Millennial Parents Are Bringing Back '90s Baby Names

For years, “old lady/man,” “vintage,” and “classic” baby names have been among the top naming trends for parents looking for something iconic to name their little one. It makes sense: you want something unique but not something altogether new. I can’t tell you the look on my grandmother’s face when I told her I really loved her middle name — “Mildred” — which she’s reviled her whole life. Well, fellow Millennials: it’s our turn. According to a new data analysis from BabyCenter, the ’90s are back, especially when it comes to girl names.

For the past 20 years, BabyCenter has gathered baby names from hundreds of thousands of parents who register their babies’ names on the BabyCenter app. This allows the site to look at trends in real time rather than wait for the annual “Social Security Baby Name” drop that announces top names in the U.S. from the year prior.

Of the top 100 baby names of 2025 so far, BabyCenter has noticed growing interest in girl’s names that were most popular, or iconic, in the 1990s — a decade I personally will always think of as being 10 years ago when, in fact, it’s been 26 to 35 years. (Sorry, but if I have to live with that knowledge I’m taking you all with me.)

BabyCenter notes the following names are having a significant rise, even if they’re not quite cracking the top 10 (or even the Top 100) names any time soon:

• Sabrina — as in “the teenage witch” — has risen 19 spots from 2024 up to #323;
• Britney is up to #3,958 which isn’t a whole lot, but that’s up 1,200 spots from the year before;
• Shania is up more than 800 spots where it sits at #1,915.
• Kelsey and Briana are also rising in the ranks according to BabyCenter, though SSA data suggests that the popularity of these names have been on the decline since their ’90s heyday.
• Diana has risen 39 spots to #293. Per SSA data, this name saw notable upticks in both 1981, the year the People’s Princess married then-Prince Charles, and 1998, the year after her death.

While SSA data isn’t updated in real time, looking at past data can also indicate trends and, indeed, some of the most popular names of the ’90s appear to be on the rise, including Ashley (up 48 spots from 2021 to 2024) and Brittany (up an impressive 65 spots from 2023 to 2024).

Some names weren’t popular in the ’90s, but belonged to iconically popular people are seeing some upticks as well. Naomi (#44 in 2024), Winona (#738, but it’s only been in the Top 1,000 names since 2022), Drew (#695) and Celine (#227) are all (fantastically!) seeing significant resurgence.

So if you’re thinking about girl names, turn to the 1990s... and might I suggest Demi, Alanis, Mariah, Whitney, Jasmine, Gwen, Gwyneth, Kate, or Julia? They’re mostly on the decline or don’t even rank, but I feel good about being able to bring them back.