Top Baby Names 2021: The Playground Analysis

The top 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 Ryley 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 2021

There was no change in the Top 5 girl names on the Playground Analysis compared to last year. Sophia remains on top, as it has been since I started the Playground Analysis ten years ago, but the total number of uses continues to decrease.

Charlotte and Adeline both move up a spot, pushing Isabella down from #6 to #8. Aria broke into the Top 10 from #12 last year, and Camila fell out of the Top 10 to #13.

Big movers up are Nora (#33 to #25), Eleanor (#36 to #28), Nova (#49 to #42), Eliana (#26 to #19), Hazel (#47 to #41), and Isla (#22 to #17).

Big movers down are Ariana (#40 to #49), Aubrey (#38 to #46), Emily (#21 to #27), and Madison (#29 to #34).

Three names have risen into the PA Top 50: Kehlani was a huge jumper (#59 to #45), Violet (#52 to #44), and Lyla (#53 to #47).

And three names fell out of the Top 50: Kaylee declined the most (#46 to #60), followed by Hannah (#44 to #52), and Lillian (#50 to #55).

Compared to the official rankings, the biggest movers up are Kehlani, Alaia, and Lyla – all outside of the SSA Top 100, but all inside the Top 50 when variant spellings are combined.

And Adeline also deserves a special mention: its many variant spellings propel it from all the way down at #94 on the official charts into the PA Top 10!

See the full Top 50 most popular girl names 2021, 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, Amelia has 34 alternative spellings used in 2021, but only four are listed here.

Playground Analysis Top 50 Girl Names

#1 Sophia

(#6) – 19567 births – Sofia, Sofiya

#2 Olivia

(#1) – 19268 births – Alivia, Alyvia, Olyvia

#3 Amelia

(#4) – 19037 births – Emilia, Emelia, Amilia

#4 Emma

(#2) – 15555 births – Ema

#5 Ava

(#5) – 13441 births – Avah, Ayva, Ayvah

#6 Charlotte

(#3) – 13427 births – Charlette

#7 Adeline

(#94) – 12659 births – Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adaline, Adelynn, Addilyn, Addilynn, Adilynn, Addalyn, Adilene, Addalynn, Addelyn, Adilyn, Adalyne, Adalynne, Adelyne

#8 Isabella

(#7) – 12657 births – Izabella, Isabela, Izabela, Izzabella, Ysabella, Issabella

#9 Mia

(#8) – 11726 births – Miah, Miya, Miyah

#10 Aria

(#22) – 11579 births – Arya, Ariyah, Ariah, Ariya, Aarya, Aryah, Aariyah

#11 Riley

(#37) – 11149 births – Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Rhylee, Rilee, Rylei, Reilly, Ryley, Rileigh, Rhyleigh

#12 Evelyn

(#9) – 11082 births – Evelynn, Evalyn, Evalynn, Evelin

#13 Camila

(#12) – 11006 births – Kamila, Camilla, Kamilah, Kamilla, Kamyla

#14 Zoey

(#38) – 10388 births – Zoe, Zoie

#15 Layla

(#25) – 10206 births – Leila, Laila, Leyla, Laylah, Lailah, Leilah, Leylah

#16 Madelyn

(#71) – 10127 births – Madeline, Madilyn, Madeleine, Madelynn, Madilynn, Madalyn, Madalynn, Maddilyn

#17 Isla

(#33) – 10063 births – Ayla, Aila, Ila, Iyla, Aylah, Eila, Iylah, Aayla, Aiyla, Islah, Ilah

#18 Elena

(#53) – 9286 births – Alaina, Elaina, Alayna, Alena, Elayna, Aleyna, Ellena

#19 Eliana

(#48) – 8738 births – Elliana, Elianna, Ellianna, Eliyanah, Elyana, Elyanna, Ellyana, Eliyana

#20 Gianna

(#13) – 8486 births – Giana, Jianna, Jiana

#21 Harper

(#10) – 8388 births

#22 Everly

(#50) – 8303 births – Everleigh, Everlee, Everley, Everlie, Everli

#23 Chloe

(#24) – 8288 births – Khloe, Kloe, Khloee

#24 Luna

(#11) – 8239 births

#25 Nora

(#27) – 8040 births – Norah

#26 Avery

(#19) – 8021 births – Averie, Averi, Avarie

#27 Emily

(#21) – 7886 births – Emely, Emilie, Emilee, Emmalee

#28 Eleanor

(#15) – 7750 births – Elinor, Eleanore, Elanor, Elleanor

#29 Scarlett

(#20) – 7737 births – Scarlet, Scarlette, Skarlett

#30 Elizabeth

(#14) – 7494 births – Elisabeth

#31 Aaliyah

(#61) – 7475 births – Aliyah, Alia, Aleah, Aliya, Aliah, Alya, Aleigha, Alea, Eliyah, Aaliya

