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It's hard to believe we're already so deep into 2018, but here we are. We're heading into the fall, and it's a great time to check in and see what's going on in the baby name world. Every year the Social Security Administration publishes its list of the most popular baby names given to new arrivals. But even before a year is over, it's possible to tell which ones are climbing the charts the fastest by checking out popular baby name sites like Nameberry and Baby Center. These sites let parents track which names they're using so moms and dads who are still searching for the perfect name will know which picks are on the rise.
Most parents are familiar with the Social Security Administration's most popular names of 2018: Emma and Liam. They've probably also met more than their fair share of kids who claim the equally popular names Olivia and Noah. Those timeless baby names are still climbing, according to data from Nameberry and Baby Center. But there are new contenders being introduced to the top names every day, and those are the ones this list is about.
Whether it's an old classic making a sudden revival, like Genevieve and Jasper, or names with roots in pop culture, like Atticus, these are the names that are serious contenders for the most popular of 2018. Whether parents are looking for a popular name or specifically trying to avoid one, this list will help them get a feel for the current trends before they make the big choice. And who knows? Maybe one of these names will even be the diamond in the rough that parents never knew they always wanted. Happy naming!
LOGAN
![img-of-media-slide-247519.jpg img-of-media-slide-247519.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247519.jpg)
According to Baby Center, Logan is trending as this year's sixth fastest rising baby name for boys. The Scottish name means "small hollow" but there's nothing small about the impact its making.
ROSE
![img-of-media-slide-247531.jpg img-of-media-slide-247531.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247531.jpg)
Does it get more classic than Rose? This vintage, feminine name has fallen in and out of popularity over the past several decades, but now it's firmly on the climb.
ELIJAH
![img-of-media-slide-247522.jpg img-of-media-slide-247522.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247522.jpg)
Biblical names never really go out of style, and Elijah is no exception. The name has climbed one full spot from 2017 to trend at number seven on Baby Center's name charts.
AMARA
![img-of-media-slide-247516.jpg img-of-media-slide-247516.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247516.jpg)
This sweet name just joined the list of top 10 trending baby girl names on Nameberry this year. Now, it's already ranking as the second most popular choice. Something tells me the kindergarten classes of 2023 are going to have more than a few Amaras.
DECLAN
![img-of-media-slide-247515.jpg img-of-media-slide-247515.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247515.jpg)
Declan is a holdover from the Irish baby name takeover that occurred in the early 2010s. According to Nameberry, 80 percent of its users now prefer Declan to it's uber popular competitor, Aidan. Maybe that's why it's trending for 2018.
CORA
![img-of-media-slide-247525.jpg img-of-media-slide-247525.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247525.jpg)
Vintage names are where it's at in 2018. Take Cora, for instance. The name, meaning maiden, has moved from number 876 on the most popular baby names list of 1988, all the way to number 87 in 2018. Cora is the new Norah?
ASHER
![img-of-media-slide-247526.jpg img-of-media-slide-247526.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247526.jpg)
Asher means blessed, and this name certainly seems to be. In the past decade it's risen from relative obscurity to number 59 on the U.S. most popular baby names list.
GENEVIEVE
![img-of-media-slide-247520.jpg img-of-media-slide-247520.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247520.jpg)
Longer names like Genevieve are overtaking classic short names like Zoe and Mia in 2018, and why not? This name is wistful and elegant with plenty of nickname potential (Gen, Nev, Nevi) for parents who crave one.
MILO
![img-of-media-slide-247521.jpg img-of-media-slide-247521.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247521.jpg)
Last year, Milo was the sixth most popular boys' name on Nameberry. Now, it's ranking at number two on the list. Could this name, which means soldier, move up and take the crown?
ISLA
![img-of-media-slide-247529.jpg img-of-media-slide-247529.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247529.jpg)
First there were short names like Ava, Ada, Ella, and Emma. And then came Isla. The name, which is pronounced eye-la, follows a trend of short, punchy names that begin and end with a vowel. They never go out of style.
ATTICUS
![img-of-media-slide-247530.jpg img-of-media-slide-247530.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247530.jpg)
Atticus was the top trending baby name at the end of 2017, and it's only continued to climb in the new year. The name, popularized by Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, is still the number one fastest rising baby name in the country, according to Nameberry.
MILA
![img-of-media-slide-247541.jpg img-of-media-slide-247541.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247541.jpg)
This Russian moniker has climbed eight spots on Baby Center's trending name list to come in as one of the fastest rising baby names of the entire year. It's certainly living up to its meaning, "industrious and hard working."
JASPER
![img-of-media-slide-247537.jpg img-of-media-slide-247537.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247537.jpg)
"Bringer of treasure" seems a perfect meaning for this hidden gem that's currently the third fastest rising boys' name in the country. The name started the year at number 185 on the most popular baby names but will likely end it in the top 50.
AURORA
![img-of-media-slide-247536.jpg img-of-media-slide-247536.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247536.jpg)
Sleeping Beauty is no longer the only one who claims this ultra-feminine name. Aurora, meaning dawn, is the 51st most popular girls' name, as well as the sixth fastest rising, according to Nameberry.
MASON
![img-of-media-slide-247535.jpg img-of-media-slide-247535.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247535.jpg)
Mason was the fifth most popular boys' name last year, and it's holding strong to its title, according to Baby Center. It's still currently in fifth place, but climbing.
AVA
![img-of-media-slide-247538.jpg img-of-media-slide-247538.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247538.jpg)
Ava, meaning "life," is the name that won't quit. It's been rising steadily since the early 2000s and is currently ranked number three on the most popular girls' names of 2017.
OLIVER
![img-of-media-slide-247528.jpg img-of-media-slide-247528.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247528.jpg)
Oliver and its feminine form, Olivia, are two of the most beloved names for millennial parents. The name ranked third in popularity last year, and it's on track to take that spot again in 2018.
CHARLOTTE
![img-of-media-slide-247542.jpg img-of-media-slide-247542.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247542.jpg)
Charlotte is a timeless name that's almost never needed a popularity boost, though it's certainly gotten one, thanks to Princess Charlotte. The name, meaning "petite" and "feminine," is working to ascend past its current spot at number eight on the charts.
LUCAS
![img-of-media-slide-247533.jpg img-of-media-slide-247533.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247533.jpg)
Lucas, meaning "light-giving" was 2017's fourth most popular boys' name, according to Baby Center. This year, it's still rising fast. Parents love it for its short, punchy style and classic sound.
AMELIA
![img-of-media-slide-247544.jpg img-of-media-slide-247544.jpg](https://cafemom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img-of-media-slide-247544.jpg)
Amelia is having a moment and has been for the past few years. The name went from being rare in the early 2000s to number eight on the most popular girls' names. So far this year, Baby Center has it clocking in as the sixth most popular, and we still have a few months to go …