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 gives prospective parents—or anyone curious—a glimpse into baby name trends, traditions, and inspirations to consider when choosing a baby name. Another interesting insight compiled from the SSA data? The most popular baby names by state.

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. Maybe you love a popular name on the national list, but are happy to find it’s a little more unique in your area. For example, Olivia was noted as the most popular girls’ name across the country, but she only tops the list in seven states. West Virginia has some of the most unique names in the state’s most popular picks, including Oaklynn, Paisley, Kinsley for girls, and Maverick, Wyatt, and Atlas 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 according to the SSA’s 2026 list, along with some more notable names trending in certain areas.

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

The Top Baby Name in Every State, Mapped

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:

most popular boy names by state
Graphic by: Caitlin Schneider
top baby names by state 2026
Graphic by: Caitlin Schneider

The pretty names that start with “a,” Aurora and Ailany popped into the top lists across many states. In fact, Ailany—a Hawaiian name meaning strength—was noted as one of the fastest rising names last year and took the top spot in Maryland for the first time. In the Midwest, old-fashioned girl names, Evelyn and Eleanor, are becoming modern-day picks (and following the 100-year-rule for baby names). Short girl names like Lucy and Nora also popped into a few of the top 10 lists. A state’s environment may also play a role in choosing a baby name for some parents. In pine-filled Oregon, for example, nature-inspired Juniper is a popular pick as well as colorful names, Hazel and Violet. Another example, Hawaii’s top girls’ name is Isla, appropriately meaning “island.”

Boy Baby Name Trends by State

Boy names often don’t vary as much as girl names, but the 2026 list did have more variety in the top names than in years past. For example, the Spanish Santiago and Greek Sebastian were both in the top five in California and Texas in the past few years, but more recently came to Arizona and Nevada’s top five. Surname baby boy names like Hudson and Cooper were also gaining popularity in certain states. While Western-inspired names like Waylon made their way up the lists in many states, including taking the top spot for the first time in Kentucky.

Most Popular Baby Names in the Northeast

Connecticut

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. Theodore
  4. James
  5. Luca (new to top 5)
  1. Charlotte
  2. Sophia
  3. Olivia
  4. Amelia
  5. Mia

Maine

  1. Theodore
  2. Oliver
  3. Henry
  4. Noah
  5. Levi (new to top 5)
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Eleanor
  4. Violet
  5. Harper

Massachusetts

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

Notable: Chloe #10, Zoe #12

New Hampshire

  1. Theodore
  2. Henry
  3. Oliver
  4. Jack
  5. James
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Sophia
  4. Maeve (new to top 5)
  5. Violet (new to top 5)

New Jersey

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

Notable: Gianna #9, Leah #10

New York

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

Notable: Zoe #10, Ailany #13

Pennsylvania

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

Rhode Island

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. Oliver
  4. Theodore
  5. Luca (new to top 5)

Notable: Roman is #13

  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Amelia
  4. Sophia
  5. Ava

Notable: Isla #7, Aurora #8

Vermont

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Henry
  4. Cooper
  5. Hudson
  1. Charlotte
  2. Evelyn
  3. Eleanor
  4. Nora
  5. Sophia

Top Baby Names in the Midwest

Illinois

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

Indiana

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

Iowa

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Henry
  4. Theodore
  5. Cooper (new to top 5)
  1. Charlotte
  2. Evelyn
  3. Emma
  4. Amelia
  5. Eleanor

Kansas

  1. Theodore
  2. Oliver
  3. Noah
  4. Liam
  5. Henry
  1. Charlotte
  2. Olivia
  3. Evelyn
  4. Amelia
  5. Eleanor (new to top 5)

Michigan

  1. Theodore
  2. Noah
  3. Oliver
  4. Henry
  5. James
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Sophia
  4. Eleanor (new to top 5)
  5. Evelyn

Minnesota

  1. Theodore
  2. Henry
  3. Oliver
  4. Liam
  5. Noah
  1. Charlotte
  2. Evelyn
  3. Violet
  4. Eleanor
  5. Nora

Missouri

  1. Oliver
  2. Theodore
  3. Henry
  4. Noah
  5. Hudson (new to top 5)
  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Eleanor
  5. Evelyn

