These Are the Most Popular Baby Names in Each State
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Can you guess some of the most popular baby names of your state?
Every generation has a handful of popular baby names. Think back, and you can probably recall that your classes at school had more than a few Michaels (a baby name that has been popular since the early 1950s), Marys, Jennifers and Ashleys (popular baby girl names tend to vary by the decade).
How do we know the most popular baby names of each year or generation? Well, the Social Security Administration actually keeps track of the names of newborns every year nationally and state-wide. And the top five most popular baby names in each state of 2021 may just come as a surprise. The list even features a few vintage baby names that have made comebacks in recent years.
These are the names you can expect to see more of in the years to come.
Most popular baby girl names in every state
The following results are in order of the #1 most popular to the fifth most popular name of each state.
- Alabama: Olivia, Ava, Amelia, Charlotte, Emma
- Alaska: Amelia, Hazel, Olivia, Ava, Charlotte
- Arizona: Olivia, Emma, Sophia, Camila, Isabella
- Arkansas: Olivia, Emma, Amelia, Ava, Charlotte
- California: Olivia, Emma, Camila, Mia, Sophia
- Colorado: Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Evelyn, Amelia
- Connecticut: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, Sophia
- Delaware: Charlotte, Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Sophia
- Florida: Olivia, Emma, Isabelle, Mia, Sophia
- Georgia: Olivia, Ava, Amelia, Emma, Charlotte
- Hawaii: Olivia, Amelia, Luna, Ava, Isla
- Idaho: Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Evelyn, Harper
- Illinois: Olivia, Emma, Sophia, Charlotte, Amelia
- Indiana: Charlotte, Amelia, Emma, Olivia, Ava
- Iowa: Charlotte, Olivia, Amelia, Ava, Emma
- Kansas: Olivia, Charlotte, Amelia, Emma, Evelyn
- Kentucky: Emma, Olivia, Amelia, Ava, Charlotte
- Louisiana: Olivia, Ava, Amelia, Charlotte, Emma
- Maine: Charlotte, Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Harper
- Maryland: Olivia, Charlotte, Ava, Emma, Sophia
- Massachusetts: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Sophia, Amelia
- Michigan: Charlotte, Olivia, Amelia, Ava, Evelyn
- Minnesota: Charlotte, Olivia, Evelyn, Emma, Nora
- Mississippi: Ava, Olivia, Amelia, Paisley, Emma
- Missouri: Olivia, Charlotte, Amelia, Ava, Emma
- Montana: Olivia, Evelyn, Ava, Charlotte, Harper
- Nebraska: Olivia, Charlotte, Evelyn, Amelia, Eleanor
- Nevada: Olivia, Isabella, Emma, Mia, Camila
- New Hampshire: Olivia, Charlotte, Evelyn, Emma, Amelia
- New Jersey: Olivia, Emma, Mia, Ava, Sophia
- New Mexico: Mia, Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Amelia
- New York: Olivia, Emma, Sophia, Mia, Amelia
- North Carolina: Olivia, Ava, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia
- North Dakota: Olivia, Harper, Emma, Evelyn, Amelia
- Ohio: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia, Ava
- Oklahoma: Olivia, Amelia, Harper, Charlotte, Ava
- Oregon: Evelyn, Olivia, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia
- Pennsylvania: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Ava, Sophia
- Rhode Island: Olivia, Sophia, Amelia, Charlotte, Emma
- South Carolina: Olivia, Ava, Charlotte, Emma, Amelia
- South Dakota: Evelyn, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Ava
- Tennessee: Olivia, Charlotte, Ava, Emma, Amelia
- Texas: Olivia, Emma, Camila, Isabella, Mia
- Utah: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Evelyn, Hazel
- Vermont: Charlotte, Emma, Nora, Isla, Olivia
- Virginia: Charlotte, Olivia, Emma, Ava, Sophia
- Washington: Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Charlotte, Sophia
- West Virginia: Amelia, Harper, Paisley, Willow, Emma
- Wisconsin: Charlotte, Olivia, Emma, Evelyn, Amelia
- Wyoming: Olivia, Amelia, Charlotte, Emma, Evelyn
By far, the name Olivia dominated the list—it took the top most popular baby girl name spot in 34 states! Clearly, names like Charlotte, Amelia, Emma and Ava were also trending baby names parents of 2021 adored. However, we do see a few rare popular names on the list like Paisley and Luna.
