- Top 1000 baby names in US revealed for 2024
- Two names continue to be most popular choice
- Pop culture is having a heavy influence
The most popular baby names in the U.S. for 2024 have been released – and once again, it’s that familiar pairing occupying the top spots.
To mark Mother’s Day, the Social Security Administration published its list of the top 1,000 names for boys and girls, based on data from Social Security card applications.
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The SSA, who have names dating back to 1880, said in a press release “As Mother’s Day nears, we remember the incredible impact that mothers have on our lives. Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers in our lives who inspire us and set an example for future generations.”
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So, where does your name rank? Read on to find out the names that made waves in 2024… including two names that literally translate to “chief” and “peace”.
Top baby names for 2024
The likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Colman, the late Olivia Newton-John, Liam Hemsworth, Liam Neeson and the late Liam Payne could be influencing parents, as their first names have topped the most popular baby name lists for the sixth year running.
Liam has been the clear favorite for eight years in a row now for boys, while Olivia has topped the girls’ list for the last six.
Also for the sixth straight year, Emma and Noah each rank as the second most popular names – shout-outs to Hollywood favorite Emma Stone and Stranger Things breakout star Noah Schnapp.
The SSA recorded 22,164 babies given the name Liam and 20,337 named Noah. The top ten names for baby boys ranked as follows:
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- Theodore
- James
- Henry
- Mateo
- Elijah
- Lucas
- William
Further afield in the list are Maverick (ranked 40), likely thanks to Top Gun: Maverick, where Tom Cruise reprised his iconic role and introduced the name to a new generation of parents.
Roman (ranked 65) may owe its rise to both Fast & Furious character Roman Pearce and WWE superstar Roman Reigns.
Kylo (ranked 809) is almost certainly a nod to Star Wars villain Kylo Ren, but it also sounds cool and rare, which likely adds to its appeal.
For the girls, 14,718 were named Olivia and 13,485 named Emma. Sofia sneaked into the top ten for the first time, pushing out Luna.
- Olivia
- Emma
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Mia
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Evelyn
- Ava
- Sofia
Pop culture continues to influence girl names as well. Harper (ranked 24) has risen in popularity, largely thanks to Victoria and David Beckham, who named their daughter Harper Seven.
Khloe (ranked 90) has gained popularity through Khloé Kardashian, whose high-profile presence in the media helped bring the name into the spotlight.
Aurora (ranked 127) is likely influenced by the Disney princess from Sleeping Beauty, making it a popular choice for parents who are drawn to fairy tale-inspired names.
Risers and fallers
The SSA also produces lists that show what baby names have increased and decreased in popularity. Amongst the climbers are Ailany, meaning “chief”, which saw the largest rise in popularity for baby girls in 2024. For boys, Truce, meaning “peace”, rose a massive 11,118 spots compared to 2023, reaching No. 991 on the top 1,000 list.
The top five fastest rising names for boys are:
- Truce
- Colsen
- Bryer
- Halo
- Azaiah
And for girls it’s looking like this:
- Ailany
- Aylani
- Marjorie
- Scottie
- Analeia
Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of nameberry, a baby naming website, said the new lists show how American parents are choosing names that have cross-cultural appeal.
“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.”
The SSA’s latest data shows that 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024. The complete list of popular baby names is searchable on their website.