The Top Unisex Names in Every US State

The Top Unisex Names in Every US State

The most popular unisex names in the USA in 2023 were Logan, Avery, and Riley. But does that hold true across every state?

Well, sometimes. But as you might guess, each state has its own favorite unisex names. For some, it’s an occupational name like Parker or Sawyer. Other states prefer names from nature, such as Rowan and River, or more local favorites, like Cameron and Oakley.

We crunched the numbers from the most popular names by state and found the unisex names — which we define as those used for at least 10% of the less popular gender — given to the most children in each state.

Popular Unisex Names: Gender Trends

Avery is the top unisex name in 11 states, followed by Logan in ten states, and Parker in nine.

This is quite a different picture from just a few years ago. In 2020, Avery was the top unisex name in a whopping 22 states, but now it is past its peak popularity, and a wider range of names are rising to replace it.

Avery is more female than male in every state. It is most gender-balanced in Hawaii, where 62% of baby Averys are girls, and 38% are boys.

Logan, the USA's most popular unisex name, leans more male in every state, but it is most balanced in Montana, where 38% of Logans are girls, and 62% are boys.

Parker is more balanced. It is used slightly more for boys in most states, but there is a girl Parker majority in Maryland, Montana and Wyoming, and an exact 50-50 split in Arizona and South Dakota.

States' Favorite Unisex Names

On the map, there are some clear local trends. Riley is the favorite unisex name in most Southern states, while Parker is especially popular in the Midwest, Cameron in New England, and Sawyer in the Mountain States.

Some states have unique favorites. Jordan is the most popular unisex name only in New Mexico, Oakley in Utah, and Amari in Mississippi — where it makes its debut as a state's top unisex name.

North Dakota is the only state this year where Noah counts as unisex. In 2023, it was given to 5 girls and 39 boys there, making a ratio of 11:89.

Dylan only appears in the Top Three unisex names in Connecticut, as do Noa and Hunter in Hawaii, Eden in New Mexico, Angel in Nevada, Rory in Rhode Island, Charlie in Wisconsin, and Hayden in Wyoming.

Vermont and Alaska only had one name each that was recorded for both sexes: River in Alaska, and Avery in Vermont.

And for anyone wondering about Puerto Rico — no names were on the charts for both sexes in 2023.

Here is every unisex name that ranks in the Top 3 in at least one state:

Top 3 Unisex Names in Every US State

What are the most popular unisex names where you live? Here is the Top 3 for each US state, ranked by the total number of children who were given the name in 2023.

The numbers in brackets are the girl-to-boy ratio of each name. For example, of all the babies named River in Alaska in 2023, 44% were girls and 56% were boys.

Alaska: 1. River (44:56)

Alabama: 1. Riley (61:39) 2. Parker (37:63) 3. River (27:73)

Arkansas: 1. Parker (43:57) 2. River (26:74) 3. Sawyer (22:78)

Arizona: 1. Logan (11:89) 2. Avery (83:17) 3. Carter (10:90)

California: 1. Logan (10:90) 2. Avery (83:17) 3. Riley (80:20)

Colorado: 1. Logan (14:86) 2. Avery (80:20) 3. Rowan (24:76)

Connecticut: 1. Cameron (10:90) 2. Dylan (12:88) 3. Avery (81:19)

District of Columbia: 1. Logan (31:79) 2. Quinn (75:25) 3. Riley (65:35)

Delaware: =1. Parker (37:63) =1. Rowan (53:47) 3. River (36:64)

Florida: 1. Avery (79:21) 2. Riley (79:21) 3. Cameron (12:88)

Georgia: 1. Riley (68:32) 2. Avery (74:26) 3. Logan (14:86)

Hawaii: 1. Avery (62:38) 2. Noa (52:48) 3. Hunter (25:75)

Iowa: 1. Parker (46:54) 2. Rowan (29:71) 3. Sawyer (39:61)

Idaho: 1. Carter (12:88) 2. Oakley (77:23) 3. Sawyer (36:64)

Illinois: 1. Logan (11:89) 2. Cameron (10:90) 3. Avery (83:17)

