Now that the year is almost over, we can look back and see which names truly were everywhere in 2019, but is there a way to predict which names are going to take control in 2020? Barring a new-found psychic ability or a magical crystal ball, there are other ways to forecast the trends that might get big. One way is to use trending names on the Social Security's Popular Baby Name Registry, which tells us which names have been hitting it big in the past and will most likely continue being popular in the future. We can also use a handy list put together by NameBerry, which compiled names that its experts can already tell are ready to pop. Its lists also tell us which trends are influencing how parents are choosing their names and can possibly explain why it seems we see certain names everywhere.
According to the findings, many naming trends will follow larger trends in pop culture, and names that were hot in 2019 will most likely continue to be cool in 2020, such as the name Paisley, which has been trendy for the past couple of years. Adah is another example of a naming trend that doesn't seem to want to go away — and other names that start with Ad (Adaline, Adele, and Adelaide). NameBerry also looked at the names that were the most searched and had the biggest interest from its readers, such as Easton or Nash. Another trend that is here to stay: unisex names. Parents seem to want names that aren't too girly nor too masculine, and names that are gender-flexible are all the rage. Curious about the next big baby names? Take a look at our list and see what the future holds.
REESE
Actress Reese Witherspoon has had an incredible year in 2019 — between her numerous celebrated film and TV projects (like HBO's Big Little Lies) and her growing internet presence, (hello, Reese's Book Club), she is a powerhouse to be reckoned with and great inspiration for a baby name. Reese is actually a unisex name, which ticks off another hot naming trend. NameBerry states that the name is originally Welsh and means "ardor."
AUSTIN
There are lots of reasons why this hip city in Texas is bound to be the next big thing. But we think the rise in Austin as a vacation destination might actually be the key to its popularity. Austin is a contracted form of Augustine, which means "great," and other fun variations are Austen or Austyn.
ADAH
Like we said earlier, Ad- names have been huge for the past couple of years, and 2020 is most likely not going to change that. Adah is actually the pet form of Adele and Adelaide, which both relatively mean "noble." Ada is also a Germanic cognate of the biblical Adah, which means "adornment."
ALVA
Science-based names have been trendy for the past couple of years, which is why this name taken from Thomas Alva Edison will be totally cool next year. (Tot tip: So will the name Edison.) Although Al- names dominated for girls this past year (such as Alma or Alba), Alva could be a good option for boys.
MIKA
Name-cousin Mikayla has dominated baby name charts for the past couple of years, which is probably why similar-sounding Mika is bound to take over the throne. The name does work as a unisex name and is taken from the boy's name Michael, which was derived from the Hebrew mīkhā’ē‘l, which means "Who is like God?"
ACACIUS
A- names are very hot right now, as are names that end in -us. Acacius fits the bill for both these trends and is an undiscovered gem that is not very common. NameBerry states that the name means "thorny, innocent, or not evil" and is an ancient name that has Greek and Latin origins and origins in other ancient cultures or civilizations.
TATE
Norse names are a growing trend that we see continuing well into the 2020s. The name traveled to England, where it really picked up speed, and according to Nameberry, it means "cheerful." Tate has other connections to Jolly Old England — the Tate Modern is a popular museum from across the pond.
PAISLEY
The name Paisley has been unstoppable and went from just a cute name taken from the '60s print to an uber-popular baby name that was everywhere in 2019. NameBerry states that the name actually has Scottish origins and means "church" or "cemetery." Although the name is more common for girls, it would make a cute boys' name too.
DIEGO
Diego will be one of the hottest names next year — we just know it. The origins of the name come from Spain, where Diego is Spanish cognate of James and is the pet form of the name Jaime. Moms and dads who already have one baby at home will know the name from the animated kid's show Go Diego, Go!
AMINA
An Arabic name, Amina is another A- name that we really like going into next year. According to NameBerry, the name means "trustworthy" or "faithful" and has Quranic significance. Amina was the mother of prophet Muhammad. Another variation on the name is Amena, and the name is popular worldwide.
EASTON
A preppy, East Coast prep school-sounding name, Easton could technically be used for either boys or girls — although it is slightly more popular with boys than girls. Possibly not so surprisingly, the name has English origins, NameBerry reports, and it probably wouldn't be a shocker to learn that it means "east facing place."
TEAGAN
Teagan is the feminine form of the Irish men's name Teague, and the name has been a hit over in Wales for many, many years. The name is also popular in Canada, Scotland, and by 2021 will be one of the most used baby names in the United States.The name is probably best known thanks to the music duo Tegan and Sara.
LUCIUS
We like that the name Lucius is on the rise. Taken from Latin, the name is derived from the root lux, which means "light," or from the Ecclesiastic Greek Loukas, a contraction of Loukanos, which means "man from Lucania" — a district in southern Italy. The name has been used in Ireland and has been Anglicized.
NOVA
Space-based names were huge during the 2010s, and that might continue to be the case as the country gets more focused on technology and science. Nova's popularity is the byproduct of that growing cultural interest and is similar to the name Luna, a celestial name that has a following of its own.
CASH
There's sort of a cowboy vibe to the name Cash. Perhaps that's because it's the last name of famed country singer Johnny Cash. After Cash's death in 2003, the name really took off, but it still holds tight to the gunslinger, outlaw connotation that made it popular in the American West.
AURA
This was not the hottest baby name of 2019. In fact, Aura didn't even crack the top 1000 baby names list. But it is the naturally successor to other incredibly popular names, including Aria and Arya, NameBerry states, and has been popular over in Spain for many, many years.
ASH
The name is actually a variation of the name Ashton and was transferred from a surname which meant “belonging to Ashton.” Originally, Ashton was a place in England, and Ashton is place name that is composed of the elements æsc, which means "ash tree," and tūn, which means "town, settlement, village, enclosure."
PEARL
Jewel-based names are going to be trendy this year, and similar names to think about if Pearl is at the top of the baby name list are Opal, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald. Naturally, Pearl is taken from the milky-colored gem found inside certain oysters. Other super sweet variations are Perla and Pearle.
LUCA
Similar to another name on this list, Lucius, Luca is a cognate of Lucus, an Ecclesiastic Late Latin name and comes from the root lux, which means "light." However, there are some who believe the name is derived from the Ecclesiastic Greek Loukas, a contraction of Loukanos, which means "man from Lucania."
BILLIE
Popularized by the teen pop singer Billie Eilish, this will be Billie's year as a name! Traditionally, the name was used for boys, but the pop singer's rise (plus more and more parents using boys' names for girls) has given parents more license to use the name for either genders. The name comes from the Old High German Willehelm, and relatively means "resolute protector."
