These Baby Names Are Surprisingly International and Have Become Popular Worldwide

It turns out American parents have a lot more in common with foreign ones than they might expect. Despite numerous languages and naming traditions found worldwide, some baby names transcend those differences and are widespread across the map. International baby names found worldwide include favorites Olivia, Sophia, Noah, Thomas, and the like, but others will surely surprise you.

To illustrate the baby names that are beloved internationally, we have rounded up the top appellations from various countries in the West for you to see just how much alignment there is. It might feel like the world is fractured at the moment, but these names prove that we have more in common than we have differences; at least, that’s true regarding how we name our babies. We will first share the most used names for babies in the US, then move on to others. Prepare to have your mind blown!

The Most Popular Baby Names in the US

International Baby Names
  • Olivia
  • Emma
  • Charlotte
  • Amelia
  • Ava
  • Sophia
  • Isabella
  • Mia
  • Evelyn
  • Harper
  • Liam
  • Noah
  • Oliver
  • Elijah
  • James
  • William
  • Benjamin
  • Lucas
  • Henry
  • Theodore

Most Popular Baby Names in England

International Baby Names
  • Olivia
  • Amelia
  • Isla
  • Ava
  • Ivy
  • Freya
  • Lily
  • Florence
  • Mia
  • Willow
  • Noah
  • Oliver
  • George
  • Arthur
  • Muhammad
  • Leo
  • Harry
  • Oscar
  • Archie
  • Henry

Most Popular Baby Names in Scotland

International Baby Names
  • Olivia
  • Emily
  • Isla
  • Freya
  • Ella
  • Amelia
  • Ava
  • Sophie
  • Grace
  • Millie
  • Jack
  • Noah
  • Leo
  • Oliver
  • Harris
  • Finlay
  • Lewis
  • James
  • Rory
  • Alexander

Most Popular Baby Names in Ireland

International Baby Names
  • Fiadh
  • Grace
  • Emily
  • Sophie
  • Éabha
  • Lucy
  • Mia
  • Ava
  • Lily
  • Ella
  • Jack
  • Noah
  • James
  • Conor
  • Rían
  • Liam
  • Charlie
  • Daniel
  • Cillian
  • Tadhg

Most Popular Baby Names in Australia

International Baby Names
  • Isla
  • Charlotte
  • Olivia
  • Amelia
  • Ava
  • Mia
  • Grace
  • Willow
  • Matilda
  • Ella
  • Oliver
  • Noah
  • Jack
  • Henry
  • William
  • Leo
  • Charlie
  • Theodore
  • Lucas
  • Thomas

Most Popular Baby Names in New Zealand

International Baby Names
  • Charlotte
  • Isla
  • Amelia
  • Olivia
  • Ava
  • Willow
  • Lily
  • Isabella
  • Mila
  • Ella
  • Oliver
  • Noah
  • Jack
  • Leo
  • George
  • Charlie
  • Lucas
  • Theodore
  • William
  • Luca

Most Popular Baby Names in France

International Baby Names
  • Jade
  • Louise
  • Emma
  • Ambre
  • Alice
  • Rose
  • Anna
  • Alba
  • Romy
  • Mia
  • Gabriel
  • Léo
  • Raphaël
  • Louis
  • Arthur
  • Jules
  • Maël
  • Noah
  • Adam
  • Lucas

Most Popular Baby Names in Germany

International Baby Names
  • Emilia
  • Hannah
  • Mia
  • Emma
  • Sophia
  • Mila
  • Lina
  • Ella
  • Lea
  • Marie
  • Matteo
  • Noah
  • Leon
  • Finn
  • Elias
  • Paul
  • Ben
  • Luca
  • Emil
  • Louis

Most Popular Baby Names in the Netherlands

International Baby Names
  • Julia
  • Mila
  • Emma
  • Nora
  • Olivia
  • Sophie
  • Tess
  • Milou
  • Zoë
  • Yara
  • Noah
  • Lucas
  • Sem
  • Daan
  • Levi
  • Liam
  • James
  • Finn
  • Luca
  • Milan

Most Popular Baby Names in Italy

International Baby Names
  • Sofia
  • Giulia
  • Aurora
  • Ginevra
  • Alice
  • Beatrice
  • Emma
  • Giorgia
  • Vittoria
  • Matilde
  • Leonardo
  • Francesco
  • Alessandro
  • Lorenzo
  • Mattia
  • Tommaso
  • Gabriele
  • Andrea
  • Riccardo
  • Edoardo

