Top Baby Names 2022: The Playground Analysis
The most popular baby names in the US were recently revealed to be Liam and Olivia… again. But if you feel like you hear other names more often, there’s a good reason for that!
The baby name data released each year by the Social Security Administration lists variant spellings like Aiden and Aidan, Riley and Rylee as totally separate names – which can have a big impact on their standing in the charts.
The Playground Analysis groups the names from the official US popularity charts according to their sound and then ranks the groups instead of the individual spellings. Listing the various spellings together gives us a more accurate view of what the #1 name is in the country.
So, when all variants are combined, these are the girl and boy names you are actually likely to hear most often on the playground!
Top Girl Names 2022
Sophia and her alternative spellings remains firmly on top in 2022, but Amelia skips over Olivia to take over the second spot!
While Sophia remains a strong choice for parents, the total numbers show that the rest of the Top 10 are becoming less and less popular overall.
When comparing the Playground Analysis of 2021 to 2022, the names in the Top 10 remain the same, but four of the names switch places: Amelia and Olivia switch between #2 and #3, and Isabella and Ava switch between #5 and #8.
Within the Top 50, big movers up are Violet (#44 to #34), Scarlett (#29 to #21), and Lily (#32 to #25). The biggest mover down is Gianna (#20 to #31).
Four names have risen into the PA Top 50: Leilani (#64 to #47), Naomi (#61 to #50), Aurora (#51 to #45), and Hannah (#52 to #48).
Meanwhile, four names fell out of the Top 50: Aubrey (#46 to #64), Alayah (#43 to #52), Paisley (#48 to #54), and Ariana (#49 to #55).
Adeline deserves a special mention: its many variant spellings propel it from all the way down at #92 on the official charts into the PA Top 10!
And as an interesting side note, Zoe has replaced Zoey as the name’s top spelling. Zoey had been the more popular spelling since 2011.
See the full Top 50 most popular girl names 2022, according to our Playground Analysis, below.
NB: Names are given in their most popular form, together with their SSA rankings and total combined births, plus the most common variant spellings.
All spellings given to five or more babies are included in the figures, but I have only listed those with 50 or more births due to length. For example, Sophia has 9 alternate spellings used in 2022, but only 3 are listed here.
Playground Analysis Top 50 Girl Names
1. Sophia (#5) – 19680 births – Sofia, Sofiya
2. Amelia (#4) – 18117 births – Emilia, Emelia, Amilia
3. Olivia (#1) – 17941 births – Alivia, Alyvia, Olyvia
4. Emma (#2) – 14588 births – Ema
5. Isabella (#6) – 13287 births – Izabella, Isabela, Ysabella, Issabella, Izzabella
6. Charlotte (#3) – 13010 births – Charlette
7. Adeline (#92) – 11924 births – Adalynn, Adalyn, Adaline, Adelyn, Adelynn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adilynn, Adilene, Addalyn, Addalynn, Addelyn, Adilyn, Adalyne, Adelin, Adelyne
8. Ava (#7) – 11608 births – Avah, Ayva, Ayvah
9. Mia (#8) – 11589 births – Miah, Miya, Miyah
10. Aria (#23) – 11506 births – Arya, Ariyah, Ariah, Ariya, Aarya, Aryah
11. Camila (#12) – 10965 births – Kamila, Camilla, Kamilah, Kamilla, Kamyla
12. Evelyn (#9) – 10885 births – Evelynn, Evalyn, Evalynn, Evelin
13. Madelyn (#60) – 10300 births – Madeline, Madilyn, Madeleine, Madelynn, Madilynn, Madalyn, Madalynn, Maddilyn, Madelin
14. Riley (#39) – 10229 births – Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Rhylee, Reilly, Ryley, Rylei
15. Isla (#36) – 10156 births – Ayla, Ila, Iyla, Aila, Aylah, Eila, Aiyla, Iylah, Aayla, Ilah, Islah
16. Zoe (#38) – 9891 births – Zoey, Zoie
17. Layla (#29) – 9641 births – Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Leilah, Lailah, Leylah
18. Elena (#49) – 9240 births – Alaina, Elaina, Alayna, Alena, Elayna, Aleyna
19. Eliana (#41) – 9172 births – Elliana, Elianna, Ellianna, Eliyanah, Elyana, Ellyanna, Elyana, Eliyana
20. Luna (#10) – 8995 births
21. Scarlett (#14) – 8374 births – Scarlet, Scarlette, Skarlett
22. Chloe (#18) – 8323 births – Khloe, Kloe, Cloe
23. Harper (#11) – 8191 births
24. Everly (#57) – 7875 births – Everleigh, Everlee, Everley, Everlie, Everli
25. Lily (#30) – 7846 births – Lilly, Lillie, Lili
26. Emily (#17) – 7839 births – Emely, Emilie, Emilee, Emmalee
27. Nora (#28) – 7660 births – Norah
28. Eleanor (#16) – 7755 births – Elinor, Eleanore, Elanor
29. Avery (#26) – 7413 births – Averie, Averi
30. Elizabeth (#15) – 7276 births – Elisabeth
31. Gianna (#22) – 7272 births – Jianna, Giana, Jiana
32. Aaliyah (#69) – 6835 births – Aliyah, Alia, Aleah, Aliya, Aliah
33. Madison (#34) – 6809 births – Maddison, Madisyn, Madyson, Madisson
34. Violet (#20) – 6765 births – Violette, Violett
35. Mila (#19) – 6754 births – Milah
36. Abigail (#24) – 6594 births – Abbigail
37. Penelope (#21) – 6435 births
38. Maya (#51) – 6406 births – Mya, Maia, Myah, Maiya, Mayah
39. Ella (#25) – 6402 births – Ela
40. Nova (#32) – 6336 births – Novah
41. Hazel (#27) – 6307 births – Hayzel
42. Leah (#52) – 6292 births – Lia, Lea, Liah, Liya, Liyah, Leigha
43. Kehlani (#152) – 6264 births – Kailani, Kaylani, Keilani, Kailany, Kelani, Keilany, Kaelani, Keylani, Kylani, Klani, Kaylanie, Kayloni
44. Ellie (#33) – 6163 births – Elly, Elli, Ellee
45. Aurora (#31) – 6008 births
46. Lyla (#105) – 5899 births – Lilah, Lila, Lylah
47. Leilani (#59) – 5461 births – Leilany, Laylani, Leylani, Lailani
48. Hannah (#47) – 5431 births – Hanna, Hana
49. Grace (#35) – 5289 births
50. Naomi (#46) – 5280 births – Nyomi, Nahomi, Nayomi, Naiomi, Naomie, Niomi
Top Boy Names 2022
Liam remains at #1 in the Playground Analysis for the second year in a row, but Noah overtakes Jackson for the #2 spot!
