The Pop Culture Effect on Baby Names: 100 Statistics for 2026

October 30, 2026
Statistics
The Pop Culture Effect on Baby Names: only nine names have ever jumped from under 100 to over 1,000 babies in a year, and Alexa has fallen 96% since its 2006 peak

By Gustavo Athayde, Founder & Creative Director · Published October 30, 2026 · Last updated October 30, 2026

Pop culture baby names rise fast and fall almost as fast. After Disney’s Frozen, the number of girls named Elsa doubled in a single year. By 2025, it had fallen to 216. Our analysis of Social Security Administration records from 1880 to 2025 finds that only nine names have ever jumped from fewer than 100 babies to more than 1,000 in one year, and most of them followed a television series, a film star or a singer.

Below are 100 statistics: our own Pop Culture Name Index of 30 names, the shows, films, singers, athletes and royals behind them, the names that pop culture pushed out of use, and what surveys reveal about how parents really choose. The surprise is how few names last.

9names ever jumped from under 100 to over 1,000 babies in a year
4.7×growth of Lainey, 2021 to 2025
−96%fall of Alexa from its 2006 peak to 2025
11%of parents chose a pop culture name (BabyCenter poll, 2024)

At a glance

Key takeaways

  • Only 9 names in SSA history have jumped from under 100 babies to over 1,000 in a single year; at least seven followed television, film or music.
  • Fast fads fade: a decade after their first surge peak, those nine names kept a median 18.5% of peak births.
  • Bentley went from 217 boys in 2008 to 5,895 in 2012, after MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.
  • Lainey grew 4.7 times from 2021 to 2025 and reached No. 30 among girls.
  • 5,537 girls have been named Khaleesi since Game of Thrones premiered in 2011.
  • Elsa doubled in 2014 after Frozen, then fell 67% from 2015 to 2025 and left the top 1,000.
  • Alexa has fallen 96% since its 2006 peak, with ten straight annual declines after Amazon’s Echo arrived.
  • Family still wins: 23% of parents in a 2024 BabyCenter poll chose a family name, compared with 11% who chose a pop culture name.
  • Kasai and Klarity, the fastest risers of 2025, each followed a celebrity’s baby announcement.

The Pop Culture Name Index: 30 names that followed a show, a film or a star

Our index follows 30 names whose use rose after a specific pop culture moment, from Shirley Temple in the 1930s to Lainey Wilson in 2023. For each, we compare the year before the moment with the peak and with 2025.

Before the moment and at the peak

Pop culture can multiply a name's use many times overBabies given ten names the year before a pop culture moment (gray) and at the name's peak (gold).Source: Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Babies given each name the year before a pop culture moment and at the peakBentley went from 217 boys to 5,895; Khloe from 275 girls to 5,412.Year before the momentPeak yearBentley2175,895Khloe2755,412Lainey1,6985,738Luka7073,873Millie6823,353Arya2733,051Kehlani01,981Miley262,652Daphne7341,740Kayce24843
Babies given each name the year before a pop culture moment and at the peakBentley went from 217 boys to 5,895; Khloe from 275 girls to 5,412.Year before the momentPeak yearBentley2175,895Khloe2755,412Lainey1,6985,738Luka7073,873Millie6823,353Arya2733,051Kehlani01,981Miley262,652Daphne7341,740Kayce24843
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The Pop Culture Name Index, 1 to 15

The Pop Culture Name Index, 16 to 30

Babies given each name (by sex) in the year before the moment, at the highest point from that year through 2025, and in 2025. Ranked by the number of additional babies at the peak. A moment that preceded a rise is a coincidence in time, not proof of cause. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA baby name data, 1880–2025.

