Popular Girls’ Names that Rose or Fell 100+ Ranks within the U.S. Top 1000 (2023)

May 14, 2024 ElizabethLeave a comment

It’s the Tuesday after Mother’s Day, which means it’s also the Tuesday after Data Release Day! The Social Security Administration released brand new American baby name data on Friday. We’ve already talked about the Top 10 and the Top 100, but what about names within the Top 1000? It’s worth looking at the names whose popularity changed drastically within the Top 1000 because many of those names describe ongoing trends. So, mainly out of curiosity, I’ve compiled a list of baby girls’ names whose popularity changed by at least 100 ranks between 2022 and 2023 in either direction! I will post a list of the boys’ names later. For these lists, I’m *not* including the names that entered or left the top 1000 (with one notable exception, which you’ll see in my notes); like the boys’ list, the new and exiting names will be part of a separate post.

Girls’ Names that Rose at least 100 Ranks within the U.S. Top 1000 from 2022 to 2023:

*Name*	*2023 Rank*	*2022 Rank*	*Rank Change*
Scottie	617	923	+306
Miley	452	703	+251
Inaya	736	971	+235
Halo	567	770	+203
Maisy	791	987	+196
Lakelynn	778	967	+189
Elowyn	693	880	+187
Tallulah*	817	999	+182
Lottie	775	950	+175
Lenora	763	931	+168
Jaylani	599	766	+167
Sariyah	577	733	+156
Whitley	733	885	+152
Antonella	287	436	+149
Murphy	519	667	+148
Sunny	406	553	+147
Giana	749	895	+146
Jovie	588	732	+144
Arlet	604	741	+137
Cielo	859	996	+137
Itzel	364	498	+134
Goldie	685	815	+130
Wrenlee	584	712	+128
Lainey	54	174	+120
Navy	363	483	+120
Amirah	458	577	+119
Aurelia	371	488	+117
Lacey	759	877	+118
Alanna	453	567	+114
Marigold	714	828	+114
Georgina	770	881	+111
Nyomi	811	922	+111
Aitana	217	327	+110
Emberlynn	798	908	+110
Wrenley	175	284	+109
Meilani	845	952	+107
Kaiya	797	903	+106
Mallory	429	533	+104
Anahi	462	565	+103
Araceli	803	905	+102
Emory	366	468	+102
Florence	580	623	+102
Kataleya	672	774	+102
Maxine	513	615	+102
Amoura	633	734	+101
Maddie	839	940	+101
Birdie	701	801	+100
Luz	843	943	+100

Data from the Social Security Administration

Honorable mentions go to Aliza, Calliope, Chana, Kaliyah, Paula, Taytum, Winona, and Xiomara for rising over 90 places!

So, what’s especially interesting to me are the names that rose at least 200 places: Scottie, Miley, Inaya, and Halo. Scottie has never been popular as a girls’ name until a few years ago, though it has some literary-adjacent cred as the nickname of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s daughter Frances Scott Fitzgerald. Miley’s popularity is volatile because it’s already dipped out of the Top 1000 once since the initial Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana craze and has a tendency to spike usage in either direction. Inaya is an international favorite originating from Arabic and Urdu, meaning “care” or “concern.” Halo has been trending upwards ever since the 2008 Beyonce song, though lately popularity is more tied to celebrity baby names (Nick Cannon and Halle Bailey both have young children named Halo).

Trendwise, I’m seeing a few different things here. International hits like Inaya, Amirah, and Antonella. Spanish-language and indigenous Latin-American names as a subcategory or adjacent to international names, i.e. Arlet, Araceli, Itzel, Aitana, Anahi, Luz. Sunny, golden, and generally happy-vibe names: Sunny, Goldie, Luz, Miley, Aurelia, Marigold, Jovie all fit. Vintage choices like Maxine, Goldie, Florence, Lenora, Lottie, and Birdie. Standalone nicknames with “ie” or similar endings: Scottie, Birdie, Lottie, Goldie, Maddie, Lainey, and Maisy. What I’m *not* seeing is as many names ending in “-Lynn,” an older trend that may be on its way downwards; Emberlynn and Lakelynn are two of the newest options in that category, but they’re late to the party.

Do keep in mind that names closer to the top of the charts are even trendier with significant rises than ones much lower in the charts, so names like Lainey, Aitana, Antonella, and Aurelia within the top 500 are trending harder than Maddie, Meilani, and Nyomi closer to the bottom.

Other notes:

Regarding Tallulah: SSA data edits made this new to the 2022 Top 1000, yet many namers on the web and social media (myself included) had Tallulah in their predictions for 2023. When SSA published the 2022 list last year, Tallulah wasn’t on there.
Arlet didn’t rise alone; variants Arlette and Arleth also grew more popular in between 2022 and 2023.
In conjunction with Itzel’s rise, Alitzel was new to the Top 1000 in 2023.
Maisy grew because Maisie got more popular; another spelling, Mazie, returned to the Top 1000 in 2023.
Lainey is likely the hottest name of 2023 thanks to country singer Lainey Wilson. It’s highly unusual for names to jump over 100 places into the Top 100!

What about the girls’ names that fell more than 100 spots between 2022 and 2023?

Girls’ Names that Fell at least 100 Ranks from 2022 to 2023 (and Stayed in the U.S. Top 1000):

*Name*	*2023 Rank*	*2022 Rank*	*Rank Change*
Marleigh	924	711	-213
Jayleen	788	610	-178
Addilyn	746	574	-172
Malaysia	776	608	-168
Madilynn	727	566	-161
Angelique	998	842	-156
Natasha	986	833	-153
Zendaya	834	681	–153
Joelle	936	785	–151
Kai	940	789	-151
Bria	910	760	–150
Kensley	755	614	–141
Hayley	972	832	–140
Malaya	847	708	-139
Kassidy	962	824	-138
Royalty	562	427	–135
Allyson	979	845	–134
Ashlynn	921	787	-134
Liberty	891	761	-130
Mikaela	819	689	–130
Malayah	969	839	–130
Waverly	880	751	-129
Ailani	593	467	-126
Scout	821	695	-126
Annika	956	835	–121
Avianna	561	441	–120
Ezra	762	643	–119
Zaylee	831	713	-118
Adley	765	648	-117
Jolie	906	792	–114
Elliot	898	786	-112
Nola	739	627	–112
Estella	610	499	–111
Bellamy	828	718	-110
Kimber	884	775	–109
Rylie	554	447	-107
Roselyn	926	821	–105
Cheyenne	790	686	-104
Anika	928	825	-103
Izabella	483	381	-102
Kayleigh	631	529	-102
Dani	779	678	-101

Data from the Social Security Administration

Names that fell between 90 and 100 places include Ainsley, Araya, Belen, Braelynn, Cadence, Raegan, Ryan, and Sariah.

The names that fell at least 100 ranks are a bit harder to classify within trend categories, though as I mentioned before I think we are starting to see the downturn of a lot of “-Lynn” names (Addilyn, Ashlynn, Roselyn) and some of the “-Leigh” names too (Kayleigh, Kensley, Marleigh, Zaylee). I think it’s interesting that Ezra fell so far on the girls’ side considering it jumped 10 places within the Top 25 on the boys’ side. Similarly, there’s no reason Ailani should have dropped because two of the newest entries to the Top 1000 are Ailany and Aylani, which are different spellings of that name.

What do you think of these names? What are some trends you’re seeing? Let me know and keep an eye out for the boys’ list!

The New Top 100 Most Popular Baby Names

May 10, 2024 ElizabethLeave a comment

The Social Security Administration just released its list of the Top 100 most popular baby names in the U.S. in 2023! While SSA publishes data for the Top 1000 and beyond, the Top 100 list is where you’ll find today’s most familiar names. From tried-and-true classics to the trendiest modern classics, these are the most common baby names on throughout the U.S. Your child will likely know many other children bearing these names!

