Most popular baby names of 2024 released: Two names rank No. 1 for sixth straight year
When it comes to baby names, whether it's a girl or boy, there's a pattern that's been seen over the last several years as the top two names for girls and boys haven't changed since 2014.
Oh, baby, Olivia and Liam are still the top choices for newborn names.
The Social Security Administration just released its list of 2024's most popular 1,000 baby names and parents seem to still be stuck on some certain names. For the sixth consecutive year Olivia and Emma are No. 1 and No. 2 for girls, while Liam and Noah were No. 1 and No. 2 for boys for the sixth straight year, too, the SSA said.
Collectively, those four names have been the favorites since 2014 – Emma and Noah were previously No. 1s, while Olivia and Liam held the No. 2 spots.
Among girls' names, Mia moves into the top 5, knocking out Sophia, which was the No. 1 name for girls from 2011-2013 and had been in the top 5 every year from 2009 except for 2021. Liam has been the top boy's name since 2017 and was the No. 2 name for the three years before that when Noah was No. 1.
Most popular baby names in 2024
The top choices for baby names reported by the SSA closely matches those released in October 2024 by BabyCenter, an online parenting resource. That list of baby names, from more than 500,000 babies born in 2024, had Olivia, Amelia and Emma tops among girls and Noah, Liam and Oliver as the top three for boys.
All six appear in the SSA list, but the order is shifted slightly – Emma and Noah each appear one spot lower. Also on the SSA list, the girls' name Sofia moved into the Top 10 for the first time, pushing Luna out.
Maybe parents are taking a cue from famous Olivias, such as performers Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Newton-John (who died in 2022), Olivia Colman, Olivia Wilde and Olivia Munn.
Among famous Liams: the late Liam Payne of One Direction, actors Liam Neeson and Liam Hemsworth, and singer Liam Gallagher of British rock band Oasis.
The SSA recorded 22,164 babies born given the name Liam and 20,337 named Noah. Among girls, 14,718 were named Olivia; 13,485 named Emma.
Top 10 most popular girl names
- Olivia
- Emma
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Mia
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Evelyn
- Ava
- Sofia
Top 10 most popular boy names
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- Theodore
- James
- Henry
- Mateo
- Elijah
- Lucas
- William
Baby names that rose the most
Each year, the Social Security Administration's list also reveals the names that increased the most in popularity. The girls' name, Ailany, which means 'chief,' moved the most, up from No. 855 in 2023 to No. 101 in 2024. For boys, the name Truce, which means ‘peace’, ranked at No. 12,109 last year to No. 991 in 2024.
Here are the top five boys’ and girls’ names that increased the most in popularity in 2024:
Girls
- Ailany
- Aylani
- Marjorie
- Scottie
- Analeia
Boys
- Truce
- Colsen
- Bryer
- Halo
- Azaiah
Social Security, which annually releases the top names just before Mother's Day, gets baby names because parents supply the name when their child is born to apply for a Social Security number and card on their behalf. Parents need a Social Security number to claim a child as a dependent.
For more information on getting a child's SSN, go to the Social Security Administration website.
“As Mother's Day nears, we remember the incredible impact that mothers have on our lives,” said Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano in a press release. “Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers in our lives who inspire us and set an example for future generations.”
Mike Snider is a reporter on Paste BN’s Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
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