What the index shows

  1. 1.ATELIER ANALYSISOnly 9 names in the SSA record have ever jumped from fewer than 100 babies to more than 1,000 in a single year (1881–2025). Notably, at least seven of those jumps followed a television series, a film star or a singer. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 2.ATELIER ANALYSIS6 of those 9 names were below a quarter of their first surge peak ten years later. In fact, the median name kept just 18.5% (SSA data through 2025). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 3.ATELIER ANALYSIS5,895 boys were named Bentley in 2012, compared with 217 in 2008. In 2009, MTV’s 16 and Pregnant followed a young mother and her son, Bentley. By contrast, 1,649 boys received the name in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 4.ATELIER ANALYSIS20 times as many girls were named Khloe in 2010 (5,412) as in 2006 (275). In October 2007, Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered. By 2025, the count was 1,149. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 5.ATELIER ANALYSIS4.7 times as many girls were named Lainey in 2025 (5,738) as in 2021 (1,229), thus lifting it into the top 50. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Modern names in the index

  1. 6.ATELIER ANALYSIS5,537 American girls have been named Khaleesi since 2011, a title that had never appeared in the SSA record before Game of Thrones premiered that year. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 7.ATELIER ANALYSIS3,873 boys were named Luka in 2025, 5.5 times the 707 recorded in 2017, the year before Luka Dončić made his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 8.ATELIER ANALYSIS67% fewer girls were named Elsa in 2025 (216) than in 2015 (658): pop culture names fall as quickly as they rise. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 9.ATELIER ANALYSISSome names outlast the moment: Kehlani (1,981 girls) and Millie (3,353) reached new highs in 2025, and Arya (1,858) kept 61% of its 2019 peak. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 10.ATELIER ANALYSIS843 boys were named Kayce in 2025, a new high reached after Yellowstone ended its run in December 2024, compared with 24 in 2017. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

What this means for parents. A name borrowed from the moment can feel dated within a decade. By contrast, a name with family meaning is chosen for life. Our guide to the luxury personal monogram shows how initials carry a name with quiet permanence.

Television and streaming names

Television has produced the clearest naming effects of the past two decades, from Game of Thrones to Yellowstone. In contrast with films, a series stays with viewers for years, and several of its names have kept rising after the final episode.

Game of Thrones and Yellowstone

  1. 11.ATELIER ANALYSIS3,051 girls were named Arya at the name’s peak in 2019, compared with 273 in 2010, the year before Game of Thrones premiered on HBO. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 12.ATELIER ANALYSIS166 girls were named Daenerys at that name’s 2018 peak, and 115 still were in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 13.Dutton and Kayce, the family surname and a son’s first name in the series Yellowstone, were the two fastest-rising boys’ names of 2022 on the SSA’s official list. — Social Security Administration
  4. 14.ATELIER ANALYSIS366 boys were named Dutton in 2023, a surname that first appeared in the records in 2018, the year Yellowstone premiered. By contrast, 327 were in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 15.ATELIER ANALYSIS+46%: the rise in girls named Daphne in 2021 (1,103), the first full year after Bridgerton premiered on Netflix on Christmas Day 2020. By 2025, the name had reached 1,740. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Bridgerton, Stranger Things and other series

  1. 16.ATELIER ANALYSIS4,251 girls were named Eloise in 2025, more than double the 1,970 of 2020, as the name, shared by a Bridgerton sister, kept climbing. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 17.ATELIER ANALYSIS3,353 girls were named Millie in 2025, 4.9 times the 682 of 2015, the year before Stranger Things introduced Millie Bobby Brown. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 18.ATELIER ANALYSIS926 girls were named Lorelai in 2025, an all-time high for a name that did not appear in SSA records before Gilmore Girls premiered in 2000. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 19.ATELIER ANALYSIS+59%: the rise in girls named Wednesday in 2023 (154), the year after Netflix’s Wednesday premiered. By 2025, only 37 girls received the name. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 20.Chozen, a character in the Netflix series Cobra Kai, was the second-fastest-rising boys’ name of 2023, reaching No. 813, the SSA reported. — Social Security Administration
  6. 21.ATELIER ANALYSIS571 boys were named Chozen in 2025, almost ten times the 59 recorded in 2021, the year before the character took a larger role in Cobra Kai. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  7. 22.ATELIER ANALYSIS2,354 boys were named Colter in 2025, compared with 1,035 in 2023. Notably, CBS premiered Tracker, whose hero is Colter Shaw, in February 2024. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  8. 23.ATELIER ANALYSIS+3%: the modest change for Ellie in 2023, the year HBO premiered The Last of Us. Meanwhile, Joel kept declining (1,745 boys): not every hit leaves a mark. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Film names: Disney, Star Wars and Twilight

Films, however, tend to produce a sharp rise and a quick fall. Disney’s Frozen is the clearest case: Elsa doubled in a year, then fell out of the top 1,000.

