way to be part of the journey instead.

Brittney Swanzer (@brittneyswanzer) shared a touching video of the moment she and her sister prepared to leave Ohio for California. As they stood ready to say their goodbyes, their father stepped outside, already overcome with emotion. But what happened next took everyone by surprise.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man holds his head while sitting on a sofa.

Representative Image: Millennials have one common thought about how they were raised.

Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

Millennials are finally saying what they wish their parents had said to them

Every generation seems to approach parenting with a unique set of tools—and blind spots. For many Millennials, that gap appears in one specific area: emotional support. When Reddit user u/Soup_stew_supremacy asked r/Millennials, “Do any of you struggle to get emotional support from your parents?”—the answers flooded in fast, and they struck a nerve.

In her post, she shared:

Keep ReadingShow less
Pregnant mom asks for first-class seats, gets a reality check the internet couldn’t wait to deliver
Representative photo by Canva

Pregnant mom asks for first-class seats, gets a reality check the internet couldn’t wait to deliver

Flying with a young child isn't always smooth sailing, especially when it comes to seating arrangements. A soon-to-be mother, known online as Deekaytwo, found herself turning to the internet for advice after wondering if it was fair to ask front-row passengers to swap seats so she could sit with her toddler. But the reaction she got online was anything but supportive.

Representative Image Source: Pexels | Oleksandr P

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025