Top Names in Each State Revealed!
Popular names by state can look very different from the national count. Find out which states' top names conform to the US popular names list and which go in a different direction.
Olivia and Liam held on to their titles as the most popular names in the United States for another year at the national level, but Olivia is no longer the top name in the majority of states individually. Could its tenure as the top baby name be coming to an end?
Our maps depict the top names by state in 2023:
The Most Popular Girl Name in Each State, 2023
Despite Olivia's position as the nation's top girl name, it was Charlotte that swept the country. Charlotte came out on top in 21 states, up from 12 in 2022. These rising numbers suggest that it may increase its rank in 2024.
Olivia ranked as the top name in 18 states, down from 30 in 2022. It's a popular choice on the West Coast and the Southeast.
Isla is brand-new to the map this year, ranking Number 1 in Hawaii. Meaning "island", Isla is an apt choice for babies born in the Aloha State.
Harper, Aurora, and Sophia fell off the map in 2023, while Ava and Amelia gained control of more states than the year prior. Ava is the Number 1 girl name in South Dakota and Mississippi, while Amelia comes out on top in Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Former Number 1 Emma is almost completely wiped off the map, but is holding strong in two populous states: New York and Texas. Evelyn ranks first in North Dakota and Wyoming, and Valentina reigns another year in Puerto Rico.
The Most Popular Boy Name in Each State, 2023
Liam earned the top spot in two more states between 2022 and 2023, for a grand total of 22 states. This reflects Liam's national rise — it increased in use by about 1.7% throughout the US in 2023.
Oliver is the third-most-popular name in the US overall, but the top name in 13 states, down from 16 in 2022. Compare that to Noah, currently ranked at Number two across the entire US, but the top boy name in just nine states (although populous ones including Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania). Could Oliver may be poised to take second place nationally in 2024?
John rejoined the map this year, back on top in its favorite state, Mississippi — where it is often used as the front half of a double-barrel name. But more excitingly, 2023 saw two brand-new names on the map: Elijah and Thiago. Elijah took the top spot in Hawaii, and Thiago is Number 1 in Puerto Rico.
Top 5 Baby Names by State
The Top 5 baby names in each state are mostly permutations of names from the national Top 10, although some states saw more diversity. 25 girl names and 29 boy names held the distinction of ranking in a state Top 5:
Top 5 Girl Names
- Amelia
- Aurora
- Ava
- Camila
- Catalina
- Charlotte
- Eleanor
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Evelyn
- Harper
- Hazel
- Isabella
- Isla
- Lucy
- Luna
- Maya
- Mia
- Naomi
- Nora
- Olivia
- Sophia
- Valentina
- Victoria
- Willow
Top 5 Boy Names
- Asher
- Benjamin
- Carter
- David
- Elijah
- Ezekiel
- Grayson
- Henry
- Hudson
- Jack
- James
- John
- Joseph
- Leo
- Levi
- Liam
- Lucas
- Mateo
- Maverick
- Michael
- Noah
- Oliver
- Owen
- Santiago
- Sebastian
- Theodore
- Thiago
- Waylon
- William
States with large Latin American and Hispanic populations — including California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas — were more likely to have cross-cultural names such as Camila, Mia, and Isabella rank for girls, and Mateo, Sebastian, and Santiago rank for boys.
The states and territories with the most creative Top 5s include Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Maine, which had the highest proportions of Top 5 names that ranked outside of the US Top 10, respectively.
11 girl names appeared in only a single state’s Top 5. They are listed below with their national ranking:
Catalina (147), Puerto Rico
Elizabeth (15), Alabama
Isla (33), Hawaii
Lucy (40), Utah
Luna (10), Hawaii
Maya (50), Washington DC
Naomi (44), Washington DC
Nora (25), South Dakota
Valentina (49), Puerto Rico
Victoria (45), Puerto Rico
Willow (41), West Virginia
Seven boy names made singular appearances:
Asher (23), North Dakota
David (27), New York
Grayson (44), West Virginia
Leo (18), Washington DC
Maverick (37), West Virginia
Thiago (71), Puerto Rico
Waylon (62), West Virginia
You'll notice that many state names resemble their unique favorites — Willow and Waylon in West Virginia, Isla in Hawaii. This is nominative determinism — or name-driven outcome — at play. In this case, the name of certain states are driving parents to choose names with similar sounds for their babies.