As we inch closer to 2025, fresh research has forecasted the trendiest baby names for the upcoming year.
For many mums and dads, picking a name for their newborn is the first significant decision they’ll make, and it can be quite daunting.
A recent survey by JoJo Maman Bebe revealed that over a quarter (26%) of UK parents fretted about regretting their child‘s name, with nearly a quarter (24%) finding it challenging to agree on a moniker.
Almost two in five (37%) opted for a name that would be easy for others to pronounce and spell, while 36% decided to change their child’s name after meeting them for the first time.
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To provide parents with some naming inspiration, JoJo Maman Bebe has collaborated with baby name consultant Colleen Slagen to delve into the most popular names of 2024, identify those at risk of fading into obscurity, and predict the trends for 2025.
The top five boys’ names gaining traction this year include George, Cal, Beckham, Tate, and Rocky. For girls, the rising stars are Margot, Georgia, Miller, Scottie, and Andie. But what does the future hold for baby names in 2025?
According to the study, cottage-core, virtue, and nature-inspired names will continue to gain popularity. However, some parents might veer towards more unique choices within these categories.
“Cottage-core, virtue and nature names will continue to grow in popularity; however, people will lean more into these trends rather than just picking from the popular favourites from each category,” Colleen noted.
“Nature-inspired names like Robin, Meadow, Lake, and Cove are set to gain popularity, along with cottage-core monikers such as Cordelia, Percival, and Archibald. Virtue names like Haven, Promise, Chosen, Poet and Story will also continue their upward trend.”
Old-fashioned names that some might consider outdated are making a resurgence too. Colleen shared: “Vintage names are huge and people are digging to find less common ones, not afraid to resurrect something that others may call outdated.
“For girls, Louise, Dorothy, Mabel and Maisie are on the rise and for boys it’s Arthur, Archie, and Howard. Judith and Reggie have also recently been used.”
The trend of using surnames as first names is predicted to be hot in 2025, alongside gender-neutral names and traditional boy names for girls. “Surnames will be on the rise for both genders and more gender-neutral names for girls will gain popularity,” said Colleen.
“I think we’ll start seeing more traditional male names being chosen for girls such as Drew, Noah and Dylan. I used to get a lot of requests for gender-neutral names that lean feminine, however, now I get more and more requests for ‘true’ ‘boys names’ for girls.”
She added: “The biggest trend I see for 2025 is what I call ‘My Best Friend’s Dad’ names: Scottie, Tommie, Markie, Mickey, and Billie.
“People are also leaning more toward gender-neutral names for boys. The names I’m currently hearing are Darcy and Kit (more for girls but for both genders).”
At the same time, names commonly linked to the baby boomer and millennial generations are in danger of dying out.
Colleen noted: “Boomer names like Linda, Kathy, Karen, Gary and Bob are not being used as much. The same can be said for millennial names like Tiffany, Caitlin, Courtney, Greg, and Jeff.”