Most Popular Baby Names 2018

The most popular baby names 2018 update is here!

The US Social Security Administration has released all of the data for births from January 1st through December 31st of 2017.

What jumps out first?

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: The Top Ten

As I mentioned yesterday, we don’t often see big changes in the Top Ten. But this year proved more exciting than the last few reveals.

• The #1 girls’ name remains unchanged. It’s still Emma! But on the boys’ side? Liam overtook Noah.
• On the girls’ side, Amelia and Evelyn cracked the list, replacing Emily and Harper. I called these two newcomers!
• Meanwhile, for the boys, Ethan left the Top Ten and Oliver entered – just like I guessed.
• But the big surprise? LOGAN! A long-time favorite, Logan rocketed into the US Top Ten at #5. I think that one’s down to Wolverine, or more specifically, the March 2017 release of Logan, starring Hugh Jackman as the box-office dominating member of the X-Men.

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: The Top 100

The Top 100 is ever-changing, and this year was no exception.

• For the girls, I predicted that Everly and Emilia would crack the Top 100, and they did! My long-shot for girls, Nova, also made it, as did Maverick … though I missed on my other boys’ predictions.
• Jameson also had a big rise, to reach #100.

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: The Top 1000

• I’ll do a full analysis in the coming weeks. But a quick glance at my 2018 Trendwatch shows that Caspian entered the rankings at #868; Decker at #995; Kaiser at #929; and Reign at #961 for boys.
• For the girls, Egypt entered at #974; Florence at #980; Marlowe at #981; Octavia at #593 – that might be the hottest debut; and Opal at #859.

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: Pop Culture Influence

• This is one that always requires a deep dive! But a quick glance at my watch list reveals that Nala now ranks at #768!
• The big story is going to be Logan, of course, rocketing into the Top Ten.

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: Random Thoughts

• Jaxx, with the double-x, just made it onto the list at #1000.
• Alaric, a name I watched for years, finally cracked the list at #994!
• More fun debuts or returns: Ledger, Achilles, Brixton, Wells, Alistair, and Gatlin for boys; Luella, Oaklynn, Melania, and Dream for girls.
• Nova, in the girls’ Top 100, is now also in the boys’ Top 1000.

Most Popular Baby Names 2018: Thoughts & Observations

Why do the most popular baby names 2018 matter? One thing always strikes me: if you love baby names, you read about them all the time, and you’ve probably developed good radar for what’s a rising – or fading – name.

But the majority of people first ponder names around the time they start a family. Newcomers to the name game turn to lists – or articles and vlogs and books informed by those lists. And so a name that makes the Top 100, for example, probably attracts their attention, simply because everyone is aware of it. Even media outlets that cover such information only casually will often focus their name coverage on these names.

In fact, it creates a funny loop. First time parents – especially those who don’t yet know many families with young children – will perceive names like Lincoln or Paisley as fresh and new. And they are! No one had those names back in the 1990s, when today’s parents were in kindergarten. Except they’re not, because of course they’re Top 100 picks, well established for children born in recent years.

What strikes me most about this list? As parents search for names, the influence of pop culture is dramatic. Logan’s spike into the US Top Ten is one example. The debut of Dream in the Top 1000 is another good example. In many ways, this is nothing new – we’ve always taken our children’s names from the wider culture. But it’s faster today, with names rising and falling in response to dozens of trends. At the same time, it’s splintered – because there are more sources competing for our attention than ever before.

More on the Most Popular Baby Names 2018 coming over the next few days and weeks! But for now, tell me: did anything jump out at you from today’s new list?