Frozen, Moana and Disney

  1. 24.ATELIER ANALYSIS+101%: the rise in girls named Elsa in 2014 (1,140), the first full year after Disney’s Frozen opened in November 2013. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 25.No. 1,104: Elsa’s rank among girls’ names in 2025, down from No. 938 in 2024, which took it out of the top 1,000. — SSA, names that decreased in popularity
  3. 26.ATELIER ANALYSISAnna, Elsa’s sister in Frozen, saw no lasting lift: 5,706 girls in 2014 and 2,521 in 2025, part of a decline that began long before the film. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 27.ATELIER ANALYSIS141 girls were named Moana at the name’s 2017 peak, compared with 18 in 2015, the year before Disney’s Moana was released. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 28.ATELIER ANALYSIS238 boys were named Kylo in 2016, compared with 35 in 2015. The Force Awakens had opened that December. Later, the name reached 870 in 2024. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Twilight, The Little Mermaid and other films

  1. 29.ATELIER ANALYSIS5,136 girls were named Bella in 2010, +84% from 2008, the year the Twilight film opened. Similarly, Cullen rose +140% over the same years. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 30.ATELIER ANALYSIS22,936 girls were named Isabella in 2010, the name’s all-time high, at the height of the Twilight films. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 31.ATELIER ANALYSIS5,411 girls were named Ariel in 1991, 4.2 times the 1,284 of 1989, when The Little Mermaid opened. However, after the 2023 remake, the name fell 15% that year. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 32.ATELIER ANALYSIS153 girls were named Mirabel in 2022, compared with 34 the year Encanto opened, before easing to 68 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 33.Isabela, Camilo, Bruno and Luisa, all Encanto names, lost ground in 2025, falling to Nos. 664, 585, 740 and 903. — SSA, names that decreased in popularity
  6. 34.ATELIER ANALYSIS7,049 boys were named Maverick in 2022, an all-time high, the year Top Gun: Maverick came out. However, it fell to 5,894 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  7. 35.ATELIER ANALYSIS51 girls were named Barbie in 2024, the year after the Barbie film opened in July 2023, and only 33 in 2025: a cultural phenomenon need not become a name. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Music and the names of singers

Singers have inspired some of the most lasting pop culture names, especially when the singer uses a single name, such as Aaliyah, Kehlani or Selena.

Country and pop stars

  1. 36.ATELIER ANALYSIS5,738 girls were named Lainey in 2025, compared with 1,698 in 2022. Meanwhile, Lainey Wilson was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in November 2023. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 37.No. 30: Lainey’s 2025 rank among girls, up from No. 38. — SSA, names that increased in popularity
  3. 38.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,981 girls were named Kehlani in 2025, a name that first entered the SSA records in 2015, the year the singer Kehlani released the mixtape You Should Be Here. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 39.ATELIER ANALYSIS2,652 girls were named Miley in 2008, compared with 26 in 2005, the year before Disney Channel premiered Hannah Montana. In 2025, the name was back up to 900. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Singers through the years

  1. 40.ATELIER ANALYSIS3,825 girls were named Selena in 1995, the year the Tejano singer Selena died, 4.2 times the 918 of 1994. The name still drew 1,170 girls in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 41.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,451 girls were named Aaliyah in 1994, compared with 22 in 1993, the year before the singer Aaliyah released her debut album. Later, the name peaked at 5,523 in 2012. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 42.ATELIER ANALYSIS2,946 girls were named Ashanti in 2002, the year the singer released her debut album, more than ten times the 281 of 2001. A year later the count fell to 962. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 43.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,075 girls were named Rihanna in 2008, compared with 79 in 2005, the year of her debut album. By 2025, only 87 girls received it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 44.ATELIER ANALYSIS772 girls were named Taylor in 2025, down from 15,080 in 2000, despite Taylor Swift’s fame. In 2025, the SSA ranked it No. 403. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  6. 45.81%: the rise in girls named Marjorie between 2023 and 2024, which Nameberry links to Taylor Swift; SSA data show 185 girls in 2023 and 335 in 2024. — TODAY, citing Nameberry

Five names still rising

Lainey and Luka lead today's pop culture namesBabies given each name, 2015–2025.Source: Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Babies given five pop culture names, 2015–2025Lainey reached 5,738 girls in 2025.02k4k6k201520172019202120232025Lainey 5,738Luka 3,873Millie 3,353Kehlani 1,981Kayce 843
Babies given five pop culture names, 2015–2025Lainey reached 5,738 girls in 2025.02k4k6k2015201920232025Lainey 5,738Luka 3,873Millie 3,353Kehlani 1,981Kayce 843

Sports stars and baby names

Athletes influence names less often than television, but a few have left a clear mark. Luka has climbed steadily since Luka Dončić joined the NBA in 2018.

Basketball names

  1. 46.No. 85: Luka’s 2025 rank among boys, up from No. 94. — SSA, names that increased in popularity
  2. 47.Luka was among the five names that rose most from 2013 to 2023, a trend Axios suggested was “maybe thanks to Dallas Mavericks fans.” — Axios
  3. 48.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,518 boys were named Kobe in 2020, triple the 507 of 2019. The rise followed the death of Kobe Bryant in January 2020. Even so, the name’s peak came in 2001 (1,552), during his playing career. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 49.No. 519: Kobe’s rank in 2025, down 109 places from 2024. — SSA, names that decreased in popularity
  5. 50.ATELIER ANALYSIS121 girls were named Caitlin in 2024, compared with 80 in 2023. In April 2024, Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA as the first overall pick. In 2025, the count returned to 78. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Football and soccer names

  1. 51.ATELIER ANALYSIS+7.6%: the change in boys named Jalen in 2025 (711), the year Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was named MVP of Super Bowl LIX. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 52.ATELIER ANALYSIS499 boys were named Neymar at the name’s 2014 peak, the year Brazil hosted the World Cup, compared with 53 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 53.ATELIER ANALYSIS923 boys were named Travis in 2024, compared with 848 in 2023. However, the count fell to 732 in 2025, the year Travis Kelce announced his engagement. Meanwhile, Kelce itself was given to just 9 boys. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 54.Over 2,000 places: the climb of Caitlin among girls in BabyCenter’s 2024 data, while A’ja, after WNBA star A’ja Wilson, climbed more than 7,000 places. — BabyCenter via FOX Television Stations

Royal names and public figures

Royal births and weddings draw wide attention in the United States. Their naming effect, however, depends on the name: a rare one moves sharply, while a classic one barely shifts.

Royal births and weddings

  1. 55.No. 2: Charlotte’s rank among girls’ names in 2025, ending Emma’s six-year run in second place. — Social Security Administration
  2. 56.ATELIER ANALYSIS13,118 girls were named Charlotte in 2016, compared with 10,123 in 2014, the year before the birth of Princess Charlotte. By contrast, 13,400 were in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 57.ATELIER ANALYSIS+83%: the rise in boys named Archie in 2019 (384), when Prince Archie was born. By 2025, the name had reached 1,129. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 58.ATELIER ANALYSIS47 girls were named Lilibet in 2025, compared with 12 in 2021. That was the year of Princess Lilibet of Sussex‘s birth. Before then, it had appeared in only a few years. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 59.ATELIER ANALYSIS2.5 times as many girls were named Meghan in 2018 (412), the year of the royal wedding, as in 2017 (166). By 2025, the count was 102. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  6. 60.ATELIER ANALYSIS428 boys were named Harry in 2018, little changed from 401 in 2017: a classic name absorbs a royal moment more quietly than a rare one. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

What this means for families. Royal names endure because they belong to families, not to a single season. A family crest gives that same continuity a visible form.

When pop culture turns against a name

Pop culture can also push a name out of use. Alexa, once a top 50 name, began a decade of decline after Amazon gave it to a voice assistant.