#32 Lily

(#31) – 7460 births – Lilly, Lillie, Lili

#33 Abigail

(#17) – 7261 births – Abbigail

#34 Madison

(#29) – 7181 births – Maddison, Madisyn, Madyson, Madisson

#35 Ella

(#16) – 7169 births – Ela

#36 Mila

(#26) – 6685 births – Milah, Milla

#37 Leah

(#46) – 6368 births – Lia, Lea, Liah, Liya, Liyah, Leigha, Lya

#38 Maya

(#55) – 6366 births – Mya, Maia, Myah, Mayah, Maiya

#39 Penelope

(#23) – 6366 births

#40 Ellie

(#30) – 6177 births – Elly, Elli, Ellee

#41 Hazel

(#28) – 6149 births – Hayzel

#42 Nova

(#32) – 5943 births – Novah

#43 Alaia

(#128) – 5851 births – Alayah, Alaya, Alaiya, Aleia, Alaiyah, Alaiah, Aleyah, Aleya, Aalayah, Alayiah

#44 Violet

(#35) – 5799 births – Violette, Violett

#45 Kehlani

(#150) – 5701 births – Kailani, Kaylani, Keilani, Kailany, Kelani, Kaelani, Keilany, Klani, Kayloni, Kaylanie, Kylani, Keylani

#46 Aubrey

(#65) – 5679 births – Aubree, Aubrie, Aubri, Aubreigh

#47 Lyla

(#110) – 5617 births – Lila, Lilah, Lylah

#48 Paisley

(#52) – 5585 births – Paislee, Paisleigh, Paizley, Paizlee

#49 Ariana

(#88) – 5544 births – Arianna, Aryana, Aryanna, Ariyanna, Ariyana

#50 Grace

(#34) – 5507 births

Top Boy Names 2021

We have a new #1! For the first time in the ten years of the Playground Analysis, the top name for boys is the same as the official #1! Liam pushed Jackson – the top boy name on the PA since 2014 – down to #2.

The rest of the Top 10 stays very similar, with Oliver and Aiden switching places, and James and William also switching spots.

Big movers up include Luca (#37 to #15), Theodore (#28 to #20), Asher (#40 to #33), Leo (#45 to #38), Jack (#26 to #21), and Miles (#33 to #28).

The names that have descended five or more spots include Matthew (#32 to #40), Carter (#18 to #25), Jacob (#21 to #27), Lincoln #44 to #50), and Isaac (#38 to #43).

New entries into the PA Top 50 are Hudson (#51 to #42), Ezra (#52 to #44), and Thomas (#55 to #49) – replacing Isaiah (#48 to #57), Anthony (#49 to #56), and Jace (#50 to #55).

Compared to the official rankings, Kayden makes the biggest leap: from outside the official Top 100 to #13 when variant spellings are combined. Rhyming Jayden also sees a big rise, up from #41 to #22, and Miles rises from #54 to #28.

And who knew that Grayson is actually a Top 10 name?! It ranks at a comfortable #35 officially, but with Greyson also in the Top 100 and several other spellings in or just outside the Top 1000, that adds up to a very popular sounding name.

Luca also deserves a special mention: it moves from #42 officially to #15 on the Playground Analysis – and the popularity of the very similar Lucas and Luke will make it feel more common still.

Below, see the full Top 50 most popular boy names 2021 according to our Playground Analysis.

Playground Analysis Top 50 Boy Names

#1 Liam

(#1) – 20520 births – Lyam

#2 Jackson

(#14) – 19554 births – Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, Jaxsyn

#3 Noah

(#2) – 18875 births – Noa

#4 Oliver

(#3) – 14676 births

#5 Aiden

(#26) – 14342 births – Ayden, Aidan, Adan, Aden, Aydin, Aydan, Eiden, Eydan, Aidyn, Adin, Eyden, Aiyden

#6 Elijah

(#4) – 13680 births – Alijah, Elyjah

#7 Lucas

(#8) –13283 births – Lukas

#8 Grayson

(#35) – 12489 births – Greyson, Graysen, Greysen

#9 James

(#5) – 12396 births

#10 William

(#6) – 12088 births

#11 Benjamin

(#7) – 11854 births

#12 Mateo

(#15) – 11633 births – Matteo, Matheo

#13 Kayden

(#108) – 11590 births – Kaiden, Caden, Kaden, Cayden, Caiden, Kaeden, Kaidyn, Kaedyn, Keyden, Kadyn

#14 Henry

(#9) – 11473 births – Henri

#15 Luca

(#42) – 10871 births – Luka, Lucca, Lukah, