The 80s baby names ‘playful’ parents are ditched in 2026 – and what’s trending instead

Choosing the perfect name for your newborn is a milestone every couple faces as they start raising children. While there are millions of books and resources telling people what’s trending, it can be hard to know what moniker will suit the latest addition to your family. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the volume of names out there, you are not alone. Wading through the options can be all-consuming, and finding a unique name that both parties in a couple love has been the root cause of arguments for centuries. 

That’s why we asked the UK’s leading naming expert to help us rule out some previously popular names for parents-to-be in 2026, so if nothing else, you can decide what you don’t want. 

Throwing it back to the 80s, SJ Strum has untangled the web of boys’ and girls’ names that featured heavily in that era and has decoded why they are no longer popular in the 2000s. 

Top 80s boys’ names 

Before we understand why names from the decade of decadence are no longer a hot topic in 2026, we need to know which names were trending back in the day. 

According to SJ, these were the most popular 80s names for boys, taken from the Office of National Statistics:

• Christopher
• James
• David
• Daniel
• Michael
• Matthew
• Andrew
• Richard
• Paul
• Mark

Top 80s girls’ names 

The expert also weighed in on girls’ names in the 80s and listed the following as the most popular from that time: 

• Sarah
• Laura
• Gemma
• Emma
• Rebecca
• Claire
• Victoria
• Samantha
• Rachel
• Amy

Modern parents with unique perspectives

For the current generation of parents, the name game is all about uniqueness and identifying your own point of difference. Gone are the days of ordinary titles that have been used before; in 2026, it is about giving a child a name that won’t be repeated five or six times on the school’s roll call. 

SJ explained to HELLO!: “Eighties names have been left behind by modern parents – where once ‘girl next door’ names topped the charts and biblical boy names felt classic and safe – nowadays they don’t cut it.

“The biggest turn-off for a name is now knowing lots and lots of people who share it; we all know a Dave! Newborn Richard just doesn’t feel right anymore.” 

Nicknames are trending 

If you are looking for a name that will stand the test of time, according to the expert, your best bet is to stick to names that can be shortened and changed into something else. 

“While we love a vintage name, it’s monikers with sweet nicknames that give a quirky twist that have stood the test of time,” SJ revealed. She added: “Kit, Albie, Nate, Teddy and Bobby have all taken the place of their more traditional namesakes for boys as we get less formal as a society and a lot more playful as parents.” 

Turning her attention to the girls, the expert explained why parents are veering away from the traditional name and looking for something a little more timely. 

SJ said: “For girls born today, we’re going for more romantic older names. Mabel, Clara, Ophelia, Delilah and Margot are the new IT Girl names when it comes to picking from the past.”

The Regency era’s second coming 

For parents who are a fan of nostalgic names, this year, titles born in the Regency era are trending. Think Bridgerton, and you’ll be spot on, because it is not nostalgia that is out; it is just very decade-dependent. 

The expert explained: “If you want to be truly fashion-forward, you need to set your time machine even further back to the Regency period, when the ‘Ton’ discovered a new wave of ‘romantic names’ taken from around Europe.

“Agnes, Dorothea, Edith, Frances, Peggy and Tabitha are forgotten gems ready for revival. Ambrose, Benedict, Edwin, Percival, Walter and Silas are elegant picks that sound ‘most appealing’ to fresh ears.”

However, the naming professional warned that baby names operate in a cycle, and it is likely that what is in now will either come back around or vanish over the years. 

She highlighted: “But watch out as the cycle will repeat itself, so prepare your happy face for when your child is all grown up and introduces the amazing name they just discovered in an old yearbook, and you’re pushing your grandson Ian on the swings and running around the park after little Tracy. Eighties names are not dead, they’re just on a break…”