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The Most Popular Baby Names Right Now

The Most Popular Baby Names Right Now

Choosing a baby name is one of the most permanent decisions a parent can make for their child


When choosing a name for your baby, will you honor a family member, choose something simple or traditional, try a modern moniker, or embark upon new territory with something completely your own? Nowadays, parents are often using baby names to express their personal style or to set themselves apart from the crowd. This is especially true of celebrities.

There's no shortage of unique baby names. Earlier this spring Elon Musk and Grimes had a baby boy they claim to have named the perceptibly impronouncable X Æ A-12. Kate Winslet and Ned Rocknroll (he actually changed his last name back to its original, Smith) named their baby boy the unusual Bear Blaze. Forest and Keisha Nash Whitaker have children named Autumn, Sonnet, and True, while Cardi B and Offset gave their daughter the one-of-a-kind name of Kulture. And the Kardashians have practically made a name for themselves giving their offspring uncommon names like North, Saint, Chicago, Reign, and Stormi.

Such singular names are, of course, not for everyone. In fact, most people stick with tried and true names that have been around for decades, if not longer, which creates a reliable list of most popular names to consider. These names can change from year to year, but many stick around for a few years before being replaced by others.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Social Security Administration has yet to release the top baby names of 2019 and the full 2020 report also remains to be seen, but here’s what’s currently popular for boys and girls as well as gender neutral names.

Popular Baby Girl Names

  • Emma
  • Olivia
  • Ava
  • Isabella
  • Sophia
  • Charlotte
  • Mia
  • Amelia
  • Harper
  • Evelyn

Popular Names for Boys

  • Liam
  • Noah
  • William
  • James
  • Oliver
  • Benjamin
  • Elijah
  • Lucas
  • Mason
  • Logan

For New Yorkers, some of the most popular names in the state (beyond what’s in the top 10 for each gender) are Jacob, Ethan, Michael, Leah, Abigail, and Emily. And according to the SSA, the most popular names from the last 100 years are James, John, Robert, Michael, and William for males, and Mary, Patricia, Jennifer, Linda, and Elizabeth for females.



Popular Gender Neutral Baby Names 

  • Charlie
  • Finley
  • Skyler
  • Lennon
  • Armani
  • Frankie
  • Sidney
  • Robin
  • Campbell
  • Murphy
  • Yael
  • Ramsey
  • Hollis
  • Brighton
  • Perry
  • Jaidyn
  • Reilly
  • Kylar
  • Nikita
  • Indiana

Hot Names in the Mix

Nameberry.com also keeps very close tabs on what names are currently trending based upon searches in its database. According to the site, some of the most searched names are Luna, Aurora, Maeve, Isla, Ophelia, and Eloise for girls, and Milo, Asher, Silas, Levi, Theodore, and Jasper for boys.

The Biggest Name Trends from the 2010s

A New York Times analysis found that vintage names (think Eloise and Clyde), retro nicknames as full names (Millie and Gus), contemporary gods and goddesses (like Calliope and Theo), names from pop culture and media (Arya, Kylo), names of places (from Egypt to Harlem), unisex names (Remy, Sutton), and international names from across the globe (Bjorn and Khalid) have all been trendy ways to name babies in the past 10 years.

There’s no doubt that the 2020s will witness new trends and many are predicting that names beginning with C will be on the downswing due to the coronavirus pandemic, especially Cora and Corina, whereas positive-sounding names like Faith, Hope, Patience, and Bliss may experience a surge in popularity.

Looking for even more ideas for finding the perfect baby name? We compiled a list of New York City-inspired names to get the wheels turning!

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Whitney C. Harris

Author: Whitney C. Harris is a freelance writer and NYMetroParents' Manhattan and Westchester calendar editor. She lives in Sleepy Hollow, NY, with her husband, a toddler, and a dog. See More

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