Baby Names

Ever Wonder Which State Has the Most Unique Baby Names? See the List

written by BRETT NICOLE HAYDEN
updated by KATHY SISSON
most popular baby names by state"
most popular baby names by state
Source: Etsy | Bannor Toys
Source: Etsy | Bannor Toys

Each year, the Social Security Administration puts out an exciting list of the top baby names of the previous year. They highlight the top baby names for boys and girls and round up the 1,000 most popular of each. The list is always interesting to see as it’s a glimpse into trends, traditions, and inspirations people are drawn to when choosing a name for their baby. We’re also gifted with another interesting insight into baby name trends from the previous year: the most popular baby names by state based on data from the SSA’s Social Security card applications.

Not only is it exciting to see which baby names are popular near you, but it’s also interesting to see how the trends show up in different parts of the country. For example, West Virginia has some of the most unique names in the states’ most popular picks, including Oaklynn, Everleigh, and Wrenley for girls and Maverick, River, and Walker for boys. While many other states stick pretty close to the national top five names.

Keep scrolling for U.S. naming trends across girls, boys, and a breakdown of the 10 most popular names by state in 2024, along with some more notable names trending in certain areas.

In this article
1 The Top Baby Name in Every State
2 Boy Baby Name Trends by State
3 Girl Baby Name Trends by State
4 Most Popular Baby Names in the Northeast
5 Most Popular Baby Names in the Midwest
6 Most Popular Baby Names in the South
7 Most Popular Baby Names in the West

The Top Baby Name in Every State

While Olivia and Liam reigned as the most popular baby names nationally in the U.S., that didn’t mean they made the top list in every state. Check out the most popular boy and most popular girl names in every state below:

top baby names by state
Graphic by: Caitlin Schneider
most popular girl names by state
Graphic by: Caitlin Schneider

Boy Baby Name Trends by State

Boy names often don’t vary as much as girl names, but 2024 did see some new names added to the lists. For example, the Spanish Santiago and Greek Sebastian were both in the top five in California and Texas in 2023, but came to Nevada’s top five this year. The nature-inspired name Brooks made the top five most popular baby names in only one state: North Dakota (but was sixth on the list in South Dakota.) And you might find a few little cowboys in Arkansas and Wyoming, where Stetson made the top 20 most popular baby boy names along with Western-inspired Waylon.

The pretty Irish name Maeve popped into the top 20 most popular girl names in some Northeastern states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Esther moved into the top 20 in New York and New Jersey, perhaps inspired by Jackie Tohn’s strong character in the new Netflix favorite, Nobody Wants This. A state’s environment may also play a role in choosing a baby girl name for some parents. In pine-filled Alaska and Oregon, for example, nature-inspired Juniper is a top 20 baby girl name. 

Most Popular Baby Names in the Northeast

Connecticut

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Oliver
  4. James
  5. Theodore
  1. Mia
  2. Olivia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Emma
  5. Amelia

Maine

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Henry
  4. Jack
  5. Owen

Notable: Lincoln is #7

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Evelyn
  4. Eleanor
  5. Sophia

Massachusetts

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. James
  4. Oliver
  5. Lucas
  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Emma
  4. Sophia
  5. Amelia

Notable: Maeve is #14

New Hampshire

  1. Theodore
  2. Oliver
  3. Henry
  4. Noah
  5. James
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Evelyn
  5. Sophia

New Jersey

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Lucas
  4. Joseph
  5. Michael

Notable: Anthony is #8

  1. Mia
  2. Sophia
  3. Emma
  4. Olivia
  5. Charlotte

Notable: Leah is #9, Esther is #12

New York

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Lucas
  4. Ethan
  5. Joseph
  1. Mia
  2. Emma
  3. Sophia
  4. Olivia
  5. Isabella

Notable: Esther is #14

Pennsylvania

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. Oliver
  4. Theodore
  5. Henry
  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Emma
  4. Sophia
  5. Amelia

