Top City Baby Names
What are the top city baby names in the US? How are the names favored by city parents different from those most popular in the rest of the country? And how are the top baby names in cities as diverse as New York, Phoenix, and Minneapolis different from each other?
We looked at which names have been searched the most in a dozen American cities, and discovered popular names as distinctive as the cities themselves.
Among the Top 10 names in all 12 cities, there are a total of 29 girl names, 10 of which are unique to one city. Ophelia makes the Top 10 only in Atlanta, for instance, while Maisie ranks only in Dallas.
For boys, there are 30 names in total that rank among the Top 10, including 12 unique selections. Ronan is in the Top 10 only in Minneapolis, while Henry ranks only in Chicago.
Interestingly, Olivia and Liam — the current Number 1 names in the US according to official statistics — are completely absent from these cities’ most-searched lists.
Top City Girl Names
The top city girl names include 16 names that rank among the Top 10 in at least three cities.
The most popular city girl names of all are Eloise and Maeve, which hold a place on all twelve Top 10 lists. The Irish goddess name Maeve ranks at Number 1 in New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Phoenix, Boston, and DC and at Number 2 in Atlanta and Minneapolis — making it the most beloved choice across the nation.
Isla is the next most popular, with spots on ten Top 10 city girl names lists. Aurelia, Clara, Daphne, and Elodie all feature on eight or more Top 10 lists.
The popular girl names ranking on three or more lists are:
- 1Maeve
- 2Eloise
- 3Isla
- 4Clara
- 5Daphne
- 6Elodie
- 7Aurelia
- 8Lucy
- 9Mae
- 10Violet
- 11Hazel
- 12Iris
- 13Charlotte
- 14Cora
- 15Margot
- 16Nora
Top City Boy Names
Only one boy name features on all twelve city name lists: Silas. It takes the top spot in seven cities, including New York, LA, and Seattle.
The rest of the first-place names are only on top in a single city: August in Chicago, Arlo in Denver, Felix in San Francisco, Soren in Minneapolis, and Theodore in DC.
After Silas, August is the next most common name, appearing on 11 cities’ Top 10 lists, while Theodore features on 10.
The 15 popular boy names that show up on three or more city lists are:
New York City Baby Names
Bright lights, big city! New York City baby names feature several luminous choices at the top of the charts. Most notably Aurora, which ranks higher in New York than any other city. Others include Lucy and Aurelia.
The most unique name on New York's Top 10 is Leo, which it shares only with Los Angeles. New Yorkers also like the name Eloise, the little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel.
Top NYC Girl Names
Top NYC Boy Names
Chicago Baby Names
Chicago baby names for girls are straight out of Bridgerton, with Penelope, Charlotte, and Daphne each ranking in the Top 10. Charlotte ranks higher in Chicago than anywhere else, and The Windy City is the only one with Penelope and Henry on the charts.
In addition to Henry, Chicago boy names feature friendly traditionals like Felix, Ezra, and Milo. Chicago is the only city in which the stylish August ranks Number 1.
Top Chicago Girl Names
Top Chicago Boy Names
Los Angeles Baby Names
As all around for the City of Angels! Los Angeles baby names feature five A names among their ranks, including Aurelia and Aurora for girls, Arlo, Atlas, and August for boys. At Number 2, Aurelia ranks highest in LA, where there is a large Spanish-speaking population.
Los Angeles is one of the only cities to include Jude in its Top 10. Jude is ranked Number 9 in both LA and Denver. LA also shares Eloise with Denver — it takes the top spot in both cities.
Top LA Girl Names
Top LA Boy Names
Atlanta Baby Names
The Shakespearean Ophelia tops the list of Atlanta baby names, where it ranks exclusively. Other names with literary ties especially popular in the Big Peach include Eloise, Atticus, and Atlas.