Most Popular Names in Spain

International Baby Names
  • Lucia
  • Martina
  • Sofia
  • Maria
  • Valeria
  • Julia
  • Paula
  • Emma
  • Daniela
  • Carla
  • Martin
  • Hugo
  • Mateo
  • Leo
  • Lucas
  • Manuel
  • Daniel
  • Alejandro
  • Pablo
  • Enzo

Most Popular Names in Portugal

International Baby Names
  • Maria
  • Leonor
  • Matilde
  • Alice
  • Carolina
  • Benedita
  • Beatriz
  • Francisca
  • Mariana
  • Laura
  • Francisco
  • João
  • Duarte
  • Afonso
  • Tomás
  • Santiago
  • Gabriel
  • Martim
  • Miguel
  • Mateus

Most Popular Baby Names in Brazil

International Baby Names
  • Helena
  • Alice
  • Laura
  • Valentina
  • Heloisa
  • Sophia
  • Cecilia
  • Maite
  • Julia
  • Elisa
  • Miguel
  • Arthur
  • Gael
  • Heitor
  • Theo
  • Davi
  • Gabriel
  • Bernardo
  • Samuel
  • Noah

Most Popular Baby Names in Sweden

International Baby Names
  • Alice
  • Maja
  • Vera
  • Alma
  • Selma
  • Elsa
  • Lilly
  • Ella
  • Astrid
  • Wilma
  • Noah
  • William
  • Liam
  • Hugo
  • Lucas
  • Adam
  • Oliver
  • Matteo
  • Frans
  • Elias

Most Popular Names in Norway

International Baby Names
  • Nora
  • Emma
  • Sofie
  • Olivia
  • Ella
  • Sofia
  • Maja
  • Leah
  • Frida
  • Ingrid
  • Noah
  • Oskar
  • Oliver
  • Lucas
  • Isak
  • Aksel
  • Emil
  • Filip
  • Jakob
  • William

Most Popular Baby Names in Denmark

International Baby Names
  • Alma
  • Ida
  • Clara
  • Ella
  • Olivia
  • Freja
  • Emma
  • Luna
  • Agnes
  • Nora
  • Oscar
  • Karl
  • William
  • Oliver
  • Alfred
  • August
  • Valdemar
  • Malthe
  • Arthur
  • Emil

Most Popular Baby Names in Finland

International Baby Names
  • Olivia
  • Lilja
  • Eevi
  • Sofia
  • Venla
  • Aino
  • Isla
  • Aada
  • Emma
  • Aava
  • Leo
  • Eino
  • Oliver
  • Elias
  • Väinö
  • Onni
  • Eeli
  • Noel
  • Toivo
  • Joel

RELATED: These Popular Baby Names Are Way, Way Older Than You Think

Most Popular Baby Names in Iceland

International Baby Names
  • Emilía
  • Embla
  • Ísabella
  • Katla
  • Sara
  • Emma
  • Freyja
  • Hekla
  • Lilja
  • Alexandra
  • Aron
  • Alexander
  • Emil
  • Kári
  • Viktor
  • Óliver
  • Mikael
  • Guðmundur
  • Jón
  • Gunnar

Most Popular Baby Names in Belgium

International Baby Names
  • Olivia
  • Emma
  • Louise
  • Mila
  • Alice
  • Camille
  • Lina
  • Sofia
  • Ella
  • Juliette
  • Noah
  • Arthur
  • Louis
  • Liam
  • Jules
  • Adam
  • Lucas
  • Gabriel
  • Victor
  • Oscar

Most Popular Baby Names in Switzerland

International Baby Names
  • Mia
  • Emma
  • Elena
  • Lina
  • Mila
  • Emilia
  • Sofia
  • Olivia
  • Nora
  • Alina
  • Noah
  • Liam
  • Matteo
  • Luca
  • Gabriel
  • Leon
  • Elias
  • Louis
  • Lio
  • Nino

Most Popular Baby Names in Austria

International Baby Names
  • Marie
  • Emilia
  • Anna
  • Emma
  • Lena
  • Mia
  • Laura
  • Valentina
  • Hannah
  • Lea
  • Paul
  • Jakob
  • Maximilian
  • Elias
  • David
  • Felix
  • Leon
  • Tobias
  • Jonas
  • Noah

