Sophia became the most popular U.S. baby girl name in 2011, ending Isabella's two-year reign atop the Social Security Administration's annual Popular Baby Names list. Jacob was America's most popular boy's name for the 13th consecutive year.
Mason was the only new boys' or girls name to break into the top 10. A Social Security press release notes that the "Mason, a relatively popular name since the 1990s, had never cracked the top 25 until 2010, when it hit number 12. Some may attribute this year’s rise to number two to reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian’s son." Liam was the only other name that broke into the boys' top 20 list., vaulting to 15th place from 30th last year. Avery (18th); Sofia (19th), an alternate spelling of Sophia; and Aubrey (20th) broke into the girls' top 20 for the first time.
Still, the names have changed substantially in the past 25 years. Of the top girl baby names in 1986, only Elizabeth is still in the top 20. Nine top boys' names of 25 years ago remain in the top 20. (See chart). You can search Social Security's baby name database by popularity of a name, by any birth year after 1879, by decade, by state, for twins and in U.S. territories.
Top 20 Boy Baby Names
|
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
2001 |
1986 |
1961 |
|
|
1 |
Jacob |
Jacob |
Jacob |
Jacob |
Michael |
Michael |
|
2 |
Mason |
Ethan |
Ethan |
Michael |
Christopher |
David |
|
3 |
William |
Michael |
Michael |
Matthew |
Matthew |
John |
|
4 |
Jayden |
Jayden |
Alexander |
Joshua |
Joshua |
James |
|
5 |
Noah |
William |
William |
Christopher |
David |
Robert |
|
6 |
Michael |
Alexander |
Joshua |
Nicholas |
Daniel |
Mark |
|
7 |
Ethan |
Noah |
Daniel |
Andrew |
James |
William |
|
8 |
Alexander |
Daniel |
Jayden |
Joseph |
Andrew |
Richard |
|
9 |
Aiden |
Aiden |
Noah |
Daniel |
Robert |
Thomas |
|
10 |
Daniel |
Anthony |
Christopher |
William |
John |
Steven |
|
11 |
Anthony |
Joshua |
Anthony |
Anthony |
Ryan |
Jeffrey |
|
12 |
Matthew |
Mason |
Aiden |
David |
Joseph |
Joseph |
|
13 |
Elijah |
Christopher |
Matthew |
Tyler |
Brandon |
Charles |
|
14 |
Joshua |
Andrew |
David |
John |
Justin |
Kevin |
|
15 |
Liam |
David |
Joseph |
Ryan |
William |
Timothy |
|
16 |
Andrew |
Matthew |
Andrew |
Zachary |
Jonathan |
Kenneth |
|
17 |
James |
Logan |
Logan |
Ethan |
Nicholas |
Daniel |
|
18 |
David |
Elijah |
James |
Brandon |
Jason |
Paul |
|
19 |
Benjamin |
James |
Ryan |
James |
Anthony |
Scott |
|
20 |
Logan |
Joseph |
Benjamin |
Alexander |
Brian |
Brian |
Top 20 Girl Baby Names
|
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
2001 |
1986 |
1961 |
|
|
1 |
Sophia |
Isabella |
Isabella |
Emily |
Jessica |
Mary |
|
2 |
Isabella |
Sophia |
Emma |
Madison |
Ashley |
Lisa |
|
3 |
Emma |
Emma |
Olivia |
Hannah |
Amanda |
Susan |
|
4 |
Olivia |
Olivia |
Sophia |
Ashley |
Jennifer |
Linda |
|
5 |
Ava |
Ava |
Ava |
Alexis |
Sarah |
Karen |
|
6 |
Emily |
Emily |
Emily |
Sarah |
Stephanie |
Patricia |
|
7 |
Abigail |
Abigail |
Madison |
Samantha |
Nicole |
Donna |
|
8 |
Madison |
Madison |
Abigail |
Abigail |
Brittany |
Cynthia |
|
9 |
Mia |
Chloe |
Chloe |
Elizabeth |
Heather |
Sandra |
|
10 |
Chloe |
Mia |
Mia |
Olivia |
Elizabeth |
Deborah |
|
11 |
Elizabeth |
Addison |
Elizabeth |
Jessica |
Megan |
Brenda |
|
12 |
Ella |
Elizabeth |
Addison |
Taylor |
Melissa |
Barbara |
|
13 |
Addison |
Ella |
Alexis |
Emma |
Amber |
Debra |
|
14 |
Natalie |
Natalie |
Samantha |
Alyssa |
Lauren |
Lori |
|
15 |
Lily |
Samantha |
Ella |
Lauren |
Rachel |
Pamela |
|
16 |
Grace |
Alexis |
Natalie |
Grace |
Danielle |
Nancy |
|
17 |
Samantha |
Lily |
Grace |
Kayla |
Tiffany |
Sharon |
|
18 |
Avery |
Grace |
Lily |
Brianna |
Kimberly |
Teresa |
|
19 |
Sofia |
Hailey |
Alyssa |
Anna |
Christina |
Elizabeth |
|
20 |
Aubrey |
Alyssa |
Ashley |
Megan |
Laura |
Cheryl |
|
Source: Social Security Administration |
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