Top Baby Names 2019: The Playground Analysis
The Playground Analysis is here, and it’s new and improved! For the first time, I am able to bring you the analysis using all of the names published by the SSA and not just the Top 1000.
What Is The Playground Analysis?
Almost ten years ago now, when the SSA list came out, I felt as though the name at #1 was not truly as popular as the names more frequently heard on the playground. Then it hit me that maybe those kids were named the same name but given different spellings, and therefore were listed as different names on the SSA list. So I started grouping names together based on their sound, and thus the Playground Analysis was born.
This task can be very challenging at times. Not everyone will agree on the pronunciation of a spelling, nor will they agree on whether a spelling belongs to a particular primary name. A common example would be Madelyn versus Madeline. I have heard many people pronounce Madeline like I would pronounce Madelyn, so I tend to group all of these spellings together.
Another challenge is the cultural differences in name pronunciation. The L or double L in Camila/Camilla, for example, could be pronounced with an L sound or a Y sound. If it’s the latter, then alternate spellings like Kamiyah could also be included. However, since I am unsure of the pronunciation, I do not include that spelling with the main group.
I use my best judgment to make the groupings, and that may or may not influence the rankings. But, hopefully, it is done is such a way that we can all enjoy the fun of wondering what is truly the most popular name in the United States.
Without further ado, here are the lists! Names are given in their most popular form, together with their SSA rankings and total combined births, plus all variant spellings given to 50 babies or more.*
Top Girl Names 2019
Sophia remains at the top, just as she was in last year’s Playground Analysis. Taking alternative spellings into account, the difference between Sophia and the SSA #1 Olivia is a little over 1000 births.
When considering the PA Top 50, the largest jumps from the SSA list to the PA list are Adeline (#91 to #10), Kaylee (#114 to #45), Madelyn (#72 to #15), and Aaliyah (#70 to #24).
For those of us who feel as though the -line names are different from the -lyn names, if the variations of #10 Adeline are separated from the variations of Adalynn, Adalynn moves down to #20, while Adeline is pushed down to #86. Likewise, if the variations of #15 Madelyn are separated from the variations of Madeline, Madelyn moves down to #36, while Madeline is pushed down to #95.
1. Sophia (4), 21221 births – Sofia, Sofiya, Sofija
2. Olivia (1), 20197 births – Alivia, Alyvia, Olyvia
3. Amelia (7), 19008 births – Emilia, Emelia, Amilia, Ameliah
4. Emma (2), 17271 births – Ema
5. Ava (3), 15379 births – Avah, Ayva, Ayvah
6. Isabella (5), 15064 births – Izabella, Isabela, Izzabella, Issabella, Ysabella, Izabela
7. Aria (20), 13291 births – Arya, Ariyah, Ariah, Ariya, Aarya, Aryah, Aryia, Aaria, Aariyah
8. Charlotte (6), 13287 births – Charlette
9. Mia (8), 13169 births – Miah, Miya, Miyah
10. Adeline (91), 13161 births – Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adaline, Adelynn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adilene, Adilynn, Addalyn, Addalynn, Addelyn, Adilyn, Adalynne, Adalyne, Adelyne, Addelynn, Adelynne
11. Riley (30), 12327 births – Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Rhylee, Rilee, Ryley, Reilly, Rylei, Rileigh, Rhyleigh, Rhiley
12. Evelyn (10), 12146 births – Evelynn, Evalyn, Evalynn, Evelin, Evelynne
13. Zoey (31), 11224 births – Zoe, Zoie, Zoee
14. Camila (15), 11113 births – Kamila, Camilla, Kamilah, Kamilla
15. Madelyn (72), 10786 births – Madeline, Madilyn, Madeleine, Madelynn, Madilynn, Madalyn, Madalynn, Maddilyn, Madelyne, Maddilynn
16. Layla (23), 10725 births – Laila, Leila, Leyla, Laylah, Lailah, Leilah, Leighla, Laela
17. Harper (9), 10442 births
18. Emily (12), 10026 births – Emely, Emilee, Emilie, Emmalee, Emmaleigh, Emalee
19. Abigail (11), 9612 births – Abbigail, Abigayle, Abigale
20. Elena (60), 9247 births – Alaina, Alayna, Elaina, Alena, Elayna, Aleyna, Aleina, Ellena
21. Chloe (24), 8747 births – Khloe, Khloee, Kloe
22. Avery (18), 8720 births – Averie, Averi, Avarie, Averee, Avary
23. Everly (43), 8623 births – Everleigh, Everlee, Everley, Everlie, Everli
24. Aaliyah (70), 8374 births – Aliyah, Aleah, Alia, Aliya, Aliah, Aleia, Aleyah, Aleigha, Alya, Aleya, Eliyah, Alea, Aaleyah, Aleeyah, Aleiah
25. Scarlett (21), 8335 births – Scarlet, Scarlette, Skarlett
26. Ella (13), 8274 births – Ela
