Eliana Climbs to No. 2 as BabyCenter Tracks 2027 Baby Names

Eliana has climbed to No. 2 among U.S. girls' names, up from No. 14 in 2024 and No. 7 in 2025, according to data BabyCenter shared with NBC News on Oct. 20, 2026. Noah and Olivia keep their No. 1 spots in each category, per the same dataset. BabyCenter drew the figures from more than 350,000 babies born in 2026 to parents registered on its app, NBC News reported, allowing the company to flag trends before the Social Security Administration releases its official annual list.

Why Is Eliana the Fastest-Rising Girls' Name?

Steph Coffield, BabyCenter's baby name advisor, called Eliana the year's most surprising trend in remarks to NBC News published Oct. 20, 2026. Coffield predicted the name could reach No. 1 in 2027 if its current climb holds, according to the same report.

Which Letter Dominates This Year's Top 100?

E is the most common starting letter for girls' names, accounting for 15% of the top 100 in BabyCenter's 2026 data, per NBC News. J leads for boys, at 14% of the top 100. Within the E-names, Elsie rose 23 spots, Evangeline climbed 50, Elodie jumped 87, Elaine moved up 143, and Esme surged 222 spots, according to the same BabyCenter figures. On the boys' side, Josiah rose 33 spots to No. 21 and Jeremiah climbed 28 spots to No. 60, while Jaxon, Jaxson and Jasper all held positions in the top 100, per NBC News' Oct. 20, 2026 report.

Which New Names Entered the Top 100?

Magnolia is the only brand-new girls' name in BabyCenter's 2026 rankings, according to NBC News. Boys gained three debuts — Stetson, Archer and Milo — plus Dean, which returned to the top 100 for the first time this century after a run of popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, per the same dataset.

Are Baby Names Getting Longer?

Nearly three in 10 top girls' names and 31% of top boys' names run seven letters or longer in BabyCenter's 2026 data, according to NBC News' Oct. 20, 2026 coverage. Christopher is the longest name among the rankings, at 11 letters, per the same report.

What to Watch

• Whether Eliana overtakes Olivia for the No. 1 girls' spot once BabyCenter's 2027 figures are tallied.
• Whether the Social Security Administration's official rankings, typically released in the spring, align with BabyCenter's real-time read on 2026 births.
• Whether E-starting names keep expanding their 15% share of the top 100 as more 2027 births are logged.
• Whether debut names Stetson, Archer, Milo, Dean and Magnolia hold their new rankings or drop out by next year's list.

The full NBC News breakdown, including BabyCenter's commentary on pop-culture influences like "The Odyssey," "Yellowstone" and "Heated Rivalry," is available at NBC News.