Here are the 100 most popular names given to baby boys in 2023:

Rank	Name	# of Babies	Rank Change
1	Liam	20802	0
2	Noah	18995	0
3	Oliver	14741	0
4	James	11670	0
5	Elijah	11452	0
6	Mateo	11229	+5
7	Theodore	11041	+3
8	Henry	10941	-1
9	Lucas	10842	-1
10	William	10598	-4
11	Benjamin	10172	-2
12	Levi	9347	0
13	Sebastian	8865	0
14	Jack	8683	+1
15	Ezra	8437	+10
16	Michael	8383	0
17	Daniel	8356	-3
18	Leo	8120	+4
19	Owen	7985	-1
20	Samuel	7973	-1
21	Hudson	7935	+6
22	Alexander	7875	-5
23	Asher	7853	-3
24	Luca	7770	+4
25	Ethan	7763	-4
26	John	7750	0
27	David	7354	+4
28	Jackson	7284	-5
29	Joseph	7237	+1
30	Mason	7237	-6
31	Luke	7217	+3
32	Matthew	7190	+7
33	Julian	7078	+2
34	Dylan	7054	+8
35	Elias	6980	+8
36	Jacob	6976	-4
37	Maverick	6962	-3
38	Gabriel	6745	-2
39	Logan	6686	-6
40	Aiden	6675	-11
41	Thomas	6598	+4
42	Isaac	6581	-1
43	Miles	6558	+13
44	Grayson	6449	-7
45	Santiago	6328	+3
46	Anthony	6237	-2
47	Wyatt	6237	-9
48	Carter	5847	-1
49	Jayden	5627	-3
50	Ezekiel	5569	-1
51	Caleb	5488	+1
52	Cooper	5425	+1
53	Josiah	5404	-2
54	Charles	5395	-4
55	Christopher	5171	0
56	Isaiah	5121	+2
57	Nolan	5112	+8
58	Cameron	5069	+6
59	Nathan	5049	-2
60	Joshua	5035	0
61	Kai	4946	-2
62	Waylon	4881	+4
63	Angel	4865	-1
64	Lincoln	4842	-10
65	Andrew	4781	-4
66	Roman	4777	+2
67	Adrian	4646	-4
68	Aaron	4551	+3
69	Wesley	4539	+1
70	Ian	4538	+2
71	Thiago	4505	+36; NEW
72	Axel	4498	+5
73	Brooks	4469	+3
74	Bennett	4411	+9
75	Weston	4356	+7
76	Rowan	4195	+20
77	Christian	4125	-4
78	Theo	4122	+21
79	Beau	4090	+11
80	Eli	4081	-11
81	Silas	4070	+7
82	Jonathan	4066	-3
83	Ryan	4020	-9
84	Leonardo	4012	-9
85	Walker	4006	-7
86	Jaxon	3918	-19
87	Micah	3875	+2
88	Everett	3808	-7
89	Robert	3807	-5
90	Enzo	3796	+31; NEW
91	Parker	3792	+3
92	Jeremiah	3750	+1
93	Jose	3704	-7
94	Colton	3696	-3
95	Luka	3650	+22; NEW
96	Easton	3637	-16
97	Landon	3637	-10
98	Jordan	3632	-6
99	Amir	3620	+14; NEW
100	Gael	3616	+4; NEW

Data from the Social Security Administration

Here are the 100 most popular names given to baby girls in 2023:

Rank	Name	# of Babies	Change in Rank
1	Olivia	15270	0
2	Emma	13527	0
3	Charlotte	12596	0
4	Amelia	12311	0
5	Sophia	11944	0
6	Mia	10808	+2
7	Isabella	11359	-1
8	Ava	9682	-1
9	Evelyn	9082	0
10	Luna	7811	0
11	Harper	7769	0
12	Sofia	7641	+1
13	Camila	7565	-1
14	Eleanor	6739	+2
15	Elizabeth	6566	0
16	Violet	6342	+4
17	Scarlett	6288	-3
18	Emily	6154	-1
19	Hazel	6154	+8
20	Lily	6146	+10
21	Gianna	6129	+1
22	Aurora	6054	+9
23	Penelope	6041	-2
24	Aria	5996	-1
25	Nora	5994	+3
26	Chloe	5960	-7
27	Ellie	5951	+6
28	Mila	5895	-10
29	Avery	5859	-3
30	Layla	5678	-1
31	Abigail	5661	-7
32	Ella	5643	-7
33	Isla	5357	+2
34	Eliana	5329	+8
35	Nova	5248	-3
36	Madison	5160	-2
37	Zoe	5160	+1
38	Ivy	5036	+3
39	Grace	4886	-3
40	Lucy	4858	+8
41	Willow	4670	-4
42	Emilia	4670	+2
43	Riley	4617	-4
44	Naomi	4456	+2
45	Victoria	4434	-2
46	Stella	4357	-6
47	Elena	4261	+2
48	Hannah	4102	-1
49	Valentina	4075	+8
50	Maya	4067	+1
51	Zoey	4040	-6
52	Delilah	4031	+6
53	Leah	3953	-1
54	Lainey	3928	+120; NEW
55	Lillian	3927	-5
56	Paisley	3727	-3
57	Genesis	3651	+8
58	Madelyn	3632	+2
59	Sadie	3586	+9
60	Sophie	3578	+3
61	Leilani	3543	-2
62	Addison	3520	-8
63	Natalie	3418	-8
64	Josephine	3347	+6
65	Alice	3336	-1
66	Ruby	3333	-4
67	Claire	3195	-1
68	Kinsley	3188	-7
69	Everly	3159	-12
70	Emery	3104	-12
71	Adeline	3074	+22
72	Kennedy	3069	+2
73	Maeve	3046	+30; NEW
74	Audrey	3032	-7
75	Autumn	3001	-4
76	Athena	2984	+2
77	Eden	2924	+40; NEW
78	Iris	2921	+6
79	Anna	2918	+4
80	Eloise	2916	+6
81	Jade	2908	+7
82	Maria	2893	+9
83	Caroline	2859	-6
84	Brooklyn	2850	-12
85	Quinn	2846	-12
86	Aaliyah	2845	-17
87	Vivian	2801	+17; NEW
88	Liliana	2787	+9
89	Gabriella	2782	0
90	Hailey	2776	-10
91	Sarah	2749	+4
92	Savannah	2739	-16
93	Cora	2738	-18
94	Madeline	2726	+8; NEW
95	Natalia	2717	-16
96	Ariana	2716	-6
97	Lydia	2716	-4
98	Lyla	2651	+7; NEW
99	Clara	2648	+11; NEW
100	Allison	2641	+1; NEW

Data from the Social Security Administration

The newest names to the Top 100 are:

Boys: Thiago, Enzo, Luka, Amir, Gael
Girls: Lainey, Maeve, Eden, Vivian, Madeline, Lyla, Clara, Allison

The names that exited the Top 100 are:

Boys: Adam, Xavier, Nicholas, Greyson, Jameson
Girls: Aubrey, Bella, Skylar, Ayla, Serenity, Nevaeh, Everleigh, Raelynn

Thiago, Enzo, and Amir are all names I predicted would hit the boys’ Top 100. I’m kicking myself for not seeing Luka since Luca has been so trendy! For the girls, I correctly anticipated Maeve and Lyla. Another prediction, Millie, landed just outside the Top 100 at #102!

The name that absolutely shocks me is Lainey. I’m betting no name nerds had this one on their Top 100 predictions…she ranked #174 in 2022, which means she jumped #120 places (!!!) to fall in at #54 in 2023. Guys, that just doesn’t happen very often! Over 2,220 more girls were named Lainey in 2023 than in 2022, which is baby name insanity! Actually, usage more than doubled. I think Lainey wins the new “it name” award!

All 5 of the girls names I predicted would drop out of the Top 100 did: Aubrey, Bella, Skylar, Serenity, and Nevaeh. What I didn’t anticipate is that there would be 8 new girls’ names on the list, which seems like a lot! Everleigh surprises me a little because it’s been trendy for a few years. Maybe Everly/Everleigh’s a flash-in-the-pan? Nicholas and Greyson were my correctly predicted exits on the boys’ side.

Something else I’m noticing is that it seems like there’s more volatility in the charts this year. Maybe it’s normal and I just didn’t notice it last year, but a lot of names I’d expect to thrive are flagging. Here are some of the fasted rising names last year, in terms of rank:

Boys:

Thiago: +43; NEW
Enzo: +31; NEW
Luka: +22; NEW
Theo: +21
Rowan: +20
Amir: +14; NEW
Miles: +13
Beau: +11
Ezra: +10
Bennett: +9

Girls:

Lainey: +120; NEW
Eden: +40; NEW
Maeve: +30; NEW
Adeline: +22
Vivian: +17; NEW
Clara: +11; NEW
Lily: +10
Aurora: +9
Liliana: +9
Maria: +9
Sophie: +9

And here are the fastest falling names, in terms of rank and including names that left the Top 100:

Boys:

Greyson: – 22; OUT
Jaxon: – 19
Jameson: – 18; OUT
Easton: – 16
Aiden: – 11
Eli: – 11
Nicholas: – 11; OUT
Landon: – 10
Lincoln: – 10
Wyatt: – 9

Girls:

Everleigh: – 49; OUT
Nevaeh: -24; OUT
Bella: – 21; OUT
Aubrey: – 20; OUT
Skylar: -20; OUT
Cora: -18
Aaliyah: -17
Natalia: – 16
Savannah: – 16
Brooklyn: – 12
Emery: – 12
Everly: – 12
Quinn: – 12
Raelynn: – 12; OUT
Hailey: – 10
Mila: – 10

What do you think about 2023’s Top 100 most popular baby names? Would you use any of them? What surprises you? Let me know!

P.S. – It feels like we’re in the midst of a major style shift, but it’s hard to put my finger on what’s happening to cause it. The most popular names *are* getting more cosmopolitan, but in many ways they’re also getting more traditional. Vintage names have been “in” for awhile, but I’m wondering if the economy has anything to do with it.

