There is a lot of pressure involved in choosing the "right" first name for your baby. Do you go for something popular, or unique? When it comes to baby names, are you more of a traditional Royal Family, or more of a boundary-pushing Kardashian family? Would you be delighted, or devastated, if you name you picked ended up on the list of most popular baby names?
Then when it comes to a middle name, all bets are off. Since your child will, in the future, have the choice to use a middle name or not, you have room to go a little more "out there" than you would with a first name. Then again, middle names are often a place where families are honored, either through using an initial, using a last name as a middle name or choosing a middle name from a family member.
If you're looking for inspiration for middle names for girls, it also helps to know what names are becoming hotter. The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps a list of the most popular baby names for girls, so you can see which trends are on the rise. Whichever name you pick, it'll suit her perfectly. (And if you're looking for middle names for boys or gender-neutral names, we have those, too.)
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Find a baby name that's up-and-coming.
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In addition to keeping track of the most-often-used baby names, the SSA keeps track of names that have taken big leaps in popularity. That's where you find interesting names that aren't unheard of, but won't be overdone in a couple of years. Some climbers include:
Avayah (up 1,547 places in the popular name ranking from 2019)
Denisse and Denise (up 942 places and 522 places, respectively)
Jianna (up 824 places)
Capri (up 608 places)
Rosalia (up 542 places)
Zhuri (up 398 places)
Haisley (up 382 places)
Novah (up 347 places)
Murphy (up 327 places)
Jaylin (up 326 places)
Judging from this list, we seem to be headed from names that end in an "a" (Emma, Ava, Sophia, Mia) to names that end in an "ah" (Avayah, Novah). Names that an "e" sound (Capria, Zhuri, Haisley) also seem to be up-and-coming, if you want to be ahead of that trend.
The baby-naming sites like Nameberry, BabyCenter and The Bump keep track of its users' choices and interest in names. These lists give you a more up-to-the-minute snapshot of names that parents are currently interested in (as opposed to the SSA, which compiles what babies were actually named in a given year, and releases its list the next spring). Some current faves of these users that have not yet made the SSA top 100 for girls include:
Amara
Arabella
Aurelia
Eloise
Hayden
Imogen
Kai
Lyla
Maeve
Malia
Millie
Noelle
Ophelia
Parker
Remi
Reese
River
Rose
Rowan
Rylee
Find a name that honors your heritage.
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If you're reluctant to have a "junior," or have your baby share its first name with a relative, you can use a middle name as a way of honoring your family. Doing so might also land you an au courant name, since vintage names like Beatrice, Josephine, Margot, Edith, Rose, Willa are all increasing in popularity. Or, you can slot in an old family last name (after all, last-names-as-first-names is a trend, as names like Ainsley, Eden, Ellis, Sloane, Kennedy, and Piper can attest). And if that doesn't work, you can try using a name that celebrates your family's heritage, like these climbing names below, are also hot:
Choose one of the current most popular baby names for girls.
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According to the SSA, these are the reigning champs for girls:
Olivia
Emma
Ava
Charlotte
Sophia
Amelia
Isabella
Mia
Evelyn
Harper
Camila
Gianna
Abigail
Luna
Ella
Elizabeth
Sofia
Emily
Avery
Mila
Scarlett
Eleanor
Madison
Layla
Penelope
Aria
Chloe
Grace
Ellie
Nora
Hazel
Zoey
Riley
Victoria
Lily
Aurora
Violet
Nova
Hannah
Emilia
Zoe
Stella
Everly
Isla
Leah
Lillian
Addison
Willow
Lucy
Paisley
Marisa LaScalaSenior Parenting & Relationships EditorSenior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala covers all things parenting, from the postpartum period through empty nests, for Good Housekeeping; she previously wrote about motherhood for Parents and Working Mother.
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