Most Popular Baby Names in

International Baby Names
  1. Hanna
  2. Anna
  3. Léna
  4. Luca
  5. Emma
  6. Boglárka
  7. Lili
  8. Lilien
  9. Lara
  10. Zsófia
  • Levente
  • Máté
  • Dominik
  • Bence
  • Olivér
  • Noel
  • Marcell
  • Dániel
  • Zalán
  • Ádám

Most Popular Baby Names in Poland

International Baby Names
  • Zuzanna
  • Zofia
  • Hanna
  • Julia
  • Maja
  • Laura
  • Oliwia
  • Alicja
  • Lena
  • Pola
  • Antoni
  • Jan
  • Aleksander
  • Franciszek
  • Jakub
  • Leon
  • Mikołaj
  • Szymon
  • Filip
  • Stanisław

Most Popular Names in Estonia

International Baby Names
  • Olga
  • Irina
  • Jelena
  • Svetlana
  • Tatjana
  • Anna
  • Valentina
  • Galina
  • Natalja
  • Maria
  • Aleksandr
  • Sergei
  • Vladimir
  • Andrei
  • Aleksei
  • Martin
  • Andres
  • Dmitri
  • Igor
  • Toomas

Most Popular Baby Names in Israel

International Baby Names
  • Tamar
  • Maya
  • Abigail
  • Noa
  • Sarah
  • Ayala
  • Adele
  • Yael
  • Shira
  • Esther
  • David
  • Lavi
  • Ariel
  • Yosef
  • Noam
  • Uri
  • Raphael
  • Ari
  • Moshe
  • Yehuda

Most Popular Baby Names in Turkey

International Baby Names
  • Zeynep
  • Elif
  • Asel
  • Asya
  • Defne
  • Nehir
  • Azra
  • Zümra
  • Eylül
  • Ecrin
  • Yusuf
  • Alparslan
  • Miraç
  • Ömer Asaf
  • Eymen
  • Göktuğ
  • Ömer
  • Mustafa
  • Aras
  • Ali Asaf

Most Popular Baby Names in Argentina

International Baby Names
  • Emma
  • Olivia
  • Alma
  • Martina
  • Isabella
  • Catalina
  • Mia
  • Roma
  • Sofía
  • Emilia
  • Mateo
  • Bautista
  • Felipe
  • Noah
  • Juan
  • Liam
  • Benicio
  • Bruno
  • Thiago
  • Lorenzo

Most Popular Baby Names in Chile

International Baby Names
  • Sofia
  • Emma
  • Isabella
  • Emilia
  • Mia
  • Agustina
  • Julieta
  • Trinidad
  • Isidora
  • Josefa
  • Mateo
  • Lucas
  • Agustin
  • Benjamin
  • Santiago
  • Gaspar
  • Tomas
  • Maximiliano
  • Vicente
  • Matias

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Most Popular Baby Names in Ukraine

International Baby Names
  • Sofiya
  • Anna
  • Viktoriya
  • Veronika
  • Solomiya
  • Yana
  • Mariya
  • Anastasiya
  • Emiliya
  • Yeva
  • Matviy
  • Maksym
  • Artem
  • Davyd
  • Danylo
  • Demyan
  • Oleksandr
  • Vladyslav
  • Marko
  • Tymofiy

There you go! Now you know the most popular international baby names. With the exception of just a few countries, many share the top several names. Noah, Emma, Liam, Maria, Mattie, Olivia, and more are featured time and time again. As the song says, “it’s a small world after all!”

For even more appellation fun, keep reading! We’ve got travel-inspired names to share with you as well.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Girls in the US

Travel Baby Names

10. Asia – Baby Girls Named: 14,589. One of the few travel-inspired names that belongs to an entire continent.

9. Skye – Baby Girls Named: 14,856. A name belonging to a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Girls Continued

Travel Baby Names

8. Journey – Baby Girls Named: 15,317. An adventure and travel name on the rise today, Journey is the 267th most popular name for girls in the US today.

7. Guadalupe – Baby Girls Named: 18,918. A popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. There are many places with this name including an island off the coast of Mexico, a mountain range, and many more.