American Names · Analysis

Baby Name Predictions for the New 2023 U.S. Popularity Charts

May 9, 2024 Elizabeth1 Comment

OK, we’re probably just one day away from the biggest day in the naming community – the U.S. annual baby name data release! Each year, the Social Security Administration releases American baby name popularity lists just in time for Mothers’ Day. The Top 10 (and especially the #1) names get the most hype and news attention, and with good reason: these are the names you’re most likely to encounter on the playground or preschool class. These are the names that are popular across the country, mostly independent of regional preferences. They, along with the rest of the Top 100 most popular names, set the tone for American baby naming across the board.

For name nerds, Baby Name Release Day is our big holiday, akin to running downstairs on Christmas morning to open a giant mound of presents left by Santa. We eagerly anticipate this date all year long and spend the weekend pouring over data, looking for trends and intriguing new names. We’re not *only* interested in the Top 10 or Top 100. Since the SSA actually releases the Top 1000, we’re excited to see what names are newly popular or unexpectedly trending. We may also mourn the growing or shrinking popularity of favorite names, while gleefully cackling when names we secretly hate take a tumble. Meanwhile, how many of our predictions came true? Name Release Day is the Super Bowl for geeks. To parents, this is the chance to check their favorite names and decide whether popularity or rarity will change choices.

This year, I’m rather late to posting my predictions. I got married less than a month ago (!!!) and until about a week or two ago, I could barely even think about names. Ultimately, it was a beautiful wedding and more perfect than we ever could have imagined. Now that the stressful planning is over and I’ve had a chance to relax…it’s back to the names, just in time for one of my favorite days of the year!

So, without further ado, here are my predictions for tomorrow!

Top 10 Predictions for 2023:

Olivia (0)
Charlotte (+1)
Emma (-1)
Amelia (0)
Isabella (+1)
Sophia (-1)
Evelyn (+2)
Luna (+2)
Ava (-2)
Violet (+10)

Charlotte and Violet are both Bridgerton names, and 2023 saw a major Netflix spin-off for Queen Charlotte. Admittedly Violet is a dark horse candidate since she ranked #20 in 2022 but she ranked #35 in 2021, and frankly, I’m hearing this one everywhere. It’s a fast riser, and floral names are in this decade! I do think Olivia will stay at #1, though it may be her last year before Charlotte becomes the new “it” name for girls. Further down the line, I expect Luna or Violet will eventually peak at #1. If my 2023 predictions come true, Mia will fall out of the Top 10. Violet may be wishful thinking for 2023, but if not this year, then maybe 2024 or 2025.

As for the boys’ Top 10, I personally expect the following:

Liam (0)
Noah (0)
Oliver (0)
James (0)
Theodore (+5)
Elijah (-1)
Henry (0)
William (-2)
Mateo (+2)
Sebastian (+3)

The current popular boys’ names are steady, and I don’t see Liam dropping out of the #1 spot anytime soon. The biggest gainers near the Top 10 in 2022 were Theodore (which kept its rank of 10 from 2021 but saw a large increase in raw numbers), Mateo, and Sebastian; hence, I’ve included all three in my predictions. In this scenario, Lucas and Benjamin would leave the Top 10. I do think Levi is a back-up contender for the Top 10 as well, since he’s also recently seen some gains. Considering the trendiest boys’ names in the Top 30, Leo, Ezra, and maybe Luca are potential dark horse candidates.

What about the Top 100? I have my eyes on the following names for entry into the Top 100:

Girls: Maeve, Lyla, Juniper, Millie, Freya
Boys: Thiago, August, Amir, Enzo, Atlas

Today’s trendiest girls’ names are often distinctly feminine (i.e. Lyla and Freya), vintage (Millie), mythological (Freya), and/or nature-based (Juniper). My predicted boys’ names are international (Thiago, Amir, and Enzo), vintage (August), and mythological (Atlas). Atlas is additionally a character in It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, and Amir taps into a wider (albeit waning) trend towards royalty and title names like Reign and King (Amir means “prince” in Arabic).

The ones I expect will leave the Top 100 are:

Girls: Serenity, Nevaeh, Skylar, Bella, Aubrey
Boys: Nicholas, Greyson, Colton, Landon, Jeremiah

Most of those have a vibe from 10-20 years ago.

Then there are the Top 1000 predictions, which are the most fun for me. They’re definitely the hardest to predict though! So much depends on trends, but there are always pop culture wildcards nobody expects. Here are some names I have my eye on this year.

Girls: Agnes, Ailany, Amyra, Arden, Arisbeth, Arizbeth, Ayra, Beverly, Colbie, Darcy, Eleanora, Elouise, Elowen, Essence, Evelina, Etta, Indy, Lettie, Maelynn, Mazie, Memphis, Miller, Ruthie, Solana, Tallulah, Tilly, Viola, Violette, Winifred, Wrenleigh, Xena, Yuna, Yusra
Boys: Aizen, Aspen, Beck, Blaise, Boaz, Brett, Campbell, Coen, Cristiano, Decker, Dereck, Dhruv, Gianluca, Gus, Hollis, Jahmir, Jireh, Laith, Lev, Link, Mariano, Massimo, Mike, Ollie, Rishi, Rowdy, Shai, Teddy, Tiago, Veer, Wren, Zabdiel

This year I’m not going to predict exits from the Top 1000. When you get that far down the charts, anything can happen! I’m sure there are a few names I haven’t even considered that will teeter back and forth for a couple years.

Do you have any name predictions? Check back tomorrow to see which names make the cut!

American Names · Analysis · Modern names · Name Lists

Beyond Harper and Arlo: Names with an “Ar” Sound

May 6, 2024 ElizabethLeave a comment

Names rarely become trendy on their own. When one name hits the Top 10 or 20 in popularity, it tends familiarize other similar names and popularize them too. For example: a few years back, Jayden and Brayden were the *it* names for baby boys. A lot of those Jaydens and Braydens are hitting middle and high school now, but you’ll still find plenty of babies with those names plus Kayden, Rayden, and Zayden. Millennial Ashley grew up and has kids now: Paisley and Kinsleigh. Same with Kaitlyn, who helped pave the way for both modern Oaklynn and vintage Evelyn. In picking baby names, many parents subconsciously choose favorite, familiar, and popular sounds even as they seek unique spellings and monikers.

In 2024, we all know about the trendiness of girls’ names ending in Lynn and many people have likely noticed the ubiquity of boys’ names ending in “-n.” What are some other popular name elements? Lately I’ve been pondering names with an “ar” sound, and yes, that is “arr” the way a pirate would say it. While the other elements I mentioned usually go at the end of names, this one is more likely to be in the front or middle. You already know a few of the most popular “ar” names: Charlotte, Harper, Scarlett, and Aria, a quartet of girls’ names in the U.S. Top 25. It’s not hard to understand why these particular names are so beloved either! They boast a bright, fresh, friendly vibe – musical, even, accounting for Harper and Aria. They are simultaneously modern and elegant, bolstering our oldest and newest names alike. Even steadfast Margaret ranks higher than it did 20 years ago! When you see names like Margot, Yara, Amara, and Zara become popular, know that they aren’t coming out of nowhere. Even when there are pop culture influences from movies and TV shows to introduce them, they’re already totally on trend!

While “ar” names seem to be trendier for baby girls, you can still find plenty of boys’ names that follow this style. The four most popular options within the Top 100 for boys are Carter, Charles, Leonardo, and Parker – options which are more or less classic, or at least standard. Even trendier names lie somewhere outside the Top 100, from rapidly rising Arlo to timeless yet revitalized classic Arthur. Archer is another one, having gone from zero to hero in less than 15 years thanks to multiple pop culture influences (namely, the cartoon Archer but also possibly Colleen Hoover’s novel Ugly Love). Meanwhile, Archie isn’t only popular because of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, though he was the catalyst – Archie is also increasingly popular because it sounds like other trending names.

Gender-neutral “ar” names are trending too. Parker is one of the most evenly gender-neutral names in America right now; in 2022, it ranked just within the Top 100 for boys and just outside for girls. Some other popular choices in this category are Charlie, Amari, Marley, Ari, Armani, and Kamari. You can also find a decent number of unisex names that are within the Top 1000 only for boys OR girls but are trending below the charts. These include names like Artemis and Harlem, which are respectively popular for baby girls and boys but rare in the reverse order.