27. Elizabeth (14), 8205 births – Elisabeth
28. Nora (29), 7876 births – Norah
29. Luna (16), 7812 births
30. Madison (26), 7771 births – Maddison, Madisyn, Madyson, Madisson
31. Aubrey (45), 7727 births – Aubree, Aubrie, Aubri, Aubreigh, Aubrei
32. Mila (19), 7711 births – Milah, Mela
33. Eliana (62), 7667 births – Elliana, Elianna, Ellianna, Eliyanah, Elyana, Elyanna, Ellyana, Elianah, Eliyana
34. Lily (34), 7603 births – Lilly, Lillie
35. Isla (57), 7183 births – Ayla, Aila, Ila, Iyla, Aylah, Eila, Aiyla, Iylah, Islah
36. Ariana (69), 7092 births – Arianna, Aryanna, Aryana, Ariyanna, Ariyana
37. Leah (44), 6869 births – Lia, Lea, Liah, Leigha, Liya, Liyah, Lya
38. Eleanor (27), 6804 births – Elinor, Eleanore, Elanor
39. Penelope (22), 6759 births
40. Hannah (32), 6516 births – Hanna, Hana
41. Victoria (25), 6429 births – Viktoria
42. Maya (64), 6360 births – Mya, Maia, Myah, Mayah, Maiya, Maja
43. Lillian (37), 6181 births – Lilian, Lilyann, Lillyann, Lilliann
44. Grace (28), 6089 births
45. Kaylee (114), 5889 births – Kayleigh, Kailey, Kaylie, Keily, Caylee, Kailee, Kaleigh, Kaley, Caleigh, Kayley, Kayli, Kaily, Cayleigh, Keyli, Caeli, Cailey, Kaileigh
46. Natalie (41), 5888 births – Nataly, Nathalie, Nathaly, Natalee, Natali
47. Ellie (35), 5793 births – Elly, Elli, Ellee
48. Paisley (53), 5758 births – Paislee, Paisleigh, Paizlee, Paizley
49. Violet (36), 5729 births – Violette, Violett
50. Brooklyn (52), 5710 births – Brooklynn, Brookelynn
Top Boy Names 2019
Jackson keeps his title for another year with more than 2000 boys given a variation of the name over #2 Liam (which is the SSA #1)! With the Jackson spelling ranked only #17, this seems surprising, but it may not come as a shock considering what you hear on the playground.
Big movers for boys in this Top 50 from the SSA list include Kayden (#97 to #12), Jace (#93 to #47), and Nicholas (#78 to #41).
1. Jackson (17), 22807 births – Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxsen, Jaxyn, Jaxsyn, Jaxin
2. Liam (1), 20768 births – Lyam
3. Noah (2), 19167 births – Noa
4. Aiden (20), 16739 births – Ayden, Aidan, Adan, Aden, Aydin, Aydan, Aidyn, Eiden, Aedan, Aaden, Eidan, Aayden, Aiyden, Adin
5. Lucas (8), 14290 births – Lukas
6. Elijah (5), 14115 births – Alijah, Elyjah
7. Oliver (3), 13958 births
8. Grayson (33), 13703 births – Greyson, Graysen, Greysen, Graycen, Gracen
9. William (4), 13564 births
10. James (6), 13132 births
11. Benjamin (7), 13015 births
12. Kayden (97), 12871 births – Kaiden, Kaden, Caden, Cayden, Caiden, Kaidyn, Kaeden, Kadyn, Kaedyn, Kaydon
13. Mason (9), 12162 births – Maison, Mayson, Masen, Masyn
14. Alexander (11), 11854 births – Alexzander, Aleksander
15. Ethan (10), 11645 births – Eithan
16. Mateo (26), 11297 births – Matteo, Matheo
17. Michael (14), 11197 births – Mikael, Micheal, Mikel, Mykel
18. Jacob (13), 11193 births – Jakob, Jaycob
19. Carter (30), 11094 births – Karter
20. Jayden (35), 10980 births – Jaden, Jaiden, Jaydon, Jadon, Jaidyn, Jaeden, Jaydan, Jadyn
21. Henry (12), 10717 births
22. Daniel (15), 10584 births
23. Logan (16), 10534 births
24. Sebastian (18), 10068 births – Sebastien, Sabastian
25. Matthew (23), 9595 births – Mathew
26. Jack (19), 9393 births
27. Owen (21), 9341 births
28. Samuel (22), 9319 births
29. Joseph (24), 9181 births – Josef
30. John (28), 9146 births – Jon
31. Levi (25), 9082 births – Levy
32. Isaac (34), 9009 births – Issac, Isaak, Izaac, Izaak
33. Julian (31), 8937 births – Julien
34. David (27), 8919 births
35. Wyatt (29), 8801 births
36. Luke (32), 8432 births – Luc
37. Josiah (45), 8422 births – Jasiah, Joziah, Jesiah, Jessiah, Jahsiah, Jaziah
38. Caleb (52), 8336 births – Kaleb, Kayleb
39. Dylan (39), 8304 births – Dillon, Dilan, Dillan
40. Theodore (36), 7928 births – Theodor
41. Nicholas (78), 7778 births – Nicolas, Nikolas, Niklaus, Nickolas
42. Lincoln (41), 7740 births – Linkin
43. Gabriel (37), 7704 births
44. Anthony (38), 7695 births
45. Christopher (44), 7606 births – Kristopher, Cristopher, Cristofer
46. Cameron (67), 7603 births – Kameron, Kamryn, Kamron, Camron, Camryn, Camren, Kamren, Kamran
47. Jace (93), 7555 births – Jayce, Jase, Jayse
48. Miles (75), 7494 births – Myles
49. Leo (40), 7486 births
50. Christian (57), 7369 births – Cristian, Kristian, Khristian, Cristhian
Of course, when looking at all of the possible spelling combinations, it’s no wonder that these names jump around so much! Does this reflect what you are hearing in your kids’ classrooms or on the playground?
*NB: All variant spellings given to more than 5 babies are included in the figures above, but we have only listed those with 50 or more births due to length.