The year still has a couple more months to go, but the data collectors over at Baby Center have called it. They just released their list of the most popular baby names, which is based on the submissions of 500,000 new parents. This list might be influenced by the kind of people who decide to register their baby’s name at Baby Center, but I think some of these names are entirely understandable everywhere.
To get the big honorifics out of the way, the name Sophia is the most popular girl’s name for the 11th year in a row! I pity the teachers of the future, trying to keep all these little Sophia’s straight. In the boy’s category, Liam reigns supreme for only the second year in a row.
Now, here are the trends that don’t touch the top ten names and are clearly the influence of the times. After the death of Kobe Bryant, the name Kobe shot up in popularity by 175%, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who also died in the same helicopter crash, was similarly honored. Her name’s popularity went up by 216%.
We all smiled (and cried) when @paugasol named his daughter after Gianna Bryant. 💜 Turns out he’s not the only one to honor the basketball legends. The names Kobe grew 175% , Gianna grew 216% in popularity this year. #bcbabynames #bcbabynames @NBA @Lakers https://t.co/c7WNm5FdAc
— BabyCenter (@BabyCenter) October 20, 2020
A name that has very understandable fallen in popularity is Karen, a word that has become synonymous with entitled nightmare women. It’s too late for our current Karens, but this year’s crop of babies will not be inflicted with the moniker.
2020 may be the year where "Karen" gets canceled. Karen has dropped 13% in popularity this year. What other names are dropping in popularity? Check out our list of what's gone up and what's gone down. #bcbabynames #bcbabynames2020 https://t.co/c7WNm5FdAc
— BabyCenter (@BabyCenter) October 20, 2020
On a similar note, the name “Chad” is down by 12%, probably because it’s another name that’s been mercilessly memed online. Names that have gotten an unexpected boost have been “Kamala,” celebrating the Vice President nominee Kamala Harris, and the name “Liberty,” which is the same name given by Meghan McCain to her little girl. We just can’t leave the politics out of baby names this year. Sorry, kids.
It’s a good day for @kamalaharris (and @meenaharris). A birthday and a trending baby name? Kamala has jumped up 104% in popularity in our 2020 baby names trends. #bcbabynames #bcbabynames2020 https://t.co/c7WNm5FdAc
— BabyCenter (@BabyCenter) October 20, 2020
Here’s the full top ten list of girl baby names 2020:
1. Sophia
2. Olivia
3. Riley
4. Emma
5. Ava
6. Isabella
7. Aria
8. Aaliyah
9. Amelia
10. Mia
And the full top ten list of boy baby names 2020:
1. Liam
2. Noah
3. Jackson
4. Aiden
5. Elijah
6. Grayson
7. Lucas
8. Oliver
9. Caden
10. Mateo
And the top 50 for girls and boys, starting at number 11:
11. Layla/Muhammad
12. Zoe/Mason
13. Camilla/Carter
14. Charlotte/Jayden
15. Eliana/Ethan
16. Mila/Sebastian
17. Everly/James
18. Luna/Michael
19. Avery/Benjamin
20. Evelyn/Logan
21. Harper/Leo
22. Lily/Luca
23. Ella/Alexander
24. Gianna/Levi
25. Chloe/Daniel
26. Adalyn/Josiah
27. Charlie/Henry
28. Isla/Jayce
29. Ellie/Julian
30. Leah/Jack
31. Nora/Ryan
32. Scarlett/Jacob
33. Maya/Asher
34. Abigail/Wyatt
35. Madison/William
36. Aubrey/Owen
37. Emily/Gabriel
38. Kinsley/Miles
39. Elena/Lincoln
40. Paisley/Ezra
41. Madelyn/Isaiah
42. Aurora/Luke
43. Peyton/Cameron
44. Nova/Caleb
45. Emilia/Isaac
46. Hannah/Carson
47. Sarah/Samuel
48. Ariana/Colton
49. Penelope/Maverick
50. Lila/Matthew