If you love baby names as much as I do, you’re eager to find out which ones made it into the top 10 for boys and girls in 2019. BabyCenter compiled data from nearly 600,000 parents and here are the results. Prepare for a few shockers!

GIRLS

1. Sophia

No surprises here! Sophia has taken out the top spot for girls for 10 straight years. If you think that’s a long time, consider the fact that this gorgeous Greek moniker meaning “wisdom” has been around since the Middle Ages. Now that’s some serious staying power!

2. Olivia

Hang in there, Olivia. You’ve been slowly climbing up the top 10 since you entered it in 2001 and this is your third year at number two. You might finally snatch the crown from Sophia in 2020! Although you don’t seem like the competitive type with your peaceful name meaning “olive tree”.

3. Emma

Sweet Emma has also been dancing around in the top 10 since the turn of the 21st century and she was even number one from 2004 to 2006. With a ton of famous young namesakes – think Emma Watson and Emma Stone – she’ll probably stick around for a while longer.

4. Ava

Not only does Ava possess the vintage charm that’s so popular right now, its shortness and roundness give it widespread appeal. You’d be hard-pressed to find a last name that doesn’t fit well with it. Ava Jones? Yep. Ava Yankovic? Also works.

5. Aria

I don’t care what anyone says – Aria owes its meteoric rise to Game of Thrones. “But the GoT character spells it with a ‘Y’ and I didn’t even really watch that show… that much,” say countless parents of Arias. Explanation denied – it’s a TV character name and you know it! But it’s beautiful, so who cares?

6. Isabella

Bella Isabella! You’re certainly the most popular of the -ella names. You’ve been sitting squarely in the top 10 since 2003, whereas your sisters Ella, Bella, Stella, Annabella and Arabella have never made it. You have Twilight’s Isabella Swan to thank for that!

7. Amelia

Amelia is a modern mash-up of medieval epithets Amalia and Emilia. Amelia Earhart gave it some serious clout when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 and its popularity endures today.

8. Mia

Mia is another short-and-sweet sobriquet that attracts parents like bees to honey. It’s feminine, likeable and goes with anything, so it’s no surprise it’s been in the top 10 since 2012.

9. Riley

Amid all the feminine offerings ending in -a on this list, this rough-around-the-edges unisex name has been in the top 10 since 2016 and certainly stands out! 

10. Aaliyah

How did this little gem shoot up seven spots to enter the top 10? An Arabic name meaning “exalted”, Aaliyah was popularized by the hip-hop singer who tragically died in a plane crash in 2001 at the tender age of 22.

 

BOYS

 

1. Liam

See ya, Jackson! Liam has taken over the top spot that you dominated for six straight years. Most people don’t realize that Liam was originally a short form of William because famous namesakes such as Liam Neeson, Liam Hemsworth and Liam Payne have given it street cred.   

2. Jackson

Don’t feel bad, Jackson – you’ll have another shot at the throne next year. You did very well for a humble little last-name-turned-first-name who only entered the top 10 in 2007! Keep your chin up.

3. Noah

Biblical names continue to be popular for boys and Noah has been the top pick for several years. Perhaps Noah owes its popularity to its long-held association with an animal-loving humanitarian or maybe parents just like the way it gently rolls off the tongue.

4. Aiden

The crazy trend of butchering the spelling of names ending in the popular -en sound (or inventing brand-new ones) has ruined them all for me. Kaeden, Braydon, J’zayden … stop the madness! I’ve even come to dislike the more common Aiden (correct spelling: Aidan) because I see it as part of the same fad.

5. Grayson

A regal English last name meaning “son of a steward”, Grayson brings to mind Ivy League hallways and smoking jackets (although let’s hope that a Grayson born in 2019 will never own a smoking jacket).

6. Caden

Caden is part of the uber-popular wave of names ending in the -en sound – think Jayden, Braedon, Aidan and even J’zayden! But unlike some of the more unique variations, Caden has been in the top 10 since 2007 thanks to its simplicity.

7. Lucas

We have a winner! I love the exoticism of this appellation that every culture ranging from Spanish to Dutch tries to claim as their own. According to BabyCenter, it’s a Latin form of Luke that means “illumination”.

8. Elijah

Elijah is another enduringly popular biblical name that means “Yahweh is God” in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Elijah was a prophet who ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. Cool. 

9. Oliver

In the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, Oliver has been hovering close to or at number one for many years now. Maybe this Latin name meaning “olive tree” is a little too traditional for our taste… or perhaps we’ll follow in our friends’ footsteps in years to come?

10. Muhammad

Muhammad jumped up four spots to dislodge Mason from the list. Muhammad is very popular with Muslim families who have a strong tradition of naming their sons after their Prophet.

 

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