BabyCenter's 2026 baby name rankings, based on more than 350,000 babies born this year to parents using its app, keep Noah and Olivia at No. 1. Eliana jumped to No. 2 for girls, while names tied to 'The Odyssey,' 'Yellowstone' and 'Gilmore Girls' climbed sharply.
The most popular baby names of 2026 are in, and this year parents went looking in the archives. BabyCenter's annual list, reported by NBC News on October 20, shows Greek heroes, Western surnames and a few TV favorites climbing fast, along with one surprise near the very top.
What's trending
According to NBC News, BabyCenter based its rankings on more than 350,000 babies born in 2026 to parents registered on its app. Noah and Olivia held the No. 1 spots for boys and girls.
The biggest story is Eliana, which rose to No. 2 for girls, up from No. 7 last year and No. 14 in 2024. BabyCenter's baby name advisor, Steph Coffield, called it "the year's most surprising trend."
Other movers include:
- Greek mythology names, boosted by "The Odyssey": Atlas, Orion, Troy, Ares, Evander and Perseus for boys, and Iris, Lydia and Daphne for girls
- Western names tied to "Yellowstone": Stetson entered the top 100 for the first time, alongside rises for Walker, Callahan, Wilder and Gunner
- "Gilmore Girls" names: Lorelai, Rory, Luke and Dean, with Dean back in the top 100 for the first time this century
- E-names for girls: Elsie, Evangeline, Elodie, Elaine and Esme
Why it's resonating
Coffield summed up the year as parents being "ready to dig into the archives," blending modern taste with "the ancient, the vintage, the classic." Names are getting longer too: nearly 3 in 10 of the top girls' names have seven or more letters.
From the birth certificate to the first birthday
Every one of these names will be on a first birthday invitation in about a year, often in big script letters right at the top. Longer names like Evangeline or Magnolia take a little more room, so it's worth choosing a design where the name has space. Our Oneder the Sea birthday invitation for a mermaid first birthday gives the name its own line above a big "ONE," and every word is editable in Canva.
The bottom line
2026's list shows parents choosing names with history and a story behind them. Watch Eliana. BabyCenter's advisor thinks it could take the No. 1 spot next year.