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17 Popular Baby Names From The Early 2000s That Should Make A Comeback

by Olivia Youngs

There's something about naming your child after names that used to be popular when you were young but aren't anymore. Call it poetic reminiscence, or maybe it's just the remembrance of a name you've loved since you were little. Either way, there are some popular baby names from the early 2000s that should make a comeback today, and you could be the one to make that happen.

I remember having serious "name envy" over some of my friend's names or even of characters from my favorite books or TV shows. And after having my own kids, I drew on those names I used to love (even using one of them for my second daughter).

There's no doubt that the popularity of a name ebbs and flows with the years, just as anything else does, but that doesn't mean that once a name has fallen off of the top ten charts that it can never come back.

In fact, some of these names are timeless classics that just need a little boost to bring them back into the present day again. Names that, according to the Social Security Administration, were once insanely popular, but have been passed over as being "so last decade" are definitely worth considering again.

1

Emily

According to the Social Security Administration, Emily was the most popular girl's name of the decade, and is still going strong today. Emily is a classic, feminine, and strong name meaning "rival."

2

Joshua

Another classic baby name with a biblical past, Joshua means "the Lord is my salvation" and come with the ever popular Josh as a nickname option as well.

3

Madison

Despite it's uninspiring meaning (it simply means "son of Maud"), Madison is a popular choice for baby girls with it's feminine sound and easy nickname potential.

4

Parker

With a pretty straight forward meaning ("park-keeper") Parker is a great gender-neutral name that has an instant cool factor.

5

Sophie

From the French name Sophia meaning "wisdom," Sophie is cute and sophisticated all at once.

6

Harrison

Meaning "son of Harry," Harrison is a edgier version of the classic boys name.

7

Liam

A more exotic version of the timeless name William, Liam means "resolute protector" and is still going strong as ever.

8

Samantha

A feminine form of Samuel, Samantha, meaning "told by God," was once very popular but has since left the spotlight.

9

Aiden

An Irish name meaning "little and fiery," Aiden is the perfect gender-neutral choice.

10

Riley

Meaning "courageous," Riley was once a standard boy's name but has recently been rising in popularity for girls as well.

11

Chloe

Originating from Greek mythology, Chloe means "young green shoot," symbolizing new growth and is too beautiful not to bring back.

12

Paige

Sleek and sophisticated, Paige is an English occupational name dating back centuries. It has recently disappeared off of the popularity charts though, despite it's great potential.

13

Hayden

Another great gender-neutral name, Hayden means "fire."

14

Ethan

Meaning "strong or firm," Ethan is a classic boy's name that hasn't been as popular recently as it once was.

15

Isabella

With the shortened version Bella rising in popularity over the original name, Isabella continues to be as beautiful as ever though. The name means "pledged to God," and is the Spanish and Italian version of Elizabeth.

16

Sydney

Named after a French saint, Sydney is a great gender-neutral name with multiple spelling options.

17

Logan

Scottish for small hollow, Logan was once the peak of popularity. Since then however, it has decreased slightly and is a worthy contender for a comeback.