Baby name trends for 2023 include a nature focus, the use of vintage names and more

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We are halfway through 2023 and this year's baby name trends have started to emerge already. 

While some trends from the past year have remained — the Social Security Administration officially announced the top baby names of 2022 not long ago — new trends also have been created.

Recently, BabyCenter shared two of this year's trends with Fox News Digital — nicknames as names and names that have strong meanings — and now, Rebekah Wahlberg, associate editor and baby name trends specialist at BabyCenter, has shared three additional baby name trends for 2023.

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The data compiled on BabyCenter is "based on real-time data for hundreds of thousands of names shared voluntarily by the parents in our user community," the team at BabyCenter said.

"BabyCenter is able to analyze the names most in use by new and expecting parents."

The five baby name trends for 2023 consist of the following: nature names, short names, vintage names, nicknames and names with strong meanings. (iStock)

The complete list of baby names trends includes: nature names, short names and vintage names.

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Here's a deeper dive.

Nature theme for children's names

While nature-focused names are not a new trend, this year there appears to be a slightly new take on the idea.

In 2022, nature names were celestial focused — with names such as Nova and Aurora taking the spotlight, BabyCenter reported.

And in 2021, the trend was centered around a variety of tree names: Juniper, Willow, Aspen and variations of "Oak" (Oakley and Oaklynn), the team also said.

Now, in 2023, here are some of the nature-based names that parents are reporting.

Daisy

With English origins, the name means "Dad's eye" and is a very recognizable white and yellow flower. "Daisy is an old favorite that's on the rise," Wahlberg said.

Daisy has not appeared on the list of top 100 names for over 100 years — "1880 (the earliest the U.S. Social Security Administration shares baby name records) to 1908," she noted.

Recently, Daisy broke into the top 100 list of girls' names this year and is sitting at No. 63 on the popular names list.

Iris

With Greek origins, the name means rainbow and is a popular type of flower. 

Iris reached the top 100 for the first time last year, and it has continued to rise in popularity, making the name "more popular than it's ever been," BabyCenter noted.

Iris has risen through the ranks this year on the list of girls' names, reaching No. 53.

Leo

With Latin origins, the name Leo means lion, but it has a well-established association with leadership and dignity, BabyCenter added. 

At the end of 2022, Leo hit No. 10. It's already broken through into the top 10. 

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While Leo appears in the nature-based category of names, "Leo is also technically a vintage name — it was in the top 100 names from 1882 to 1936, peaking at No. 38 in 1903," Wahlberg added.

Leo has surpassed the top 10 already this year. It's ranking No. 7 on the list of boys' names.

Rowan

With Irish origins, this name means "red-haired one." 

"The rowan tree gets its name from the same ancient root word, likely because it has red berries," Wahlberg stated.

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Rowan recently reached the top 100 after rising over 46 spots and settling in at No. 57.

Other trending nature-based names for babies: Jasmine, Violet, Forrest and Wren.   

Nature themes have recently trended for baby names. Celestial names were popular in 2022 and tree names rose in popularity in 2021. (iStock)

Short names for kids

Short names are defined as having four letters or less — and this theme has been trending upward for some time, BabyCenter reported.

"Mia, Ava, and Emma have been top 10 girl names for the past 10 years at least (Emma was even the number one girls' name from 2014 to 2018), along with Liam and Noah on the boy's side — which have been in competition with each other for the No. 1 boys' name for the past decade," Wahlberg said.

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Here are a few short names that are relatively new to the top 100 list.

Ace

With Latin origins, the name means unity and first-rate. Ace has jumped more than 400 spots in the last 10 years but has not yet reached its peak, Wahlberg noted.

Ace is not yet a part of the top 100 list of boys' names; it comes in at No. 108. 

Short names were popular in 2022 and the trend has continued to grow over the past year. Liam and Noah were the top boys' names. (iStock)

Milo

With Greek origins, the name is believed to derive from "milos," meaning "of the yew flower" or the Latin word "miles," which means soldier. 

Milo entered the top 100 list just last year, finishing 2022 at No. 120.

Zion

With Hebrew origins, this name means a sign or excellent. In the Bible, Zion refers to the Israelites' homeland and is also the name of Zion Nation Park in Utah.

Zion has ranked at No. 61 on th list of girls' names.

Other trending short names for babies: Emma, Zoe, Ian and Kai. 

Vintage baby names

Vintage and/or Old Hollywood names have emerged as a trend throughout 2023.

"Parents have been taking a lot of interest in names that were big many decades ago, especially for girls," Wahlberg noted.

"Vintage names are peppered throughout the current top 100 baby names — some hover toward the bottom and are just starting to regain ground, while others have already resolidified their place among the most popular names," she also said.

Vintage names are rising in popularity, with many peaking for the first time in over 100 years. (iStock)

Clara

With Greek origins, the name means bright or clear. In comparison to the other vintage names, Clara has not received as much attention. 

"It's gotten less attention than other vintage names. After peaking at No. 7 in 1885, it was on a slow decline until it started gaining ground again in the late 1990s," Wahlberg said.

Clara is "a prime candidate to get even trendier," she also said. "It's short, sweet and vintage."

Clara has not yet broken into the top 100. It's ranked at No. 107 on the list of girls' names.

Evelyn

With either French or Germanic origins, this name comes with a few theories about it in terms of its meaning and history.  

Aveline, one of the believed derivatives, means "hazelnut." The Hebrew name Eve, meaning alive — combined with the Welsh name Lynn, meaning lake — is another believed combination.

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"Evelyn was hugely popular in the early 1900s and last peaked at No. 10 for girls in 1915," BabyCenter reported. 

The name has been rising and right now is going strong.

Evelyn is on the top 100 girls' name list at currently sits at No. 12.

Names such as Iris and Zion are just a few of the trendy names this year. This year's themes for baby names include a nature focus, a desire for brevity —and vintage or classic names. (iStock)

Silas

With Latin origins, the name means wood, but it comes from the full name Silvanus, which translates to "of the forest."

"It's an ancient name, but was never popular in the United States — until parents started taking notice in 2004," Wahlberg said. 

The name broke into the top 100 list of names in 2021.

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Right now, Silas ranks at No. 76 on the top 100 list of boys' names.

And a few others

Mia, a short name that peaked in the top 10, is holding onto its position along with a few other names that have carried over from 2022.

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Liam, another short name that finished 2022 in the No. 1 spot on the boys' name list, has dropped down a notch — to No. 2 so far this year.

Other trending vintage names for children: Alice, Audrey, Charlotte and Theodore.