The latest forecasts for the most popular baby names for boys and girls in 2025 have been unveiled, with experts identifying intriguing trends. The year 2025 is anticipated to witness a rise in creative and significant baby names, as new parents are predicted to opt for culturally rich names.
Following BabyCentre’s announcement that Muhammad and Olivia were the top names for UK-born babies in 2024, focus has now shifted to the forthcoming year, with experts predicting which names will surge in popularity in 2025. Pregnancy and parenting website BabyCentre, along with baby name expert and celebrity baby name consultant SJ Strum, suggest that recent cultural shifts will shape baby naming trends.
In 2024, ‘Manifest’ was selected as the Word of the Year by the Cambridge Dictionary after being searched nearly 130,000 times on their website, and this is thought to potentially influence baby naming choices. “This optimistic and empowered movement is inspiring lots of amazing names,” Strum remarked.
“I see this trend growing and in 2025, parents will be picking names that bring this spirit of positive thinking, plus hope, dreams and visions of a wonderful future together for their baby in their name choices.”
Names that already align with the ‘manifest’ theme, such as Mila (miracles), Evelyn (wished for), and Bodhi (enlightenment), are popular, and Strum predicts that names like Nova, Everest, and Amara could become hits in 2025, according to the Express, reports MyLondon.
The baby naming expert has predicted a boom in nature-themed names such as Willow, Daisy, and Arlo, indicating a ‘nature renaissance’ that has taken place recently. She stated: “This nature renaissance isn’t just about returning to our roots; it’s about planting new ones for the future too.”
She further commented, “Our commitment to sustainability and celebration of the beauty in the natural world means that nature-inspired names are flourishing. Keep an eye on other earthy classics names such as Cedar, meaning grounded and strong, with a nod to majestic forests, and Rivera – combining nature and sophistication.”
According to Pinterest’s recent forecasts, there’s a notable surge in ‘Castlecore’, identifying Britain’s medieval movement as a significant aesthetic. Strum believes this trend could also find its way into baby naming, highlighting the growing popularity of names like Maeve (she who rules), Louie (famed warrior), and Myles (soldier).
Hinting at the potential longevity of the ‘castlecore’ trend, Strum remarked: “Castlecore-inspired names transport us to a world of chivalry and fantasy, allowing parents to weave a sense of wonder into their children’s identities. The romantic aesthetic of Castlecore, with its medieval-inspired charm and fairy-tale allure, is set to influence a wave of regal and whimsical baby names in the near-future. Other instinctive names yet to hit the top 100 include Eowyn (bravery and heroism) and Percival – Rich with Arthurian romance.”
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