Other Popular Travel-Inspired Names in the US for Girls

Travel Baby Names

6. Carolina – Baby Girls Named: 19,218. A name that has been on a downward trend in recent years, Carolina now ranks just outside the top 500 most popular names for girls in the US.

5. Paris – Baby Girls Named: 22,058. A unisex name belonging to the capital of France, Paris is a top 500 name for girls in the US today. Unfortunately, it goes to very few boys.

More Popular Travel Baby Names for Girls in the US

Travel Baby Names

4. Dakota – Baby Girls Named: 27,665. Dakota is an extremely popular unisex option that goes roughly to an equal amount of baby girls and boys each year in the US.

3. London – Baby Girls Named: 37,419. The capital of the UK has been a very popular choice for girls and that’s less for boys.

Final Travel-Inspired Names for Girls in the US

Travel Baby Names

2. Alexandria – Baby Girls Named: 41,132. Alexandria is the second most common girls’ travel baby name. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was home to some of the wonders of the ancient world.

1. Sydney – Baby Girls Named: 105,777. The name inspired by the Australian city, Sydney, peaked in popularity for girls in 1999 as the 23rd most popular name. It’s been slipping in recent years but it’s still in the top 250.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Baby Names for Boys in the US

Travel Baby Names

10. London – Baby Boys Named: 7,137. As with girls, the capital of the UK is a popular choice for boys as well. However, this name has been trending down for boys in recent years.

9. Boston – Baby Boys Named: 7,541. The capital of Massachusettes proves more masculine in sound than many other travel-inspired baby names. It is going to take a long time for girls named Boston to catch up.

Other Popular Travel Names for Boys

Travel Baby Names

8. Atlas – Baby Boys Named: 8,611. One of the fastest-growing names for boys, Atlas took off in 2013 and will likely be a top 100 name this year. The name is of Greek origin and means “bearer of the heaven.” A perfect option for travel-loving parents.

7. Orlando – Baby Boys Named: 12,495. Orlando peaked in the US in 1975 but it is still a mildly popular option today. The name belongs to a sunny city that houses Disney World, one of the most popular travel destinations for families from around the world.

More Trendy Travel-Inspired Names for Boys

Travel Baby Names

6. Phoenix – Baby Boys Named: 17,165. The name belonging to the capital of Arizona, Phoenix is a name on the rise for both boys and girls today. It goes to roughly the same number of boys and girls each year.

5. Dallas – Baby Boys Named: 21,846. Dallas has been a popular given name in the US ever since data on baby names begin in 1880. The Texas city has a name that originated in Irish that means “skilled.”

Travel-Inspired Names for Boys Continued

Travel Baby Names

4. Kingston – Baby Boys Named: 33,146. Kingston is a name that’s always read more masculine than feminine. Kingston upon Thames in London, Kingston in Jamaica, and Kingston in Ontario are all possible inspirations.

3. Israel – Baby Boys Named: 33,380. Israel has seen its two most popular decades in the 2000s and 2010s. It continues to be a solid choice for American parents and has been since 1880.

Final Travel-Inspired Names for Boys

Travel Baby Names

2. Dakota – Baby Boys Named: 38,665. As we mentioned when we discussed this name for girls, it is popular for all babies at the same rate. This unisex wonder is one of America’s most beloved travel baby names.

1. Preston – Baby Boys Named: 56,922. Preston names any number of places in England, Canada, Scotland, Australia, and the US. Countless possibilities for place inspiration for this appellation.

Most Popular Country Names Used as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

10. China – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 996. Total: 996. As you can see, no baby boys are getting the name China but so many girls are that it made the top 10. The name peaked in the US in 1992 and it has been on a downward trend since then.

9. Trinidad – Baby Boys Named: 717. Baby Girls Named: 397. Total: 1,114. A town in Cuba and an island country in the Caribbean, Trinidad is a name of Spanish origin that means “holy trinity.”

RELATED: Regal City Names for Boys From Aspen to York

More Country Names Used as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

8. Italy Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 1,489. Total: 1,489. Italy is the English name for the boot-shaped country that prefers Italia. It is mildly popular for baby girls in the US.

7. Egypt – Baby Boys Named: 519. Baby Girls Named: 3,162. Total: 3,681. Egypt emerged as a favored name in 2017 and it has hung around ever since.

