Can't decide on the perfect name for your newborn? This neat idea might be the fix.
This New Baby-Naming Trend Will Have You Seeing Double
Published on Apr. 11, 2025
Truth: Coming up with baby names is loads of fun, but narrowing down your list can be challenging. The thing is, when you settle on a couple of finalists, you might stress about making a final choice if you’ve fallen in love with two names. But what if we told you that a new, appropriately dubbed baby-naming trend could make this task a whole lot easier for indecisive parents? We’re talking about double-barrel names, a style that just might be the ticket for your tot.
Never heard of it? We bet you have but didn’t realize it was a bona fide trend. A double-barrel name simply refers to two names that are usually joined with a hyphen. Giving your child a double-barrel name means he or she has a two-fer first name, so it’s different from a single name followed by a middle name. You may just like the way the name sounds … or it could be a great compromise for two very stubborn parents-to-be.
Baby-naming site Nameberry recently compiled a list of the most popular double-barrel baby names in the U.S. and the U.K., and we’ve got all the details. Read on to learn about this trend—and possibly find your new favorite baby name below!
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How popular are double-barrel names?
Double-barrel names aren’t that popular in this country, but interest is growing, according to research from Nameberry. For the most part, the trend is strongest abroad, particularly in the U.K., as well as among some American Catholics and families in the South. But more and more, American parents are picking double-barrel names as a way to include two special ones or create an unusual moniker for their new arrival.
“Hyphenated names are popular in the South, thanks to family traditions of honoring relatives,” says Rebekah Wahlberg, a specialist in baby-name trends at BabyCenter. “And in Catholic families, double names often incorporate saints’ names or honor godparents.”
In the U.K., on the other hand, double-barrel names often “signal aristocratic heritage or preserve maternal surnames,” notes Wahlberg. They’re also common in French Canada and Latin America due to widespread Catholic influence, she adds.
Alas, tracking the rise of double-barrel names in the U.S. is tricky, since some states omit the hyphen and others lop off the second name and record just the first on documents. The result? A cute name like Ella-Mae becomes “Ella” or “Ellamae” in a database, and the ability to count the double-barrel aspect is lost.
What’s different about 2025’s double-barrel names?
As in the past, some of the recent double-barrel names offer a distinctive Southern feel (think Ida-Rose and Ellie-Mae). But right now, these trends are also hitting upon current trends with combos taken from popular baby names of last year, including Luna (at No. 10 on 2024’s list), Ellie (No. 9) and Mia (No. 8). We’ll delve more into that below.
As for this year’s top two double-barrel names in the U.S. so far? They’re classically Catholic names, Mary-Jane and Maria-Jose.
What are the most popular double-barrel girl names?
Double-barrel names are mostly a girl trend, both in the U.S. and the U.K., with the most popular U.S. ones usually made from a two- or three-syllable starter, such as Eva, Emma, Ava or Sophia. For the second name, more than a third of the time (37%), it’s one of three one-syllable monikers: Rose, Mae and Grace.
In the Catholic tradition, Mary and Maria take top billing to start and may be followed by Alice or Kate, while Hispanic families lean on second names like Jose, Ana and Clara. As for the Brits, their double-barrel name rhythm is also two syllables and then one, and many have a decidedly spring-sounding, floral bent—Ivy and Lily feature prominently—while Rose appears more than 35% of the time as a second name. U.K. parents also tend to go trendier with their double-barrel names, favoring monikers like Isla and Amelia, as well as very British firsts like Bonnie, Darcie and Delilah.
Of course, you can forge your own path with a personalized DIY double-barrel girl name using picks that honor a family member, hit a trend you’ve been following or simply roll nicely off the tongue. Here are some popular picks to spark some ideas:
Double-barrel girl names in the U.S.
- Eva-Luna
- Mary-Jane
- Maria-Jose
- Ella-Mae
- Mia-Bella
- Bella-Rose
- Ella-Rose
- Ana-Lucia
- Ellie-Mae
- Ana-Maria
Double-barrel girl names in the U.K.
- Ivy-Rose
- Isla-Rose
- Ava-Mae
- Lily-Rose
- Amelia-Rose
- Ava-Rose
- Delilah-Rose
- Ivy-Mae
- Gracie-Mae
- Elsie-Mae
What are the most popular double-barrel boy names?
Double-barrel boy names are rare in the U.S.—just 1,400 were recorded in 2022, with John appearing almost 20% of the time as a first name. (Paul was the top second name.) Most often, double-barrel boy names have Catholic or Muslim roots, though other cultures use them too. When it comes to ending names, Spanish parents favor Angel, while Indian families select Reddy, a Hindu caste and surname.
In the U.K., many combo boy names end in James or Lee; together, they account for 48% of double-barrel boy names. Other one-syllable endings include Jay, Ray, Jax and Jack. But British parents may begin these two-fer names with a range of others, like Arlo, Abdul and Theo and, the top two popular names, Tommy and Muhammad. Brits also sometimes pick a nickname to start a double-barrel, such as Ronnie, Teddy or Albie, and may even choose Junior as an end name, rather than use Jr. as we do here.
Double-barrel boy names in the U.S.
- John-Paul
- Muhammad-Ali
- Miguel-Angel
- Juan-Carlos
- Juan-Pablo
- Jose-Luis
- Muhammad-Yusuf
- Muhammad-Amin
- Jose-Maria
- John-Luke
Double-barrel boy names in the U.K.
- Tommy-Lee
- Arlo-James
- Abdul-Hadi
- Noah-James
- Carter-James
- Theo-James
- Abdur-Rahman
- Arthur-James
- Luca-James
- Arlo-Jay
What should you keep in mind when using a double-barrel name?
Baby names are very individual, but when using a double-barrel, keep in mind how it will sound, your family’s last name and the way it will look in print (no one wants a name that it doesn’t fit on their driver’s license).
“Using a single-syllable name at the end of a hyphenated combination does seem like the simple and obvious choice,” says Wahlberg. “Shorter names like Anna, Marie, Marc and Jose are more popular in double names, but we also see plenty of long names, like Francisco and Victoria.”
And what about middle names in this case? Wahlberg says “a double-barrel might get a little long with a middle name,” but again, this is a family decision. As for overly lengthy double-barrel names, she recalls hearing of someone with hyphenated first and last names. “It was just easier to call the person by their initials,” she says, “which the kid actually encouraged classmates to do!”
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Sources:
- Nameberry: “Double-Barrel Names: US vs. UK”
- Rebekah Wahlberg, specialist in baby-name trends at BabyCenter; email interview, April 8, 2025
