ILLINOIS — A new wave of nostalgia is sweeping through Illinois nurseries as parents are drawing inspiration from the 1990s to name their newborns — with names like Britney, Shania, Kelsey, and Briana making a surprising comeback among Generation Beta babies.
According to BabyCenter, a parenting site that tracks baby name trends, “Britney” shot up more than 1,200 ranks on their list this year, likely thanks to enduring cultural icons like Britney Spears and a broader Gen Z-Millennial revival of 90s culture.
Shania — yes, as in country music legend Shania Twain — is also gaining steam, climbing nearly 860 places in 2025 alone. Other rising names tied to 90s fame include Sabrina (possibly riding the tail of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch revival and Sabrina Carpenter’s music success), and consumer luxury-inspired names like Bentley, Manolo, and Laurent.
Nostalgia or Just Unique?
Experts suggest parents might be seeking something different from the current Top 100. As Colleen Slagen of NamingBebe.com explained, many parents want “names that feel familiar, but aren’t overused in playgrounds today.”
The BabyCenter report even notes trends toward:
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Bird-inspired names like Cardinal, Robin, and Dove
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Oscar-influenced names such as Adrian, Cynthia, and Keiran
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Old-money glam like Tiffany, which was also a 90s staple
While data from the Social Security Administration will take longer to confirm, the BabyCenter data — based on hundreds of thousands of registered users — indicates a real-time shift in naming trends across the U.S., including in Illinois and the Chicago suburbs.
What Illinois Parents Are Saying
Local mom Jessica M. of Naperville said she named her daughter “Shania” this March because “it just felt strong, classic, and different from the usual.” She added that the name made her think of road trips with her mom, “singing country music on the way to Lake Geneva.”
In suburban Oak Lawn, new dad Carlos D. named his son “Zachary” because “it sounds timeless — and not five other kids in daycare have it.” BabyCenter notes that names like Zachary, Alanis, and Justin haven’t yet bounced back, but they could be next in line.
Trends May Keep Evolving
The idea of the “100-year rule” — where names cycle back into fashion a century later — is a popular theory, but some experts believe this 90s revival is more about parents seeking a personal or cultural connection than following a rule.
So whether it’s naming your baby after Britney Spears or finding something less mainstream like “Dove,” 2025 could be the year Illinois babies bring back the best of the past.
What do you think? Would you consider a 90s-inspired name for your baby? Share your favorite throwback names in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com!
