Of all the decisions you have to make before your baby is born, choosing their name ranks as one of the toughest. After all, how can you possibly be expected to pick out a forever name for someone you haven’t even met yet and for a child whose personality is still a mystery to you (beyond those 3:00 a.m. kicks, that is)? Well, if you’re looking for some baby name inspiration, you might want to look to these baby name trends for 2023, which are vibrant, beautiful, and celebrate so many periods in American history.
It’s exciting to see what the baby name trends are each year. Sometimes, there’s not much of a huge difference, and that’s definitely been the case in the last couple of years, when the pandemic played a major role in the names parents-to-be chose for their children. But now that things have seemed to take a turn for the better, there’s an even greater zest for life that can be seen in the new names that parents might be picking in the new year.
From 80s pop culture (hello, Ferris!) to golden names such as Soleil, to even cowboy names like Tex, these baby name trends for 2023 are unique — just like your little one.
Maximalist baby names
Forget about less is more. In the case of maximalism, more is more, which goes against the idea of minimalism that has been so prevalent, particularly during the pandemic. Taken from literature and mythology, history to fantasy worlds, these maximalist names are currently trending for 2023.
- Amadeus
- Cleopatra
- Wednesday
- Draco
- Euphemia
- Esmeray
- Casimir
- Perseus
- Wolfgang
- Valerian
- Zephyrine
80s baby names
Thanks in large part to Stranger Things, 80s baby names are back in style. See if you can spot which movies some of these characters come from.
- Sloane
- Perry
- Johnny
- Dustin
- Blane
- Julie
- Ren
- Todd
- Penny
- Suzie
- Laurel
- Marcie
- Hank
Golden baby names
As a wink and a nod to the Gilded Age, names that signify all things golden are, well, golden. While you might expect to see Goldie on the list, there are other names (like Aurelia or Orla) that have ties to gold — and are 14k gold names, too.
- Sunshine
- Lucien
- Marigold
- Apollo
- Glow
- Ochre
- Sterling
- Suvi
- Zora
- Halo
- Atarah
- Solana
Cowboy names
Life has been challenging for the last couple of years, which might explain the newfound popularity of cowboy-inspired names. Maybe it’s their connection to the earth or simpler times, but cowboy names are cool once again.
- Tex
- Huck
- Walker
- Reeve
- Briggs
- Lloyd
- Foster
- Beck
- Wade
- Steele
- Rhodes
- Rhett
X baby names
Apart from the letter Z, there probably isn’t a cooler letter to use to spell your baby’s name than X. Baby names that have an X in them certainly have an X factor, and as for baby name trends of 2023, X-inspired baby names are definitely extra.
- Calix
- Huxley
- Moxie
- Pax
- Onyx
- Pixie
- Roux
- Xenia
- Hendrix
- Eryx
- Bellatrix
- Xerxes
Baby names that aren’t nouns, but adjectives
If you thought that all baby names were nouns, think again. One of the biggest trends is to name your baby after an adjective. Meant to evoke an emotion, these names are pretty powerful, and utterly inspirational.
- Divine
- True
- Lovely
- Epic
- Celestial
- Zealous
- Loyal
- Noble
- Sincere
- Eternal
- Bright
Older male names for baby girls
Gender-neutral names are nothing new but naming your child after a grandpa certainly is. You’ll find that some new parents are giving their baby girls names that were once reserved for older gents.
- Ira
- Bernie
- Rudy
- Lou
- Iggy
- Gene
- Ray
- Max
- Joey
- Georgie
- Jude
- Rudy
Blue green baby names
There’s some debate as to the lucky color of 2023. Some say it’s digital lavender, while others think it’s an emerald green. That might explain why blue-green baby names are trending for 2023.
- Azure
- Navy
- Sage
- Rivers
- Indigo
- Forest
- Storm
- Cielo
- Cerulean
- Ivy
- Mazarine
- Sky
- Lazuli
- Wave
Create your own baby names
You’d think that with so many baby name trends for 2023 that it would be a lot easier to select one for your baby… but you’d be wrong. Faced with so many fabulous choices, some parents are preferring to come up with their own creations — and they’re beautiful.
- Icelyn
- Islamae
- Braven
- Caliana
- Maebry
- Riverly
- Wrenley
- Kailo
- Novarae
- Romer
- Emberly
- Cyaire
And there you have it: the baby name trends for 2023 have a little something for everyone — and the opportunity to draw upon inspiration to make a name that’s as unique as your baby.