Every mother and father in the world wants the best for her/his child and naming is one way to give the best to a child. So, what’s in a name? A lot apparently. Many cultures in the world attach meanings to names and believe that a name will have an influence in how the character of the child will turn out. Every year there are trends for popular names. While the top 10 names usually don’t change that much, there are always new entrants, some lose the popularity while others maintain the same positions. Without further ado, let us take a look at the most popular names for both boys and girls in 2018 in case you are looking for inspiration.

Most popular first names for girls 2018

1. Emma – Emma has been a popular name for a while now and topped the list for the most popular names for girls in 2017. With an origin from German, Emma is derived from the old German word Irmin or ermin which means universal. Emma means whole or complete. She is an independent girl, fun and artistic.
2. Olivia – Olivia is a popular name with a descent from the Greeks. It means the “olive tree” or “olive branch” or elf army in English. It was first used by Shakespeare in the play Twelfth night. In the Bible, the olive tree was associated with beauty, prosperity and religious privilege.
3. Ava – Ava is believed to be of German origin from the first element aw-. It is also possible that it has Latin roots from the word “Avis” which means “bird”.
4. Isabella – With its origin being Hebrew, Isabella is a variation from the name Isabel, which is a variation of Elizabeth. A common name among the royalties, Isabella means devoted to God.
5. Sophia – Sophia means wisdom in Greek. In the USA, Sophia became a popular name in the late 19^th and early 20^th Together with its variants Sofia and Sophie, Sophia is a popular name in the US since 2000 and its shining star is still on the rise this year.

Most popular first names for boys 2018

1. Liam – Popularity of the name Liam started to rise from around 2000. Liam has an Irish origin and means a protector or a strong-willed warrior. Characteristics of Liam include tough, tenacious, authoritative and an achiever.
2. Noah – Noah originates from Hebrew and means “rest” or “comfort”. With reference to the Bible, Noah was commissioned by God to build an ark and his father said “he will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed” (Genesis 5:29).
3. Logan – A favorite in the USA, Logan has the origins in Scotland and some believe in Ireland. Its simple meaning is “little hollow” or “descendant of the warrior”.
4. Oliver – Meaning “olive tree”, which has various associations including peace (extend an olive branch), the name Oliver is regaining popularity in the USA
5. Mason- Mason means a “stone worker” and originated in the Middle Ages. Tough, powerful and an achiever are some of the characteristics associated with this name.