10 top baby names of 2026 — and the unusual trends inspiring parents

When searching for baby name inspiration, it helps to know which names are in vogue — whether parents want to embrace a popular choice or pick something more unusual.

The official list of 2026’s top baby names won’t be available until next year, but BabyCenter’s ranking of the most popular names of the year so far offers an early glimpse at the choices parents are gravitating toward, along with some emerging trends.

Unlike the annual Social Security Administration (SSA) rankings, which are based on applications for Social Security cards, BabyCenter’s data comes from names voluntarily submitted by parents in real time through its app. That makes it less of an official ranking and more of a live snapshot of the names gaining traction right now.

Three baby name trends rising in popularity — and one that’s no longer fashionable 

Screen-inspired names 

The influence of KPop Demon Hunters is showing up in baby names data, as BabyCenter reports an increase in parents choosing names linked to the Oscar-winning 2025 movie.

Rumi (the name of the female lead character) has climbed 715 spots to number 1,190, and Arden (Cho, the name of Rumi’s voice actor) is up 212 spots to number 954. Similarly, Rei (Ami, who sings for the character of Zoey) is up 295 spots to number 4,251. Over on the boys’ list, Jinu has jumped 1,907 places to number 4,537.

The Hollywood influence doesn’t end there. A number of character names from nostalgic TV shows are proving popular choices this year. Beloved sitcom Friends remains hugely influential, with Monica climbing 122 spots to number 931 and Ross up 756 places to number 1,930.

Scrubs, which originally aired in 2001 and returned in February, has also seen an uptick in the names of the characters featured. Dorian (J.D.’s last name) is up 118 spots to number 587 for boys, and Carla is up 51 spots to number 1,075 for girls. Names from another revived 2000s classic, Malcolm in the Middle, saw similar boosts in popularity. Reese climbed 124 spots to number 565 for boys, and Lois went up 202 places to 1,947.

Soft-sounding names

BabyCenter data shows that parents are gravitating toward softer-sounding names, whether they feature gentle consonants such as l, m, n, r, s, v, w, y, and z, or begin or end with vowel sounds.

Names like Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Eliana, and Ezra all reflect this trend and appear in the top 10 lists.

Fire and light names

In the Chinese lunar zodiac, it’s the Year of the Fire Horse, which BabyCenter says is linked to the increase in fire and light-related baby names picked by parents this year. Phoenix, Apollo (the Greek god of the sun), Ember and Seraphina (a Hebrew name meaning “fiery one”) have all risen in popularity in 2026.

Girl names starting with “Ad”

Not everything’s on the up. Girl names starting with “Ad” have been declining in popularity among BabyCenter app users. Among these are Adelyn, Adalee, Adele, Adira, Adilene, Adina and Adhara.

Rebekah Wahlberg, BabyCentre’s baby name trends specialist, says the trends will likely continue to shift, due to major news events and pop culture moments. “These are always front-of-mind for parents when it comes to influences they consider as they’re making the big decision to name their babies,” she tells Yahoo.

10 top baby girl names of 2026 (so far) and how this compares to BabyCenter’s 2025 list

10 top baby boy names of 2026 (so far) and how this compares to BabyCenter’s 2025 list