Throwback baby names are trending — these are the surprising monikers taking over for 2025

What’s old is new again.

Names once considered antiquated now have a shiny new allure, and one baby name expert predicts that some of the trendiest monikers next year will be old-fashioned favorites, such as Maple or Poppy.

“Think Goldie, Birdie, Elsie, and Nelly,” Laura Wattenberg, the founder of Namerology, told Today . “It’s that throwback sound, but in a sort of diminutive style.”

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Biblical names beginning with “Az” are also growing in popularity, such as “Azariah and Azrael,” she added, and names that sound “boyish,” such as Scottie or Stevie, or Hawaiian-sounding monikers will be en vogue, she said.

“It’s not necessarily even in reference to Hawaii, there’s just something about that sound that people are loving,” Wittenberg said, rattling off names like Leilani and Kehlani.

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While the “Lani” suffix can be attached to most names like “Leigh” or “Lynn,” parents also like to tack on “kai” at the end of names , like “Malakai.”

“People like that flowey, vowel-heavy sound and the fact that it sounds so different from traditional English naming,” she explained. “The rhythm is fresh.”

Among new names, Otto and Cosmo are strong contenders.

“Ten or 20 years ago, Otto and Cosmo sounded fun, but a little too much, but now that there’s so many Leos and Milos out there, they feel more realistic,” Wattenberg said, although she warned that the name “Cosmo” should be used with caution.

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She added, “If it fits you, it makes you that much stronger, but if it doesn’t fit you, it’s tough to carry.”

Among the top names for baby girls are Bridie, Elsie, Nelly, Stevie, Scottie, Poppy, Murphy and Ripley, to name a few. For baby boys, Malakai, Koa and Otto are the top three names Wattenberg predicts will be trending soon.

Meanwhile, some Gen X names have been declared as officially out. According to one TikTokker who compiled a list of obsolete monikers from older generations, Karen, Nigel, Tracy and Gary are among the Gen X names that are no longer trendy .

Such forecasts come after a recent report claimed nearly one in 10 parents regret their child’s name.

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