The Most Popular Baby Names Of 2026 Isn't What We Expected At All

Baby name trends come and go throughout the years — it's why you're way less likely to hear Brittany and Jessica on the playground now than in the '90s — and, in 2026, parents have been switching up what they name their babies again. BabyCenter recently released its most popular baby name list for 2026, and many of the top baby names are surprising!

The No. 1 spot for both boys (Noah) and girls (Olivia) stayed the same as last year, but there were some noticeable changes from there. For girls, Eliana moved up to second place from No. 7 last year, pushing Amelia to third. Eliana is a gorgeous name meaning "my God has answered" or "sun." Other chart-toppers were Charlotte, which climbed to fourth, and Evelyn, which made it to the top 10 for the first time in three years at No. 9. Evelyn means "desired child," "life," "little bird," and "strength," so it's easy to see why it's such a beloved pick. 

As for boys, the top five names remain the same as the previous two years: Noah, Liam, Oliver, Elijah, and Mateo. What's most surprising is the two new names that entered the top 10 in 2026. Elias reached the top 10 for the first time at No. 7, and Leo's popularity increased enough to make the list at No. 10. Elias is a cool name that means "Yahweh is God," and Leo means "lion." 

BabyCenter's 2026 baby names list shows emerging trends. For example, eight out of the top 10 baby girl names end in "a," which gives them a soft, feminine touch. Not to mention, Magnolia, another -a ending name, rose 40 spots and made the top 100 list for the first time in 2026. Many of the top baby boy names begin with "L," including Liam, Lucas, Levi, and Leo. As a mom of three boys with "L" names, I love this trend!

Several baby names on the U.S. Social Security Administration's top 10 baby names of 2025 didn't make it to BabyCenter's top 10. These included Sofia, an alternative spelling of Sophia, for girls, and Theodore, Henry, James, and William for boys. 

Many names were also inspired by pop culture, like Stetson, which claimed the No. 95 spot on the list, making the top 100 for the first time. We may be able to thank the rugged cowboy culture from "Yellowstone" for that. Dean re-entered the top 100 for the first time this century, possibly due to the enduring popularity of "Gilmore Girls." Jasper, a name from "Twilight" (which has seen its own strong resurgence in popularity), rose to No. 97. Jeremiah, one of Belly's love interests in the hit Prime Video series "The Summer I Turned Pretty," rose to No. 60. Most dramatically, Ilya from "Heated Rivalry" rose more than 6,200 spots to number 2,197. If you're considering any of these names for your baby, you're in good company!