If “ar” names are on-trend, what are some rare names that fit the style? Here are some unique options to consider:

Adara – Means “noble” in Hebrew.
Antares – A star in the constellation Scorpius.
Arbella – An old variation on Arabella made famous by Arbella Stuart, who was once in the English and Scottish line of succession during the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth I. Ultimately, James Stuart became king instead.
Artemidora – Ancient Greek name meaning “gift of Artemis.”
Artemisia – An Ancient Greek name (variation of Artemis) borne by queens and Baroque-era Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi.
Balthazar – One of the Three Wise Men or Magi.
Barbie – This might just take off because of the movie, not to mention that one celebrity who named her daughter Malibu Barbie in 2022. I’m curious to see if Barbara has a revival too.
Carbon – Why not take name inspiration from the Periodic Table of Elements?
Carlisle – For fans of Twilight and Belinda Carlisle.
Cartimandua – My fans of maximalist and Ancient Roman girls’ names will appreciate this queenly moniker from early Britain!
Charleston – Place names are perennially popular, so I’m surprised Charleston isn’t more common! You’d think with all the Great Gatsby fans out there that this 1920s dance would be a bigger naming influence today.
Darcy – Last popular as a unisex name for Americans born in the mid-to-late 20th-century, Darcy is almost exclusively a girls’ name now (despite all the Pride & Prejudice fans out there).
Eleazar – The original Hebrew form of Lazarus. I’d wager some kids would love to be called “Laser” for short!
Ermengarde – Medieval Germanic name meaning something like “whole enclosure.” Ermengarde is a minor character name in A Little Princess.
Ferrari – Sports car name that fits well with other luxury brand names like Armani and Dior.
Garnet – Gender-neutral gem name for nature lovers!
Harbor – Summery and maritime, perfect for a baby born along the water or to Navy or Coast Guard parents.
Harvest – Agricultural names exude tranquility.
Hildegard – Old Germanic name with a meaning like “battle enclosure.” St. Hildegard of Bingen was a famous medieval scholar and mystic.
Inara – Ancient Hittite goddess of wild animals.
Lark – A beautiful bird name. Unfortunately lark can also mean “frolic” or “prank” in certain dialects, so Larkin may be a safer choice if you plan on traveling to the U.K.
Luminara – Star Wars character name and a great formal option for Lumi.
Marius – Ancient Roman form of Mario or masculine form of Maria.
Margalit – Hebrew name meaning “Pearl.” It’s a cognate of Margaret.
Mariposa – Spanish for “butterfly” and the name of a flower. Whatever you do, though – do *not* name a child Barbie Mariposa (or the reverse) since there was, in fact, a Barbie: Mariposa movie! Or…do, because there’s a little girl named Malibu Barbie out there. The choice is yours.
Marnie – Although Marnie is a titular Alfred Hitchcock movie, parents today are likely more familiar with the Stardew Valley character.
Mars – Ancient Roman god of war, akin to the Greek Ares.
Maru – Like Marnie, Maru is a Stardew Valley character name.
Nefertari – An Egyptian queen and a wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Despite its niche nature, it’s currently one of the more popular Ancient Egyptian baby names and was given to 21 girls in 2022.
Ragnar – A Viking name made famous in modern times by the show Vikings‘ portrayal of Ragnar Lodbrok *and* a Skyrim drinking song. “There once was a hero named Ragnar the Red…”
Solaris – Expect Solaris and other solar names to be a bit trendier after this year’s total eclipse.
Starling – A bird name that’s only really given to baby girls but works well as a gender-neutral option.
Yarden – Gender-neutral Hebrew name that means “flow down” or “descend.” It’s equivalent to the English name Jordan.
Yardley – A variation of Yeardley, an old English surname.

Do you have a favorite name with an “ar” sound? Are there any you think may take off? I do think we could see a resurgence of girls named Barbara thanks to the Barbie movie, though I wonder if Baby Reindeer‘s popularity will doom Martha in the near future. Only time will tell.

American Names · Analysis

Baby Girls’ Names that are Popular (Top 100) in Just One, Two, and All the States

June 12, 2023 ElizabethLeave a comment

We recently learned the most popular baby names in the U.S., but what does that really mean? The Social Security Administration compiles data about baby names used across the country, which doesn’t tell us much about regional naming. Luckily, they also publish state data! Going off of the popularity lists of each state and D.C., here are the baby girls’ names that were in the Top 100 in just one, two, or all the states!

Here are the girls’ names that reached the Top 100 in only one state:

Alabama: Katherine
Alaska: Alaina, Alora, Bristol, Lauren, Winter
Delaware: Amari, Noelle
District of Columbia (DC): Dior, Eve, Frances, Reign, Sevyn
Georgia: Kali
Hawaii: Aila, Ailani, Aleia, Anela, Azalea, Halia, Hope, Kaia, Kaiya, Kalea, Keilani, Kiana, Kiara, Kira, Leila, Lilinoe, Mahina, Maia, Malia, Noelani
Idaho: Evelynn
Iowa: Alivia
Louisiana: Camille, Demi, Evangeline
Maine: Poppy
Maryland: Amy
Massachusetts: Laura
Minnesota: Aisha, Mabel
Mississippi: Ari, Kennedi, Malaysia, Miracle, Royalty, Taylor, Trinity
Montana: Maggie
Nebraska: Palmer
Nevada: Jasmine
New Hampshire: Maisie
New Mexico: Aitana, Angela, Cataleya, Daleyza, Kimberly, Mariana, Nayeli, Selena
Oregon: Harlow
Rhode Island: Briella, Lilliana
South Dakota: Blair, Kylie, Lilly, Oaklee
Texas: Regina
Utah: Lola, Navy, Scottie
Vermont: Esme, Fiona, Hattie, Vera, Willa
West Virginia: Charlee, Gracelyn
Wyoming: Adelaide, Avianna, Dorothy, Hadlee, Kimber, Opal, Ophelia

Camille is always uniquely popular in Louisiana, probably thanks to the state’s French Cajun heritage. Hawaii boasts many indigenous names in its Top 100 that aren’t popular or even used anywhere else in the country; you’d be hard pressed to find a Lilinoe living outside the Islands. Many (if not all) of the uniquely popular names in New Mexico are common or trendy among native Spanish-speakers.

Bristol’s appearance in Alaska makes me think there’s a connection to Bristol Palin.

Here are the names appearing in the Top 100 of two states:

Adalyn: West Virginia, New Hampshire
Alana: Hawaii, Florida
Alani: Mississippi, Louisiana
Alexandra: D.C., New Jersey
Amira: D.C., Minnesota
Ana: Texas, Arizona
Annabelle: Vermont, New Hampshire
Ariella: New Mexico, New York
Blake: Alaska, Wyoming
Briar: Montana, Iowa
Chana: New Jersey, New York
Chaya: New York, New Jersey
Delaney: New Hampshire, Pennsylvania
Dream: D.C., Delaware
Everlee: Montana, Wyoming
Faith: Wyoming, New Mexico
Finley: Montana, Idaho
Francesca: New Jersey, Vermont
Gemma: Kansas, Oregon
Gracelynn: West Virginia, Kentucky
Gracie: Utah, North Dakota
Haisley: Wyoming, South Dakota
Haven: Hawaii, Wyoming
Jane: D.C., Utah
Juliana: Delaware, New Jersey
Kaylee: Mississippi, Rhode Island
Leia: Hawaii, Nevada
Lila: Maine, Rhode Island
Logan: Delaware, D.C.
Margot: D.C., Colorado
Miriam: New Jersey, New York
Noa: Hawaii, D.C.
Presley: Oklahoma, West Virginia
Rachel: New York, New Jersey
Rivka: New Jersey, New York
Rosalie: Alaska, Rhode Island
Rowan: Vermont, Alaska
Ruth: Vermont, D.C.
Sara: New Jersey, New York.
Zara: D.C., Delaware

Hebrew-language names like Chana, Chaya, and Rivka are popular in New York and New Jersey owing to the two states’ large Orthodox Jewish populations. Other traditional or popular Jewish names like Miriam, Rachel, and Noa are widely also found outside Orthodoxy, and indeed, outside Judaism.

Interestingly, Sara is more popular than Sarah in New Jersey. The reverse is true in New York.

And here are the universally popular names across the Top 100 of each and every state plus D.C.:

Olivia: #1 across the country. Top (#1) name in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
Emma: #2 across the country. Top name in New Jersey.
Charlotte: #3 nationally. Top name in D.C., Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Misssouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Amelia: #4 nationally. Top name in Vermont and West Virginia.
Sophia: #5 nationally. Top name in Delaware and New Mexico.
Isabella: #6 nationally.
Ava: #7 nationally. Top name in Maryland and Mississippi.
Mia: #8 nationally.
Evelyn: #9 nationally. Top name in Maine and South Dakota.
Luna: #10 nationally.
Elizabeth: #15 nationally.
Eleanor: #16 nationally.
Mila: #18 nationally.
Aria: #23 nationally.
Avery: #26 nationally.
Hazel: #27 nationally.
Layla: #29 nationally.
Aurora: #31 nationally. Top name in Alaska.
Stella: – #40 nationally. I’m surprised to find a name with a #40 ranking enjoy universal popularity across the 50 states and District of Columbia.

At least a couple of names would have been universally popular if not for a single state. Parents in Rhode Island and West Virginia respectively vetoed Harper (#11) and Lily (#30). Any ideas why?

Usually, the names in the national top 10 are the names the entire country agrees on. Outside the top 10, the popularity of timeless names like Elizabeth tends to be spread more evenly across geography than trendy modern names which may be concentrated along regional lines. Other names that are universally popular can help name enthusiasts determine what *might* become a Top 10 name, or they tell us which established or newly established names are least objectionable to parents in distinct naming cultures (i.e., names that are popular in both the Deep South and New England).

What do you think? Are there any surprises for you? Let me know! And if you’re curious about the boys’ names, you can read those here.

