Top Baby Names 2021 Announced!

Updated Fri May 06 2022

The top names of 2021 are here! Olivia and Liam take the lead again, but there's one big new entry to the boys' Top 10. Theodore!

In 2021, Theodore jumped an impressive 13 places to rank at Number 10 for the first time ever. Theodore replaces Alexander, which has now dropped to Number 13.

"Theodore is a Nameberry favorite but we're surprised it's climbed so high nationally as it's such a buttoned-up, formal name," says Nameberry cocreator Pamela Redmond. "But the friendly short form Theo expands its appeal, much like Alex made Alexander more approachable."

The only other Top 10 boy name that rose in rank was James, which is now at Number 5. It switched places with William, which dropped to Number 6.

The biggest hit on the girls' side is Amelia, which rose two spots to Number 4. Charlotte moved up to Number 3. Ava dropped two positions in the rankings and Sophia dropped one. They now rank at 5 and 6, respectively.

Here are the new 2021 Top 10 baby names with their positions relative to last year:

Baby Girl Names 2021

1. Olivia =

2. Emma =

3. Charlotte +1

4. Amelia +2

5. Ava -2

6. Sophia -1

7. Isabella =

8. Mia =

9. Evelyn =

10. Harper =

Baby Boy Names 2021

1. Liam =

2. Noah =

3. Oliver =

4. Elijah =

5. James +1

6. William -1

7. Benjamin =

8. Lucas =

9. Henry =

10. Theodore +13

View the official Top baby names of 2021 here.

Fastest-Falling Names of 2021

The two fastest-falling girl names were among the biggest risers of 2020 — Denisse and Denise. These were connected to Denisse Novoa, a contestant on the 2019 season of Exatlón Estados Unidos — a popular reality TV show. She was not in the spotlight nearly as much the following years, and her both spellings of the name have now slipped out of the Top 1000.

But perhaps the most notable name that exited in 2021 was Karen, the mom name that has taken on a whole new meaning in today's society. In slang terms, a Karen typically refers to an entitled and demanding white woman. Karen was declining in popularity already, but now parents have dropped the name almost entirely, and it ranks at Number 1091.

Alexa, the name of Amazon's smart assistant, has fallen over 200 places, from Number 229 to Number 442.

The three fastest-falling boy names are each alternative spellings of trendy names — Jaxtyn, Karsyn, and Xzavier. Other fast-falling boy names include Ermias, Juelz, and Bryant — names associated with celebrities.

Fastest-Rising Names of 2021

The fastest-rising name for girls of 2021 was Raya, in part influenced by the Disney film Raya and the Last Dragon. The fastest-rising boy name was Amiri, a luxury fashion brand founded by Iranian-American designer Mike Amiri.

Other fast-rising names include angelic choices such as Angelique, Halo, and Azriel. Mythological names including Freyja, Evander, and Nyra each moved up more than 200 places, and celebrity babies Khai and Banks each saw their names rise sharply — for boys.

Here are the rest of the fastest-rising names of the year, organized by category:

Fastest Rising Celebrity Names

These are the names of celebrities, celebrity babies, and characters that have caught on in a big way with parents in 2021.

Fast Rising Mythological, Fantasy, and Religious Names

Names from Myth, religion, and fantasy grow stronger every year. These selections, which range from goddess to angel to superhero names, are vaulting the fastest and furthest up the list.

Vintage Revival Names

Vintage names rising fastest on the 2021 list include these selections for girls and boys. There are a lot of new revivals in this group, from Ambrose to Dorothy to new star name Flora and beyond.

Vintage Nicknames

Cute vintage nicknames vaulting up the popularity list include the following, many of them not heard for generations.

Fastest-Rising Nature Names

The nature category only gets stronger every year. These nature names for girls and boys are making a strong appearance on the 2021 list. Hello, Onyx (for boys), Sky (for girls), and Ocean (for both).

Surname Names for Boys

One gender-specific category making a strong appearance is surname names for boys. These include some hot new s-ending surnames, such as Riggs and Jones, plus other choices like Irish surnames Callahan and McCoy that are fresh to the list.

Fastest-Rising International Names for Girls

International names vaulting up the US popularity list in 2021 include many Spanish names as well as Arabic, Indian, Russian, and Irish names for girls.

Fastest-Rising International Names for Boys

On the boys' side, the fastest-rising international names include many Latin choices that are primarily Spanish but that may be found among Italian and Portuguese names as well. Examples: Elio, Tadeo, Dario.

Share your thoughts on the new Top Baby Names 2021 over on our forums.

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm's Personal Website

Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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