New Research Reveals the Actual Most Popular Baby Names, and the List Is Fascinating
You might know that the Social Security Administration (SSA) compiles a yearly list of the most popular baby names in the United States each year, based on the information parents give when they apply for their newborn's Social Security number. Here, spelling counts, so names like Zoe, Zoey and Zoie are counted as three separate names.
The baby-naming website Nameberry, however, has put together its own list, called the Playground Analysis, of the real top baby names of the year by ranking each name with all of its spellings together as one name. "The baby name data released each year by the SSA lists variant spellings like Eleanor and Elinor, or Luca and Luka, as totally separate names, which can impact their official position on the charts," says Sophie Kihm, Nameberry's editor-in-chief. "Listing the various spellings together gives us a more accurate view of the top names in the country." As in, the combined ranking shows which names you're actually most likely to hear called out on the playground.
This shifts the name charts significantly. While the SSA has Olivia as the most popular name in the country, Nameberry's calculation determined that the name Sophia was actually number one in overall popularity for girls in 2024, knocking Olivia down to No. 3. (Check out this viral TikTok that thoroughly covers their process.) 'Both Sophia and Sofia are in the SSA Top 10, so when combined, it overtakes Olivia by almost 2000 births,' Kihm explains. Let's do a comparison of the 25 most popular girls' names and the most popular boys' names, according to both the SSA and the Playground Analysis.
Here are the most popular girl names in the country, according to the SSA, which counts variant spellings as different names.
Olivia
Emma
Amelia
Charlotte
Mia
Sophia
Isabella
Evelyn
Ava
Sofia
Camila
Harper
Luna
Eleanor
Violet
Aurora
Elizabeth
Eliana
Hazel
Chloe
Ellie
Nora
Gianna
Lily
Emily
Here are the top 25 names according to Nameberry, which combines different spellings of the same name.
Sophia, including Sofia and Sofiya
Amelia, including Emilia, Emelia and Amilia
Olivia, including Alivia and Alyvia
Emma, including Ema
Charlotte, including Charlette
Mia, including Miah, Miya and Miyah
Isabella, including Izabella and Isabela
Adeline, including Adalynn, Adaline, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adilene, Addalyn, Addelyn, Adilynn, Addalynn, Adelyne, Adalyne and Adilyn
Eliana, including Elliana, Elianna, Ellianna, Eliyanah, Elyana, Elyanna, Eliyana, Ellyana, Ellieana and Eleana
Evelyn, including Evelynn, Evalyn, Evalynn and Evelin
Isla, including Ayla, Iyla, Ila, Aila, Aylah, Eila, Aiyla, Iylah, Aayla and Ilah
Aria, including Arya, Ariyah, Ariya, Ariah, Aarya and Aryah
Camila, including Kamila, Camilla, Kamilla and Kamilah
Zoe, including Zoey and Zoie
Madelyn, including Madeline, Madilyn, Madeleine, Madelynn, Madilynn, Madalyn, Madalynn, Madelyne and Madelin
Elena, including Alaina, Elaina, Alayna, Alena, Aleyna, Elayna and Ellena
Ava, including Avah, Ayva and Ayvah
Riley, including Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Rhylee and Reilly
Layla, including Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Lailah and Leilah
Chloe, including Khloe and Cloe
Lily, including Lilly, Lillie and Lili
Eleanor, including Elinor, Eleanore, Elanor and Eleonor
Nora, including Norah
Harper
Violet, including Violette and Violett
Now let's do the same for the boys, starting with the SSA's top 25.
Liam
Noah
Oliver
Theodore
James
Henry
Mateo
Elijah
Lucas
William
Benjamin
Levi
Ezra
Sebastian
Jack
Daniel
Samuel
Michael
Ethan
Asher
John
Hudson
Luca
Leo
Elias
'As a general rule, boy names tend to have fewer alternative spellings than girl name,' Kihm notes. 'That's part of the reason that Liam is the top name in both the SSA stats and the Playground Analysis. It's also just a very popular name that has grown in usage over the past year.'
Liam, including Lyam
Noah, including Noa
Oliver
Mateo, including Matteo and Matheo
Jackson, including Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen and Jaxyn
Luca, including Luka, Lucca and, Lukah
Lucas, including Lukas
Theodore, including Theodor
Elijah, including Alijah
James
Henry, including Henri
Aiden, including Ayden, Aidan, Adan, Eiden, Aden, Aydin, Eyden, Aydan, Eydan, Eidan, Adin, Aidyn and Aedan
William
Miles, including Myles
Ethan, including Eithan Eythan
Benjamin
Levi, including Levy
Grayson, including Greyson, Graysen, Greysen, Gracen
Kayden, including Kaiden, Caden, Kaden, Cayden, Caiden, Kaidyn, Kaeden and Kadyn
Ezra, including Ezrah
Michael, including Mikael, Micheal, Mikel and Mykel
Sebastian, including Sebastien
Daniel
Jack
John, including Jon and Jhon
The Playground Analysis condensed the SSA's list down to 100 names. Here are the biggest leaps in popularity:
Kaylee — moved 147 places to #74
Journee — moved 121 places to #96
Kehlani — moved 113 places to #37
Callie — moved 97 places to #79
Amaya — moved 93 places to #76
Kayson — moved 223 spots to #68
Zayn — moved 149 spots to #100
Kayden — moved 106 spots to #19
Elliot — moved 68 spots to #82
Malachi — moved 60 spots to #89
Some names are spelled one way, but can sound multiple ways. 'The biggest limitation of the Playground Analysis is that some names have multiple standard pronunciations, but we must categorize the names based on a single pronunciation,' Kihm explains. Take the name Henry, for example. 'While it's true that the original pronunciation of Henri is something like 'Ohn-REE', most Americans pronounce Henri and Henry the same way,' she says. 'We thought it was a better fit to group them together.'
When the Nameberry experts looked at the list according to the Playground Analysis, these trends emerged as having an effect on baby names.
'Sofia is on the rise — particularly in states with high Spanish-speaking populations like New Mexico, California and Nevada,' Kihm says.
Nameberry data found that names starting with El- increased in popularity between 2023 and 2024. Think Eliana, Elena, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Ellie and Elias. Also, names starting with the letter L, like Lucy and Luca, are on the rise.
Nameberry also found that botanical monikers like Violet and Ivy are trending upward.
'For boys, soft and gentle names like Miles, Dylan and Asher were among the biggest risers between Playground Analysis 2023 and Playground Analysis 2024,' Kihm notes.
Let's start with the Zayn Malik Effect. The singer who got famous with One Direction has driven the popularity of his name way up. 'Ranked at Number 249 on the SSA charts, Zayn is Number 100 on the Playground Analysis thanks to popular spelling variations like Zane,' Kihm says. 'He has also influenced the name Kai. Malik and supermodel Gigi Hadid introduced the alternative spelling Khai when they used it for their daughter. As the second-most common variation of Kai, Khai helps boost Kai into the Playground Analysis Top 100.' Luka Dončić, the superstar forward guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, is also having an impact. "Luka is another spelling variation that is climbing the charts, in part thanks to him, although it still has a ways to go to catch up to Luca," Kihm says. Singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson is also the reason for the rising popularity of her first name, as well as its spelling variations. Singer Kehlani has also spurred many moms and dads to name their girls in her honor. 'Kehlani has strongly impacted all spellings of her name,' Kihm says. "Kehlani has emerged as the 'standard,' but Kaylani, Kailani and Keilani are popular as well.' Then there's the name Kaylee, already popular but given a fresh boost by influencer Kaeli Mae. Last but not least: 'Arianna used to be the dominant spelling (of that name), but it was overshadowed by Ariana in 2014, when Ariana Grande became a household name,' Kihm notes. Although the name as a whole isn't as popular anymore, the Arianna spelling is dropping quicker. The magic of Glinda goes on!
Using this in-depth info from the Playground Analysis is a great way to identify what baby names you like and don't like. Make your own ranked list of favorites, practice saying and spelling each option, then listen to your heart (or wait to meet your baby). The right name will come at just the right time!
Check out these Good Housekeeping lists:
Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | Japanese Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Nature Baby Names | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls | Gender-Neutral Names | Western/Cowboy Baby Names | 1920s Names | 1930s Names | 1940s Names | 1950s Names | 1960s Names | 1970s Names
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