Four names that fell

Alexa has fallen 96% since its peakGirls given each name, 2000–2025.Source: Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Girls given four names after pop culture and the news turned against them, 2000–2025Alexa fell from 6,117 girls in 2006 to 243 in 2025.02k4k6k200020052010201520202025Echo announcedAlexaElsaKatrinaKaren
Girls given four names after pop culture and the news turned against them, 2000–2025Alexa fell from 6,117 girls in 2006 to 243 in 2025.02k4k6k2000201020202025AlexaElsaKatrinaKaren

Alexa and Siri

  1. 61.ATELIER ANALYSIS96.0%: the fall in girls named Alexa from the name’s 2006 peak (6,117) to 2025 (243). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 62.ATELIER ANALYSIS10 straight years of decline followed for Alexa after 2015 (6,053 girls), the year after Amazon announced its Echo speaker and voice assistant. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 63.No. 1,029: Alexa’s 2025 rank, down 223 places and out of the top 1,000. — SSA, names that decreased in popularity
  4. 64.ATELIER ANALYSIS61%: the drop in girls named Siri in 2013 (42), after Apple built the Siri assistant into the iPhone in October 2011. By 2025, only 6 girls received it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 65.ATELIER ANALYSIS36%: the drop in girls named Katrina in 2006 (855), after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. By contrast, 83 received the name in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Names caught in the news

  1. 66.9%: the rise in names beginning with K after Hurricane Katrina, even as Katrina itself fell, in a study by Berger, Bradlow, Braunstein and Zhang (historical, 2012). — Discover, on Berger et al. (Psychological Science)
  2. 67.ATELIER ANALYSIS87%: the fall in girls named Isis, after an Egyptian goddess, between 2014 and 2016 (53). During that period, the name became associated with a terrorist group in the news. By 2025, it had recovered to 128. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 68.ATELIER ANALYSIS40,591 girls were named Karen at the name’s 1957 peak. However, long before the 2020 slang use, it had already fallen to 440 in 2019, and it reached 175 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 69.Mostly False: PolitiFact’s rating of a claim that Frank grew 20% more popular after House of Cards; SSA data showed 2013 as the name’s least popular year to that point (historical, 2015). — PolitiFact

History’s biggest pop culture name spikes

The sharpest one-year jumps in SSA records happened decades ago, when three networks reached most American homes at once.

The nine biggest jumps

Only nine names have ever jumped from under 100 to over 1,000 babies in one yearBabies given each name in the year of the jump, 1881–2025.Source: Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
The nine names that jumped from under 100 to over 1,000 babies in one yearBabies given each name in the year of the jump; Katina reached 2,747 in 1972.Katina (1972)2,747Deanna (1937)1,624Deneen (1964)1,604Aaliyah (1994)1,451Catina (1972)1,372Nevaeh (2001)1,199Nakia (1974)1,135Kizzy (1977)1,117Shelby (1936)1,071
The nine names that jumped from under 100 to over 1,000 babies in one yearBabies given each name in the year of the jump; Katina reached 2,747 in 1972.Katina (1972)2,747Deanna (1937)1,624Deneen (1964)1,604Aaliyah (1994)1,451Catina (1972)1,372Nevaeh (2001)1,199Nakia (1974)1,135Kizzy (1977)1,117Shelby (1936)1,071

Film stars and television

  1. 70.ATELIER ANALYSIS42,366 girls were named Shirley in 1935, 3.0 times the 14,320 of 1933, as Shirley Temple became Hollywood’s top box-office draw. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 71.ATELIER ANALYSIS4,365 girls were named Tammy in 1957, compared with 255 in 1956, as the 1957 film Tammy and the Bachelor and its No. 1 title song arrived. After that, the name kept rising to 21,199 in 1963. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 72.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,117 girls were named Kizzy in 1977, a name absent from the records the year before, after ABC aired Roots in January 1977. Then the count fell by more than half in 1978 (456). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 73.ATELIER ANALYSIS2,747 girls were named Katina in 1972, compared with 95 in 1971. Earlier, a baby named Katina had been born on the CBS soap opera Where the Heart Is (1969–1973). Spelled Catina, the name rose from 14 to 1,372. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 74.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,135 girls were named Nakia in 1974, compared with 7 in 1973. In 1974, ABC aired the TV movie and series Nakia, whose title character was a man. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

More historic spikes

  1. 75.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,624 girls were named Deanna in 1937, compared with 77 in 1936, after Deanna Durbin became a film star in Three Smart Girls. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 76.ATELIER ANALYSIS2,585 girls were named Marlene in 1931, compared with 306 in 1930, the year Marlene Dietrich made her first American film. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 77.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,199 girls were named Nevaeh in 2001, compared with 99 in 2000, after singer Sonny Sandoval showed his daughter Nevaeh on MTV in 2000. Later, it peaked at 6,818 in 2007. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 78.ATELIER ANALYSIS1,604 girls were named Deneen in 1964, compared with 22 in 1963, one of history’s sharpest one-year jumps, and one whose cause is still debated. A year later, only 421 girls received it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 79.ATELIER ANALYSIS82%: the fall in girls named Katina between 1972 and 1975, after Where the Heart Is ended in March 1973. Similarly, Kizzy lost 89% over three years. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Pop culture baby names in 2025: the fastest risers

The Social Security Administration’s 2025 list shows that celebrities and social media still move names. The table shows how 15 pop culture names changed in rank from 2024 to 2025.

