This baby name meaning 'delicate' could be set to rise in popularity this year

This baby name meaning ‘delicate’ could be set to rise up the charts this year.

Choosing a name for your new arrival can often be a tricky task, with so many to choose from. From cute floral baby names to the old-fashioned baby names making a comeback – by way of this Princess Diana-inspired name expected to be popular this year – the possibilities are almost endless.

But according to YouTuber and name consultant SJ Strum, UK parents may be leaning more towards less common names in 2024, despite generally preferring more timeless and traditional choices.

Per Yahoo Life, she said that modern parents want to “move on to rarer choices as unique names still dominate,” and one of the names she expects to increase in popularity this year is Delilah.

According to Verywell Family, Delilah is of both Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning ‘delicate’ in both languages. Delilah was also a biblical figure, famously the love interest of Samson, while the likes of Tom Jones, Queen, Florence + the Machine and the Plain White T’s have songs with the name in the title.

How popular is Delilah at the moment? According to BabyCentre, Delilah is the 62nd most popular name for baby girls. However, it could rise more this year, with parents seeking alternatives for some of the names that have long been near the top of the charts, like Olivia, Amelia and Isla.

Delilah isn’t the only biblical name that’s expected to rise in popularity this year. Neriah, who featured in the Old Testament, has become a perhaps surprisingly popular choice for baby girls, with Nameberry editor-in-chief Sophie Kihm explaining that its newfound popularity may be influenced by the indie singer of the same name.

However, one name from the Bible, Hannah, is starting to fall in popularity. In BabyCentre’s list of popular names in 2023, Hannah was 60th, and could be overtaken by Delilah. It’s a far cry from the turn of the millennium, when it was among the most popular names for baby girls in the UK.

If you're still looking for the right baby name, why not take a look at our baby name generator? Or, have a scroll through the most popular baby names from the past 24 years for some handy inspo!