Rhode Island

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Lucas
  4. Henry
  5. Oliver

Notable: Gabriel is #11

  1. Charlotte
  2. Mia
  3. Emma
  4. Amelia
  5. Olivia

Notable: Maeve is #8

Vermont

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Theodore
  4. Noah
  5. Owen
  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Harper
  4. Lucy
  5. Violet

Most Popular Baby Names in the Midwest

Illinois

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Oliver
  4. Theodore
  5. Mateo
  1. Olivia
  2. Mia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Sophia
  5. Emma

Indiana

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Theodore
  4. Noah
  5. Henry
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Sophia
  4. Olivia
  5. Emma

Iowa

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Liam
  4. Theodore
  5. Noah

Notable: Cooper is #8

  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Evelyn
  4. Harper
  5. Olivia

Kansas

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Liam
  4. Noah
  5. Henry
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Emma
  4. Amelia
  5. Sophia

Michigan

  1. Noah
  2. Theodore
  3. Oliver
  4. Henry
  5. Liam
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Emma
  5. Evelyn

Minnesota

  1. Liam
  2. Henry
  3. Theodore
  4. Oliver
  5. Noah
  1. Charlotte
  2. Evelyn
  3. Olivia
  4. Emma
  5. Amelia

Missouri

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Theodore
  4. Noah
  5. Liam
  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Olivia
  4. Eleanor
  5. Evelyn

Nebraska

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Henry
  4. Liam
  5. Noah
  1. Charlotte
  2. Evelyn
  3. Amelia
  4. Harper
  5. Olivia

North Dakota

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Theodore
  4. Brooks
  5. Liam
  1. Evelyn
  2. Amelia
  3. Lainey
  4. Aurora
  5. Ivy

Ohio

  1. Oliver
  2. Noah
  3. Theodore
  4. Liam
  5. Henry
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Evelyn
  5. Sophia

South Dakota

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. Henry
  4. Theodore
  5. Asher

Notable: Brooks is #6

  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Lainey
  4. Harper
  5. Olivia

Wisconsin

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Liam
  4. Theodore
  5. Noah
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Evelyn
  4. Amelia
  5. Emma
most popular baby names by state
Source: @akdphoto | Instagram

Most Popular Baby Names in the South

Alabama

  1. William
  2. John
  3. James
  4. Liam
  5. Noah

Notable: Waylon is #13

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Elizabeth
  5. Emma

Arkansas

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. Noah
  4. Elijah
  5. Asher

Notable: Stetson is #17

  1. Olivia
  2. Amelia
  3. Emma
  4. Charlotte
  5. Harper

Delaware

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Oliver
  4. James
  5. Elijah

Notable: Owen is #6

  1. Charlotte
  2. Sophia
  3. Emma
  4. Isabella
  5. Mia

District of Columbia

  1. James
  2. Liam
  3. Henry
  4. Noah
  5. Theodore
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Zoe
  4. Emma
  5. Sophia

Florida

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Lucas
  4. Elijah
  5. Oliver

Notable: Thiago is #8

  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Mia
  4. Isabella
  5. Sophia

Georgia

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. James
  4. William
  5. Oliver
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Emma
  5. Ava

Kentucky

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. Waylon
  4. Noah
  5. Hudson
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Lainey
  4. Willow
  5. Olivia

Notable: Ivy is #9

Louisiana

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Elijah
  4. John
  5. William
  1. Olivia
  2. Amelia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Ava
  5. Evelyn

Maryland

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. James
  4. Oliver
  5. Lucas

Notable: Dylan is #6

  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Emma
  4. Sophia
  5. Mia

Notable: Zoe is #6

Mississippi

  1. William
  2. John
  3. James
  4. Noah
  5. Liam

Notables: Waylon is #7, Mason is #8

  1. Ava
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Harper
  5. Mary

Notables: Ivy is #8, Nova is #10, and Kehlani is #15

North Carolina

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Oliver
  4. William
  5. James
  1. Olivia
  2. Amelia
  3. Emma
  4. Charlotte
  5. Sophia