Pop culture names in the 2025 rankings

Ranks among names of the same sex. Associations reflect press coverage or our own reading of the timing and do not imply cause. Source: Social Security Administration, names that increased, decreased or held about the same popularity, 2024 to 2025.

The fastest risers of 2025

  1. 80.Klarity was the fastest-rising girls’ name of 2025, climbing 1,396 places, from No. 2,187 to No. 791. — SSA, names that increased in popularity
  2. 81.Kasai was the fastest-rising boys’ name of 2025, climbing 1,108 places to enter the top 1,000. — Social Security Administration
  3. 82.ATELIER ANALYSIS437 boys were named Kasai in 2025, compared with 95 in 2024. By contrast, 344 girls were named Klarity, compared with 87. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 83.January 2025: when actress Skai Jackson named her son Kasai; rapper Kash Doll named her daughter Klarity in June 2024, ThatsThem noted. — ThatsThem via Stacker
  5. 84.Music, TV, sports and global trends shaped 2025’s fastest-rising names, the SSA said: “Your favorite movie star, artist, or athlete may have affected the rankings.” — Social Security Administration

More from the 2025 rankings

  1. 85.Social media stars had “a major influence” on 2023 names, the SSA said, pointing to Kaeli, which rose 1,692 places after the name went viral. — Social Security Administration
  2. 86.ATELIER ANALYSIS7,136 girls were named Ailany in 2025, compared with 311 in 2023. That is the largest gain of any name in the SSA data between 2023 and 2025. However, no single show or star has been credited with it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 87.No. 375: Kayce’s rank in 2025, up 44 places, while Colter rose 61 places to No. 157 and Stetson 19 places to No. 136. — SSA, names that increased in popularity
  4. 88.No. 690: Khaleesi’s rank in 2025, down 23 places, six years after Game of Thrones ended. — SSA, names that decreased in popularity
  5. 89.71.51%: the share of 2025 babies given a top 1,000 name, down from 73.25% in 2016, as parents choose from a wider range of names. — SSA baby name data

What research and parents say about pop culture names

Surveys suggest that pop culture inspires a minority of names, while family remains the most common source. Research also explains why fast-rising names fade.

How parents choose

Family names still outnumber pop culture namesShare of parents who chose a name in each way (selected answers).Source: BabyCenter Snap Poll of 453 users, Oct.–Nov. 2024, reported by FOX Television Stations; selected answers · gustavoathayde.com
How parents chose their baby's name, BabyCenter poll, 2024Family names led; pop culture inspired 11% of names.Family name23%App, book or list15%Meaningful place12%Pop culture11%
How parents chose their baby's name, BabyCenter poll, 2024Family names led; pop culture inspired 11% of names.Family name23%App, book or list15%Meaningful place12%Pop culture11%

Parent and public surveys

  1. 90.11% of parents in a BabyCenter poll (453 users, late 2024) chose a pop-culture-inspired name from a celebrity, book, film or television show. — BabyCenter poll via FOX Television Stations
  2. 91.23% of parents in the same 2024 poll gave their baby a family name, the most common approach. — BabyCenter poll via FOX Television Stations
  3. 92.27% of American adults say their first name comes from a family member; only 5% say it comes from a celebrity (YouGov, 2022). — YouGov
  4. 93.58% of Americans say honoring someone important is an important factor when naming a child, compared with 19% who value a trendy name (YouGov, 2022). — YouGov
  5. 94.39% of U.S. adults prefer less common first names (YouGov, June 2025). Only 24% prefer more common ones. — YouGov
  6. 95.9% of mothers in a 2024 BabyCenter survey (478 respondents) said they had experienced name regret. — BabyCenter survey via FOX Television Stations

