The Secret Olivia Told Me
N. Joy · 2007
Picture Book (3-6)
Olivia is in the title
Top 100 Baby Girl Names of 2026 (and the Books That Star Them)
By NamesInBooks Editors ·
The 100 most popular girl names from the latest official data, with where they come from, how they moved and real books starring each name.
Choosing a girl's name is a big decision, and a book with her name on the cover makes it even more special. Below are the 100 most popular girl names in the United States, according to the Social Security Administration's 2025 data, the newest official rankings, released in May 2026. Official rankings for 2026 births won't exist until 2027, so this is the best guide to the most popular names for babies born in 2026, based on the latest data.
For every name we show how many books in our catalog star a character with that name, and for the top 20 we add where the name comes from. Looking for the other list? See our top 100 baby boy names of 2026, or read about the baby name trends parents love in 2026. You can also browse the most popular names on NamesInBooks or every name in our A to Z name index.
The top 100 baby girl names for 2026
The table lists each name's 2025 rank, how it moved since 2024 and the number of books in our catalog starring a character with that name. Olivia held the top spot again in 2025.
| Rank | Name | Change since 2024 | Books starring the name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olivia | No change | 103 |
| 2 | Charlotte | Up 2 | 92 |
| 3 | Emma | Down 1 | 199 |
| 4 | Amelia | Down 1 | 128 |
| 5 | Sophia | Up 1 | 30 |
| 6 | Mia | Down 1 | 111 |
| 7 | Isabella | No change | 16 |
| 8 | Evelyn | No change | 11 |
| 9 | Sofia | Up 1 | 15 |
| 10 | Eliana | Up 8 | 2 |
| 11 | Ava | Down 2 | 47 |
| 12 | Eleanor | Up 2 | 26 |
| 13 | Violet | Up 2 | 280 |
| 14 | Ailany | New to top 100 | 0 |
| 15 | Aurora | Up 1 | 24 |
| 16 | Harper | Down 4 | 21 |
| 17 | Elizabeth | No change | 168 |
| 18 | Lily | Up 6 | 177 |
| 19 | Camila | Down 8 | 4 |
| 20 | Nora | Up 2 | 46 |
| 21 | Hazel | Down 2 | 46 |
| 22 | Penelope | Up 6 | 45 |
| 23 | Chloe | Down 3 | 73 |
| 24 | Ellie | Down 3 | 119 |
| 25 | Lucy | Up 9 | 283 |
| 26 | Aria | No change | 19 |
| 27 | Luna | Down 14 | 23 |
| 28 | Isla | Up 7 | 12 |
| 29 | Ella | Up 1 | 89 |
| 30 | Lainey | Up 8 | 4 |
| 31 | Zoe | Down 2 | 104 |
| 32 | Scarlett | Down 5 | 25 |
| 33 | Gianna | Down 10 | 1 |
| 34 | Emily | Down 9 | 288 |
| 35 | Valentina | Up 12 | 2 |
| 36 | Layla | Up 1 | 9 |
| 37 | Avery | Down 6 | 21 |
| 38 | Grace | Up 2 | 104 |
| 39 | Ivy | Down 3 | 71 |
| 40 | Madison | Up 5 | 34 |
| 41 | Abigail | Down 9 | 41 |
| 42 | Elena | Up 4 | 30 |
| 43 | Mila | Down 10 | 11 |
| 44 | Willow | Down 3 | 45 |
| 45 | Emilia | Down 2 | 6 |
| 46 | Nova | Down 7 | 10 |
| 47 | Naomi | Down 3 | 24 |
| 48 | Riley | Down 6 | 42 |
| 49 | Eloise | Up 15 | 29 |
| 50 | Sadie | Up 7 | 55 |
| 51 | Delilah | Down 1 | 18 |
| 52 | Stella | Down 3 | 47 |
| 53 | Josephine | Up 3 | 8 |
| 54 | Victoria | Down 6 | 29 |
| 55 | Sophie | Up 5 | 189 |
| 56 | Hannah | Down 4 | 122 |
| 57 | Lillian | Down 3 | 3 |
| 58 | Leah | Down 5 | 31 |
| 59 | Adeline | Down 1 | 2 |
| 60 | Leilani | Up 6 | 1 |
| 61 | Iris | Up 11 | 34 |
| 62 | Maya | Down 11 | 53 |
| 63 | Clara | Up 15 | 59 |
| 64 | Ruby | Down 2 | 164 |
| 65 | Alice | Down 2 | 253 |
| 66 | Genesis | Down 11 | 2 |
| 67 | Paisley | Down 6 | 4 |
| 68 | Claire | Down 1 | 85 |
| 69 | Zoey | Down 10 | 43 |
| 70 | Eden | Up 1 | 13 |
| 71 | Madelyn | Down 6 | 0 |
| 72 | Vivian | Up 5 | 11 |
| 73 | Millie | Up 14 | 46 |
| 74 | Emery | Down 4 | 1 |
| 75 | Daisy | Up 1 | 169 |
| 76 | Maeve | Down 1 | 8 |
| 77 | Ayla | Down 8 | 1 |
| 78 | Liliana | Up 2 | 1 |
| 79 | Melody | Up 12 | 60 |
| 80 | Lyla | Up 3 | 3 |
