Liam and Olivia, the most popular baby names in the US in 2023
Names like Mia, Ava and Isabella are becoming increasingly popular, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration
The popularity of the name Liam in the United States remains high. In 2022, Liam was the most popular name for baby boys, just as it was in 2023, as shown by the annual list of the most popular baby names in the country, published by the United States Social Security Administration (SSA). Each year, since 1997, a record is made of newborn names in each state based on Social Security card applications, which often shows the impact that popular culture has had on baby naming trends. Some parents may have named their children after celebrities such as actor Liam Hemsworth or Liam Payne of One Direction.
This is the seventh year in which Liam has taken first place. Olivia has been the most popular girl’s name for the past five years, when she took the throne from Emma, which is now in second place, just like last year. Olivia previously held that spot from 2014 to 2018. In third place is Charlotte, followed by Amelia and Sophia. For boy’s names, Liam (who was in 104th place in 2005) is followed by Noah, Oliver, James and Elijah. Here are the top 10 names for boys and girls:
The most popular names for boys in 2023
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- James
- Elijah
- Mateo
- Theodore
- Henry
- Lucas
- William
The most popular names for girls in 2023
- Olivia
- Emma
- Charlotte
- Amelia
- Sophia
- Mia
- Isabella
- Ava
- Evelyn
- Luna
Apparently the hit show Andor, from the Star Wars franchise, has influenced new parents. Cassian, the first name of the main character (played by Diego Luna) moved up the Social Security list from 936th to 533rd place, making it one of the names that has most quickly risen in popularity in the last year. The male name that saw the biggest jump in the rankings was Izael, a possible variation of Israel, followed by Chozen (which may originate from the word Chosen). Elio is another name that has moved up the list, perhaps due to the popularity of Luca Guadagnino’s movie Call Me By Your Name, in which Timothée Chalamet plays a character of that name. Semaj was also more popular this year, demonstrating a growing trend for choosing classic names spelled backwards (Semaj is James). Similarly, there seems to be a greater focus on names with biblical origins.
Eiden, Kyren and Kaizen are other boys’ names that have increased in popularity. For girls, Kaeli, Alitzel, Emryn, Adhara and Azari are now more popular, showing a trend for non-traditional names. Some names that decreased considerably in popularity are: Dior, Maxtor, Davian, Heath and Braden for boys, and Addilynn, India, Madisyn, Chanel and Averi for girls.
The most recent SSA data show that 3.65 million Social Security cards were issued last year. The U.S. administration says getting a child’s Social Security number is the first step in assuring protection for any benefits they may receive in the future. A Social Security number is needed to list children as dependents on income tax returns, open a bank account in the child’s name, buy savings bonds, obtain medical coverage or apply for any government services.
On the SSA website, you can review what the most popular names were by year of birth or learn how the popularity of a name has changed over time.
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