Nebraska

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

North Dakota

  1. Liam
  2. Henry
  3. Theodore
  4. Noah
  5. Oliver
  1. Charlotte
  2. Lainey
  3. Olivia
  4. Ellie
  5. Evelyn

Ohio

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

South Dakota

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Henry
  4. Hudson (new to top 5)
  5. Noah

Notable: Beau is #7, Maverick #10

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

Wisconsin

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

Most Popular Baby Names in the South

Alabama

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

Notable: Waylon is #11

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

Arkansas

  1. Liam
  2. Hudson (new to top 5)
  3. Oliver
  4. Elijah
  5. Noah

Notable: Waylon is #9

  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Isabella
  5. Eleanor

Delaware

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

Notable: Cooper is #10

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

District of Columbia

  1. Noah
  2. Theodore
  3. Henry
  4. Liam
  5. William
  1. Emma
  2. Sophia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Lucy
  5. Zoe

Florida

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. Lucas
  4. Elijah
  5. Oliver
  1. Olivia
  2. Mia
  3. Isabella
  4. Emma
  5. Sophia

Georgia

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. William
  4. Elijah
  5. James
  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Olivia
  4. Emma
  5. Isabella

Kentucky

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Hudson
  4. Waylon
  5. Noah
  1. Amelia
  2. Charlotte
  3. Sophia
  4. Evelyn
  5. Lainey

Notable: Willow #7

Louisiana

  1. Liam
  2. Noah
  3. James
  4. Elijah
  5. John
  1. Amelia
  2. Olivia
  3. Charlotte
  4. Emma
  5. Sophia

Maryland

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

Notable: Ethan is #7

  1. Ailany (new to top 5)
  2. Charlotte
  3. Olivia
  4. Mia
  5. Sophia

Notable: Elian is #6

Mississippi

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

Notables: Waylon is #6, Hudson #9

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

Notables: Mary #6, Ivy #8, Nova #9

North Carolina

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

Notable: Ailany #12

Oklahoma

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

South Carolina

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

Tennessee

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

Texas

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

Notables: Waylon #6

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

Notable: Ailany #10, Valentina #12

Utah

  1. Oliver
  2. Liam
  3. Theodore
  4. Jack
  5. Noah
  1. Emma
  2. Charlotte
  3. Lucy
  4. Olivia
  5. Evelyn

Notable: Hazel is #7, Millie #14

Virginia

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

West Virginia

  1. Waylon (new to #1)
  2. Hudson
  3. Oliver
  4. Noah
  5. Wyatt (new to top 5)

Notable: Asher #7, Maverick #13, Atlas #20

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

Notable: Oaklynn is #8, Paisley #9

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

Top Baby Names in the West

Alaska

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

Notables: Elias #7

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

Arizona

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

California

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

Colorado

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

Hawaii

  1. Elijah
  2. Noah
  3. Liam
  4. Luca
  5. Luke (new to top 5)
  1. Isla
  2. Emma
  3. Luna
  4. Sophia
  5. Olivia

Idaho

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

Montana

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

Notable: Colter #10

  1. Charlotte
  2. Lucy
  3. Amelia
  4. Lainey
  5. Nora

Notable: Juniper #17, Hadley #19

Nevada

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

New Mexico

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. Mateo
  4. Elijah
  5. Santiago
  1. Mia
  2. Olivia
  3. Sophia
  4. Sofia
  5. Camila

Oregon

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

Notable: Penelope #9, Juniper is #14

Washington

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

Wyoming

  1. Theodore
  2. James
  3. William
  4. Oliver
  5. Rowan (new to top 5)
  1. Aurora (new to top 5)
  2. Evelyn
  3. Amelia
  4. Charlotte
  5. Elizabeth

Every year, the Social Security Administration releases its list of the most popular boy and girl names of the year. This list is compiled from birth certificates and Social Security card applications from the previous year.

The SSA baby name list is usually released on the Friday before Mother’s Day, with the most popular names by state the following week. You can also search through the whole SSA database for name data over the last 100+ years. You can search for name popularity by percentage, decade, and even see a name’s popularity changes over time.

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.

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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.

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Images in feature graphics credited to: Hans | Unsplash, Карина Суховерхая | Pexels, Getty Images | Unsplash, Kateryna Hliznitsova | Unsplash, Joslyn Pickens | Pexels, Sarah Elrod | Dupe, Elevae Visuals