American Names · Analysis

Baby Boys’ Names that are Popular (Top 100) in Just One, Two, and All the States

June 2, 2023 ElizabethLeave a comment

In May, the Social Security Administration released the U.S. national baby name data for 2022 to much fanfare. What’s less known is that they also released state data! While SSA does publish extended state numbers stretching down to 5 births in a year (just as they do for the entire country), their website showcases the Top 100 lists for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Let’s look at the baby boys’ names that reached the Top 100 popularity threshold in just one, two, and all the states!

Here are the boys’ names that reached the Top 100 in only one state:

Alaska: Alex, Killian, Mark, Timothy
Arizona: Aziel, Javier
California: Nicolas
District of Columbia: Ari, Kairo, Nasir, Simon
Hawaii: Blake, Duke, Hezekiah, Israel, Kaimana, Keanu, Koa, Koen, Makoa, Tristan, Zane
Idaho: Grant
Louisiana: Kash
Maine: Gavin, Reid
Michigan: Cade
Minnesota: Mohamed
Mississippi: Jamir, Karson, Kashton, Kyrie
Montana: Bodie, Colt, Daxton, Ridge
New Hampshire: Abel, Callum, Colby, Rory
New Jersey: Shmuel, Yaakov, Yehuda, Yosef
New Mexico: Luciano, Manuel
New York: Abraham, Muhammad
Oklahoma: Baker
Rhode Island: Armani, Jeremy
South Dakota: Atticus, Kyler, Odin
Texas: Matias
Utah: Crew
Vermont: Brantley, Louis, Oakley, Otis, Warren
West Virginia: Gunner, Jensen, Remington
Wyoming: Augustus, Boone, Colson, Lukas, Tobias

Hawaii and New Jersey have especially distinct names that may or may not appear in the national Top 1000. Both states have ethnic and/or religious communities that strongly influence regional naming. Kaimana and Makoa are Native Hawaiian names; Shmuel, Yaakov, Yehuda, and Yosef are the Hebrew forms of Biblical names that are most popular among certain Jewish populations, especially Orthodox/Traditional. Kaimana, Makoa, and Yaakov did not rank within the national Top 1000, but can be found within the extended data.

And here are the names appearing in the Top 100 of two states:

Ali: D.C., Michigan
Bodhi: Hawaii, Vermont
Brody: Hawaii, Wyoming
Chaim: New Jersey, New York
Dallas: Alabama, Mississippi
Elliott: Maine, Vermont
Emilio: Arizona, California
Finley: Maine, Vermont
Jason: Alaska, Delaware
Jesse: Alaska, Wyoming
Kayson: West Virginia, Mississippi
Lane: Iowa, Montana
Malakai: Alaska, Hawaii
Matteo: California, Connecticut
Moshe: New Jersey, New York
Paxton: Maine, West Virginia
Peter: Idaho, Utah
Riley: Hawaii, Wyoming
Tyler: Massachusetts, Delaware
Walter: D.C., Montana

Finally, here are the few names that are popular enough to be in the Top 100 of every state plus D.C.!

Liam – Ranks #1 nationally. #1 in AZ, CA, CT, DE, FL, KS, KY, LA, MD, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, & VA.
Noah – Ranks #2 nationally. #1 in GA, HI, IL, MA, MI, SC, WY
Oliver – #3 nationally. #1 in AK, AR, CO, ID, IN, IA, ME, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA
James – #4 nationally. #1 in MS.
Elijah – #5 nationally. Highest rank: #2 in AR and LA.
William – #6 nationally. #1 in AL, MT.
Henry – #7 nationally. #1 in D.C., VT, WS.
Lucas – #8 nationally. Highest rank: #3 in FL, NJ, NY
Benjamin – #9 nationally. Highest rank: #5 in MA, NH, PA, & RI. Clearly this one’s favored in New England!
Levi – #12 nationally. Highest rank: #6 in LA & VT.
Alexander – #17 nationally. Highest rank: #8 in D.C.
Samuel – #20 nationally. Highest rank: #9 in GA and OR.
Mason – #24 nationally. Highest rank: #11 in GA and PA.
John – #26 nationally. Highest rank: #2 in MS. I was surprised by this one since it’s not in the Top 25, but it goes to show the staying power of timeless names.
Luke – #34 nationally. Highest rank: #4 in LA.
Grayson – #37 nationally. Highest rank: #2 in WV.

Theodore and Asher were respectively the #1 names in New Hampshire and West Virginia, though they didn’t rank in every state.

Traditionally, the Top 10 are the names parents across the country can agree on. That said, #10-ranking Theodore is curiously missing – when I looked through the states, I found that Mississippi is the culprit! Theodore was given to 27 baby Mississippians last year, while the #100 ranking name (Myles) was given to 31. Hmm…

Any remaining names that are popular across the country can typically be found within the Top 20 or so. I was surprised John, Luke, and Grayson are so universally beloved! Maybe I shouldn’t be shocked about John because it’s never dipped below the national Top 30, but Luke and Grayson have never reached the Top 25. Luke, like John, is a name with major religious significance to Christians. I can’t explain Grayson’s universality.

What do you think? Naming is incredibly regional, and it can be hard to see that just looking at the national data. I will post a girls’ list later, but in the meantime, for different ways to look at names within the states; check out Nancy’s analysis of unique appearances in the extended data and Namerology’s state style sampler!

American Names · Analysis

Almost Popular: Baby Names that Just Missed the Top 1000

May 20, 2023 Elizabeth2 Comments

One week ago, the Social Security Administration honored a modern Mother’s Day tradition by releasing the previous year’s Top 1000 most popular baby names just before the holiday. The 2022 list is out and we know the names, but what about the names that *almost* made it? The names that would have been popular if not for alphabetical ranking order or alternative spellings?

In 2022, the two names ranked #1000, the names at the very bottom of the top, were Kahlani and London. Kahlani was given to 260 girls, while London is the name of 222 infant boys. Just below them were several other names that could have or should have made it. Here is a chart containing the names that were used up to 10 times fewer:

Boy Name	Number	Girl Name	Number
Massimo	222	Jazlynn	259
Mordechai	222	Kynlee	259
Branson	221	Tallulah	258
Deandre	221	Jaycee	257
Maurice	221	Kaisley	257
Graysen	220	Maylee	257
Ulises	220	Nataly	257
Wren	220	Leylani	256
Carl	219	Lilia	256
Coen	219	Esperanza	255
Kristopher	219	Haylee	255
Boaz	218	Ruthie	255
Decker	218	Clare	254
Fox	218	Kailey	254
Blaise	217	Etta	253
Rogelio	217	Paisleigh	253
Shai	217	Essence	252
Beck	216	Tori	252
Brett	216	Dana	251
Crosby	216	Ellen	251
Lev	216	Kaya	251
Aspen	215	Eleanora	250
Billy	215	Memphis	250
Bishop	215
Kole	215
Mariano	215
Ollie	215
Veer	215
Campbell	214
Kolt	214
Jireh	213
Karsyn	213
Tiago	213
Blaine	212
Cristiano	212
Foster	212
Hollis	212
Yadiel	212

Table created by extracting from Social Security Administration extended data

Many of the names just left the Top 1000. Massimo and Mordechai were common enough that they should have been in the Top 1000, but the SSA ranks alphabetically after their numerical rankings and does not extend the national Top 1000 further for popular names that are later in the alphabet. Other names should have made it in, but were hindered by alternate spellings; Leylani comes to mind, as Laylani was the preferred version to enter in 2022.

As I mentioned, Massimo and Mordechai were given to enough babies that they should have been in the Top 1000 this year. What are some other common-enough baby names that the SSA rejected from the Top 1000 by alphabetical order? Let’s look back 10 years:

2021: Aarya** (255 girls) and Davian (218 boys) were the named ranked #1000. The same number of girls were named Ansley, Eleanora, and Jaelynn; Harris, Koen, and Merrick were equally popular for boys.
2020: Belle (254 girls) and Kylian (212 boys) were the names ranked #1000. Jaelyn and Laylani were equally popular to Belle.
2019: Adrienne (257 girls) and Aayan (209 boys) ranked #1000. Runner-ups: Ariadne, Dixie, Libby, and Marisol for girls; Cedric, Rome, and Seven for boys.
2018: Elina (261 girls) and Kenny (207 boys) were #1000. Runner-ups: Maliah and Paityn; Korbyn, Marquis, and Zackary.
2017: Zendaya (260 girls) and Jaxx (201 boys) were #1000. Runner-up: Mordechai.
2016: Kensington (264 girls) and Gus (204 boys) were #1000. Runner-ups: Luz and Sonia; Jamar, Jeremias, Menachem, Reagan, Shmuel.
2015: Jocelynn (269 girls) and Camren (204 boys) ranked #1000. Runner-ups: Mattie and Sidney; Deshawn, Jayvion, Simeon, Tristian.
2014: Kaya (264 girls) and Musa (206 boys) were #1000. Only Musa had runner-ups: Reagan, Rylen, and Sutton.
2013: Tinley (251 girls) and Clyde (196 boys) were #1000. Runner-ups for boys: Graeme and Yisroel.
2012: Aurelia (253 girls) and Augustine (199 boys) were #1000. Runner-ups: Aya, Dalilah, Hayleigh, and Tegan; Ephraim, Jaylon, and Kamdyn.

