Maryland baby names reflect the state’s diversity. It’s urban (think Baltimore) but also coastal (hello, Ocean City!) and rural and quite rugged, especially if you head west.
It’s rich in history, with colonial Annapolis as the obvious example, but not the only one. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad winds through the Eastern Shore, Tubman’s birthplace. Before the Wright Brothers took flight in Kitty Hawk, they practiced in Maryland.
And, of course, the state is rich with names-as-places, with a surprising number of classic names dotting the map, mostly inspired by royals and other notables. Others reflect the Maryland’s heritage as Catholic colony.
Unlike California or Texas, Maryland is a medium-sized state. It currently ranks 18th in population. That means few Maryland-specific trends will automatically have a national impact. But never count any state out for the potential to launch a trend.
Another factor: Maryland’s population is more heavily African-American than most US states. It’s roughly 1/3 of the total population. Prince George’s County and Charles County are among the most affluent African-American populations in the entire US. This is reflected in the state’s Top Ten, but especially in the Top 100. Names like Amari and Brielle rank, likely reflecting the state’s demographics.
MARYLAND AS A BABY NAME
Back in 1632, Charles I of England granted George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, land in the colonies. Lord Baltimore had converted to Catholicism and sought to establish a safe haven in the new world.
Officially, the Maryland Colony was named for Charles I’s wife, Queen Mary. Mary was born Henriette Marie in France. She, too, was a Catholic and referred to herself as Henriette.
When the settlers arrived, they named their landing place St. Mary’s, expressly connecting the name of the colony to the mother of Jesus.
So Maryland is very much about Mary. Marilyn sounds a lot like the state name, too.
And Maryland has been used as a given name in tiny numbers across the years, for boys and girls alike. It peaked in 1939, with 27 girls and 9 boys receiving the name.
TOP TEN BOY NAMES IN MARYLAND
1. LIAM (#1 in the US)
Topping the charts here, and across the US, too.
2. NOAH (#2 in the US)
Again, Maryland echoes the national data.
3. JAMES (#5 in the US)
One interesting thing about Maryland names: there’s a strong hint of traditional favorites out-performing newer choices. A slight over-performance from James is one example.
4. OLIVER (#3 in the US)
As with Liam and Noah, Oliver tracks with national trends.
5. LUCAS (#9 in the US)
Another case of more traditional choices being just a bit more common in Maryland.
6. DYLAN (#28 in the US)
What explains Dylan’s sky-high status in the Old Line state? One theory: Dylan is associated with the sea, making it a compelling choice in a coastal state. But it’s also worth noting that several 1990s favorites outperform in Maryland, and Dylan fits that pattern, too.
7. ETHAN (#19 in the US)
A former Top Ten favorite, still holding on in Maryland.
8. HENRY (#6 in the US)
A classic ranked in the Top Ten here, as elsewhere.
9. THEODORE (#4 in the US)
If Marylanders have a preference for classics, why aren’t Henry and Theodore more popular? There’s a line between trending classics, like Henry and Theodore, that rise and fall dozens of places over time, and evergreen ones, like William and James.
10. WILLIAM (#10 in the US)
Accordingly, enduring classic William rounds out the Maryland Top Ten for boys.
TOP TEN GIRL NAMES IN MARYLAND
1. OLIVIA (#1 in the US)
Another case of Maryland tracking with national numbers.
2. CHARLOTTE (#4 in the US)
A small overperformance for classic Charlotte.
3. EMMA (#2 in the US)
Literary Emma is close to the top here, too.
4. SOPHIA (#6 in the US)
While Maryland’s Spanish-speaking population isn’t as dominant as California or Texas, it’s still substantial. That might explain a tiny boost for Sophia.
5. MIA (#5 in the US)
As with Sophia, Mia is a favorite crossover name for English-Spanish speaking households.
6. ZOE (#29 in the US)
As with Dylan and Ethan, Zoe is a former favorite still riding in Maryland.
7. AVA (#9 in the US)
Another possibility for Zoe, that might also explain Ava’s slightly higher-than-average rank? They’re names favored by African-American parents, based on data from neighboring Virginia.
8. AMELIA (#3 in the US)
As with Henry and Theodore, Maryland baby names don’t always favor the strongest trending classics.
9. ISABELLA (#7 in the US)
Another long-time Top Ten favorite, in Maryland and across the country.
10. CHLOE (#20 in the US)
Greek E-ender Chloe joins Zoe in the Maryland Top Ten.
TOP 100 BOY NAMES IN MARYLAND
Names marked with a * do not appear in the US Top 100.
