Top Baby Names 2023: The Playground Analysis

The Social Security Administration recently released the most popular baby names in the US: Olivia and Liam… again. But if you feel like you hear other names more often, well, it's because you do.

The baby name data released each year by the SSA lists variant spellings like Layla and Leila, Grayson and Greyson as totally separate names — which can impact their official position on 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 top names are 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 2023

Sophia remains on top another year! In fact, the entire Top 4 remains unchanged between 2022 and 2023: Amelia, Olivia, and Emma are ranked 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

There was a bit of shuffling around in the rest of the Top 10. Charlotte switched places with Isabella to rank #5 and #6, respectively, Mia jumped two spots to #7, Adeline fell one spot to #8, and Aria moved up one spot to #9.

Evelyn entered the Top 10 by jumping two spots to #10. Ava fell out of the Top 10 — dropping from #8 to #12.

Within the Top 50, big movers up are Kehlani (#45 to #34) and Ellie (#46 to #35). The biggest movers down are Everly (#24 to #39) and Abigail (#36 to #44).

Three names have risen into the PA Top 50: Ivy (#56 to #47), Alaia (#52 to #48), and Emery (#53 to #49).

Meanwhile, three names fell out of the Top 50: Hannah (#48 to #53), Leilani (#47 to #54), and Grace (#49 to #56).

See the Top 50 most popular girl names 2023, 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 11 alternate spellings used in 2023, but only 3 are listed here.

Playground Analysis Top 50 Girl Names

1. Sophia (5) — 19725 births — Sofia, Sofiya

2. Amelia (4) — 18100 births — Emilia, Emelia, Amilia

3. Olivia (1) — 16362 births — Alivia, Alyvia

4. Emma (2) — 13690 births — Ema

5. Charlotte (3) — 12724 births — Charlette

6. Isabella (7) — 12118 births — Izabella, Isabela, Izzabella

7. Mia (6) — 11857 births — Miah, Miya

8. Adeline (71) — 11757 births — Adalynn, Adaline, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adilene, Addalyn, Adilynn, Addelyn, Addalynn, Adelyne, Adilyn, Adalynne, Adelin, Adalyne

9. Aria (24) — 10740 births — Arya, Ariyah, Ariah, Ariya, Aarya, Aryah

10. Evelyn (9) — 10674 births — Evelynn, Evalyn, Evalynn, Evelin

11. Camila (13) — 10216 births — Kamila, Camilla, Kamilah, Kamilla, Kamyla

12. Ava (8) — 10151 births — Avah, Ayva, Ayvah

13. Eliana (34) — 10131 births — Elliana, Elianna, Ellianna, Eliyanah, Elyana, Elyanna, Ellyana, Eliyana, Eleana

14. Isla (33) — 10123 births — Ayla, Iyla, Ila, Aila, Aylah, Eila, Iylah, Aayla, Aiyla, Islah, Ilah

15. Madelyn (58) — 9805 births — Madeline, Madilyn, Madeleine, Madelynn, Madilynn, Madalyn, Madalynn, Madelin, Madelyne

16. Zoe (37) — 9550 births — Zoey, Zoie

17. Layla (30) — 9194 births — Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Lailah, Leilah, Leylah

18. Riley (43) — 9118 births — Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Rhylee, Rilee, Reilly

19. Elena (47) — 8878 births — Alaina, Elaina, Alayna, Alena, Aleyna, Elayna, Ellena

20. Lily (20) — 7912 births — Lilly, Lillie, Lili

21. Luna (10) — 7872 births

22. Harper (11) — 7769 births

23. Chloe (26) — 7596 births — Khloe, Cloe

24. Emily (18) — 7571 births — Emely, Emilie, Emilee, Emmalee

25. Nora (25) — 7482 births — Norah

26. Eleanor (14) — 7571 births — Elinor, Elanor, Eleanore

27. Scarlett (17) — 7353 births — Scarlet, Scarlette, Skarlett

28. Gianna (21) — 6988 births — Giana, Jianna, Jiana

29. Avery (29) — 6885 births — Averie, Averi, Avarie

30. Elizabeth (15) — 6856 births — Elisabeth

31. Violet (16) — 6746 births — Violette, Violett

32. Madison (36) — 6369 births — Maddison, Madisyn, Madisson, Madyson

33. Aaliyah (86) — 6341 births — Aliyah, Alia, Aleah, Aliya, Aliah, Alya, Aleigha, Eliyah, Alea, Alyah

34. Kehlani (155) — 6318 births — Kailani, Kaylani, Keilani, Kailany, Kelani, Kaelani, Keylani, Kaylanie, Kayloni, Kylani, Klani

35. Ellie (27) — 6307 births — Elly, Elli, Ellee

36. Hazel (19) — 6301 births — Hayzel

37. Leah (53) — 6200 births — Lia, Lea, Liah, Liya, Lya

38. Mila (28) — 6185 births — Milah

39. Everly (69) — 6146 births — Everleigh, Everlee, Everley, Everlie

40. Lyla (98) — 6126 births — Lilah, Lila, Lylah, Lylla

41. Aurora (22) — 6104 births

42. Penelope (23) — 6080 births

43. Maya (50) — 6004 births — Mya, Maia, Myah, Mayah, Maiya

44. Abigail (31) — 5939 births — Abbigail

45. Ella (32) — 5791 births — Ela

46. Nova (35) — 5688 births — Novah

47. Ivy (38) — 5521 births — Ivey, Ivie

48. Alaia (120) — 5502 births — Alayah, Alaya, Alaiya, Aleia, Alaiyah, Aleyah, Alaiah, Aleya, Eleia, Alahia, Elaya, Aalayah, Elaia