Most popular baby boy names in every state
- Alabama: William, John, James, Noah, Elijah
- Alaska: Noah, Oliver, Liam, William, Wyatt
- Arizona: Liam, Noah, Mateo, Oliver, Sebastian
- Arkansas: Liam, Oliver, Elijah, Noah, Asher
- California: Noah, Liam, Mateo, Sebastian, Julian
- Colorado: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Henry, Theodore
- Connecticut: Noah, Liam, James, Lucas, Benjamin
- Delaware: Liam, Noah, Michael, Lucas, James
- Florida: Liam, Noah, Lucas, Elijah, Oliver
- Georgia: Noah, Liam, William, Elijah, James
- Hawaii: Noah, Kai, Liam, Ezekiel, Oliver
- Idaho: Oliver, Liam, Henry, William, Jack
- Illinois: Noah, Liam, Oliver, Henry, Benjamin
- Indiana: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Elijah, Henry
- Iowa: Oliver, Liam, Henry, Noah, Asher
- Kansas: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Theodore, James
- Kentucky: Liam, James, Elijah, William, Noah
- Louisiana: Liam, Noah, Elijah, James, William
- Maine: Oliver, William, Owen, Henry, Jack
- Maryland: Liam, Noah, James, Lucas, Oliver
- Massachusetts: Noah, Liam, Henry, Jack, Benjamin
- Michigan: Noah, Oliver, Liam, Henry, Elijah
- Minnesota: Oliver, Henry, Theodore, Liam, Owen
- Mississippi: William, John, James, Elijah, Noah
- Missouri: Oliver, Henry, Liam, William, Elijah
- Montana: Oliver, Liam, James, Asher, Jackson
- Nebraska: Henry, Oliver, Liam, Theodore, William
- Nevada: Liam, Noah, Mateo, Oliver, Sebastian
- New Hampshire: Oliver, Henry, Liam, Jackson, Benjamin
- New Jersey: Liam, Noah, Lucas, Joseph, Michael
- New Mexico: Noah, Liam, Elijah, Ezekiel, Mateo
- New York: Liam, Noah, Lucas, Joseph, Jacob
- North Carolina: Liam, Noah, William, James, Oliver
- North Dakota: Oliver, Liam, Theodore, Asher, Brooks
- Ohio: Oliver, Liam, Noah, Henry, Lincoln
- Oklahoma: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Elijah, William
- Oregon: Oliver, Liam, Henry, Benjamin, Lucas
- Pennsylvania: Noah, Liam, Benjamin, Oliver, Owen
- Rhode Island: Liam, Noah, Julian, Henry, Oliver
- South Carolina: William, James, Liam, Noah, Elijah
- South Dakota: Henry, Oliver, Theodore, Hudson, Asher
- Tennessee: William, Liam, James, Noah, Elijah
- Texas: Liam, Noah, Elijah, Mateo, Sebastian
- Utah: Oliver, Liam, Jack, William, Henry
- Vermont: Henry, Oliver, Theodore, Noah, Owen
- Virginia: Liam, Noah, James, William, Oliver
- Washington: Liam, Noah, Oliver, Henry, Theodore
- West Virginia: Liam, Waylon, Elijah, Noah, Grayson
- Wisconsin: Oliver, Henry, Theodore, Liam, Levi
- Wyoming: Oliver, Liam, Henry, Lincoln, Owen
Similar to Olivia, the name Liam will be quite a common moniker in the years to come—it took the top naming spot in 20 states! Oliver, Noah and William also tended to be popular picks.
And while we didn’t notice any baby names that have been banned around the world on the list, those names may be surprising, too.
Sources
- Social Security Administration: “Top 5 Baby Names by State for Births in 2021”
