"This year, 44 girl names and 49 boy names entered the Top 1000, or returned after a gap. The highest-ranking new entry for girls is Madisson, a re-spelled return of 90s/00s favorite Madison, coming in at Number 319 — more on that below. For boys, the highest new entry is Jasai at Number 439, a modern way to bring the cool “ai” sound," 📛NB🍒 reports.
Here are standout 10 new entries or re-entries to 📄America’s Top 1000 baby names (full list at end):
📛Agastya
Although it might look like a relation of Augustus, Agastya is an ancient Indian name with multiple layers of significance in Hinduism — and the only Indian name to enter the Top 1000 boys’ list. It has been growing fast in both the US and the UK since an Odia-language film of this name was released in 2016, and actor Agastya Nanda is another influence.
📛Alara
Jumping up over 400 places to Number 652, Alara is one of many names with soft, liquid sounds that are hot stuff right now. Others new to the Top 1000 include Liora and Eliora, Naylani, Leylani, Ailanny… you get the idea. It echoes trends at the top of the charts: Eliana did a surprisingly big leap into the Top Ten girl names this year, while Ailany made an astonishing jump from outside the Top 1000 in 2023, to Number 14 in 2025.
Most famous Alaras are Turkish, but the name’s simple, melodious sounds make it appealing to speakers of Spanish, English, and other languages — truly a world-travelling baby name.
Meanwhile, Elara — another new entry to the Top 1000 — was presciently voted Name of the Year 2025 over at Namerology.
📛Brewer
Say hi to the newest occupation name on the block! As popular choices like Parker and Hunter reach their peak and start to (gradually) fall in use, others rise to take their place. Alongside Brewer, Foster and Palmer also entered the Top 1000 boy names.
📛Coast
Landscape names were one of our predicted trends for 2025… and we got it right! Coast can be rugged and outdoorsy, or chilled and beachy, and it entered the rankings at Number 875. Another one-syllable landscape name, Stone, was also a new entry to the Top 1000.
📛Kasai
Actress Skai Jackson chose this name for her son, born in January 2025 — the perfect time of year for maximum impact on the annual data! Both a Japanese name, and a river in Central Africa, it combines a cool K initial with an uber-cool “ai” sound. No wonder a lot of parents followed suit.
Similar-sounding new entries to the Top 1000 boy names include Jasai, Eziah, Caius, Syaire, and Josias.
📛Klarity
This respelled virtue was the fastest-rising name of the year, leaping up over 1000 spaces to Number 791 in 2025. Rapper Kash Doll lit the fire, naming her daughter Klarity in 2024, and releasing a single with the same name later that year:
Finally complete, I got my clarityFinally I'm who I'm supposed to be
The virtue of clear vision and purpose, seeing through the dross, appeals to modern parents, and it helps that the word sounds namelike, following in the tradition of virtues like Charity, Verity, and Liberty.
📛Kyomi
Kyomi and Kiyomi — more Japanese names with cool sounds that appeal to the wider world — have rocketed into the Top 1000 girl names.
Kiyomi has had a lot of exposure through characters in Monster High and the manga series Death Note, as well as internet celebrities like model Kiyomi Leslie and Tiktok creator Kiyomi Vining. Kiyomi ranks at Number 765, but the streamlined spelling Kyomi has proved even more popular, entering the Top 1000 at Number 548.
📛Madisson
Thought the Mad(d)is(s)on era was over? Think again.
Madison-with-one-S peaked in the early 2000s, and seemed to be on a downwards trend along with other nineties-oughties names like Alexis and Hannah. But the double-S version has just made a massive comeback, leaping from below the Top 1000 (203 girls) in 2024, to a staggering Number 319 (958 girls) in 2025. Other spellings saw a slight uptick too.
It look like a few influences have coincided to put the name on parents’ radar again, including Siesta Key star Madisson Hausburg (whose daughter has another new-entry name, Sunday); social media personality Jahana Nicole Santos, whose daughter is called Madisson; and lifestyle creator Madisson Stickel.
Usually trending names follow a straightforward up-down pattern, but maybe this will be a name with multiple peaks, like Halle and Kylie?
📛Montgomery
In a world of Kasai and Coast, Montgomery is subversive. It’s long, historic, and unapologetically packed with consonants. It could have a nickname, for goodness’ sake! (Monty is adorable.) Clunky names may not be back in fashion for a while, but there will always be space for using them anyway.
📛Odette
While some parents seek modern sounds and disruptive meanings, others run the opposite way, towards sleek, retro French names. Balletic Odette is one; Corinne and Simone are other new entries.
Is it relevant that Odette has long been a favourite in name nerd circles? As Abby at Appellation Mountain said, baby names have a crazy long lead time. Some of the teenberries listing Odette in their signatures ten or fifteen years ago could easily be some of the parents finally giving it to their daughters now.
