The Social Security Administration released its 2023 report on the most popular baby names in America, with Olivia and Liam once again taking the top spots for baby girls and boys for the fifth consecutive year. Colleen Slagen, a baby name consultant, believes that familiarity with a name can lead to increased popularity, as people are more likely to have a positive association with names that they hear frequently. The SSA releases a list of the 1,000 most popular baby names each year as a Mother’s Day tribute, which is available for viewing on their website.
Liam has been the most popular boy name for seven years, while Olivia has been the top girl name for the past five years. Names like Liam and Olivia, once considered unique, are now seen as trends. Slagen notes that longer, feminine names that can be easily nicknamed, like Olivia, are currently popular for girls. For boys, short, light, vowel-heavy names like Liam are on trend. The SSA data for 2023 also revealed that only one new name, Mateo, entered the top 10 lists this year.
The total number of babies born in the U.S. in 2023 was 3.58 million, which represents a decrease from the previous year and an overall decline in the American birth rate. Slagen points out that popular names and birth rates may not necessarily be related, but the data does show a shift towards more unique names being chosen for babies. The SSA has been compiling baby names since 1997, with names dating back to 1880, and each year, both tradition and pop culture influence name popularity trends.
The fastest rising girl’s name in 2023 was Kaeli, possibly influenced by a popular YouTuber of the same name, while the third fastest rising boy’s name was Eiden, potentially linked to a TikToker named Wyatt Eiden. Slagen notes that there is a current trend towards finding unique names, which has led to an increase in the demand for baby name consulting services. Her advice for choosing a baby name is to prioritize what is important to you and not to overthink a name’s ranking or popularity.
Overall, the trend for unique and distinctive baby names is on the rise, with more parents looking for names that stand out and have personal significance. While names like Olivia and Liam remain popular, there is a growing interest in names that offer versatility, uniqueness, and a connection to family heritage. The impact of pop culture influences on baby names is becoming more apparent, as seen with the rise of names like Kaeli and Eiden based on popular social media personalities, reflecting a shift towards individuality and creativity in naming practices in modern times.
