- Emma and Liam are currently the most popular baby names in the United States.
- The Social Security Administration has also released a list of baby names, which are rapidly increasing in popularity.
- TV shows, the royal family, and the tendency to choose shorter names are some of the trends that influence names that climb the charts.
Choosing a name for a baby is a big commitment. Do you want to go with a classic name of all time, or something trendy and current? Do you want a popular name or do you want to find something really unique (but not as unique as it is illegal)? And, if it is the latter, how do you know that your unique name will not be at the top of all baby lists in the next five years?
It’s time to do your research. Here are the most popular first names for girls and first names for boys, as well as some trends and predictions about the names that are surely the most popular baby names that 2020 has to offer. (We also have suggestions for unisex and gender-neutral names, if you’re looking for them.)
These are the names that are gaining the most popularity.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has tracked the popularity of baby names and its database dates back to 1879. Usually, the SSA publishes the list of the most popular baby names from the previous year around Mother’s Day – this year, in order to be sensitive to those facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has not yet published the list of names for 2019.
If you stick to the 2018 numbers, Liam and Emma are the most popular baby names for boys and girls. But will they last? Based on SSA data, names that are becoming more and more popular by the minute include Genesis, Holy (hello, Saint West), baker, Kairo, and Watson for boys, with Meaghan (as in the Duchess of Sussex), Dior, Adalee, Palmer, and Oaklynn for the girls.
Four-letter names are becoming the norm.
Research indicates that baby names are getting shorter – the four-letter name becoming ideal. This is especially true for girls, with names like Zara, Mila and Cora get traction although boy names like Predict and Zaid are also gaining ground.
Nameberry, BabyCenter and Names.org attract more newcomers.
The Nameberry and BabyCenter websites track interest in baby names among its users, catching names on the rise before they appear on the SSA list. According to Nameberry, the most popular names for 2020 are Luna, Maeve, Dawn, Olivia and Isla for the girls; Milo, Asher, Atticus, Oliver, and Levi for the boys; and Ellis, Phoenix, Remy, Marlowe, and Shea butter for unisex names.
And when BabyCenter recently released its list of the most popular names among its users, there were many that were not yet in the top 50 of the SSA list, including Aaliyah, Eliana, and Scarlett for girls, and Muhammad, Josiah, and Isaiah for the boys.
And Names.org uses SSA data to predict that next year’s trends will be based on increases in popularity from the previous year. After encrypting the numbers, the site waits Sebastian, Theodore, Asher, and Leo to hit the top 10 boy names, and Camila, Nova, Everly, and Ivy climb for girls.
Parents borrow names from other countries.
Nameberry notes that the biggest trend for boys may be the increase in international names, such as Luca, Kai, Axel, and Mateo. Scandinavian names, like Anders, Bjorn, Gunnar, Leif, Magnus, and Thor, become particularly hot. Again, the biggest increase by far for boys among Nameberry users is local: Maverick. (All Top Gun the fans there?)
Everything that is royal continues to work well.
BabyCenter says that everything about the English monarchy gives these names a royal bump. He reports that interest in the name Meghan jumped 49% for girls after the royal wedding, for example. BabyCenter plans similar bumps for Archie, and even Eugenie and Jack.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information on their website.
Archie was actually gaining popularity before it even became a royal nickname. A part can be linked to Riverdale, but it’s really at the intersection of two other trends that are happening in baby names right now. First of all, there is a tendency to use “old man” names for boys (like Oscar or Gus).
But even more common than that, more parents use nicknames as full names (as in well on Maxwell, Wendy on Gwendolyn, and Dani on Danielle). BabyCenter notes searches for short, punchy name Izzy is up 36 percent, and Ricky is up 25 percent. For girls, interest in nicknames is even greater: Cassie is up 43 percent, and Toni, Nell, and Tori all experienced double-digit increases.
People choose names from the 20s and 90s.
BabyCenter has seen an increase in interest in Jazz Age names, such as Franc (up 17%), Barbara (up 11%), Ruth (up 10%), Virginia, and Tony. But just as many look to a more recent past, with names reminiscent of their boy / pop star group’s 90s, like Brittany (up 33%), Nicole, amber, Nicolas, Austin, and Jonathan. (They say it could be a VSCO-girl thing.)
Pop culture still leads some names.
Parents feel the power to name their children Star Wars characters: the SSA had Kylo (as in Kylo Ren) is one of the 10 fastest names to climb. BabyCenter also notes that Cassian – one of the main characters of Rogue one who would have their own Disney + show – jumped 10%, and Leia recorded a 30% increase in searches. So far, there have been no reports of children named “Baby Yoda” – so far.
And even if it’s over, The iron Throne is still one of the main name generators. Aria has already won the top 20. According to BabyCenter: Olenna is up 71%, Ellaria is up 53%, and Rigid is up 9% among its users. Yara is also on the list of the fastest names in SSA, having jumped by more than 300 places in the last year.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information on their website.
If the Starks don’t influence baby names, then it’s the Kardashian / Jenners. In addition to the rise of Holy (a name that is actually banned in some countries because it resembles an official title), BabyCenter has seen its interest increase Stormi, True, Chicago, Dream, Reign, and even Nori, the nickname of North. It’s only a matter of time before Psalm also enters the list.
Plus, everyone loves Keanu Reeves.
BabyCenter expresses interest in name Keanu increased by 24%. Between John Wick Chapter 3, Always be my maybe, and Toy story 4, the future Bill and Ted facing the music star has been on everyone’s mind lately. It’s amazing to think of future daycare classes and all the little Keanus who run together.
Baby-Naming Adventures
I changed my baby’s name after 10 days
READ NOW
I let my partner choose the name of our baby
READ NOW
Grandparents hate trendy baby names
READ NOW
A “stole” relative to the name of the baby I have chosen
READ NOW
According to the Social Security Administration, these are the 50 most popular names for girls.
The SSA says these are the most popular names for girls (as of 2018, the most recent year available).
- Emma
- Olivia
- Ava
- Isabelle
- Sophia
- Charlotte
- Mia
- Amelia
- Harper
- Evelyn
- Abigail
- Emilie
- Elizabeth
- Mila
- Ella
- Avery
- Sofia
- Camila
- Aria
- Scarlett
- Victoria
- Madison
- Luna
- Grace
- Chloe
- Penelope
- Layla
- Riley
- Zoey
- Nora
- Lily
- Eleanor
- Hannah
- Lillian
- Addison
- Aubrey
- Ellie
- Stella
- Natalie
- Zoe
- Horrible
- Hazelnut
- Purple
- Dawn
- Savannah
- Audrey
- Brooklyn
- Bella
- Claire
- Skylar
Still according to the SSA, here are the 50 most common first names for boys.
SSA records indicate that these are the most used boy names in 2018.
- Liam
- Noah
- William
- James
- Oliver
- Benjamin
- Elijah
- Lucas
- Mason
- Logan
- Alexander
- Ethan
- Jacob
- Michael
- Daniel
- Henri
- Jackson
- Sebastian
- Aiden
- Matthew
- Samuel
- David
- Joseph
- Carter
- Owen
- Wyatt
- John
- Jack
- Luke
- Jayden
- Dylan
- Grayson
- Levi
- Isaac
- Gabriel
- Julian
- Mateo
- Anthony
- Jaxon
- Lincoln
- Joshua
- Christophe
- Andrew
- Theodore
- Caleb
- Ryan
- Asher
- Nathan
- Thomas
- Leo
This content is imported from {on-board name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information on their website.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported to this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content on piano.io
This comments section is created and maintained by a third party and imported to this page. You may be able to find more information on their website.