10 Popular Baby Name Trends To Look Out For In 2019

Get ready for more names associated with animals, jewels and celebrities, according to the editors of Nameberry.
More parents of newborns are picking gender-neutral names.
Rushay Booysen / EyeEm via Getty Images
More parents of newborns are picking gender-neutral names.

As 2018 comes to a close, baby name experts are looking back at the name choices and trends that inspired parents of newborns this year. They’re also looking ahead to 2019 and predicting which baby name ideas and styles will dominate nurseries nationwide.

The editors of Nameberry compiled their predictions for the new year, identifying a dozen trends set to influence baby names in 2019 and offering some notable examples. These categories draw from nature, colors and even specific letters and sounds.

Keep scrolling for a look at some of the trends, and visit Nameberry to read the full list.

Muted Colors

The Nameberry editors see bold color names like Scarlett and Ruby giving way to softer pastels like Lilac and Lavender ― as well as a rise in muted color names like Grey/Gray, Ivory and Fawn.

Ash

Fawn

Grey/Gray

Ivory

Lavender

Lilac

Mauve

Moss

Olive

Sage

Jewels

Common jewel-related names are Ruby, Pearl and Amber for girls, but the Nameberry team predicts a rise in “less common gem names” for both girls and boys.

Amethyst

Emerald

Garnet

Jasper

Jet

Onyx

Opal

Peridot

Sapphire

Topaz

The Letter ‘F’

“For a letter that had been sitting quietly in the shadows for decades, F has suddenly rocketed forward, particularly for boys, and particularly for boys’ names of Irish descent,” wrote the Nameberry editors.

Faye

Felix

Fern

Finnian

Flora

Florian

Frances

Frankie

Frederick

Frost

Three-Letter Names

These short names may be due to climb up the popularity lists in 2019.

Hal

Ida

Jem

Kit

Koa

Liv

Lux

Rex

Rio

Van

Vintage Nicknames For Boys

The Nameberry editors wrote they were surprised by “the nascent revival of early 20th century faves like Johnny and Jimmy and Billy on birth certificates, names which once were confined to comic strips and old radio and TV shows.”

Ace

Billy

Buddy

Buster

Hank

Ike

Jimmy

Johnny

Sonny

Spike

The Animal Kingdom

Many parents are making animal-related picks for their kids’ middle names.

Bear

Falcon

Fox

Hawk

Koala

Lion

Lynx

Otter

Tiger

Wolf

The ‘U’ Vowel

Although “U” isn’t a popular letter to start baby names, the vowel sound may feature in the middle of increasingly common names like Luna and Hugo.

Eulalie

Hugo

Jude

Juniper

Louise

Luca

Luna

Reuben

Tallulah

True

Gender-Neutral Picks

The Nameberry team predicts a rise in names that aren’t strongly associated with a particular gender identity.

Briar

Campbell

Finley

Journey

Justice

Laken

Revel

Robin

Royal

Story

Famous Last Names

The last names of celebrities like David Beckham, John Lennon and David Bowie may crop up in more rankings.

Beckham

Bowie

Ellington

Hendrix

Jolie

Ledger

Lennon

Lennox

Monroe

Wilder

Fewer Em- Names

After years of Emma and Emily dominating popularity lists, Nameberry sees a decline in names beginning with Em- like those below.

Ember

Emerson

Emery

Emilia

Emily

Emma

Emme

Emmeline

Emmett

Emmy

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