Expert Sophie Kihm, 28, has predicted the baby name trends for 2026 – and says pop culture names like Zendaya and Charli are on the decline
An expert has predicted the baby names set to soar in 2026 – and says pop culture-inspired names such as Zendaya and Charli are on their way out. Sophie Kihm, 28, has forecast the baby name trends expected to emerge in 2026.
She believes there will be a surge in monikers from ancient civilisations – such as ‘Arath’ and ‘Lilavati’. Sophie also predicts showgirl names like ‘Ophelia’, ‘Dorothea’ and ‘Marilyn’ will climb in 2026 following Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ album.
However, the editor at Nameberry – a website dedicated to baby names – says pop culture names are declining – including ‘Zendaya’, ‘Charli’ and ‘Kohen’.
Sophie, from Chicago in the USA, said: “A lot of pop culture-related names are falling right now. They are the Zendayas, Charlis and Kohens who will ride fast when someone is making waves.
“But the following year will fall the next. Charli is falling pretty rapidly for girls. For pop culture names to work and be sustainable, they need to have a sound that is on trend and have the right pop culture reference.”
Sophie believes names linked to ancient civilisations will gain popularity in 2026 – as parents seek either to reconnect with their heritage or find escapism from modern life. For boys, names like ‘Arath’, ‘Johari’ and ‘Yazan’, and for girls, names such as ‘Marcella’, ‘Olympia’ and ‘Adhara’ are expected to become more common.
She said: “The parents using ancient civilisations’ names seek to connect their children back to history. This may be a family’s own history and heritage, as with many Mesoamerican and ancient Asian names. For others, ancient civilisations’ names are a way to cope with an uncertain future by rewinding to a romanticised past, common with the use of Ancient Greek and Roman names.”
Despite the decline in pop culture names, Sophie reckons showgirl names will be on the upswing in 2026. She attributes this to Taylor Swift’s latest album, which has “revived antiques like Marjorie and Dorothea”.
“Ophelia and Honey will certainly get a boost from Swift’s latest album, and might we see some baby girls called Opalite?” Sophie added. “Beyond names from Swift’s track titles, The Life of a Showgirl will inspire parents to embrace maximalist, extravagantly feminine names for their daughters. On the rise include names of real-life starlets, like Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett, as well as fictional showgirls like Roxie Hart and Nomi Malone.”
In 2026, Sophie forecasts that vowel hiatus names will come into vogue – names such as ‘Ameal’, ‘Lyanni’ and ‘Soleia’ because parents are reducing consonant sounds and letting vowels take centre stage.
Sophie said: “Just a few years ago, liquid consonants like L and M were all the rage, with choices like Bellamy, Milo and Milani climbing the charts. Today, parents are paring back consonant sounds – using one, maybe two – and instead, letting abutting vowels do the talking.
“Vowel Hiatus names Deia, Leonie, and Eziah are among the fastest-rising on Nameberry so far this year. Celebrities have taken strongly to this trend, recently exemplified by Milo Ventimiglia’s daughter Ke’ala, Imani Hakim’s son Kazuo, and Lele Pons’s daughter EloÃsa.”
Baby name trends for 2026
Ancient civilisations names
UK Girls: Calliope, Dorothea, Rehmat
UK Boys: Aslan, Moses, Zorawar
US Girls: Adhara, Olympia, Xiadani
US Boys: Isidore, Johari, Tenoch
Showgirl names
UK Girls: Amora, Eliora, Paloma
US Girls: Elodie, Ophelia, Tallulah
Romantasy names
UK Girls: Elowyn, Cordelia, Xanthe
UK Boys: Elio, Emrys, Lachlan
US Girls: Bronwen, Cordelia, Isolde
US Boys: Ambrose, Emrys, Lysander
Vowel hiatus names
UK Girls: Ayana, Luella, Naia
UK Boys: Eoin, Lael, Nael
US Girls: Anaia, Noa, Soleia
US Boys: Gael, Lael, Tadeo
