Top 25 Celebrity Baby Name Influencers of 2020 That Are Changing the Name of the Game

Celebrities are regularly responsible for injecting unusual names into the mainstream. In fact, we have stars to thank for the introduction of a number of names that are now long-established, such as Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, and Tyrone Power. It’s hard to imagine a time when a name like Lauren seemed exotic, but it was virtually unheard of in the US until the 1940s.

The baby name gurus at Nameberry crunched the numbers to discover which celebrity names and their baby names are moving the needle and which celebrity parents have been crowned bonafide tastemakers. We were amazed by the influence of the Kardashian clan but they do, indeed, choose baby names off the beaten path that seem to find their way into many a nursery. While a name like Chicago failed to take flight other choices like Saint, Reign, and Stormi have become a possibility for many new parents. Let’s take a look at some of the best celebrity baby names making waves in 2020.

25. Win

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and singer Ciara named their son Win Harrison. Harrison is Wilson’s father’s first name. The name Win has English origins and has an upbeat can-do feel to it. This name works because it’s a common nickname for others like Winston, Winslow, or Winthrop.

24. Daisy

Katy Perry won the name battle she had with husband Orlando Bloom and the couple settled on the name Daisy Dove for their first child together. Put a pin in the name Dove, because we’ll return to it later on in this list. Daisy is a name with English origins that means “day’s eye.”

23. Lyla

Celebrity couple Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt recently used this name for their daughter, Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt, born in August of 2020. Lyla is a variation of Lila, an Arabic name that means “night.”

22. Rue

Teyana Taylor welcomed daughter, Rue Rose with husband Iman Shumpert in September. Rue is a botanical name with English and Greek origins that means “regret.” This name was already on the rise and we expect that Rue Rose will further increase the popularity of this versatile name even more.

21. Willa

Trendsetting celebrity couple Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas chose soft, delicate Willa for their daughter born in July. Almost any name would have benefitted from their seal of approval, but Willa, which is familiar yet not particularly popular, is expected to rise dramatically over the next few years. Willa is the feminine form of William and has German origins. The name means “resolute protector.”

20. Onyx

Onyx is unapologetically cool, and the recent endorsement by rapper Iggy Azalea (birth name Amethyst) only makes it fresher. Onyx is a fast-rising gem name that we foresee will be catapulted into the top 500 baby names very, very soon.

19. Lyra

Lyra was chosen for their daughter by Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn, as well as Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum. The name made its debut on top 1000 in 2015 and we expect it to continue to climb thanks to the popularity of Sheeran. Lyra has Greek origins and means “lyre.”

18. Kaori

Kaori is a Japanese girls’ name once largely unknown but brought into the spotlight by celebrity couple Eniko and Kevin Hart, who gave it to their daughter in 2020. Eniko sounds as sweet as can be and that’s probably where the meaning of this name, “fragrance” comes from.

17. Ever

 Americans can’t get enough of Ever names, and everything from Everly to Everest is on the upward climb. Lea Michele recently named her son Ever, which we suspect will see a significant uptick. The name has Scandinavian origins where it means “wild as a boar.” And, you’ll also find the name in Hebrew tradition (Eber) meaning “beyond.”

16. Dove

As promised, we return to Dove! Teddi Mellencamp, a one-time celebrity baby herself, chose the name Dove for her daughter born in February of this year. But the larger influence will come from Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, who used it as a middle name for their baby girl Daisy in August.

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15. Reign

Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign. Of all the celebrity baby names to trend in 2015 (and beyond), Reign saw the most favor. This word name makes for a royal or noble child and works well for both boys and girls.

14. Stormi

Okay, we’re slipping through a Kardashian-Jenner-world moment here. Stormi almost doubled in popularity between 2018 and 2019 after Kylie Jenner chose the name for her daughter. Stormie and Stormy also increased in use, albeit less dramatically. This offbeat choice is a way to share a love for nature with your child, but it might turn some heads.

