March Madness 2023 boys finalOkay, yes, the next round of that other March Madness tournament won’t take place until April 1st.

But in the world of all things baby names?

It’s time for the final match-up NOW.

Confused? Here’s a quick catch-up.

Every year, we take the most-viewed names on the site for the prior calendar year. The top sixteen compete, bracket-style, until we have a single winner.

It’s your votes that decide. And AM readers consistently choose some truly great names to bring home the trophy.

The tournament began all the way back in 2011.

PAST WINNERS of MARCH MADNESS BABY NAMES

  • Nathaniel and Louisa in 2011
  • Arthur and Genevieve in 2012
  • Archer and Isla in 2013
  • Everett and Cora in 2014
  • Finn and Cora in 2015*
  • Theodore and Sylvie in 2016
  • Leo and Wren in 2017
  • Rowan and Eliza in 2018
  • Arlo and Margot in 2019
  • Caspian and Tess in 2020
  • Raphael and Magnolia in 2021
  • August and Marigold in 2022

* After Cora’s back-to-back victories, readers decided that once a name wins, it is retired from competition.

THE 2023 CONTENDERS

Here’s the list of the names that started out in the sweet sixteen this year.

  1. JAMES
  2. OTTO
  3. KAI
  4. HUXLEY
  5. PHOENIX
  6. KOA
  7. WESLEY
  8. JONES
  9. WELLS
  10. BLAISE
  11. COSMO
  12. HAYES
  13. TORIN
  14. HAL
  15. JULES
  16. RONAN

Thinking that’s a quirky list of most-viewed names? Undeniably. I doubt any other site’s Top Three are James, Otto, and Kai. But that’s part of what makes March Madness Baby Names so much fun.

Your votes narrowed this field to just four names in the semifinals round.

SEMIFINAL RESULTS

With over 69% of the vote, classic James powered past up-and-coming Hayes. Fun fact: Hayes actually made it all the way to the final in 2022, losing out to August. But this year, unstoppable James advances.

Wesley swept past Kai with more than 66% of the total. Last year, Kai was knocked out in the quarterfinals. This is Wesley’s best showing in recent years, so it’s exciting to see the name advance!

And that means there’s one final match …

MARCH MADNESS 2023: BOYS FINAL

Thank you for voting!

Polls stay open through Friday, March 31st! Check back on Saturday, April 1st to see if your favorite wins!

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

You May Also Like:

What do you think?