The Top 10 Baby Names of 2017

They’re finally here!!!  At approximately 9 AM this morning, the Social Security Administration released its data on the most popular baby names of 2017.  Let’s take a look.

First off, these were the top 10 names of 2016:

Girls:

1. Emma
2. Olivia
3. Ava
4. Sophia
5. Isabella
6. Mia
7. Charlotte
8. Abigail
9. Emily
10. Harper

Boys:

1. Noah
2. Liam
3. William
4. Mason
5. James
6. Benjamin
7. Jacob
8. Michael
9. Elijah
10. Ethan

And here are the top 10 names of 2017!

Girls:

1. Emma (0 movement; stable)
2. Olivia (0; stable)
3. Ava (0; stable)
4. Isabella (+1 rank change)
5. Sophia (-1)
6. Mia (0; stable)
7. Charlotte (0; stable)
8. Amelia (+3; NEW)
9. Evelyn (+3; NEW)
10. Abigail (-2)

Harper (#11; -1) and Emily (#12; -3) left the top 10.

Boys:

1. Liam (+1) – New top baby name!
2. Noah (-1)
3. William (0; stable)
4. James (+1)
5. Logan (+13; NEW) – the Wolverine movie came out in 2017, so that’s the ostensible explanation for such a huge jump in the top 20.
6. Benjamin (0; stable)
7. Mason (-3)
8. Elijah (+1)
9. Oliver (+3; NEW)
10. Jacob (-3)

Michael (#12; -4) and Ethan (#14; -4) left the top 10.

Out of interest, compare this to my top 10 predictions from a month ago.  I thought Olivia would replace Emma as #1 (it didn’t), but I correctly guessed that Liam would usurp Noah‘s crown.  I also correctly predicted the entries of Amelia, Evelyn, and Oliver, and the exits of Ethan and Emily.  What I didn’t anticipate was Logan‘s meteoric rise (I figured there would be some increase, just not enough to breach the top 10…definitely not the top 5!) and Harper‘s exit.  Lucas didn’t replace Jacob, though Lucas now ranks #11 (just behind Jacob) and could overtake him in 2018.  Oh well…predictions are just for fun, after all!

What do you think…any surprises?  Stay tuned for more info on the top 100, 1000, and beyond!