| 81 | Madeline | Up 5 | 27 |
| 82 | Josie | Up 6 | 55 |
| 83 | Lucia | Up 15 | 11 |
| 84 | Addison | Down 16 | 6 |
| 85 | Kennedy | Up 4 | 4 |
| 86 | Audrey | Down 4 | 29 |
| 87 | Maria | Down 13 | 52 |
| 88 | Autumn | Down 9 | 13 |
| 89 | Natalie | Down 16 | 46 |
| 90 | Sarah | Up 3 | 193 |
| 91 | Everly | Down 10 | 1 |
| 92 | Lydia | Up 5 | 37 |
| 93 | Kinsley | Down 8 | 1 |
| 94 | Sienna | New to top 100 | 4 |
| 95 | Jade | Down 11 | 36 |
| 96 | Caroline | Down 4 | 40 |
| 97 | Quinn | Down 1 | 24 |
| 98 | Amara | New to top 100 | 3 |
| 99 | Georgia | New to top 100 | 48 |
| 100 | Juniper | New to top 100 | 9 |
Source: Social Security Administration, popular baby names, 2025 data. Book counts are from the NamesInBooks catalog.
Top 20 girl names for 2026: origins and books
These are the names you'll hear most on the playground in the next few years. For each one we note its origin from Behind the Name, how it moved in the rankings, and a few of the best books starring a girl with that name.
1. Olivia
Olivia held the same spot as in 2024. It's used in English, Italian and Spanish, according to Behind the Name. We have 103 books starring a character named Olivia. Browse picture books starring Olivia or early readers starring Olivia.
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Olivia Forms a Band
Ian Falconer · 2006
Picture Book (3-6)
Olivia is in the title
2. Charlotte
Charlotte moved up 2 places from #4 in 2024. It's used in French, English and German, according to Behind the Name. We have 92 books starring a character named Charlotte. Browse picture books starring Charlotte or early readers starring Charlotte.
A study in Charlotte
Brittany Cavallaro · 2016
Young Adult
Charlotte is in the title
The Charlotte Stories
Teddy Jam · 1994
Middle Grade
Charlotte is in the title
3. Emma
Emma moved down 1 places from #2 in 2024. It's used in English, French and Italian, according to Behind the Name. We have 199 books starring a character named Emma. Browse picture books starring Emma or early readers starring Emma.
Emma and the Blue Genie
Cornelia Funke · 2002
Middle Grade
Emma is in the title
Sam and Emma
Donald Nelsen, Edward Gorey · 1974
Picture Book (3-6)
Emma is in the title
4. Amelia
Amelia moved down 1 places from #3 in 2024. It's used in English, Spanish and Italian, according to Behind the Name. We have 128 books starring a character named Amelia. Browse picture books starring Amelia or early readers starring Amelia.
Come Back, Amelia Bedelia
Peggy Parish · 1971
Early Reader
Amelia is in the title
Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia
Peggy Parish, Wallace Tripp · 1978
Early Reader
Amelia is in the title
5. Sophia
Sophia moved up 1 places from #6 in 2024. It's used in English, Greek and German, according to Behind the Name. We have 30 books starring a character named Sophia. Browse picture books starring Sophia or early readers starring Sophia.
Silly Sophia
Beth Elliott · 2008
Picture Book (3-6)
Sophia is in the title
Sophia, the alchemist's dog
Shelley Jackson · 2000
Picture Book (3-6)
Sophia is in the title
6. Mia
Mia moved down 1 places from #5 in 2024. It's used in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish, according to Behind the Name. We have 111 books starring a character named Mia. Browse picture books starring Mia or early readers starring Mia.
Mia's Family
Elliot Riley, Srimalie Bassani · 2017
Picture Book (3-6)
Mia is in the title
Bravo, Mia!
Laurence Yep · 2008
Middle Grade
Mia is in the title
7. Isabella
Isabella held the same spot as in 2024. It's used in Italian, German and English, according to Behind the Name. We have 16 books starring a character named Isabella. Browse picture books starring Isabella or middle-grade books starring Isabella.
