The Baby Names Report Blog
Name trends, vintage revivals, and data stories — pulled straight from 145 years of official U.S. Social Security Administration records.
The Bridgerton Effect: Regency Baby Names on the Rise
How Bridgerton transformed baby naming: Daphne doubled, Eloise broke into the top 50, and Regency names surged. Here is what 146 years of data shows.
50 Girl Names at Their All-Time High Right Now
Fifty girl names reached their highest count on record in 2025. Here they are ranked — plus the five-year forecast showing which ones keep climbing.
Harvest & Thanksgiving Baby Names, Ranked by the Data
Warm harvest-season names for a Thanksgiving baby — from Georgia and Clementine at record highs right now to deep cuts like Maple and Basil.
Lottie: The Baby Name That Fell to 13 Babies a Year
Lottie fell to just 13 babies in 2000 after a top-100 run in the 1880s. Now it's risen every year since 2017 — the real data behind a quiet comeback.
The Most Distinctive Baby Name in Every State
One name per state, chosen by how much more common it is locally than nationally. Fifty-one names, every figure from the 2025 birth record.
50 Short Girl Names, Ranked by Popularity
Fifty girl names of four letters or fewer, ranked by where they actually stand in the 2025 numbers, with the ten-year trend behind every one.
Arthur: 55 Years Outside the Top 100, and Back at #87
Arthur was America's 14th most popular boy name in 1880, then spent 55 straight years outside the top 100. In 2025 it came back — here are the numbers.
50 Fantasy Baby Names Real Parents Are Actually Using
Fifty fantasy and sci-fi baby names, every one chosen by at least 30 American families last year — and the 32 that still went to fewer than 500 kids.
43 Boy Names at Their All-Time High Right Now
Forty-three boy names hit their highest count on record in 2025. Here they are, ranked — plus which ones the forecast says climb fastest by 2030.
Gothic Baby Names: 49 That Are Actually Rising
Forty-nine gothic girl names that are more common than a decade ago — with real ranks, and the 21 that are projected to still be rare in 2030.
August: Back in the Top 100 After 133 Years
August left the top 100 boy names in 1891 and did not return until 2024. The SSA data behind the slowest comeback in American naming.
50 Rare Girl Names That Are Rising Fast in 2026
Fifty girl names still outside the top 250, ranked by how rare they are — with the real SSA rank and ten-year trend behind every one.
September Baby Names: Sapphire, Aster, and Harvest Gold
Names for the year's busiest birth month — September's sapphire blues, aster blooms, and harvest-gold classics, each with its real rank in the SSA data.
The TV Effect: What a Series Does to a Baby Name
Movies spike a name for a year. Television does something stranger — it climbs, season after season, and peaks at the finale. Here's what the SSA data shows.
The Fastest-Falling Baby Names of 2025, by the Numbers
Some names lost 90%+ of their babies in a decade. Real SSA data behind the sharpest declines — including one name's collision with a smart speaker.
60 Nature-Inspired Boy Names, Ranked by Popularity
From #28 Asher to rare picks like Denali, 60 nature and outdoor boy names with real SSA rank data — from familiar to genuinely uncommon.
Hazel: The Baby Name That Vanished for 79 Years
Hazel was a top-20 name in 1897, then fell to #1328 and spent 79 years outside the top 100. The SSA data behind one of the great name comebacks.
The Disney Bump: What a Movie Actually Does to a Baby Name
Disney princesses really do move the baby name charts — but the effect is sharper, shorter, and pickier than you'd think. Here's what the SSA data shows, movie by movie.
Cozy Autumn Baby Names, and Where They Actually Rank
Warm, woodsy, harvest-season names for a fall baby — from rising stars like Juniper and Rowan to deep cuts like Maple and Marigold, each with its real popularity rank.
18 Vintage Girl Names Quietly Coming Back in 2026
Once your great-grandmother's names, now climbing the charts again. Here are 18 vintage girl names on the rise — with the real SSA data behind each comeback.
The Fastest-Rising Baby Names of 2025, by the Numbers
Some names climbed thousands of spots in a single decade. Here are the fastest-rising girl and boy names in the latest SSA data — and what's driving each one up.