49. Emery (70) — 5490 births — Emory, Emerie, Emeri, Emmarie, Emori, Emry, Emrie, Emorie, Emmery

50. Naomi (44) — 5318 births — Nyomi, Nahomi, Nayomi, Nahomy, Niomi, Naiomi

Top Boy Names 2023

Liam remains at #1 in the Playground Analysis for the third year in a row, and it's Noah's second year at #2, but Oliver switches places with Jackson for the third spot.

Both Mateo and Lucas jump two spots to #5 and #6 respectively, and Elijah falls one spot to #7. Luca continues to rise, moving up two spots to #8.

Aiden makes the big fall from #5 to #9 and James falls one to #10.

This year's biggest movers include Ezra (#32 to #21), Elias (#46 to #35), Dylan (#40 to #32), Miles (#24 to #17), and Matthew (#45 to #38).

The biggest droppers are Logan (#39 to #50), Jayden (#25 to #33), and Mason (#27 to #34).

There is only one new entry into the Playground Analysis Top 50, which is actually a return from the year before: Thomas moves up five spots from #51 to #46. The only castout is Wyatt, who dropped four spots from #50 to #54.

Below, see the full Top 50 most popular boy names 2023 according to our Playground Analysis.

Playground Analysis Top 50 Boy Names

1. Liam (1) — 21088 births — Lyam

2. Noah (2) — 19192 births — Noa

3. Oliver (3) — 14784 births

4. Jackson (28) — 14423 births — Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn

5. Mateo (6) — 14062 births — Matteo, Matheo

6. Lucas (9) — 12406 births — Lukas

7. Elijah (5) — 12330 births — Alijah, Elyjah

8. Luca (24) — 12175 births — Luka, Lucca, Lukah

9. Aiden (40) — 11974 births — Ayden, Aidan, Adan, Aden, Eiden, Eydan, Aydin, Eyden, Aydan, Eidan, Adin, Aidyn

10. James (4) — 11696 births

11. Theodore (7) — 11132 births — Theodor

12. Henry (8) — 11096 births — Henri

13. Kayden (114) — 10643 births — Kaiden, Caden, Kaden, Cayden, Caiden, Kaidyn, Kaeden, Kadyn, Keyden

14. William (10) — 10603 births

15. Benjamin (11) — 10217 births

16. Grayson (44) — 10013 births — Greyson, Graysen, Greysen

17. Miles (43) — 9978 births — Myles

18. Levi (12) — 9468 births — Levy

19. Michael (16) — 9300 births — Mikael, Micheal, Mikel, Mykel, Maykel

20. Sebastian (13) — 9075 births — Sebastien

21. Ezra (15) — 8832 births — Ezrah

22. Ethan (25) — 8789 births — EIthan, Eythan

23. Jack (14) — 8723 births

24. Daniel (17) — 8465 births

25. Alexander (22) — 8253 births — Aleksander, Alexzander

26. Leo (18) — 8164 births

27. Hudson (21) — 8083 births — Hudsyn, Hutson

28. John (26) — 8078 births — Jon, Jhon

29. Samuel (20) — 8031 births

30. Owen (19) — 8007 births

31. Asher (23) — 7949 births

32. Dylan (34) — 7873 births — Dilan, Dillon

33. Jayden (49) — 7773 births — Jaden, Jaiden, Jadon, Jaydon, Jeyden

34. Mason (30) — 7743 births — Maison, Mayson

35. Elias (35) — 7595 births — Elyas, Ilyas, Alias

36. Julian (33) — 7565 births — Julien

37. Carter (48) — 7478 births — Karter

38. Matthew (32) — 7456 births — Mathew

39. David (27) — 7402 births

40. Joseph (29) — 7348 births — Josef

41. Jacob (36) — 7318 births — Jakob, Jaycob

42. Maverick (37) — 7283 births — Maverik, Mavrick, Mavrik

43. Luke (31) — 7255 births

44. Isaac (42) — 7159 births — Issac, Isaak

45. Josiah (53) — 7008 births — Jasiah, Joziah, Jesiah, Jessiah, Jaziah, Jahsiah, Jeziah

46. Thomas (41) — 6963 births — Tomas

47. Caleb (51) — 6858 births — Kaleb

48. Gabriel (38) — 6745 births

49. Ezekiel (50) — 6724 births — Ezequiel

50. Logan (39) — 6714 births

Despite the thousands of variant spellings out there, parents are overall broadening their name choices. Out of the Top 50 girl names in the Playground Analysis, only eleven actually increased in usage from 2022 to 2023: Sophia, Eliana, Lily, Kehlani, Ellie, Lyla, Aurora, Ivy, Alaia, Emery, and Naomi.

The same can be said for the boys, as only twelve increased in usage: Liam, Noah, Mateo, Luca, Theodore, Miles, Ezra, Hudson, Dylan, Elias, Matthew, and Thomas.

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?