Bubbe Isabella and the Sukkot cake
Kelly Terwilliger · 2005
Picture Book (3-6)
Isabella is in the title
Isabella for real
Margie Palatini · 2016
Middle Grade
Isabella is in the title
8. Evelyn
Evelyn held the same spot as in 2024. It's used in English and German, according to Behind the Name. We have 11 books starring a character named Evelyn. Browse middle-grade books starring Evelyn.
Evelyn the Mermicorn Fairy
Daisy Meadows · 2018
Early Reader
Evelyn is in the title
Christmas with the savages
Mary Clive · 1964
Middle Grade
Evelyn is a main character
9. Sofia
Sofia moved up 1 places from #10 in 2024. It's used in Greek, Italian and Portuguese, according to Behind the Name. We have 15 books starring a character named Sofia. Browse picture books starring Sofia or middle-grade books starring Sofia.
Sofia's dream
Land Wilson · 2010
Picture Book (3-6)
Sofia is in the title
Sofia and the Quetzal Bird
Adam Guillain, Mélanie Florian · 2016
Early Reader
Sofia is in the title
10. Eliana
Eliana moved up 8 places from #18 in 2024. It's used in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, according to Behind the Name. We have 2 books starring a character named Eliana.
Lightbringer
Claire Legrand · 2020
Young Adult
Eliana is a main character
Kingsbane
Claire Legrand · 2019
Young Adult
Eliana is a main character
11. Ava
Ava moved down 2 places from #9 in 2024. It's used in English, according to Behind the Name. We have 47 books starring a character named Ava. Browse picture books starring Ava or early readers starring Ava.
Ava & Mae
Brittney Dias, Iman Purnell, Margaux Weston · 2022
Picture Book (3-6)
Ava is in the title
Ava's Sparkling Spell
Vivian French, Jo Anne Davies, Blanca Jiménez Iglesias · 2013
Early Reader
Ava is in the title
12. Eleanor
Eleanor moved up 2 places from #14 in 2024. It's used in English, according to Behind the Name. We have 26 books starring a character named Eleanor. Browse picture books starring Eleanor or early readers starring Eleanor.
Eleanor the Snow White Fairy
Daisy Meadows · 2015
Early Reader
Eleanor is in the title
Eleanor Amplified and the Trouble with Mind Control
John Sheehan · 2021
Middle Grade
Eleanor is in the title
13. Violet
Violet moved up 2 places from #15 in 2024. It's used in English, according to Behind the Name. We have 280 books starring a character named Violet. Browse picture books starring Violet or early readers starring Violet.
What does Violet see?
Julie Aigner-Clark · 2002
Picture Book (3-6)
Violet is in the title
Violet Mackerel's brilliant plot
Anna Branford · 2010
Middle Grade
Violet is in the title
14. Ailany
Ailany is new to the top 100. It's used in English (Modern) and Spanish (Latin American, Modern), according to Behind the Name. We haven't found a book starring Ailany yet.
15. Aurora
Aurora moved up 1 places from #16 in 2024. It's used in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, according to Behind the Name. We have 24 books starring a character named Aurora. Browse picture books starring Aurora or middle-grade books starring Aurora.
Aurora Rising
Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman · 2019
Young Adult
Aurora is in the title
Aurora Burning
Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff · 2020
Young Adult
Aurora is in the title
16. Harper
Harper moved down 4 places from #12 in 2024. It's used in English, according to Behind the Name. We have 21 books starring a character named Harper. Browse middle-grade books starring Harper.
Harper and the Night Forest
Cerrie Burnell · 2017
Middle Grade
Harper is in the title
Also known as Harper
Ann Haywood Leal · 2009
Middle Grade
Harper is in the title
17. Elizabeth
Elizabeth held the same spot as in 2024. It's used in English and Biblical, according to Behind the Name. We have 168 books starring a character named Elizabeth. Browse picture books starring Elizabeth or early readers starring Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and the orphans
Francine Pascal, Jamie Suzanne · 1992
Middle Grade
Elizabeth is in the title
Elizabeth's song
Michael Wenberg · 2002
Picture Book (3-6)
Elizabeth is in the title
18. Lily
Lily moved up 6 places from #24 in 2024. It's used in English, according to Behind the Name. We have 177 books starring a character named Lily. Browse picture books starring Lily or early readers starring Lily.
Lily And The Fancydress Party
Margaret McNamara · 2013
Picture Book (3-6)
Lily is in the title
Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa
Margaret Wild · 1998
Picture Book (3-6)
Lily is in the title
19. Camila
Camila moved down 8 places from #11 in 2024. It's used in Spanish and Portuguese, according to Behind the Name. We have 4 books starring a character named Camila.