**Originally, Annabella was the girls’ name ranked #1000 in 2021. The birth data changes slightly from year to year, though whether that’s due to late applications or name changes is unknown.

Do you think the SSA should extend the Top 1000 to account for alphabetical order? With the Top 1000 creating a clear demarcation between popular and rare, I’m not sure it’s fair that two equally-common baby names could be so differently classified. In 2022, a baby boys was just as likely to be named Massimo as London, and yet London is the one we call popular.

American Names · Analysis · Name Lists

New and Out: Changes to the U.S. Top 1000 in 2022

May 16, 2023 ElizabethLeave a comment

The United States baby name data-reveal arrived Friday, May 12th. Name writers, consultants, and enthusiasts everywhere are ecstatic! We have a whole new set of names to play with, and it gives us better a chance to predict the end results for the current year. Until next Mother’s Day weekend…

Last week, I published my list of predictions for the 2022 Top 1000. It’s always tricky to determine which names will rise or fall. There simply isn’t enough time in the day to engage with every possible pop culture phenomenon, for one! Names can also be surprisingly erratic and fickle at the bottom of the top. Multiple spellings may dampen the impact of the starter name. Some names fall faster than others, which means a name that isn’t getting more common usage-wise is getting more popular in the ranks. Then, you have all the names that are so close to the Top 1000 that they just, well, reenter! Finally, I didn’t account for the names that were new or returning to the Top 1000 in 2021 that fell out in 2022, since there’s simply little way to know what they’ll do in that scenario!

According to data from the Social Security Administration, the following names reached the Top 1000 most popular baby names in the U.S. in 2022. The bolded names are the names I correctly predicted would either arrive or go; name predictions are never an exact science. Anyways, here are the links for my boys’ names and girls’ names predictions if you’d like to see my thought processes and what didn’t make it!

New Boys’ Names:

Asaiah, Atharv, Aurelio, Cartier, Cedric, Chosen, Crue, Darwin, Dion, Duncan, Dutton, Eren, Ezrah, Imran, Ivaan, Jairo, Jrue, Kaisen, Kaizen, Kamryn, Kanan, Karim, Kayce, Khaza, Koen, Kolson, Kooper, London, Lux, Marlon, Meir, Murphy, Rhodes, Ryatt, Sevyn, Shmuel, Stone, Teo, Terry, Waylen, Westyn, Yael, Yahya, Zen, Zamir

New Girls’ Names:

Aadhya, Amayah, Amiri, Araya, Arlet, Belle, Carla, Casey, Cielo, Elisabeth, Elowyn, Emiliana, Georgina, Inaya, Jream, Keily, Kenia, Lakelyn, Lakelynn, Laylani, Lenora, Lisa, Lottie, Love, Luz, Maddie, Maisy, Marigold, Meilani, Nathalia, Neriah, Nori, Rosalina, Rowyn, Saanvi, Sapphire, Sarahi, Scottie, Sol, Tru, Winona, Wrenlee, Xyla, Yamileth, Yasmin, Zhuri

Some (possible) explanations for the new names:

Dutton and Kayce are heavily associated with Yellowstone. I believe Kayce is pronounced like “Casey.” Interestingly, Casey is back for girls and Kacey is out for boys.
Zen, Rhodes, Love, and Nori are celebrity baby names. Now that I think about it, I think Dutton may be too…
Jrue Holiday is a basketball player who has a daughter named Jrue too.
Sevyn is a character in The Hate U Give.
Waylen, Westyn, Ezrah, and Koen are (respectively) used as alternate spellings to the trending names Waylon, Weston, Ezra and Cohen, though Koen is technically a Dutch nickname for Conrad/Koenraad.
I’m not sure what’s causing the simultaneous popularity of Kaizen and Kaisen, but two things come to mind: a manga/anime called Jujutsu Kaisen and the word kaizen.
Elowyn is the most common spelling of Elowen, a Cornish nature name that’s been internet popular for years now. Elowen is still technically rare, though it feels a lot more common when you combine all the spelling variants together. 315 girls were named Elowyn, while 211 were named Elowen, and there are more alternates.
Laylani is a variation of Leilani, a popular Hawaiian name that ranks #59 nationally. Names ending in -Lani are ultratrendy thanks not just to Leilani but Kehlani, a musician’s eponym.
Maisy, Rowyn, Wrenlee, and Zhuri are variants of Maisie, Rowan, Wrenley, and Zuri.
Winona was revived by Winona Ryder and her role in Stranger Things.
Lottie and Scottie are part of a wider trend towards nicknames, though Lottie also has Charlotte’s popularity (#3 in the country!) to thank.
Marigold was a baby name in Downton Abbey that’s become trendy at just the right time.

Something I do want to note about a few of the names I just mentioned is the potential for offense when used outside of their original cultures (a.k.a. cultural appropriation, which especially impacts historically marginalized peoples). Winona and Leilani are indigenous names (Winona is Native American of Dakota or Sioux origin), while Cohen is a sacred Jewish surname. I personally can’t speak to how people feel about others using the first two names, but as someone converting to Judaism, I can tell you that many Jewish people are deeply offended about the wide non-Jewish use of Cohen, Kohen, and even Koen as baby names. Cohen/Kohen is a priestly title referring to a very specific group of people who sometimes (depending on the religious branch) still have important roles and rules within the community. Some people also consider gentiles naming a child Ezra as cultural appropriation, though I think that has more to do with baby names that are traditional and popular within the Jewish community; compared and contrasted, almost no Jewish person would ever name their own child Cohen.

Here are the names that left the Top 1000:

Exiting Boys’ Names:

Adrien, Aydin, Bishop, Blaine, Bowie, Branson, Carl, Cory, Crosby, Davion, Deandre, Dimitri, Dominik, Elon, Ephraim, Fox, Granger, Graysen, Genesis, Howard, Jabari, Jacoby, Jair, Jakobe, Jamal, Jaxtyn, Jesiah, Juelz, Kace, Kacey, Kamdyn, Karsyn, Kody, Kole, Kristopher, Kyng, Landry, Maurice, Mordechai, Palmer, Ronnie, Turner, Ulises, Yaakov, Yadiel

Exiting Girls’ Names:

Aarna, Aarya, Addisyn, Addyson, Aiyana, Aniya, Austyn, Braylee, Clare, Clarissa, Crystal, Ellen, Ellison, Etta, Frida, Giavanna, Haylee, Ingrid, Jaycee, Jaylee, Jaylene, Jaylin, Kailey, Kaisley, Kathleen, Kiera, Kimora, Kyleigh, Kynlee, Landry, Loyalty, Lyanna, Mazikeen, Meghan, Micah, Nataly, Paisleigh, Paityn, Raquel, Ryder, Sandra, Soraya, Tatiana, Tori, Zoie, Zola

What are some explanations these names leaving the Top 1000? Here are some of my thoughts:

Kacey is interesting because I actually predicted it to *enter* the Top 1000, but here we see it leaving. The SSA data always changes slightly each year, which lends me to believe either we’re seeing the results of delayed birth certificates or name changes. I’m also surprised it didn’t reach higher in conjunction with Kayce, which is usually pronounced the same assuming a Yellowstone influence.
Jakobe is coming off a boost in conjunction with Kobe and similar names. Jacoby might also be part of this specific downswing.
Elon is closely associated with Elon Musk.
Howard, Maurice, Ingrid, Kathleen, and Sandra are generally considered classics but dated.
Landry fell out for both boys and girls! A few athletes are named Landry, though I think the main pop culture influence is probably Friday Night Lights, which is several years out since release.
Mazikeen is a character on Lucifer, which concluded in 2021.
Lyanna is from Game of Thrones. Some other names from the series actually got more popular in 2022 though, including Khaleesi and Yara. The new spin-off may be influencing some names in the main saga by keeping them fresh. We do know that Rhaenyra entered the SSA birth data for the first time this year!
Meghan is falling after a brief boost to this and Megan via Meghan Markle.

Do you have any favorite names in this list? Are there any other reasons you can think of why some names rose or fell? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

American Names · Analysis

The Top 100 Baby Names in the United States

May 13, 2023 ElizabethLeave a comment

If you’re based in the United States, yesterday (Friday, May 12th) was the country’s baby name data release day! It’s a huge deal for namenerds and expecting parents alike, giving us a chance to learn the most up-to-date information about popular baby names. Parents who worry that their child will share their name with too many classmates sprint to these lists, while enthusiasts giddily check their predictions and look for major shifts in the data.

While I didn’t end up writing predictions for the Top 100, I still find them very interesting to review. These are names that are universally considered popular, even outside of the top 10. Literally thousands of babies each year receive Top 100 names; in 2022, the names ranking #100 were given (respectively) to 3580 boys and 2702 girls, while the names ranking #1 were given to 20,456 boys and 16,573 girls. Many Top 100 names are some degree of classic, while others are either modern standards or ultra-trendy. And generally, these are baby names that are popular throughout the country, even if most of them aren’t popular in every single state.

