Choosing a baby name is deeply personal, but it’s also surprisingly trend-driven. From Netflix shows to cultural anxieties to historical eras gaining renewed interest, a wide range of forces shape how parents name their children. To see what’s coming next year, HuffPost asked experts to break down the baby name trends they expect to rise in 2026. Below are 11 interesting themes to watch. Ethereal Vibes “Pantone’s controversial choice of Cloud Dancer as their colour of the year made headlines – for all the wrong reasons,” said Abby Sandel , the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain. “But the company’s description of ‘a whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world’ echoes an accelerating trend in names, especially for our daughters.” Sandel believes that “ethereal, even otherworldly choices,” which include names like Aura, Ophelia and Elowyn, are poised to rise next year.  She added that another name in that category – Eliana – is already moving up the popularity list. Nature Cottagecore Rebekah Wahlberg , a baby name trends specialist at BabyCenter, predicts movement in the category of “nature cottagecore” names. “Nature names have been trendy for a long time, and we’re seeing parents find new ways to iterate on that,” she said. “Right now, the cottagecore aesthetic is catching attention with names like Flora, Rowan and Heath gaining popularity.” Jennifer Moss , founder of BabyNames.com, also sees these kinds of names getting a bump next year, particularly for girls. “I believe nature names – especially flowers – will increase as a trend for 2026,” she said. “In the top 10 are Violet, Hazel, Juniper and Iris.” Four Letters “Four-letter names are in,” said baby name consultant Colleen Slagen . “They’re short, sleek and nickname-proof.” She pointed to names for boys like Mack, Tate, Shep, Jude and Bode. “For girls, there are names like Romy, Cleo, Lana, Eden, Navy, Elle, Cove and Drew,” Slagen added. Familiar-But-Uncommon Names “The search for familiar-but-uncommon names continues,” said Sherri Suzanne, a baby name consultant and the founder of My Name for Life . “Nowadays, that usually means resurrecting vintage names. Some recent entries are Etta, Marjorie, Abner and Thaddeus.” However, she sees many parents looking at names from the not-so-distant past for inspiration. “Some are considering 20th-century staples like Wayne, Scott, Eileen and Cynthia,” Suzanne said. A wide range of forces shape how parents name their children. Cool Cowboy “It’s a fine line between country boy and country club,” Slagen said. “People wanting that ‘cool cowboy’ name are often considering the same names as people who want something preppy and polished.” She gave the examples of Ford, Walker, Briggs and Rhodes. Next-Gen Spellings “Every generation, a new set of tricks promises to refresh our favorite names,” Sandel said. “Now that Kaylee and Jordyn are the parents, look for new spellings.” She predicts more names with dropped vowels like Huntr, added letters like ‘h’ in Khai and more -ai endings as in Malakai. Regency Era Moss predicts a rise in “Regency Names” inspired by the Netflix series “Bridgerton,” which is set to return for a fourth season in January. “Examples would be Eloise, Elodie, Mabel, Daphne, Astrid and Aurelia,” she said. “Regency names are also hitting the boys’ side with Ambrose, Alaric, Julian, Thaddeus and Tobias in the top 100.” Biblical Picks For Boys “For boys, after a stretch of English and Celtic names being popular, we’re seeing biblical names come back,” Moss said. “Elijah, Gabriel, Ethan, Matthew, James, Jeremiah and Noah are on the rise again.” Baby name consultant Taylor Humphrey also believes biblical and religious names will be trending next year. “My most popular text-post on Instagram right now is “ Catholic-Inspired Baby Names ,” she noted. Ancient Civilisations “We’re watching a lot of baby name trends for 2026 , but the ones we’re paying closest attention to include ancient civilisations names, which parents are using to connect to ancient cultures in their own histories as well as ancient heroes,” said Sophie Kihm , the editor-in-chief of Nameberry. Examples of names in this category include Adhara, Cressida, Eulalia and Nefertari. Unique Names As An Act Of Resistance “We love to talk about parents using AI tools to come up with influencer-style, one-of-one names for their children,” Sandel said. “But we’re also seeing families think deeply about what matters to them, choosing authenticity over style.” The result of this urge is more children with “distinctive older names,” such as Clyde and Cedric. These kinds of names could be family heirlooms that previous generations might’ve relegated to middle name status. “In 2026, these names strike a deeply meaningful, undeniably human note – so much that naming your baby Harriet or Wallace might feel almost rebellious,” Sandel said. Virtues “Baby names reflect the deepest-held values of the childbearing generation,” Humphrey said. “Parents today are navigating cultural questions around identity, belonging, safety, masculinity and hope. Names have become a way to express these values symbolically.” She identified virtues like peace, unity and harmony – as seen with the rise of Truce . There’s also interest in names around strength and protection with the growing popularity of weapon-coded names like Gunner, Remington, Colt, Cannon and Blade. Related... A Woman's Viral Outburst Over 'A Baby In A Bar' Is Totally Rage Bait Top Baby Names For 2025: See What’s Trending 8 Baby Name Trends Poised To Take Over In 2026