If youโre looking for the biggest baby name trends for 2018, look no further. While weโve previously reported on the top 100 baby names for 2017, as the year draws to a close, predictions for the most popular baby names for next year are coming in.
In 2017, the Top 10 names for both boys and girls stayed almost the same as the year before, with only three new entries across the board (Noah, Mia and Ella). Amelia and Oliver both kept their spots at number one and are rapidly becoming the maternity yoga pants of baby names: comfy and really easy to live with. In fact, Amelia has been ranked number one for a whopping six years now, and Oliverโs been there since 2013. Right behind them are names that have stayed in the Top 10 pretty consistently: Jack, Harry, Olivia and Emily.
Notice a theme there in the list for girls? Think they all sound a little similar? Look: there are eight names that sound strikingly alike: Amelia, Olivia, Isla, Ava, Ella, Jessica, Isabella and Mia. Even the two remaining names sound the same as each other: Emily and Poppy. Clearly we enjoy familiarity. (And names that end in โ a.)
Looking ahead to 2018, the trend for choosing comfortably familiar names, with or without a twist, is definitely going to continue. However, thereโs more out there than that! Take a look at some of the other latest and greatest ways to name a babyโฆ
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Top gender neutral baby names for 2018:
These are definitely hot stuff right now and are predicted to be big winners in the coming years as parents move toward more fluid notions of gender and identity.
โMax: A latin baby name meaning greatest. Itโs been popular for boys for years, but is now being used as a girlโs name too.
Alex: A cute, gender neutral baby name meaning โdefending menโ.
Charlie: Meaning โfree manโ, for years this has been a diminutive of Charles or Charlotte.
Andy: Traditionally a shorterned version of the name โAndrewโ, this is now becoming a more popular choice for both sexes.
The top boys names for 2018:
Oliver: Latin, meaning โolive treeโ. The UKโs most popular boysโ name in several recent years.
Reggie: Sometimes, names that look or sound similar hang around for a while. In 2018, names that start with R- or Th- will be big winners for boys. We love Reggie, a cute name meaning โcounsel powerโ.
Reuben: A Hebrew name meaning โbehold a sonโ, another name set to be popular in 2018.
Theo: A cool-sounding baby name meaning โdivine giftโ. Names beginning with Th- are set to be popular for boys this year and this is a cute choice.
Thiago: Pronounced โchee-AH-goโ, this unique baby name means โsupplanterโ and is set to rise this year.
George: Greek, meaning โfarmerโ. Chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their son, born in July 2013, and third in line to the throne. If youโre looking for something a little different, how about Giorgio?
Jack: From the Hebrew John, meaning โGod is graciousโ. The UKโs most popular boysโ name for 14 years until fairly recently.
Harry: Old German, form of Henry, meaning โhome rulerโ. Famous Harrys include Prince Harry, Harry Potter and One Direction singer Harry Styles.
Noah: Hebrew, meaning โpeacefulโ. In the Bible, Noah is said to have built an ark to save two of every animal from a flood that covered the earth
Jacob: Hebrew, meaning โhe who supplantsโ. Ancestor of the tribes of Israel in the Bible. Cute nicknames include Jacob, Jaco and Jago.
William: Old German, meaning โstrong- willed warriorโ. Famous Williams include Prince William, playwright William Shakespeare and rapper Will.i.am.
Charlie: Old German, meaning โfree manโ. Popularised by Charles the Great (a.k.a. Charlemagne). Prince Charles is heir to the throne of England. Charles Dickens was one of the finest and most enduringly popular English authors.
Henry: Old German, meaning โhome rulerโ. There have been eight Kings of England named Henry, and in the unlikely event that Prince Harry found himself on the throne he would become Henry IX.
Muhammed: Arabic, meaning โpraiseworthyโ. Acknowledged as the prophet and founder of Islam. The name is extremely popular in large parts of the world. British runner Mo Farah is the Olympic and world record holder for the 5,000 and 10,000 metres.
Tom: As we approach 2020 (can you believe it?), keep an eye out for names from the Roaring Twenties. Tom looks set to have a revival, a cute traditional name meaning โtwinโ.
Llyod: First world war names look set to be popular again this year, so how about this cute baby name meaning โgreyโ.
Finn: A lovely Irish baby name meaning โfair or whiteโ predicted to rise this year.
Atticus: Meaning โfrom Atticaโ this is a trendy name, popular with To Kill a Mockingbird fans.
Arthur: Whilst there looks to be a spike in popularity for names that arenโt technically human, such as Bear, if youโre still looking for something more traditional, this cute baby name, meaning โbearโ has been around for years.
Logan: Meaning โsmall hollowโ this traditional Scottish name is growing in popularity.
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The top girls names for 2018:
Amelia: a Greek name, meaning โindustriousโ. Famous Amelias include flying legend Amelia Earhart, and two Princess Amelias of Great Britain during the eighteenth century.
Emily: a Latin name, meaning โrival, eagerโ. Emily Dickinson is one of the most well- known poets of the nineteenth century. A very popular name choice in recent years.
Olivia: a Latin name, meaning โoliveโ. Olivia has featured in the Top 10 names for girls in England for several years now, including at number one.
Ella: a German baby name, meaning โcompletelyโ. Now becoming a name in its own right, Ella is traditionally a shortened version of Eleanor, Elizabeth and Ellen.
Ava: Latin, meaning โlike a birdโ. Famous Avasโ include Ava Gardner was an iconic American actress during the 1950sโ1970s.
Meghan: With a royal wedding on the cards, this beautiful name is predicted to grow in popularity. Originally a Welsh name meaning โpearlโ.
Mia: An Italian baby name meaning โmineโ, set to rise in popularity this year.
Jessica: a Hebrew baby name, meaning โHe seesโ. A popular name over several decades, cute alternatives include Jess and Jessie.
Isla: a Scotish Gaelic baby name meaning โriverโ, set to be popular in 2018.
Isabella: 2018 is set to be a royal year, with a wedding and royal baby number three on the way. Isabella, a Spanish name meaning โpledged to Godโ definitely has the royal seal of approval.
Ada: a name with plenty of feminist connotations set to be popular in 2018, meaning โnobleโ.
Matilda: In 2018, names that end in โ a or have a โ v sound will dominate for girls. One of our favourite, more unique baby names following this pattern is Matilda, meaning โbattle mightyโ. Cute nicknames include Tilly.
Evelyn: Following the trend mentioned above, Evelyn looks set to be popular. A beautiful name meaning โwished for childโ.
Ivy: A botanical baby name that has risen in popularity since being chosen by Beyonce for her first child, Blue-Ivy.
Emmeline: Another feminist name set to rise this year, an old French name meaning โworkโ.
Nora: Following the trend in baby names ending with an -a sound, this cute choice is a traditional Irish baby name meaning โlightโ.
Aurora: A more unique Latin baby name, meaning โdawnโ.
Victoria: Another royal baby name to celebrate a royal year, with an elegant feel to it, this traditional name means โvictoryโ.
Emma: Never far from the top of most popular baby name lists, Emma does not seem to be going anywhere yet. A traditional name meaning โuniversalโ.
Luna: A Latin baby name meaning โmoonโ that has been rising in popularity over the past few years. A cute choice for Harry Potter fans!
This article first appeared on Mother & Baby UK.