Here are the Top 100 baby boys’ names in 2022, including rank changes from 2021:

Rank	Name	Babies	Rank Change
1	Liam	20456	0
2	Noah	18621	0
3	Oliver	15076	0
4	James	12028	+1
5	Elijah	11979	-1
6	William	11282	0
7	Henry	11221	+2
8	Lucas	10909	0
9	Benjamin	10842	-2
10	Theodore	10754	0
11	Mateo	10321	+4
12	Levi	9786	0
13	Sebastian	9341	+6
14	Daniel	9047	+2
15	Jack	8889	-4
16	Michael	8829	+1
17	Alexander	8673	-4
18	Owen	8546	+4
19	Asher	8350	+6
20	Samuel	8342	+3
21	Ethan	8271	-1
22	Leo	8250	+9
23	Jackson	8070	-9
24	Mason	7988	-6
25	Ezra	7943	+12
26	John	7930	+1
27	Hudson	7883	+7
28	Luca	7803	+14
29	Aiden	7799	-3
30	Joseph	7771	-2
31	David	7741	-1
32	Jacob	7603	-8
33	Logan	7575	-12
34	Luke	7344	-2
35	Julian	7268	-2
36	Gabriel	7186	+2
37	Grayson	7148	-2
38	Wyatt	7144	-9
39	Matthew	7025	-3
40	Maverick	6991	+7
41	Dylan	6698	+3
42	Isaac	6691	-2
43	Elias	6684	+5
44	Anthony	6554	-1
45	Thomas	6465	+1
46	Jayden	6462	-5
47	Carter	6326	-8
48	Santiago	6017	+15
49	Ezekiel	5993	+4
50	Charles	5889	0
51	Josiah	5763	-2
52	Caleb	5739	-1
53	Cooper	5609	+15
54	Lincoln	5599	-9
55	Miles	5540	0
56	Christopher	5535	-4
57	Nathan	5520	+2
58	Isaiah	5360	-2
59	Kai	5343	+11
60	Joshua	5146	-2
61	Andrew	5124	-4
62	Angel	5065	+5
63	Adrian	5018	-2
64	Cameron	4939	-2
65	Nolan	4910	-5
66	Waylon	4897	+3
67	Jaxon	4828	-13
68	Roman	4706	+7
69	Eli	4664	-5
70	Wesley	4644	+15
71	Aaron	4496	-6
72	Ian	4473	+9
73	Christian	4442	-1
74	Ryan	4372	-8
75	Leonardo	4347	+12
76	Brooks	4336	+2
77	Axel	4318	+1
78	Walker	4232	+51 (NEW)
79	Jonathan	4175	-2
80	Easton	4143	-9
81	Everett	4100	+1
82	Weston	4090	+13
83	Bennett	4082	+7
84	Robert	4051	-5
85	Jameson	4050	-5
86	Landon	4007	-13
87	Silas	3996	+4
88	Jose	3990	+1
89	Beau	3939	+5
90	Micah	3933	+17 (NEW)
91	Colton	3906	-17
92	Jordan	3878	-4
93	Jeremiah	3842	-10
94	Parker	3840	-1
95	Greyson	3750	-11
96	Rowan	3742	+10 (NEW)
97	Adam	3625	+7 (NEW)
98	Nicholas	3623	-6
99	Theo	3614	+43 (NEW)
100	Xavier	3580	0

Data from the Social Security Administration

The newest boys’ names in the 2022 Top 100 are Walker, Micah, Rowan, Adam, and Theo. The names that left the Top 100 are Hunter, Dominic, Carson, Austin, and Connor.

And here are the girls’ names:

Rank	Name	Babies	Rank Change
1	Olivia	16573	0
2	Emma	14435	0
3	Charlotte	12891	0
4	Amelia	12333	0
5	Sophia	12310	+1
6	Isabella	11662	+1
7	Ava	11039	-2
8	Mia	11018	0
9	Evelyn	9289	0
10	Luna	8922	+1
11	Harper	8191	-1
12	Camila	7965	0
13	Sofia	7254	+5
14	Scarlett	7224	+6
15	Elizabeth	6964	-1
16	Eleanor	6881	-1
17	Emily	6461	+4
18	Chloe	6445	+7
19	Mila	6445	+7
20	Violet	6434	+15
21	Penelope	6388	+2
22	Gianna	6385	-9
23	Aria	6368	-1
24	Abigail	6254	-7
25	Ella	6243	-9
26	Avery	6230	-7
27	Hazel	6125	+1
28	Nora	6119	-1
29	Layla	6058	-5
30	Lily	5966	+1
31	Aurora	5956	+5
32	Nova	5885	0
33	Ellie	5761	-3
34	Madison	5479	-5
35	Grace	5255	-1
36	Isla	5255	-3
37	Willow	5025	+2
38	Zoe	4984	+4
39	Riley	4886	-2
40	Stella	4830	+1
41	Eliana	4780	+7
42	Ivy	4772	+7
43	Victoria	4763	0
44	Emilia	4664	-4
45	Zoey	4488	-7
46	Naomi	4463	+8
47	Hannah	4451	-3
48	Lucy	4411	-1
49	Elena	4274	+4
50	Lillian	4226	+1
51	Maya	4208	+4
52	Leah	4169	-6
53	Paisley	4026	-1
54	Addison	3945	-9
55	Natalie	3932	+1
56	Valentina	3881	+13
57	Everly	3880	-7
58	Delilah	3853	0
59	Leilani	3834	+8
60	Madelyn	3709	+11
61	Kinsley	3679	-4
62	Ruby	3593	0
63	Sophie	3512	+13
64	Alice	3498	+1
65	Genesis	3427	+10
66	Claire	3365	-7
67	Audrey	3329	-7
68	Sadie	3278	+10
69	Aaliyah	3270	-8
70	Josephine	3236	+2
71	Autumn	3214	-5
72	Brooklyn	3191	-9
73	Quinn	3091	+7
74	Kennedy	3060	-4
75	Cora	3049	+12
76	Savannah	3034	-8
77	Caroline	3015	+4
78	Athena	3008	+20
79	Natalia	2995	0
80	Hailey	2993	-3
81	Aubrey	2982	-17
82	Emery	2961	+8
83	Anna	2944	+1
84	Iris	2922	+23 (NEW)
85	Bella	2888	-12
86	Eloise	2888	+23 (NEW)
87	Skylar	2881	-13
88	Jade	2871	+3
89	Gabriella	2858	-6
90	Ariana	2840	-2
91	Maria	2831	+14 (NEW)
92	Adeline	2812	+2
93	Lydia	2794	-4
94	Sarah	2780	-2
95	Nevaeh	2778	-9
96	Serenity	2775	-11
97	Liliana	2768	+7 (NEW)
98	Ayla	2735	+10 (NEW)
99	Everleigh	2708	+1
100	Raelynn	2702	+3 (NEW)

Data from the Social Security Administration

The newest names to the top 100 are Iris, Eloise, Maria, Liliana, Ayla, and Raelynn. The exiting names are Allison, Madeline, Rylee, Eva, Piper, and Peyton.

To break things down further:

Luna entered the Top 10, expelling Harper.
Leo, Ezra, Violet, and Mila entered the Top 25. These are the names we’re closely eyeing for Top 10 entry within a few years.
Logan, Jacob, Avery, and Layla exited the Top 25. While they are still very popular, they are no longer as trendy.
Santiago, Ezekiel, Lillian, Elena, and Naomi reached the Top 50. Lillian’s popularity peaked in 2010-11, but the rest are rather trendy.
Josiah, Lincoln, Leah, Addison, and Everly exited the Top 50.
Leonardo, Ian, Wesley, Cora, Quinn, Sophie, and Sadie reached the Top 75.
Easton, Landon, Colton, Savannah, Aubrey, Bella, and Skylar exited the Top 75.

We can see a few pop culture influences hitting the Top 100! Violet and Eloise, which were already trending, likely were boosted even further by Bridgerton. Meanwhile, the biggest debut is Walker, which was boosted by Walker, the recent Walker: Texas Ranger reboot.

Within the set, we can also get a better sense of current trends by highlighting the names that rose or dropped at least 5 rankings. They are:

Rising:

Boys: Sebastian, Asher, Leo, Ezra, Luca, Maverick, Elias, Santiago, Cooper, Kai, Angel, Wesley, Ian, Leonardo, Walker, Weston, Bennett, Beau, Micah, Rowan, Adam, Theo
Girls: Sofia, Scarlett, Chloe, Mila, Violet, Aurora, Eliana, Ivy, Naomi, Valentina, Madelyn, Sophie, Genesis, Sadie, Quinn, Cora, Athena, Emery, Iris, Eloise, Maria, Liliana, Ayla

Falling:

Boys: Jackson, Mason, Jacob, Logan, Wyatt, Jayden, Carter, Lincoln, Nolan, Jaxon, Eli, Aaron, Easton, Robert, Jameson, Landon, Colton, Jeremiah, Greyson, Nicholas, Hunter, Carson, Austin, Connor
Girls: Gianna, Abigail, Ella, Layla, Madison, Zoey, Leah, Addison, Everly, Claire, Aaliyah, Autumn, Brooklyn, Savannah, Aubrey, Bella, Skylar, Gabriella, Nevaeh, Serenity, Allison, Madeline, Rylee, Eva, Piper, Peyton

Upwards trends for boys here include International, Biblical, and Western. For girls, some popular trends include International, Vintage, Nature/Floral, and Feminine. Vowel-heavy names are increasingly trendy for all children.

