The most popular first names 2022

Top 10 Baby Names for Girls, Boys, and Any Gender

Searching for a name is one of the most beautiful and exciting parts of preparing for your baby. But it’s not always easy—after all, several people often want to have a say in the decision. Parents, older siblings, and even friends: everyone seems to have an opinion about names. And in everyday life—in books and in songs—you’ll find inspiration everywhere.

With the LILLYDOO App the search and decision
become easier: You can choose from over 17,000 possible first names in the Name Finder and narrow down your search using various filters such as language, initial letter, or length. You can also use the Name Finder together with your partner: simply swipe right if you like a name—if you both choose the same favorite, your match will automatically be saved on a shared list. In 2022, around 130,000 parents in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland swiped left and right in the LILLYDOO Name Finder while searching for the perfect baby name. These were the names they particularly liked:

Top 10 girls' names

Are you expecting a girl? Congratulations! Here are the most popular girls’ names of 2022 and their meanings. Maybe you’ll find one you love!

1. Emilia

Emilia was the most popular girl’s name in the LILLYDOO app in 2022. The feminine form of Emilio means "the ambitious" or "the diligent".

2. Lia

Lia is a variant of the name Lea and comes from Hebrew.

3. Ella

The name Ella is of Greek origin and means "the beautiful" or "the radiant".

4. Emma

Emma means "the great" or "the all-encompassing".

5. Leni

Leni originates from Ancient Greek. However, its exact origin is not known. A connection to Helene, which means "the torch," is possible.

6. Lina

Lina is the feminine form of the name Linus and means "the gentle".

7. Amelie

The first name Amelie is of Latin origin and probably resulted from a mix of Emilia and Amalia .

8. Clara

The first name Clara means "the luminous one," "the beautiful one," or "the radiant one."

9. Mara

Mara comes from Hebrew and means "bitter".

10. Sophia

Sophia is a variation of the name Sophie. Sophie comes from Ancient Greek and means "the knowledgeable" or "the wise".

Top 10 boys' names

As in 2021, short and more traditional names were also popular for boys in 2022. See for yourself:

1. Levi

Levi was the most popular boys’ name in our Name Finder in 2022. The biblical name means something like "connected with".

2. Leo

Leo is a short form of Leonhard or Leopold and means "the lion".

3. Emil

Emil means "the diligent" or "the hardworking" and was borrowed from French into German.

4. Finn

Finn is an Irish name and means "bright" or "blonde".

5. Elias

The name Elias comes from Hebrew. In biblical stories, Elias is a great prophet.

6. Louis

The first name Louis is a French form of the Old High German name Ludwig .

7. Matteo

Matteo is the Italian form of Matthew . It carries the meaning "gift of Yahweh".

8. Linus

Linus means "the lamenting" or "the mourning". The first name originates from Ancient Greek.

9. Leon

Leon also means "lion", as the name is a variation of Leo .

10. Paul

Paul was originally a Roman surname and means "the little" or "the younger".

Top 10 unisex names

Are gender-neutral names totally your thing, or would you rather not assign a biological gender to your child immediately at birth? Then you’ll find the 10 most popular unisex names from the LILLYDOO app here:

1. Luca

The Ancient Greek name Luca was the most popular unisex name in our app this year. The name either traces back to the region of Lucania in Southern Italy or to the Greek word white , which means "hell".

2. Elisa

Elisa is the name of a biblical prophet and a princess in a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It means "my God is abundance".

3. Elia

Elia is a variation of the name Elias. It was borne by, among others, a great biblical prophet.

4. Leny

Leny comes from the Old High German name Leonhard . The first part of the name means "the lion", and the second part means "hard," "strong," and "determined."

5. Noah

Noah is pronounced differently in Hebrew as a unisex form than the masculine form Noah . The name means "the movement".

6. Nino

The first name Nino is Hebrew and means „Yahweh is gracious“ or „Yahweh is merciful“.

7. Lou

Like the boy’s name Louis , Lou is also derived from the name Ludwig. It means "famous fighter".

8. Sam

Sam is an English short form of Samuel or Samantha.

9. Loan

Loan comes from the Breton language and means "the light".

10. Jonah

Jona can be traced back to Hebrew and Welsh. In Hebrew, the name means "Yahweh is gracious", and in Welsh it means "white," "blond," as well as "smooth" and "soft."

The most popular baby names of 2022 among LILLYDOO moms and dads are truly beautiful—we’re genuinely excited! Maybe you found inspiration for the name of your little explorer. By the way, you have up to one month after the birth to agree with your partner on one or more names. After that, your baby’s name must be registered at the registry office. We wish you the best of luck!