Nepo baby is a term that refers to the children of celebrities who have succeeded in careers similar to those of their parents. The term "nepo baby" became popular in 2022 on social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok, as users pointed out numerous other celebrity nepotism babies. The term gained further popularity after New York Magazine published a list of nepo babies and called 2022 "The Year of the Nepo Baby". Some celebrities have commented on their status as nepotism babies, such as Zoe Kravitz, Lily-Rose Depp, and Gwyneth Paltrow. In 2023, Hailey Bieber of the Baldwin family embraced the term, wearing a shirt reading "nepo baby".

A nepo baby is the child of an actor, musician, producer, or other industry insider who has likely benefited from their parents’ fame or connections while launching their own career. Vulture introduced a few different categories for the well-connected performers, including Gen-Z performers “on the come-up,” “booked and busy” nepo babies, and “platinum grade” nepo babies who come from famous parents but are definitely major players in their own right now. The conversation around nepo babies is a springboard for other issues, such as the idea of people having a leg up in Hollywood and in general, thanks to circumstances outside of sheer talent, like family connections.

In summary, nepo babies are the children of celebrities who have succeeded in careers similar to those of their parents, and the term gained popularity in 2022 on social media platforms. They are individuals who have benefited from their parents’ fame or connections while launching their own career.