Pop Culture Baby Names That Best Represent 2024

Demure was named Dictionary.com’s word of the year after it was catapulted to meme fame by TikToker Jools LeBron. Jools coined the catchphrase “very demure, very mindful,” according to NPR, and soon everybody was using the term “demure” to describe things in a positive way. It would be very demure and very mindful to give your child such a cutesy 2024-themed name.

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour dominated the music scene from its inception, but it came to an end after 149 shows on December 8, 2024. It’s hard to think of any celebrity with a bigger pop culture impact on the last year than Taylor, who also released the chart-topping brand-new album The Tortured Poets Department in April while touring globally.

Boy or girl, any baby would be lucky to get such a star-studded moniker.

Not only is Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift, elevating him even further to superstar status — but he also helped the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl in early 2024. Talk about a winning year for the Taylor/Travis duo.

Alternatively, if you’d like a Travis reference for a baby girl, you could name her Kelsey in reference to his last name.

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The 2024 Summer Olympics were in August of this year, and it was so much fun cheering for the Team USA athletes. Since the Games were held in Paris, France, the city’s name could make an excellent baby name. And, for what it’s worth, Paris Hilton had a pretty amazing year, too. So, the name Paris is sort of like two trendy references in one.

One of the most decorated and skilled athletes at the 2024 Olympics was, of course, gymnast Simone Biles. She picked up another four medals while in Paris — one silver and three gold, per her Team USA profile. Her name will live on in the sports world even after her eventual retirement, and it makes the perfect baby name as well.

Speaking of gymnastics stars, we can’t forget Stephen Nedoroscik — aka “Pommel Horse Guy.” His skills on the pommel horse helped the US men’s team secure the bronze medal for the first time since 2008, per USA Gymnastics. He also competed on Dancing with the Stars and wowed viewers with his dance moves. Stephen is a classic baby name, but now it has even more meaning thanks to Stephen Nedoroscik.

Another breakout star for Team USA in Paris was rugby sensation Ilona Maher. Per her Team USA bio, she helped her team earn the bronze medal on the field, and then she went on Dancing with the Stars to show off her more feminine side. She’s a great role model for young women and girls on how you can be tough and soft at the same time. Any baby girl would be so lucky to get her name and take after Ilona.

Chappell Roan may have been making music for a decade, but there’s no denying that 2024 was the year that catapulted her into the spotlight. Newsweek reported that she drew record crowds at festivals like Coachella, the Governor’s Ball, and Lollapalooza, and she captured the nation’s attention with her fierce fashion and stunning vocals.

We love the baby name Roan to honor her, because it’s gender-neutral and super unique.

Another singer whose star really rose this year was that of Gracie Abrams. Not only did she release her hit album The Secret of Us (featuring a collab with Taylor Swift no less), but she got to open for Taylor at a few Eras Tour shows. And she saw her song “That’s So True” go mega viral online, per ESPN.

If you’re a Gracie fan, there’s no better name for your little girl.

And we can’t talk about the 2024 pop girlies without also mentioning Sabrina Carpenter. Per Billboard, she also opened for Taylor Swift during some of the early 2024 Eras Tour dates, and then she released her smash album Short n’ Sweet in August and embarked on the tour for that album in September.

Sabrina isn’t only a trendy name; it’s also a supercute name for your baby girl. Maybe she’ll even grow up to be a singer like her namesake.

Musician and producer Jack Antonoff was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people for 2024. Not only does he perform in his own band Bleachers, but he’s the producer for many huge artists — among them Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Kendrick Lamar. Now, when you pick the name Jack for your son, you can say you named him after Antonoff. Jack is also the name of Hailey and Justin Bieber’s baby, who was born on August 23, 2024.

Charli XCX took the summer by storm with her Brat album. We don’t really recommend naming your child Brat (or even Apple, inspired by the viral Brat TikTok dance), but Charlie is a perfect name for a boy or a girl. Charli’s real name may be Charlotte, but she’s made her nickname iconic.

The Wicked movie has brought the Glinda the Good Witch back into the public consciousness. Of course, she was initially known as Galinda, but through the course of Wicked, she changed her name in solidarity with those losing their rights in Oz. As a baby name, we love Glinda for its uniqueness and pop culture history.

It’s probably a stretch to ask people to name their child Elphaba — though how cute would Elphie be as a nickname? But we can suggest naming your daughter after the mega talented Cynthia Erivo who plays Elphaba in the Wicked film. What a namesake to have.

Inside Out 2 was number one at the box office worldwide this year, per Box Office Mojo. The sequel brought a renewed interest in its main character, Riley — and her ever-expanding emotions. Riley doesn’t only need to be a girls’ name either. It’s gender-neutral, topical, and very cute.

Forbes reported that Sydney Sweeney was the most popular celebrity on IMDB for 2024. The Euphoria star has appeared in multiple high-profile movies lately, such as Anyone but You, Madam Web, and Immaculate. And the good thing about her name is it’s gender-neutral. So if you’re a fan with a baby boy or a baby girl, Sydney still works.

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Sydney’s co-star Glen Powell has also had a career explosion of late. In recent months, you may have seen him in Anyone but You, Twisters, Hit Man, and more. Glen isn’t necessarily a super-popular boys’ name, but Powell could give it a comeback. (Alternatively, Powell would be a cool name, too.)

The third season of Bridgerton that came out during the summer of 2024 focused on Colin’s love story with Penelope (which also a great baby name). Naming your baby boy Colin is a fun way to give a nod to the show if you’re a fan. Also, if you’re really a fan, you could even name the child Bridgerton.

It was a big year for people named Kate. The Four Seasons Orlando Baby‘s real name is Kate Wise, per People. Then there was the whole health journey of Princess Kate Middleton, who announced her cancer diagnosis, received treatment, and is now back to her royal duties. And then there’s also the WNBA’s top draft pick Caitlin Clark who took the basketball world by storm.

Whether you spell it with a “k” or a “c,” Kate was a powerful moniker in 2024.

Tragically, former One Direction band member Liam Payne died in October of this year. It left music fans around the world shocked and saddened. It’s always hard to lose someone the public held in such high regard, but One Direction fans can always choose to pay homage by using the name Liam.