10 Most Popular Baby Girl Names of 2016

If you are expecting a baby in 2016, you may have probably already considered dozens or even hundreds of baby girl names! With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to find the right name that matches your baby’s personality, appearance and last name. To help you make the decision, here are 10 of the most popular baby girl names for 2016.

Emma

Emma is derived from the German word ermen, which means “universal” or “whole”. It is also commonly used as a shortened version of Emmeline or Amelia. It is a very old name and can be traced back to the 11th-Century. The popularity of the name has fluctuated over the years, but since the 1960s it has become more common, particularly in the United States, Western Europe and Australia. Since the mid 2000s it has seen a resurgence in popularity and is expected to remain popular in 2016.

Sophia

An ancient name that has been in use for thousands of years, Sophia will remain popular in 2016. It is derived from σοφία, a Greek word meaning “wisdom”. In the United States, Sophia was the most popular name for 2011, 2012 and 2013! Variations of the name are also popular, including Fia, Sofana, Sophie, Sophio and Soffia.

Charlotte

The name Charlotte dates back to the 18th-Century and is the female form of the male name Charles. It has a French origin and means “petite” in the feminine form or “free man” in the masculine. Girls named Charlotte often have their names abbreviated to Charlie, Lottie, Tottie or Carlota. This name is very popular in European countries and Australia, where it was the most popular name in 2013.

Princess Kate Middleton and Chelsea Clinton both decided to name their newborns Charlotte in 2015, which is expected to increase the name’s popularity in 2016.

Olivia

Olivia has seen a huge spike in popularity in recent years and is a strong contender for the most popular baby girl name in the United States in 2016. It is derived from the Latin Oliva, meaning “olive” and was first used sometime in the 13th-Century.

Ava

A very beautiful and short name, it has risen in popularity recently due to many celebrities choosing the name for the children. The name is of German origin and was used from the mediaeval period. The popularity of movie star Ava Gardner increased the usage of the name in the Western world and it is set to be one of the most popular baby girl names in 2016.

Isabella

Isabella is the latin version of the name Elizabeth, which means “devoted to God” in Hebrew. Just like Elizabeth, it is one of the most popular names in the world and has seen a recent spike in popularity. There are many variations on this name including Bettina, Elisa, Elise, Elishbeta, Izabella, and Isabell. It is also common for girls named Isabella to simply go by the name Bella.

Ruby

This name is taken from the beautiful, rose-coloured ruby gemstone. The origins of the word can be traced back to the Latin “Ruber”, which means red. The name first became popular in the Victorian era, when many children were named after jewels. While this name is not popular in the United States, it is very popular in some parts of Europe, New Zealand and Australia. In 2016, it is expected to increase in popularity and become more widespread.

Mia

This name has exploded in popularity in recent years and is likely to place in the top 10 in many countries this year. This name has a number of origins, including Hebrew, Latin and Scandinavian. The initial usage was suspected to come from the Hebrew language, which may have based it on the Egyptian word “myr”, which means “beloved”. This name is particularly popular in Australia and the United States, but will increase in popularity throughout Europe this year.

Amelia

This name has been particularly popular in England and other parts of Europe throughout 2015. It’s sudden spike in popularity is expected to continue and it will enter the top 10 in various countries in 2016. The name is based on the German word amal, which means “work”. It is related to other popular names including Emma, Amy, Milly and Mel. Although it sounds like Emily, researchers don’t believe the names have a similar foundation (Emily comes from a Latin foundation).

Emily

Another very old name, Emily was derived from the Roman name Aemilia, which was in turn derived from the Latin word aemulus — meaning “rival”. It has been an extremely popular name in Western countries over the last 10 years and despite retreating becoming less popular recently, it will most like remain in the top 10 in 2016.

Sources

Kidspot.com.au,. (2016). 2012: Australia’s 100 most popular baby names – Kidspot. Retrieved 9 February 2016, from http://www.kidspot.com.au/birth/baby-names/naming-your-baby/2012-australias-100-most-popular-baby-names#.Us8-yqxBRPh

Ssa.gov,. (2016). Top 5 Names in Each of the Last 100 Years. Retrieved 9 February 2016, from https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/top5names.html

Baby Name Wizard,. (2016). Baby Names Popularity – NameVoyager: Baby Name Wizard Graph of Most Popular Baby Names. Retrieved 9 February 2016, from http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager