Every May, the Social Security Administration drops one of the most entertaining website updates of all: the names that gained the most in popularity out of over 1,000 common names.
The 2025 top baby names, unveiled in May 2026, were full of surprises. A name meaning “fire” jumped more than 1,100 spots, another received a spelling makeover, and a wave of unique names dominated the list.
ThatsThem has put together this latest list of popular names in 2026 using data from the <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/press/releases/2026-05-08.html” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>SSA’s 2026 name release, cross-referenced against birth announcements and news outlets, including The Bump and ABC News, to connect each popular name to the cultural movement likely behind it.
Boys’ Names on the Rise
Kasai — Up 1,108 Spots to No. 639
Kasai means “fire” in both Japanese and Swahili, and it earned itself the place of 2025’s single biggest riser among boy names. Actress Skai Jackson named her son Kasai in January 2025, which was ideal timing to influence name trend data. The rising profile of dual entrepreneur and rapper Kasai Guthrie also likely added some fuel to the fire.
Akari — Up 1,089 Spots to No. 542
Akari is a name that means either “bright” or “light” in Japanese. It’s part of a broader wave of Japanese-inspired names that are climbing the U.S. charts. As anime viewership in the country continues to increase, it is possible that the naming trend is influenced by continued interest in Japanese culture. Crunchyroll, an anime streaming service, alone reported millions of increased subscribers in 2025, demonstrating how the art form is sweeping the nation.
Eziah — Up 789 Spots to No. 610
Eziah is a modern name with a twist on the classic biblical name choices of Isaiah or Ezra. It is also benefiting from the same fashionable long “i” sound that gave fuel to Kasai’s rise, making it a part of a broader 2025 reappearance of modern-styled Hebrew names.
Jasai — Up 775 Spots to No. 439
Jasai shares Hebrew roots, meaning “to save,” with other names like Joshua. Its real momentum, however, likely came from proximity. Sound-alike names often ride closely behind each other in the popularity rankings, and Jasai sounds quite similar to first-place holder Kasai.
Neithan — Up 656 Spots to No. 723
Finally, for the boys, Neithan is a stylized spin on Nathan that has taken the nation by storm. Neithan is especially popular among Spanish-speaking parents, as it is part of a broader trend towards the “ei” vowel cluster that is seen in other names climbing the list.
Girls’ Names on the Rise
Klarity — Up 1,396 Spots to No. 791, the Year’s Biggest Riser
For the girls, rapper Kash Doll named her daughter Klarity Doll in June 2024, which sparked a massive rise in popularity for the name. She also released a single called “Klarity” the same year, which helped cement this name as one that was impossible to miss going into 2025 and 2026.
Rynlee — Up 1,222 Spots to No. 755
Rynlee is a unique name that’s part of an ongoing wave of surname-style names, alongside Everlee and Karsyn, that have been increasing in popularity. Texas, Oklahoma, and the South are where name trend data shows this one gaining the most traction.
Ailanny — Up 963 Spots to No. 932
Ailanny is just one of several spellings of Ailany, which was the single fastest-rising girls’ name from 2024. It’s no wonder it earns a spot on the 2025 rankings. It also rides the same lyrical “-lani” wave that has steadily been building ever since “Moana” debuted in 2016.
Naylani — Up 940 Spots to No. 897
Naylani joins both Kailani (ranked 253 in 2025) and Aylani (ranked 293 in 2025) in the Hawaiian-inspired name category. It’s been steadily climbing for years and isn’t likely to slow anytime soon.
Madisson — Up 863 Spots to No. 319
Finally, Madisson has a unique double S spin on Madison, which was a name that defined the 2000s, ranking in the top 10 from 2000 to 2014. Madisson follows the same stylized-respelling that helped bolster Klarity. It also serves as proof that even the old favorites can appear back on the list in reimagined ways.
Choose the best name for your child
Names like Liam and Oliut it’s fast movers like these that tell a more nuanced story
There’s no shortage of unique names to be had. Next May, when the Social Security Administration releases its 2026 data, you should expect to see a fresh batch of risers based on the cultural movements happening right now.
This storywas produced byThatsThemand reviewed and distributed byStacker.