Vintage mini name Mae is viewed more in Atlanta than any other city, as is the soft Scottish Callum. Atlanta namers are also particular fond of Rowan — it comes in at Number 2 for boys, following Silas.
Top Atlanta Girl Names
Top Atlanta Boy Names
Dallas Baby Names
Dallas baby names are dominated by two sounds for girls — "el" and "may". El- names Eloise and Elodie are in the Top 3, and Eleanor only ranks in Dallas. The "may" sound is found in top Dallas girl name Maeve, along with Mae and Maisie, another choice unique to DTX.
On the boys' side, Asher can only be found in Texas, while Ezra and Atticus are particularly popular in Dallas.
Top Dallas Girl Names
Top Dallas Boy Names
Seattle Baby Names
Seattle baby names are topped by Maeve on the girls’ side, and Silas is the favorite for boys.
Seattle's most-viewed names have a fashionable, vintage feel, with choices like Clara and Hazel, August and Oliver among the Top 10. While no names are unique to the Emerald City, are old-fashioned favorite Arthur is especially popular for boys, and Isla is more popular in Seattle than any other city..
Top Seattle Girl Names
Top Seattle Boy Names
Phoenix Baby Names
Phoenix baby names feature many quirky vintage favorites such as Eloise, Daphne, and Clementine for girls, Arlo, Milo, and Felix for boys.
Clementine is the only name unique to Phoenix, but the gentle old-fashioned Alice is viewed more by Phoenix Berries than any other.
Top Phoenix Girl Names
Top Phoenix Boy Names
Top Boston Baby Names
Boston baby names are topped by the Gaelic Maeve for girls, with Isla, Rowan, Finn, Callum, Graham, and Arthur also among the Top 10. Unsurprisingly — since Boston has a reputation as one of the most conservative American cities — buttoned-up choices like Theodore and Arthur are among the most-searched names for boys.
Iris ranks higher in Boston than any other city, and Graham is entirely unique to Boston's Top 10.
Top Boston Girl Names
Top Boston Boy Names
Denver Baby Names
Denver baby names are led by modern favorites Eloise and Arlo in the Number 1 spots. Denver is the only city in which Arlo takes the top spot.
Nature names for girls like Hazel, Violet, Isla, and Iris are favored in the Mile High City. Rhyming pair Nora and Cora rank higher here than in any other city, as do Finn and Everett on the boys' side.
Top Denver Girl Names
Top Denver Boy Names
San Francisco Baby Names
San Francisco baby names are topped by Clara and Felix, which only rank Number 1 in the City by the Bay. Clara is followed by Margot, which viewed more by SF Berries than any others, as is Esme. At Number 6, Maeve ranks lower in San Francisco than any other city.
San Francisco features two unique boy names in its Top 10: Caius and Kai. The long I sound is also found in SF favorites Isla and Silas.
Top SF Girl Names
Top SF Boy Names
Top Minneapolis Baby Names
Minneapolis baby names are the most individualistic of the bunch, topped by Elizabeth for girls and Soren for boys. Minneapolis reps the upper Midwest's strong Scandinavian ties with Scandi favorites like Freya, Soren, and Felix in their Top 10.
In addition to Freya and Elizabeth, Willa ranks highest in Minneapolis. Boy names Ronan, Oscar, and Ambrose are unique to Minneapolis. Many other Long O names rank among MLPS's Top 10, including Eloise, Elodie, Milo, Arlo, and Rowan.
Top Minneapolis Girl Names
Top Minneapolis Boy Names
Washington, DC Baby Names
Washington, DC baby names are led by Maeve for girls, followed by stylish traditionals Eloise, Daphne, and Hazel. Chic, sophisticated Josephine and jaunty Irish nickname Bridie rank higher in DC than any other city.
DC boy names are headed up by the old-school cool trio of Theodore, Felix and Silas. Hugo is especially favored by DC Berries, and tailored, soft boy names Jonah, Wyatt, and Wesley are unique to the city.