Academic research

  1. 96.12.5%: how much faster a name declined after reaching its popularity 10% faster. That was the finding of a study by Berger and Le Mens of a century of U.S. and French names (historical, 2009). — Knowledge at Wharton, on Berger and Le Mens (PNAS)
  2. 97.32% of boys born in 1955 received a top 10 name, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 by 2007, Twenge and colleagues found in SSA records (historical, 2009). — San Diego State University
  3. 98.1.4% a year: the average growth of very rare names (1 in 10,000 births). By contrast, very common names (more than 1 in 100 births) declined 1.6% a year, in a 2022 study by Newberry and Plotkin. — ScienceDaily, on Newberry and Plotkin (Nature Human Behaviour)
  4. 99.Momentum has shaped names: from 1981 to 2006, a rise one year predicted a rise the next, Gureckis and Goldstone found in 127 years of SSA data (historical, 2009). — ScienceBlog, on Gureckis and Goldstone
  5. 100.More than 6,000 places: the 2026 climb of Ilya, amid the popularity of the hockey series Heated Rivalry, in BabyCenter’s data, while Stetson entered BabyCenter’s top 100 for the first time. — BabyCenter via NBC

What this means for monograms. Names come and go, but initials drawn with care outlast any season. Our bespoke monograms guide explains how a well-made cipher turns a name into a lasting symbol.

Methodology

Our counts come from the Social Security Administration’s national baby name file (names.zip), which lists every first name given to at least five babies of one sex in each year from 1880 to 2025, based on Social Security card applications. Different spellings are counted separately, and names are counted separately for each sex. Ranks for 2024 and 2025 are the SSA’s official ranks.

For the Pop Culture Name Index, we chose 30 names whose rise followed a dated pop culture moment and compared the babies given each name in the year before that moment with the highest count from that year through 2025, and with 2025. The nine historic jumps are every name-and-sex pair that went from fewer than 100 babies to 1,000 or more in a single year; a truncated record in the 1989 file was excluded.

Dates of premieres, releases and events come from the sources listed below. The comparisons are descriptive: a moment that preceded a rise shows a coincidence in time, not proof of cause, and other forces, such as sound and fashion, also shape names. Survey figures come from the polls cited and are not nationally representative unless stated.

About the author

Gustavo Athayde, Founder and Creative Director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde — Founder & Creative Director, GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde is the founder and creative director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE, a bespoke monogram atelier based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graphic designer by training, he creates monograms, personal and family crests, heraldic emblems, signet designs and wax seals for individuals, families, couples and brands across the United States. Every commission is refined line by line into a symbol meant to be kept, used and passed down.

Follow the atelier on Instagram · Request a private consultation

Frequently asked questions

Do TV shows really change baby names?
Often, yes, at least for a while. In SSA data, Dutton and Kayce from Yellowstone were the fastest-rising boys’ names of 2022, and 5,537 girls have been named Khaleesi since Game of Thrones began.
What is the biggest pop culture baby name spike in history?
By sheer numbers, Shirley: it rose from 14,320 girls in 1933 to 42,366 in 1935, during Shirley Temple’s fame. Katina, which jumped from 95 to 2,747 girls in 1972, is the largest jump from a near-unknown name.
Why did the name Alexa decline?
Its decline accelerated after Amazon introduced its Echo speaker and voice assistant in 2014. The name fell every year from 2016 to 2025 and left the top 1,000 in 2025.

More about pop culture names

Do pop culture names last?
Most do not. Ten years after their first surge peak, the nine names with history’s sharpest one-year jumps kept a median of 18.5% of those peak births, although names such as Aaliyah and Nevaeh endured.
How many parents choose a pop culture name?
About 11% of parents in a 2024 BabyCenter poll of 453 users said they chose a name inspired by a celebrity, book, film or TV show. A family name was more common, at 23%.
What were the fastest-rising baby names of 2025?
Klarity for girls, up 1,396 places, and Kasai for boys, up 1,108 places, according to the SSA. Both followed celebrity birth announcements.

Cite this page

Source: Gustavo Athayde, "The Pop Culture Effect on Baby Names", https://gustavoathayde.com/pop-culture-baby-names/

Feel free to use these statistics and charts — we just ask for a link back to this page.

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