In a country where change can happen fast, one thing seems remarkably steady recently: Popular baby names are dug in and changing very little — and for the most part, they’re a blast from the past.
The Class of 2042 is going to have a lot of Liams and Olivias. Just like the class of 2041. More than a few Noahs and Emmas will make the march across the stage, too.
Top 10 names on the boys’ list for 2024 have shuffled a little from the 2023 list, but are the same names, according to the annual reckoning from the Social Security Administration. And the same is true of the girls’ list, too, with one addition and one deletion.
Here’s what the administration learned from birth records in 2024, based on all the Social Security card applications as of March 2025:
The most popular male names of 2024 are:
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- Theodore
- James
- Henry
- Mateo
- Elijah
- Lucas
- William
It’s worth noting that the top three held their position from the previous year.
The most popular female names are:
- Olivia
- Emma
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Mia
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Evelyn
- Ava
- Sofia
The top two names are the same, then Amelia and Charlotte switched places and the others shuffled a bit. Luna was No. 10 in 2023, but dropped off the list when Sofia moved up.
Liam has been the most popular male name since 2017 and has made the top 10 since 2012, where it came in at No. 6. Liam and Noah have been the top two for several years, after appearing in reverse order for a while.
Olivia has topped the female name list since 2019 and has been in the top 10 since 2001. That’s a lot of Olivias.
Lots of ways to ponder names
There are many ways at the Social Security Administration to look at name popularity. You can check out the top names for the decades:
Mary and James are the most popular names in the past 100 years, followed by Michael and Patricia, John and Jennifer, Robert and Linda and David and Elizabeth.
In the 1960s, Michael and Lisa took top honors, followed by David and Mary. But there were nearly 100,000 more Michaels than Davids and 140,000-plus more Lisas than Marys.
The 1970s ushered in Michaels and Jennifers, Christophers and Amys.
Michael was still top of the heap in the 1980s, but Jessica was the dominant female name, with Christophers and Jennifers tens of thousands behind.
In the 1990s, Michael and Jessica were still the most popular names, followed by Christopher and Ashley.
A switch occurred in the 2000s, with Jacob and Emily, while Michael fell to No. 2 along with Madison on the female side.
In the 2010s, Noah and Emma outpaced Liam and Olivia, who were second on the lists.
Liam, by the way, was No. 96 in the first decade of this century. Olivia was No. 4.
Different favorites in the states
Utah favored Oliver and Olivia in 2024. The Beehive State had some more unusual picks, as well, including Hudson and Harper at No. 9, Maverick and Oakley at No. 19, Elijah and Scottie at No. 24 and Rowan and Luna at 35. Atlas and Paisley also made a splash at No. 54, as did Ryker and Nova at No. 84.
The states have their own favorites. Alabama, for instance, likes William and Charlotte best, while Idaho likes Oliver and Charlotte. The most popular female name in Montana is Lainey, while the male name is Oliver.
Several states like the Oliver and Olivia combo, which seems like it would be perfect for twins.
California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York like Liam and Mia. If the girl had a middle name that starts with L, you could play anagrams.