Prime Child Title Developments for 2025—From TV Reveals to Cottagecore

Looking more closely at these emerging choices, she says we can see some common threads beyond the desire to find something short and sweet. Plus, she’s getting some intel from parents.

Gender-neutral names are in—but with a contemporary twist

No gender or sex has “ownership” over a name. Still, we have our general stereotypes on names typically given to babies assigned a particular sex at birth.

Slagen has received several requests for gender-neutral names recently.

“Pop culture has definitely impacted the rise in gender-neutral names,” she says. “They are versatile and often feel like a unique choice. Choosing a name typically used for one gender for the opposite gender.”

But this year,  Slagen is noticing a new trend: While she’s often gotten requests for gender-neutral names that lean feminine, more parents are asking about ones that veer more masculine. Think Drew, Noah, and Dylan for girls. And she’s seeing more parents opt for gender-neutral boy names for their male little ones, like Darcy and Kit.

That said, she adds she won’t be surprised to see more parents lean toward hyper-feminine names for girls that play off trending ones listed above, like Eloise and Vivian.

Throwback is back

Eloise and Vivian also sound vintage. Ditto for names like Louise, Dorothy, Mabel, and Maise for girls and Arthur, Archie, and Howard for boys. Expect to see more of these monikers in 2025, Slagen says. She adds that these “dated” names now feel cool.

“Vintage names feel timeless and established, but because many of them had gone out of style, it feels like a very fresh choice for the modern naming parent as many vintage names are quite uncommon these days,” Slagen says. “In a way, choosing something old-timey feels like you’re escaping more modern trends. However, vintage choices are on-trend, and some have become quite popular.”

In addition to feeling fresh, vintage names also often fit a classic. JoJo Maman Bébé’s data found that 28% of parents eliminated baby names that felt too common, but 18% were down on names that felt “too unusual.” Right now, vintage names are toeing this line. 

Cottage-core and popular TV shows are big inspiration sources 

In line with vintage, cottage-core names (inspired by the “aesthetic” leaning into an idyllic, bucolic way of life) and period-based TV shows like Bridgerton and Yellowstone are also passing the vibe check for baby name inspiration. Think Robin, Lake, Cove, Kayce, Tate, Daphne, and Dutton.

Of course, Bridgerton won’t be around forever, and social media will likely pivot to a new aesthetic. Is it risky?

“Following a trend is not necessarily a bad thing,” Slagen says. “You’re making a choice that society has collectively approved. The con is that sometimes trends go in and out of fashion quickly.”

‘Boomer’ names are not trending

Just like names aren’t limited to sex, they aren’t limited to generations. However, Slagen shares that names that are common among the Boomer generations aren’t currently popular among parents-to-be. These names include Linda, Karen, Gary, and Bob.

“Currently, I think a lot of Boomer names are at risk of becoming extinct,” Slagen says. “Trends are cyclical, and our associations of boomers’ names don’t align with what parents envision as a fitting baby name.”

Then again, this era’s “out-of-style” names may be the next one’s “vintage and timeless” names.

Tips for Choosing a Baby Name

Choosing a baby name can be stressful, whether you want to follow a trend or not. Slagen offered some tips to make this aspect of parenting a little easier.

• Opt out of the surprise. The surprise of learning your baby’s sex on their birthdate can be fun for some parents. However, “If you are really struggling with baby names, do not wait until the birth to find out the sex of your child,” Slagen says.
• Prepare in advance. Parenting isn’t always “instinctual,” despite the idea that your “motherly instinct” will just “kick in.” Ditto for baby naming. “Do not assume the right name is going to suddenly strike you when the baby is born,” Slagen says. “Go in prepared with a list of a few top choices.” None of them are set in stone, but it’s helpful to have preferred ideas.
• Bypass the Reddit rabbit hole. Reddit may be swell for determining whether or not your in-laws are toxic, but Slagen isn’t a fan of it for naming.” There is always going to be someone who has something negative to say about any given name,” she says.

In short, leaning into your preferences rather than the Internet’s is probably your best bet.