Is your name extinct now? Federal government releases new baby name popularity data
A massive trove of government name data, updated and released to the public Friday, may make you feel old.
(NEXSTAR) – A massive trove of government name data, updated and released to the public Friday, may make you feel old.
The Social Security Administration, which records every birth in the U.S., released the official list of most popular baby names of 2024. The top picks of today may have sounded like zany or quirky options when you were growing up, and vice versa – your name may be all but extinct now.
Take Nicholas, for example. The name was ultra-popular not that long ago, a steady presence in the top 10 through the 1990s and early 2000s. But it has experienced a steep decline since then, now ranking at No. 118 overall.
Even more dramatic is the fate of Lisa, the No. 1 girl's name for nearly the entire 1960s. Now it barely makes it into the top 1,000. It was the 985th most popular name last year, according to the Social Security Administration.
Curious how your name has fared over the years? The Social Security Administration has a look-up tool on its website. You can scroll down and type in any name to measure its popularity over time.
So what are the hot names right now? The top 20 baby names of 2024, according to the Social Security Administration, were:
Rank Male name Female name 1 Liam Olivia 2 Noah Emma 3 Oliver Amelia 4 Theodore Charlotte 5 James Mia 6 Henry Sophia 7 Mateo Isabella 8 Elijah Evelyn 9 Lucas Ava 10 William Sofia 11 Benjamin Camila 12 Levi Harper 13 Ezra Luna 14 Sebastian Eleanor 15 Jack Violet 16 Daniel Aurora 17 Samuel Elizabeth 18 Michael Eliana 19 Ethan Hazel 20 Asher Chloe
The government agency also tracks which names are experiencing rapid rises in popularity, even if they're still outside the top 20. Truce, Colsen and Bryer rose most in the ranks for baby boys over the past year, while Ailany, Aylani and Marjorie had huge jumps for girls.
