What’s Trending in Baby Names? Pop Culture-Inspired Names

When it comes to the biggest baby name trends right now, we’ve noticed that pop culture is influencing some of the most popular names on our very own Babylist Babes name chart, where real Babylist parents share their baby’s birth date and name. It makes sense that people look to the media for inspiration since it’s rife with unique, edgy, or just uncommon names. By the looks of some of the most popular baby names right now, today’s parents seem to be inspired by their favorite songs, artists and characters and are looking beyond what might be considered traditional. 

While some names come and go rather quickly—like Elsa, the main character in Frozen, which spiked on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) list the year of and after the movie released—other names wiggle their way into consistently topping the charts. Penelope is the perfect example of this; it got a boost in popularity in 2012 when Kourtney Kardashian chose the name for her second child and it’s currently sitting in the top 25 most popular names (jumping from the 50s) since 2020 when Bridgerton premiered (Penelope is one of the lead characters, and focus of the third season). 

And that’s just a tiny glimpse into the world of pop culture baby name influences. Whether you’re a reality TV fan, a movie buff, or a music enthusiast, there is so much inspiration to be found in pop culture. 

After coming through thousands of real names submitted by Babylist parents, these are the pop culture-influenced picks that we’ve been seeing trend on the Babylist Babes name chart.

TV and Movie-Inspired Baby Names

Our Babylist Babes data showcases the strong influence hit series and movies have on parents' naming choices. These names reflect a blend of fictional characters from popular TV shows, movies, and books, along with celebrities who have starred in hit films over the past decade.

• Aria: Inspired by Pretty Little Liars and Game of Thrones (Arya).

• Daisy: From the novel Daisy Jones and the Six (more recently adapted into a series).

• Ezra: Aria wasn’t the only name that the TV series Pretty Little Liars made popular. Ezra is trending at the top of our list. 

• Isla: Inspired by actress Isla Fisher, star of Wedding Crashers, Now You See Me, and more.

• Jax: Popularized by Sons of Anarchy (with variations like Jaxx and Jaxon).

• Levi: Matthew McConaughey named his son Levi in 2008, which initially boosted this name's popularity. It’s currently trending at the top of our list and is the twelfth most popular name for boys on the SSA’s chart.

• Liam: A top pick for boys, one of the most significant factors behind the popularity of Liam is the visibility of celebrities with this name (think Liam Payne, Liam Hemsworth, Liam Neeson). 

• Luca: This name has always been somewhat popular but resurfaced with the recent release of Disney’s movie Luca. It's become a popular gender-neutral name pick over the past five years.

• Margot: The name saw a significant rise after Margot Robbie’s starring role in the Barbie movie, climbing 50 spots on the SSA list in 2023—a trend reflected in our data.

• Millie: Popularized by Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven (aka Elle) in Netflix’s Stranger Things. When the show debuted in 2016, Millie jumped 300 spots on the SSA list, and we’ve been seeing quite a few on our list over the past few years.

• Penelope: This name has been a popular choice for girls since Kourtney Kardashian Barker named her second child Penelope in 2012. It saw a recent boost thanks to the success of Bridgerton.

• Noah: This name surged after The Notebook in 2004 and has remained in the top five baby names for the past few years. It’s currently #1 on the SSA list and #5 on the Babylist Babes list for the year.

• Roman: This name is trending thanks to HBO’s Succession and potentially TikTok’s “My Roman Empire” trend.

Names That Left Lasting Impressions

Pop culture introduces us to a wide range of names, often shaping trends in ways we might not even notice! Whether we're conscious of how these names originally gained popularity or not, they’ve undeniably peaked with a pop culture event—and left a lasting impression on names.

• Charlotte: Sex and the City, the now-classic series that first premiered in 1998, was one of the first to popularize the name Charlotte. The name quickly climbed the baby name charts and has remained popular ever since. Recently, it has seen a resurgence in popularity, thanks to the birth of Princess Charlotte, the second child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the success of Netflix's Bridgerton series.

• Lennon: John Lennon passed away in 1980, but his legacy endures. The name Lennon, inspired by music and rock star culture, remains popular and has seen a sharp rise in popularity for girls since 2020 (which makes sense because gender-neutral names are trending).

• Logan: This name has been in the cultural consciousness for a while—since X-Men’s premiere in the early 2000s—and it’s proven to be an enduring, timeless pick. 

• Maverick: Yes, as in Tom Cruise’s character in Top Gun. The sequel was a box-office hit a few years ago and resurfaced this name for parents looking for something edgy. 

Names We’ll Be Keeping Our Eye On…

A few names have entered the spotlight in 2024, and we can’t wait to see if they become the new pop-culture trendsetters. We’ll be paying close attention to how these names shift in the next year. 

Names from ACOTAR: Though it’s a few years old, the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas is having a moment. There are so many inspo-worthy names. We’ll specifically be watching out for Azriel, Cassian, Rhys (Rhysand) and Morrigan. 

Carmen: We think Carmie aka Carmen—the main character in the series The Bear—may help boost this name among gender-neutral baby names in the tailwinds of the show’s success.

Eloise: Sophia Richie Grainge went with a timeless classic for her first baby with her new husband Elliot Grainge and we can't wait to see if climbs in rank.

Harper: Though not directly tied to any character, this name entered the collective consciousness when former Spice Girl member Victoria Beckham and soccer star David Beckham named their daughter in 2011. It’s also the name of the main character in a few different TV series including Lost, Wizards of Waverly Place and Girl Meet World.

Names from House of the Dragon: Another series captivating audiences, we’re curious to see if names like Alicent, Laena, Christon and Otto get a boost in popularity after the premiere of season 2 earlier this summer. 

Ilona: People have been tuned in to the summer Olympics—and US Rugby player Ilona Maher is on many people’s minds due to the body positivity she’s spreading through her TikTok account. With a slightly different pronunciation and spelling, Ilana Glazer has also been in the headlines, staring earlier this year in the comedy Babes. 

Townes: Hilary Duff is no stranger to unique names. Baby Townes Meadow Blair joines sibling Luca (which rose in popularity around the time of his birth, possibly related?), Banks and Mae.

Rocky: We can think of nothing more fitting for Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Travis Barker’s baby boy than Rocky. It’s edgy, unique and fun. The Kardashians are known for their trend-setting name choices—Penelope, Mason, North, Stormi, and Dream—so we’re certain we’ll be seeing a lot more baby Rocky’s in the next year or so.