New Baby Names

Every generation invents new names, and the ones on this page have appeared in records only recently. They reflect the creativity of today's parents, who blend familiar sounds, borrow from pop culture and play freely with spelling.

A few patterns stand out. The ayden sound drives boys' names like Zayden, Zaiden and Jayceon, while girls' names such as Everleigh, Oaklynn, Addilyn and Wrenley lean on the popular leigh and lynn endings. Finnley and Kashton show the same impulse for boys, taking a familiar root and adding a trendy suffix. Royalty belongs to the regal word-name wave.

Pop culture and heritage also play a role. Lorelai is linked for many parents to a well-known television series, Kehlani to a singer, and Cataleya to an action film heroine and a type of orchid. Daleyza has roots in Spanish-speaking communities, and Aarav is a Sanskrit-derived name widely used by Indian families. New names come with both freedom and trade-offs. Your child is unlikely to share a name with a grandparent, but spelling and pronunciation may take some explaining, especially for names with several possible forms. If you choose one of these, pick a spelling that reads clearly on paper and say the name aloud with your surname to hear how it sounds.