Goodbye Luna, hello Sofia: America’s top baby names have been revealed
American parents are increasingly choosing names that have cross-cultural appeal
For the sixth year running, Liam and Olivia remain the most popular baby names in the US, according to data released by the Social Security Administration.
This marks Liam’s eighth consecutive year at the top of the boys’ list and Olivia’s sixth for girls. The data, compiled from Social Security card applications and released just in time for Mother’s Day, also revealed that Noah and Emma held onto their second-place positions for the sixth year in a row.
The Social Security Administration tracks baby names annually, maintaining records dating back to 1880.
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 are increasingly 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."
The Social Security Administration’s latest data show that 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024. That’s a slight increase from last year’s 3.59 million babies, representing an overall increase in the American birth rate.
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 991.
The complete, searchable list of baby names is on the Social Security website.