‘Liam’ and ‘Olivia’ dominate list of baby names again

WASHINGTON>> “Liam” and “Olivia” dominate. Still. The two names have, for a sixth year together, topped the list of names for babies born in the U.S. in 2024.

The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, with names dating to 1880. In time for Mother’s Day, the agency on Friday released the most popular names from applications for Social Security cards.

“Liam” has reigned for eight years in a row for boys, while “Olivia” has topped the girls’ list for six. Also, for the sixth consecutive year, “Emma” took the second slot for girls, and “Noah” for boys.

The girls’ name “Luna” slipped out of the Top 10 and was replaced by “Sofia,” which enters at number 10 for the first time.

After “Liam,” the most common names for boys are, in order: “Noah,” “Oliver,” “Theodore,” “James,” “Henry,” “Mateo,” “Elijah,” “Lucas” and “William.”

After “Olivia,” the most common names for girls are “Emma,” “Amelia,” “Charlotte,” “Mia,” “Sophia,” “Isabella,” “Evelyn,” “Ava” and “Sofia.”

Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of nameberry, a baby naming website, said the latest data showcases how American parents increasingly are choosing names that have cross-cultural appeal. Kihm’s first name shows up in two variations on the annual list.

“A trend we’re tracking is that Americans are more likely to choose heritage choices,” Kihm said, including names that work “no matter where you are in the world.”

“More families in the U.S. come from mixed cultural backgrounds and I hear parents commonly request that they want their child to travel and have a relatively easy-to-understand name.”

Social media stars and popular television shows are having some impact on the rising popularity of certain names, Social Security says. Among those rising in popularity for girls: “Ailany,” a Hawaiian name that means “chief,” topped the list. The boys’ name “Truce,” an Old English name meaning “peace,” rose 11,118 spots from last year’s position to rank 991st.

— The Associated Press