13. Saint

Saint was doomed to be a success, not only because uber-influential celebrity couple Kim Kardashian and Kanye West chose it for their son in 2015, but because it fits in with some of the rising trends at the time (many of which you’ll find on this list). Pete Wentz was actually the first celeb parent to choose this name for their child, but does that tree falling in a forest of Kardashian even matter?

12. Luna

Let’s take a breath or a much-needed break from KUWTK. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have such a beautiful family. Their oldest child, Luna Simone has an equally attractive name. Luna was already a fast-rising name in the 2010s. We expect this Latin name that means “moon” to reach the top ten next year.

11. Dream

The vast majority of Kardashian baby names have become instant sensations (with the exception of Chicago, sorry ’bout it). Dream has been on the ascension since the birth of Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian’s daughter Dream Renée in 2016 and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

10. Crew

Chip and Joanna Gaines surprised fans with the name they chose for their fifth child, considering they had previously stuck to a pattern of E names for girls and D names for boys. Many parents have since adopted the name for their own sons. It more than doubled in popularity from 2018 to 2019. Crew is an English word name and it now sits in the top 500.

9. Banks

Hilary Duff entered Banks to the baby name supply in 2018 when she welcomed her daughter Banks Violet Blair. Despite using it as a girl’s name, Banks turned out to be a big favorite for boys. It entered the top 1000 the following year. This English surname means “one who lives on the hillside or riverbank.”

8. Adonis

The name of a figure from Greek mythology, Adonis is a unique name often synonymous with masculine beauty. Musician Drake chose the name for his son in 2017 and since, the name has shot right up the charts. The name means “lord.”

7. Zendaya

Celebrity parents aren’t the only ones moving the needle on baby names. Mononymous actress Zendaya singlehandedly carried her name into the top 1000, first from 2014 to 2017, and again in 2019. After becoming the youngest female actor to ever win an Emmy earlier this year, we expect only more love for this Shona name that means “to give thanks.”

6. Keanu

An evocatively exotic name brought from Hawaii to the mainland by Keanu Reeves, who was born in Beirut to a part-Hawaiian, part-Chinese father. It moved into the top 1000 for the first time in over a decade in 2016. The name is now more popular than ever! The name means “cool breeze over the mountains.”

5. Idris

Idris is a handsome name that’s found in both Welsh and Arabic traditions. The name means “lord” or “studious.” We have actor Idris Elba to thank for this name showing up on a record number of birth certificates in the US. It ranked in the top 1000 in 2018 and it is just starting to heat up!

4. Ermias

After the tragic loss of rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019, many parents thought it wise to pay tribute to the artist by choosing his given name, Ermias for their sons. Ermias was the second-fastest rising baby name overall for 2019, going from number 5842 to number 540. This name most likely has Ethiopian origins and means “sent from God.”

3. Dax

This next name is actually a tie between Dax and Saoirse. Dax Shepard‘s name has really taken off over the last few years, which is curious! Beginning in the early 2000s the name shot up the charts and its favor only continues to grow. Saoirse followed in the 2010s becoming one of the hottest names for girls in 2016. We expect both to continue blooming. Dax is a French place-name. Actor Saoirse Ronan‘s very Irish name means “liberty.”

2. Archie

Back to a very cute celebrity baby that’s helped change the naming landscape. Archie is a wonderful English nickname name that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry chose for their son in 2019. The name skyrocketed up the charts from obscurity. This name has German origins and means “truly brave.”

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1. Billie

Young musical sensation Billie Eilish has the potential to shoot this androgynous baby name into the top 1000 for the first time in decades. Standing on the shoulders of other celebs like Billie Piper and Billie Lourd, this name has huge potential and we foresee it only growing in popularity throughout the 2020s. Billie is a form of William and like Willa means “resolute protector.”

There you go! 25 celebrities and their babies who are changing the baby name landscape. We hope you enjoyed this list and feel confident choosing one of these fabulous, fame-endorsed names for your little one.