Although we’re just a few months into 2023, the most popular baby names have already undergone a major shakeup, as Liam has been surpassed as the go-to baby name for boys for the first time since 2018.
BabyCenter, a digital parenting resource that helps expectant parents explore and choose baby names, releases a list each year of the most popular monikers. However, throughout the year, the website also keeps track of the most popular names in real-time, with the list changing as parents share what names they’ve chosen for their newest additions.
According to the current rankings, Liam, which has reigned number one for boys since 2019, has dropped to third place, while Oliver has inched its way up to second place.
As for the most popular name of 2023 so far, Noah, which was ranked in third place in 2022, has risen to the top of this year’s list for baby boys.
The top five list for boys is rounded out with Aiden and James, in fourth and fifth place, respectively, with the two names replacing the previously popular Elijah and Mateo.
Aiden, especially, has seen a significant jump in popularity, as the name was ranked 15th just months ago.
Current events and pop culture have also played a part in the latest name trends, with Elon, which BabyCenter reported fell 450 spots in 2022, making it “one of the year’s fastest falling baby names” of the year, regaining 400 spots to land in 764th place on the current list.
The most popular names for girls have also undergone a slight shift as Luna gained four spots from last year to become the third-most-popular baby name of 2023 so far, followed closely behind by Amelia and Aurora.
As for the number one and number two most popular baby names for girls, BabyCenter reports that Olivia has maintained its spot on the top of the list for the third year running, while Emma has held on to its second place spot.
However, the changing times have meant that previously popular names such as Sophia, which was the most popular name for 11 years in a row, have fallen slightly, with the name falling out of the top five, or even top 10, to land in 11th place.
Lily may have made the biggest jump so far, with the name moving from 24th place to sixth place in the first three months of the year, while Mia has fallen from eighth place to 17th on the list.
Other names, such as Scarlett, have fallen off the list of top 50 most popular names completely, with the name ranked 12th in 2022 now nowhere to be found.
Interestingly, as noted by BabyCenter, while the list of most popular names is constantly changing, some trends have held on in 2023, such as the popularity of girl names ending in the letter “A”.
“The top five baby girl names all remained the same in 2021 and 2022 – with each and every name ending in the letter ‘A,’” the website reported, a trend that is still true as of March.
Celestial names, a popular trend for girl names in 2022, has also continued into the new year, with Luna, Aurora, and Nova all in the top 20, while nature-inspired baby names, such as Ivy, Willow, Delilah, and Iris, have also remained popular choices among new parents.
The ever-shifting popular baby names comes after unusual baby name choices have made headlines recently, with Molly-Mae Hague naming her daughter Bambi, while an influencer recently defended her decision to name her son Koazy after criticism from fellow influencers.