“Names ending in ‘-n'” is a widely popular trend that’s mostly declining within the Top 100, which also affects Last-Names-as-First-Names like Jackson, Mason, and Landon. Madison and Addison have passed their heyday, and Zoey is now less popular than the classic spelling, Zoe. Though names like Abigail, Leah, and Claire are losing popularity, as a whole popular girls’ names are getting more traditional as “Grandma names” take off. As always, some names buck trends.

Do you have any thoughts about the new 2022 U.S. Top 100? Are there any names you’re intrigued by? Let me know!

American Names · Analysis · Opinions

Baby Name Predictions for the 2022 U.S. Top 1000 (Boys)

May 4, 2023May 5, 2023 ElizabethLeave a comment

Any day now (it could even be tomorrow!), we’ll find out what the most popular baby names in the U.S. are! Except for a COVID delay in 2020, the Social Security Administration releases a new list every May – just in time for Mothers’ Day! The new Top 10 (and especially the #1 spot) is what most people are anxious to hear since that can impact whether they pick a popular baby name. Many parents are concerned if a name even reaches the Top 100. As a name-writer, I’m more excited for the Top 1000.

Why am I so interested in the Top 1000? The Top 1000 is the best, most objective way we have to delineate the popularity or rarity of American baby names. If a name is in the Top 1000, that means at least a few hundred children received it in a given year (for 2021, the last year we have data for, a name needed at least 254 uses for girls and 217 uses for boys to be included). Generally, if a baby name is out of the Top 1000, we call it rare. Here, we’re not talking about names that are popular or unusual across age groups or globally – simply what’s popular or rare for babies born here and now in the United States.

I published my girls’ name predictions yesterday. Here are the boys’ names I think will leave or enter the U.S. Top 1000 in the 2022 dataset! If you’re viewing on mobile, be sure to scroll left to view the entire chart.

Names Likely to Exit the Top 1000:

Name	2021 Rank	2021 Babies	2020 Rank	2020 Babies	2019 Rank	2019 Babies
Abdullah	984	221	810	285	734	327
Aldo	983	222	783	297	761	311
Axl	845	278	757	316	679	377
Blaine	986	220	881	255	874	251
Brecken	922	244	792	291	791	292
Brennan	871	264	762	314	719	339
Cory	985	221	912	244	902	242
Crosby	932	240	802	288	778	299
Eliel	852	275	750	322	663	398
Ermias	814	295	647	413	541	521
Gary	904	252	804	288	775	302
Genesis	973	226	827	277	914	240
Harley	923	244	782	298	808	283
Jaxtyn	935	240	586	470	1154	168
Jakobe	946	237	837	272	1381	129
Karsyn	954	234	700	362	1063	191
Kody	979	224	955	229	836	269
Korbin	859	271	709	353	689	369
Kristopher	936	240	830	276	772	305
Landry	989	220	947	231	929	234
Nova	853	274	759	316	866	255
Rodney	965	230	865	261	855	259

Data extracted from the Social Security Administration

Notes:

Nova is wildly popular and trendy as a girls’ name, and now that it’s in the top 50 with no signs of stopping the ascent, some parents may shy away from Nova as a boys’ name.
Re: Karsyn and Jaxtyn, I personally wonder if there’s a little bit of fatigue towards unique spellings of Jackson, Carson, and similar names. They are still popular and widespread, of course.
In this case, Jakobe seems more like a variation of Kobe than Jacob, or a form of Jacob inspired by Kobe. Jakobe became popular again in 2020 after Kobe Bryant’s death.
Ermias (a form of Jeremiah) was Nipsey Hussle’s legal name. It debuted in 2019 at a rank of #540 and has been falling ever since.
Kody didn’t actually drop too much (just 5 babies between 2020 and ’21, with a rank change of -24), but with a rank of #979 and all the recent Sister Wives divorce stuff I think this name could be knocked out of the Top 1000.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s going on at the bottom of the top 1000 because some of the names that look like they could fall out are surprisingly trendy or trendworthy. Parents choose from a much greater variety of baby names than they did in past generations, which makes rare names more popular as a whole. Name popularity also becomes erratic at the bottom of the charts. Karsyn dropped heavily between 2020 and 2021 as a boys’ name, but who knows if it will suddenly rebound? Mordechai is like Karsyn in that it’s dropping fast but ultimately depends on outside factors for popularity. That’s partly why I’m not marking Zev for a likely exit despite ranking #996 and dropping from 2020 to 2021; on the whole, the name is still rising.

Names Likely to Enter:

Name	2021 Rank	2021 Babies	2020 Rank	2020 Babies	2019 Rank	2019 Babies
Aspen	1056	200	1146	169	1190	160
Azaiah	1172	166	1748	87	1910	77
Beaux	1018	213	1307	137	1272	146
Benny	1006	216	1149	168	1186	161
Boaz	1019	213	1125	174	1067	190
Campbell	1043	204	1171	164	1297	142
Cashton	1044	204	1039	194	1165	166
Crue	1015	214	1171	164	1361	131
Danilo	1045	204	1176	163	1121	155
Eren	1185	164	2291	59	1688	94
Harris	1001	217	995	213	1025	202
Jrue	1123	180	1435	120	1714	92
Kacey	1002	217	1186	162	2027	72
Kaisen	1021	213	1048	191	1055	193
Lev	1053	201	1107	177	1003	208
Lux	1096	189	1294	140	1545	109
Massimo	1117	181	1376	127	1500	114
Mattias	1110	183	1289	141	1470	117
Monroe	1098	188	1479	115	1506	113
Montgomery	1032	209	1087	182	1085	184
Nikko	1022	213	1180	163	1296	143
Ollie	1085	193	1152	168	1269	147
Ozias	1046	204	1603	101	1356	132
Ren	1114	182	1319	136	1616	102
Rhodes	1042	205	1406	123	1568	107
Sevyn	1012	215	1114	176	1507	113
Shai	1070	197	1441	120	1653	98
Syncere	1047	204	1031	197	1145	170
Wren	1104	187	1240	150	1576	106
Zen	1191	163	1198	160	1389	128

Extended data extracted from the Social Security Administration

I also have a list of maybes for names I’m not sure about. These may be more likely to enter in 2023 or 2024.

Other Names that Might Enter:

Name	2021 Rank	2021 Babies	2020 Rank	2020 Babies	2019 Rank	2019 Babies
Adiel	1097	189	1269	143	1121	174
Beck	1059	199	1032	196	1208	158
Benito	1139	175	1616	99	1589	104
Booker	1203	159	1667	95	1710	92
Canyon	1179	165	1471	116	1493	114
Casper	1119	180	1222	153	1202	159
Draco	1199	160	1599	101	1640	99
Imran	1036	207	1009	206	1150	169
Ivaan	1166	168	1303	138	1523	111
Izan	1192	162	1249	147	1549	108
Joan	1107	185	1133	172	1172	165
Kilian	1175	166	1224	153	1353	132
Kyren	1097	188	1203	157	1187	161
Kyzer	1025	212	1147	169	1064	191
Lazarus	1158	171	1282	142	1314	139
Merrick	1004	217	1013	205	985	216
Niam	1163	169	1300	139	1397	127
Ramiro	1034	208	1061	188	1056	193
Teddy	1177	166	1333	134	1446	121
Teo	1151	173	1366	129	1335	136
Veer	1103	187	1139	171	1211	158
Zamir	1023	213	1027	200	1031	200
Zephyr	1100	188	1285	142	1228	155

Extended data extracted from the Social Security Administration.

Notes:

Rhodes – Celebrity baby name via Emma Roberts, who had her son in 2020.
Zen was the name of Nick Cannon’s infant son who sadly passed away from cancer. Nick Cannon has many children, most of whom were born from 2020 on. Watch for these first names too: Powerful (g), Zion (b), Zillion (b), Legendary (b), Onyx (g), Rise (b), Beautiful (g), and Halo (g).
We’re long past Harry Potter, so I don’t know what’s driving Draco up all of a sudden. TikTok, maybe? Did an influencer name their baby Draco?
Sevyn is a variation of Seven, which have both gotten more popular in part thanks to the character in The Hate U Give.
Re: Kilian, I wonder if Kylian Mbappe and the World Cup will give related names a boost.

Do you have any names you’re eyeing for the 2022 Top 1000? Not all of these can come or go, but I’m betting a good number will (plus a few surprises). We’ll see the results soon enough!

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