Other Popular Country Names as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

6. Ireland – Baby Boys Named: 85. Baby Girls Named: 5,150. Total: 5,235. Ireland only goes to a few boys each year.

5. Malaysia – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 8,154. Total: 8,154. For girls, it has been a prized option since 1998 with parents who have Irish heritage proudly choosing the name for their daughters.

Even More Country Names That Are Popular as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

4. America – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 8,876. Total: 8,876. One of the travel baby names that hits close to home is America. The name went virtually unused in the US for 90 years before it returned for girls in 1998.

3. Kenya – Baby Boys Named: 312. Baby Girls Named: 8,815. Total: 9,127. Kenya, the country, gets its name from Mount Kenya, called “Kirinyaga” or “Kerenyaga” by the local Kikuyu people, meaning “mountain of whiteness” because of its snow-capped peak. As given name, it’s seeing love from parents with baby girls.

Final Travel-Inspired Country Names as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

2. India – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 9,207. Total: 9,207. India is decidedly feminine in its sound. It peaked in 2001 and is not as popular as it once was. The country India takes its name from the Indus River.

1. Isreal – Baby Boys Named: 33,380. Baby Girls Named: 2,893. Total: 36,273. Israel has been a popular name in the US since at least the 1880s (the Puritans actually popularized it first in the US). After the formation of the Jewish state, the name became even more popular in the US. Israel was the name bestowed by God upon Jacob after he wrestled with an angel. The name means “he who struggles with God.”

Most Popular City Names as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

10. Nairobi – Baby Boys Named: 5. Baby Girls Named: 563. Total: 568. The capital of Kenya is given to a few hundred children each year. However, the name does not rank in the US top 1000. It’s lovely to see that both Kenya and its capital are inspiring many baby names

9. Havana – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 1,150. Total: 1,150. With its rhythmic sound, the Cuban capital makes for a truly remarkable baby name and parents believe so for girls and girls alone.

More Popular City Names as Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

8. Berlin – Baby Boys Named: 147. Baby Girls Named: 1,250. Total: 1,387. The capital city of Germany means “borderline.” New parents are just now seeing the name as a real possibility and it will likely grow in popularity for the rest of the decade.

7. Hamilton – Baby Boys Named: 1,523. Baby Girls Named: 63. Total: 1,586. Hamilton is the capital city of Bermuda. The name comes from English and Scottish origins and means “treeless hill.” It was most popular in the US for boys prior to 1933.

Even More Popular City Names Used for Babies

Travel Baby Names

6. Rome – Baby Boys Named: 2,009. Baby Girls Named: 309. Total: 2,318. For travel lovers, there is no better place to visit in Europe than Rome. The city is rich in history, art, and culture. The name is on the rise today in the US, especially for boys.

5. Vienna – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 3,862. Total: 3,862. Yes, there is a town in Virginia with the name, but this travel name is inspired by the capital of Austria. The name first landed in the top 1000 in 2015 and it has been hanging on ever since.

These City Names Are Some of the Most Popular Names in the US Today

Travel Baby Names

4. Cairo – Baby Boys Named: 4,234. Baby Girls Named: 322. Total: 4,556. Cairo is a hit of a name for boys today. We are so pleased that travel-loving parents have turned to it as well as Egypt. The name is more popular than ever before for baby boys.

3. Paris – Baby Boys Named: 1,967. Baby Girls Named: 22,058. Total: 24,025. Paris was once a popular name for boys in the US but that all changed thanks to Paris Hilton who helped make the gender flip to girls. The romantic French city is a traveler’s paradise so it’s no surprise that this name is and will be a hot one.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Sophisticated City-Inspired Baby Names with Tons of Character

Final Popular City-Inspired Baby Names

Travel Baby Names

2. Kingston – Baby Boys Named: 33,146. Baby Girls Named: 1,050. Total: 34,196. The capital of Jamaica, Kingston is tracking to land in the top 100 most popular names for boys in the next year or two. Parents are falling back in love with this stately classic.

1. London – Baby Boys Named: 7,137. Baby Girls Named: 37,419. Total: 44,556. London emerged as a popular name for girls in 1994, and it rocketed up the list until the 2010s. American travelers love visiting this history-rich city and slapping its name on birth certificates. The US is the only English-speaking country where the name is popular!

There you go! Did any of these names surprise you? We hope you found these trending baby names to be interesting and if you are looking for a name for your baby worthy of your consideration as well.

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