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Selecting the best name for your baby is a milestone every parent has to go through. However, while you might want to follow the trends of today, choosing a popular name could quickly appear outdated within just a few years.
Baby expert at Formuland, Chris Smith has been monitoring trends across the years and cautioned: “When a name becomes too trendy, it loses the very quality that attracted parents in the first place. What starts as a unique choice quickly becomes ubiquitous. In five years, these names won’t feel special anymore, they’ll just feel very 2026.”
10 baby names to avoid in 2026
Boys
Jaden (variations like Jayden, Jadon)
Previously extremely popular in the “2000s and 2010s”, Chris said “-aden” names are “beginning to feel rather dated” and could be “tied to [that] specific era” moving forward.
Magnus
Chris said: “Magnus is powerful, but it’s the kind of name that might feel like a 2026 time capsule in 20 years. It’s also quite formal and could be difficult to shorten into a casual nickname, which many children prefer as they get older.”
Azlan
Drawing inspiration from the Narnia books, this bold name’s unconventional spelling is problematic, according to Chris. He said: “Your child will spend years saying ‘Azlan with a Z’.”
River
Chris said: “River has become incredibly common, [so] if you’re choosing it for its individuality, you might be disappointed.”
Bronson
The baby expert said: “Ultra-masculine names like Bronson can box children into certain expectations and may not age well across different life stages.”
Girls
Ophelia
This Shakespearean name “is beautiful”, Chris said, but the “literary association isn’t exactly positive” as the character is “known for her tragic fate”.
Khaleesi
Popular because of the TV series Game of Thrones, Khaleesi is at risk of becoming “cringe”, warned Chris. “What seems cool today might make your child cringe tomorrow,” he elaborated.
“We’ve seen this pattern repeat with names from popular shows and films. The cultural moment passes, but the name remains.”
Elodie
While the “pretty” name of Elodie is “exploding in popularity”, by next year “it could be the new Emma or Olivia; they’re lovely names, but so common they’ve lost their special quality”.
Azura
Likened to a “stage name”, Chris advised parents to think ahead. “Think about how it will look on a CV or in a boardroom,” he urged. “Some children grow to resent names that feel too whimsical or performance-oriented.”
Deia
Such a name can be “gorgeous on paper, but people will constantly mispronounce them”, Chris remarked. “Your daughter might spend her whole life correcting people, which can be frustrating.”