Indiana: 1. Parker (32:68) 2. Rowan (22:78) 3. Avery (76:24)

Kansas: 1. Parker (49:51) 2. Avery (83:17) 3. Rowan (19:81)

Kentucky: 1. Carter (13:87) 2. Parker (33:67) 3. Riley (75:25)

Louisiana: 1. Parker (39:61) 2. Avery (77:23) 3. Carter (11:89)

Massachusetts: 1. Cameron (10:90) 2. Rowan (26:74) 3. Riley (83:17)

Maryland: 1. Logan (18:82) 2. Avery (73:27) 3. Riley (76:24)

Maine: 1. Rowan (29:71) 2. Sawyer (18:82) 3. Avery (76:24)

Michigan: 1. Avery (77:23) 2. Riley (70:30) 3. Parker (34:66)

Minnesota: 1. Avery (84:16) 2. Sawyer (23:77) 3. Quinn (83:17)

Missouri: 1. Avery (86:14) 2. Parker (37:63) 3. Logan (13:87)

Mississippi: 1. Amari (39:61) 2. Sawyer (25:75) 3. Parker (45:55)

Montana: 1. Sawyer (41:59) 2. Rowan (25:75) 3. River (39:61)

North Carolina: 1. Logan (14:86) 2. Avery (75:25) 3. Riley (73:27)

North Dakota: 1. Noah (11:89) 2. Parker (31:69) 3. Rowan (27:73)

Nebraska: 1. Parker (34:66) 2. Avery (81:19) 3. Carter (11:89)

New Hampshire: 1. Parker (14:86) 2. Avery (88:12) 3. Rowan (44:56)

New Jersey: 1. Cameron (12:88) 2. Avery (81:19) 3. Riley (87:13)

New Mexico: 1. Jordan (19:81) 2. Avery (79:21) 3. Eden (71:29)

Nevada: 1. Logan (12:88) 2. Angel (16:84) 3. Avery (69:31)

New York: 1. Avery (75:25) 2. Cameron (10:90) 3. Riley (78:22)

Ohio: 1. Avery (79:21) 2. Cameron (12:88) 3. Parker (35:65)

Oklahoma: 1. Parker (48:52) 2. River (39:61) 3. Avery (89:11)

Oregon: 1. Rowan (29:71) 2. Avery (72:28) 3. Parker (35:65)

Pennsylvania: 1. Logan (12:88) 2. Parker (35:65) 3. Avery (83:17)

Rhode Island: 1. Riley (77:23) 2. Avery (75:25) 3. Rory (32:68)

South Carolina: 1. Riley (78:22) 2. Carter (14:86) 3. Avery (71:29)

South Dakota: 1. Sawyer (28:72) 2. Parker (50:50) 3. Carter (24:76)

Tennessee: 1. Carter (10:90) 2. Parker (35:65) 3. River (34:66)

Texas: 1. Avery (87:13) 2. Logan (13:87) 3. Parker (44:56)

Utah: 1. Oakley (89:11) 2. Parker (26:74) 3. Rowan (19:81)

Virginia: 1. Logan (13:87) 2. Avery (77:23) 3. Carter (13:87)

Vermont: 1. Avery (64:36)

Washington: 1. Avery (73:27) 2. Rowan (23:77) 3. Logan (11:89)

Wisconsin: 1. Sawyer (27:73) 2. Charlie (40:60) 3. Riley (63:37)

West Virginia: 1. Avery (77:23) 2. Carter (12:88) 3. River (40:60)

Wyoming: 1. River (43:57) 2. Parker (62:38) 3. Hayden (55:45)

For more on the gender divide of unisex names in every state, check out last weekend's Nameberry Newsletter.

Read next:

Gender-Neutral Names Guide

Popular Names by State

About the Author

Clare Green

Clare Green

Clare Green has been writing for Nameberry since 2015, covering everything from names peaking right now to feminist baby names, and keeping up-to-date with international baby name rankings. Her work has featured in publications such as The Independent and HuffPost. Clare has a background in linguistics and librarianship, and recently completed an MA dissertation researching names in multilingual families. She lives in England with her husband and son. You can reach her at clare@nameberry.com