Oklahoma

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. Noah
  4. Elijah
  5. Theodore
  1. Olivia
  2. Amelia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Evelyn
  5. Emma

South Carolina

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. William
  4. James
  5. Oliver
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Emma
  5. Ava

Tennessee

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. William
  4. Noah
  5. James
  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Olivia
  4. Evelyn
  5. Emma

Texas

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Mateo
  4. Santiago
  5. Sebastian

Notables: Elias is #8 and Ezra is #9

  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Mia
  4. Camila
  5. Isabella

Utah

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Henry
  4. William
  5. Jack
  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Emma
  4. Amelia
  5. Evelyn

Notable: Ruby is #10

Virginia

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. James
  4. William
  5. Oliver
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Sophia
  4. Emma
  5. Amelia

Notable: Abigail is #14

West Virginia

  1. Oliver
  2. Waylon
  3. Maverick
  4. Hudson
  5. Liam

Notable: River is #21

  1. Amelia
  2. Lainey
  3. Olivia
  4. Willow
  5. Charlotte

Notable: Oaklynn is #15

most popular baby names by state
Source: @sopharush | Instagram

Most Popular Baby Names in the West

Alaska

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Liam
  4. Noah
  5. Henry

Notables: Asher is #10 and Waylon is #13

  1. Amelia
  2. Olivia
  3. Aurora
  4. Violet
  5. Emma

Arizona

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Mateo
  4. Oliver
  5. Santiago
  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Isabella
  4. Sophia
  5. Amelia

California

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Mateo
  4. Santiago
  5. Sebastian
  1. Mia
  2. Olivia
  3. Camila
  4. Emma
  5. Sophia

Colorado

  1. Liam
  2. Oliver
  3. Noah
  4. Henry
  5. Theodore
  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Emma
  4. Amelia
  5. Mia

Hawaii

  1. Noah
  2. Elijah
  3. Ezra
  4. Liam
  5. Theodore
  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Kaia
  4. Amelia
  5. Lily

Idaho

  1. Oliver
  2. Henry
  3. Liam
  4. Theodore
  5. James
  1. Charlotte
  2. Hazel
  3. Olivia
  4. Evelyn
  5. Amelia

Montana

  1. Oliver
  2. James
  3. Theodore
  4. Hudson
  5. William

Notable: Beau is #8

  1. Lainey
  2. Charlotte
  3. Olivia
  4. Eleanor
  5. Evelyn

Notable: Ember is #11

Nevada

  1. Liam
  2. Mateo
  3. Noah
  4. Sebastian
  5. Santiago
  1. Olivia
  2. Isabella
  3. Sophia
  4. Mia
  5. Camila

New Mexico

  1. Noah
  2. Mateo
  3. Ezekiel
  4. Liam
  5. Santiago
  1. Mia
  2. Camila
  3. Emma
  4. Sophia
  5. Olivia

Oregon

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Theodore
  4. Noah
  5. Henry
  1. Olivia
  2. Amelia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Emma
  5. Sophia

Notable: Juniper is #16

Washington

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Noah
  4. Theodore
  5. Henry
  1. Olivia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Amelia
  4. Emma
  5. Evelyn

Wyoming

  1. Oliver
  2. Hudson
  3. James
  4. Theodore
  5. William

Notable: All top five names are new compared to the prior year

  1. Emma
  2. Harper
  3. Hazel
  4. Charlotte
  5. Eleanor
brett nicole hayden
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brett Nicole Hayden, Former Assistant Editor

As the former Assistant Editor, Brett worked with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own stories. Her favorite topics to write about are baby names, culture, relationships, and living.

READ BRETT’S FULL BIO
Kathy Sisson the everymom
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor

Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.

READ KATHY’S FULL BIO