- Liam
- Noah
- James
- Oliver
- Lucas
- Dylan
- Ethan
- Henry
- Theodore
- William
- Benjamin
- Mateo
- Elijah
- Thiago
- David
- Isaac
- Jacob
- Daniel
- Levi
- Ezra
- Michael
- Asher
- Jayden
- Caleb
- Jack
- Owen
- Leo
- Amir
- Nathan
- Matthew
- Julian
- Mason
- Aiden
- Samuel
- John
- Joshua
- Anthony
- Logan
- Joseph
- Alexander
- Hudson
- Jackson
- Cameron
- Miles
- Gabriel
- Brooks
- Elias
- Thomas
- Ian
- Carter
- Luca
- Angel
- Christopher
- Wyatt
- Colton
- Charles
- Maverick
- Enzo
- Roman
- Grayson
- Isaiah
- Josiah
- Luke
- Jonathan
- Wesley
- Nolan
- Sebastian
- Micah
- Santiago
- Kai
- Adrian
- Andrew
- Austin*
- Cooper
- Axel
- Landon*
- Aaron
- Camden*
- Jace*
- Ryan
- Amari*
- Christian
- Robert
- Weston
- Bennett
- Bryson*
- Chase*
- Milo*
- Eli
- Gael
- Jaxon
- Lincoln
- Zion*
- Jeremiah
- Xavier*
- Connor*
- Rowan
- Kayden*
- Jason*
- Nicholas*
TOP 100 GIRL NAMES IN MARYLAND
Names marked with a * do not appear in the US Top 100.
- Olivia
- Charlotte
- Emma
- Sophia
- Mia
- Zoe
- Ava
- Amelia
- Isabella
- Chloe
- Elizabeth
- Eliana
- Luna
- Evelyn
- Genesis
- Scarlett
- Grace
- Harper
- Sofia
- Aurora
- Madison
- Camila
- Eleanor
- Abigail
- Hazel
- Nora
- Riley
- Violet
- Emily
- Layla
- Naomi
- Gianna
- Aria
- Ella
- Lily
- Lucy
- Ellie
- Maya
- Lillian
- Hannah
- Avery
- Nova
- Penelope
- Stella
- Victoria
- Mila
- Zoey
- Ailany*
- Madelyn
- Autumn
- Leah
- Lainey
- Adeline
- Isla
- Sophie
- Emilia
- Elena
- Natalie
- Ivy
- Madeline
- Alice
- Ashley*
- Mackenzie*
- Sadie
- Willow
- Brianna*
- Kinsley
- Leilani
- Skylar*
- Hailey
- Rose*
- Aaliyah
- Eloise
- Josephine
- Quinn
- Amy*
- Claire
- Cora*
- Melody
- Savannah*
- Ariana*
- Ayla
- Liliana
- Maeve
- Sarah
- Clara
- Anna
- Brielle*
- Iris
- Parker*
- Summer*
- Amira*
- Audrey
- Esther*
- Addison
- Zuri*
- Eden
- Melanie*
- Vivian
- Allison
DISTINCTIVE MARYLAND PLACE NAMES
ANNE
Maybe it’s hard to argue that a name as classic as Anne denotes any single place. But Anne dots the Maryland baby names landscape. There’s Anne Arundel county, named for the wife of the 2nd Baron Baltimore. Annapolis, the state capital, was named for Queen Anne, England’s last Stuart monarch.
BOWIE
Except Marylanders rhyme this name with Louie, not like David Bowie.
CAROLINE
As in Caroline County, named for Caroline Eden, the daughter of the 5th Baron Baltimore and a colonial governor of Maryland during the 1700s. Her husband, Sir Robert Eden, would be the last colonial governor.
CECIL
A county named, borrowed from the 2nd Baron Baltimore.
EASTON
Likely named for the English city with the same name.
(GLEN) ECHO
Just outside of the Washington DC line, Glen Echo was developed as a streetcar suburb. It’s now home to Glen Echo park, including a historic carousel.
FREDERICK
Frederick County is named for yet another Baron Baltimore, while the city of Frederick may have been named a Prince of Wales or a Prussian monarch. Or that same Baron once more, because the town of Frederick is the county seat.
GARRETT
The westernmost county in the state, it takes its name from Baltimore-born John Work Garrett, president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
LAUREL
Midway between Washington DC and Baltimore, this sprawling community was named for its laurel trees.
MONTGOMERY
Known as MoCo – MOntgomery COunty – locally, it was named for American Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery.
NAMES FROM MARYLAND HISTORY AND SYMBOLS
BAY
As in the Chesapeake.
BLUE
Inspired by the Maryland blue crab.
CALICO
The calico cat is the official state cat.
DIAMOND
This might seem obscure, but the diamondback terrapin is the official state reptile of Maryland. If you’ve ever noticed that the University of Maryland’s mascot is a turtle, but the team is called the Terps? This is why. Also: the University of Maryland’s student newspaper is The Diamondback.
OAK
Borrowed from the official state tree, the White Oak. Oakley and other related names might also count.
SUSAN
The black-eyed susan is the state’s official flower.
FAMOUS MARYLANDERS
CALVERT
The family influenced the history of the state in countless ways.
HARRIET
As in Harriet Tubman, born in the state, who guided dozens of enslaved persons to freedom and later worked as a scout for the Union Army.
MOSES
Inspired by Tubman’s nickname.
OGDEN
Borrowed from Ogden Nash, a writer who made Baltimore his home.
STENY
Maryland politician Steny Hoyer spent decades in Congress. His unusual name comes from his father, a Danish immigrant named Steen. Steen and Sten are Danish equivalents of stone. Sten is quite popular in the Netherlands today.
ZORA
Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston’s connection to Maryland? She graduated from Morgan Academy, now Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore.
What are your favorite Maryland baby names? What would you add to this list?
