There are plenty of baby names that seem to be popular no matter what year we're in. A list of the top 100 most popular baby names is released every year, and rarely do we see major surprises taking over the top spots. The names at the top are there for a reason: They're timeless and classic and everyone loves them. But sometimes, we're surprised by the names that make it on the lower half — where trends emerge and start to take over.
Recently, The Bump released a brand-new list of the top 100 most popular baby names for girls and boys in 2020 so far. And despite some predictable favorites over the past few years, the timely name Corona made the list. Given that this year so far has been dominated by all things "corona" it's no surprise for some but may cause others to do a double take as little Coronas start popping up on playground and back-to-school lists in years to come. In addition to this surprise, there were some other interesting trends for babies born during this unpredictable year.
MILA & BRAXTON
Although this list isn't our typical most popular one, it does give hints for what names are trending this year — and both the top boy and girl name are surprising. Mila and Braxton are heading the list. Neither are names we hear of that often, but apparently they've gained serious popularity this year.
AALIYAH & ZION
AURORA & HUNTER
Aurora is one of our favorites because it’s the name of one of the greatest Disney princesses, Sleeping Beauty. The name is rising in popularity, and we're not shocked to see it on the popular list. Hunter, on the other hand, has been a name we've heard for a while, but it's interesting that it's so far up the list.
ARIA & KAI
Looks like the names from the popular HBO show Game of Thrones are still running things in terms of the list, even with a different spelling. Aria has been trending up since that show aired, and it's got no signs of slowing down. Kai is one of those names that fits right in the middle — unique but not one that people have never heard before.
AMELIA & URBAN
Urban is a real surprise on this list because it's one we haven't heard of for a first name. We love how unique it is and it holding the fifth spot on the list wasn't expected. Amelia is one of those girl names that is not unusual, but being so high up on the list is lovely.
ELIANA & LOGAN
One of these names is pretty common, and we're not at all shocked to see Logan land in the sixth spot on this list. Eliana is beautiful and it's more unusual than Logan is, for sure. The name sounds like it should be a character on Game of Thrones; similar to Aria, it has that same sweetness to it — but it's not, so it's popular all on its own.
NOVA & ELLIOT
Nova isn't usually seen on a popular baby name lists but the name has been around for a long while. According to BabyNameWizard, Nova has been around since the 1880s and its popularity dropped off around the 2012s. Elliot, which can also be used for a girl, has been a steady name but has totally jumped up in recent years.
KAYDEN & LIAM
Kayden is another name that is unisex, and Liam is typically reserved for boys. We've seen both names on popular lists before, but Kayden being placed at spot 8 on the list for girls is not what we would have expected. Not complaining at all — we love it.
MOLLY & LUCAS
No surprise here for either Molly or Lucas — both are pretty averagely common names for boys and girls and we're not knocking that. These names are common for a reason: Because they're the right amount of cute and strong. Both are great options.
IVY & RIVER
Two names that land right at the top 10 are both related back to nature, which is pretty interesting. Ivy, for a girl, and River, for a boy, have deep roots back to our surroundings. Ivy has been a common choice in recent years, and according to BabyNameWizard, River has been on the rise for a while too.
AVERY & ATLAS
Two names that start with the letter A are sitting at the 11th spot on the girl and boy list. Avery is another name that's typically reserved for boys, so we're glad to see it on the rise for girls. Atlas is a fun and creative name that we didn’t expect to be so popular this year.
ROWAN & ASHER
These picks are two more names that could be for any gender — it seems like that's the overall theme for popular names for 2020. Rowan and Asher can both be used for a girl, a boy, or for parents who are raising their kids without gender.
MIA & ZANE
Did you know that Mia is a pet name for the super common name Maria? We didn't either, but for some reason that makes this name cuter to us. Mia is a common name for girls so it's not much of a surprise to see it here. Zane, on the other hand, has been around for a while but has never really made too many waves. For those of us with a young child in our life, we know Zane from the Lego Ninjago series.
SKYLAR & REMI
Skylar and Remi are both holding spots on the top boy and girl names on the list, and what we love the most about both names — and the spot they secured — is that it's not immediately apparent which list either of them belongs to. Both names are neutral and could go to boy or girl, and both land at spot #14. For the record, Skylar is on the girls' list and Remi on the boys' list.
MAEVE & LUCA
If we were to pick a name that we are most in love with this year, Maeve is where we're at so far. It's so gorgeous, and people must agree with that given its place in the top 100 list of baby names this year. Luca is a fun twist on other popular names, such as Lucas, and we're guessing there was a good boost thanks to Hilary Duff giving her son the name.
THE BIGGEST SURPRISES
There are always surprises on these kinds of list, but none have been as big as the name that caught the #100 spot on the girls' list. Corona has made its way into popularity. We can only guess it's because of the worldwide health crisis. The surprise name on the boys' list, Remington, is a strong-sounding name. We're obsessed with it and love that it's in spot #37.