The rest of the Top 10 stays very similar, except for two new names: Mateo jumps five spots to #7 and Luca continues his rise, jumping five spots to #10.
Lucas drops one spot and Grayson and William fall out of the Top 10.
Big movers up include Ezra (#44 to #32), Leo (#38 to #30), Hudson (#42 to #34) and Sebastian (#26 to #19).
Big droppers are Wyatt (#36 to #50), Mason (#18 to #27), Carter (#25 to #33), and Jacob (#27 to #35).
New entries into the PA Top 50 are Maverick (#52 to #43), Elias (#54 to #46), and Ezekiel (#51 to #49). They replace Lincoln (#50 to #64), Cameron (#48 to #54), and Thomas (#49 to #51).
On the boys' side, a special mention goes to Kayden. Never a superstar in the official charts, it actually ranks all the way up at #14 when all of its many variant spellings are combined!
Below, see the full Top 50 most popular boy names 2022 according to our Playground Analysis.
Playground Analysis Top 50 Boy Names
1. Liam (#1) – 20707 births – Lyam
2. Noah (#2) – 18799 births – Noa
3. Jackson (#23) – 16909 births – Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, Jaxsyn
4. Oliver (#3) – 15155 births
5. Aiden (#29) – 13322 births – Ayden, Aidan, Adan, Aden, Aydin, Aydan, Eiden, Aidyn, Eydan, Eyden, Adin, Aedan, Aiyden
6. Elijah (#5) – 12813 births – Alijah, Elyjah
7. Mateo (#11) –12614 births – Matteo, Matheo
8. Lucas (#8) – 12461 births – Lukas
9. James (#4) – 12062 births
10. Luca (#28) – 11858 births – Luka, Lucca, Lukah, Lucah
11. Grayson (#37) – 11588 births – Greyson, Graysen, Greysen, Gracen
12. Henry (#7) – 11391 births – Henri
13. William (#6) – 11291 births
14. Kayden (#107) – 11290 births – Kaiden, Caden, Kaden, Cayden, Caiden, Kaidyn, Kaeden, Kadyn
15. Benjamin (#9) – 10842 births
16. Theodore (#10) – 10853 births – Theodor
17. Levi (#12) – 9932 births – Levy
18. Michael (#17) – 9770 births – Mikael, Micheal, Mikel, Maykel, Mykel
19. Sebastian (#13) – 9558 births – Sebastien
20. Daniel (#14) – 9132 births
21. Alexander (#17) – 9112 births – Aleksander, Alexzander
22. Ethan (#21) – 9001 births – Eithan, Eythan
23. Jack (#15) – 8934 births
24. Miles (#55) – 8908 births – Myles
25. Jayden (#46) – 8858 births – Jaden, Jaiden, Jadon, Jeyden, Jaydon, Jaydan, Jaidyn, Jaeden
26. Owen (#18) – 8594 births
27. Mason (#24) – 8563 births – Maison, Mayson
28. Asher (#19) – 8458 births
29. Samuel (#20) – 8402 births
30. Leo (#22) – 8283 births
31. John (#26) – 8254 births – Jon, Jhon
32. Ezra (#25) – 8196 births – Ezrah
33. Carter (#47) – 8102 births – Karter
34. Hudson (#27) – 8035 births – Hudsyn
35. Jacob (#32) – 7993 births – Jakob, Jaycob
36. Joseph (#30) – 7865 births – Josef
37. David (#31) – 7784 births
38. Julian (#35) – 7757 births – Julien
39. Logan (#33) – 7575 births
40. Dylan (#41) – 7486 births – Dillon, Dilan, Dillan
41. Josiah (#51) – 7460 births – Jasiah, Joziah, Jesiah, Jessiah, Jaziah, Jahsiah
42. Isaac (#42) – 7430 births – Issac, Izaak, Isaak, Izaac
43. Maverick (#40) – 7428 births – Mavrick, Maverik, Mavrik
44. Luke (#34) – 7410 births – Luc
45. Matthew (#39) – 7306 births – Mathew
46. Elias (#43) – 7246 births – Elyas, Ilyas, Alias
47. Caleb (#52) – 7230 births – Kaleb
48. Gabriel (#36) – 7211 births
49. Ezekiel (#49) – 7185 births – Ezequiel
50. Wyatt (#38) – 7151 births
It’s interesting to note how many more variant spellings there are on average for girl names compared to boy names, with a few notable exceptions.
Despite that, it’s also interesting to see how many more boys than girls receive these Top 50 names each year.
Readers, do these lists echo what you are hearing on the playground? Have any of you changed your baby name choice based on the Playground Analysis?