Camila the Record-Breaking Star
Alicia Salazar, Thais Damiao · 2021
Picture Book (3-6)
Camila is in the title
Camila the Dancing Star
Thais Damiao, Alicia Salazar · 2022
Picture Book (3-6)
Camila is in the title
20. Nora
Nora moved up 2 places from #22 in 2024. It's used in English, Irish and Swedish, according to Behind the Name. We have 46 books starring a character named Nora. Browse picture books starring Nora or early readers starring Nora.
Victor and Nora
Lauren Myracle, Isaac Goodhart · 2020
Young Adult
Nora is in the title
Nora and the Great Bear
Ute Krause · 1989
Picture Book (3-6)
Nora is in the title
Fastest-rising girl names
These names climbed the most places within the top 100 between 2024 and 2025, based on the SSA's rankings.
- Eloise: #64 to #49 (up 15)
- Clara: #78 to #63 (up 15)
- Lucia: #98 to #83 (up 15)
- Millie: #87 to #73 (up 14)
- Valentina: #47 to #35 (up 12)
- Melody: #91 to #79 (up 12)
- Iris: #72 to #61 (up 11)
- Lucy: #34 to #25 (up 9)
- Eliana: #18 to #10 (up 8)
- Lainey: #38 to #30 (up 8)
And these names joined the top 100 in 2025: Ailany (#14), Sienna (#94), Amara (#98), Georgia (#99), Juniper (#100).
Classic girl names holding strong
Not every favorite is new. Plenty of traditional names stay in the top 100 year after year, and because they've been around so long, they also have some of the deepest bookshelves, from board books to chapter books. For more old favorites coming back, see our guide to vintage baby names with storybook charm.
- Charlotte: #2 in 2025, with 92 books in our catalog
- Eleanor: #12 in 2025, with 26 books in our catalog
- Violet: #13 in 2025, with 280 books in our catalog
- Elizabeth: #17 in 2025, with 168 books in our catalog
- Lucy: #25 in 2025, with 283 books in our catalog
- Grace: #38 in 2025, with 104 books in our catalog
- Josephine: #53 in 2025, with 8 books in our catalog
- Clara: #63 in 2025, with 59 books in our catalog
- Alice: #65 in 2025, with 253 books in our catalog
Top girl names in the UK and Ireland
In Ireland, the Central Statistics Office named Lily the most popular girl name of 2025. It climbed from sixth place in 2024 to take the top spot for the first time ever. Éabha held on to second place, and Fiadh rose to third.
In England and Wales, the Office for National Statistics publishes its own top 100 each summer, and names like Olivia and Amelia feature on both sides of the Atlantic.
Girl names with the most books
This is the list you won't find anywhere else. Of the top 100 girl names, these have the most books starring a character with that name in our catalog. If you love a name and love reading together, start here.
| Name | 2025 rank | Books starring the name |
|---|---|---|
| Emily | 34 | 288 |
| Lucy | 25 | 283 |
| Violet | 13 | 280 |
| Alice | 65 | 253 |
| Emma | 3 | 199 |
| Sarah | 90 | 193 |
| Sophie | 55 | 189 |
| Lily | 18 | 177 |
| Daisy | 75 | 169 |
| Elizabeth | 17 | 168 |
| Ruby | 64 | 164 |
| Amelia | 4 | 128 |
The Lost Days (Emily the Strange #1)
Rob Reger · 2006
Middle Grade
Emily is in the title
The Tail of Emily Windsnap
Liz Kessler · 2004
Middle Grade
Emily is in the title
Emily's First 100 Days of School
Rosemary Wells · 2000
Picture Book (3-6)
Emily is in the title
How to find a book starring your daughter's name
Every name in the table links to its own page, where you can filter books by age group and genre. If your favorite name isn't listed here, search for any first name and we'll show you every book we've found. Want something rarer? Try our list of unique baby names straight from children's books. Know a book we're missing? Suggest it and we'll add it to the catalog.
Find books starring your child's name
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name in 2026?
Official 2026 rankings won't be released until 2027. The latest data is the Social Security Administration's 2025 list, where Olivia is the #1 girl name, followed by Charlotte and Emma.
What girl names are trending for 2026?
Based on the SSA's 2025 data, the fastest climbers in the top 100 include Eloise, Clara, Lucia, Millie and Valentina.
What are the top 10 girl names?
According to the SSA's 2025 data, the top 10 girl names are Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, Sophia, Mia, Isabella, Evelyn, Sofia, Eliana.
What are unique baby girl names for 2026?
Names rising fast but still outside the top 50, like Clara, Lucia, Millie and Melody, feel fresh without being unheard of.
Which girl names have the most books?
Of the top 100 girl names, Emily, Lucy and Violet have the most books starring a character with that name in the NamesInBooks catalog.
Are there books with my daughter's name?
Very likely. 98 of the top 100 girl names have at least one book starring a character with that name in our catalog. Search any name on NamesInBooks to see them.
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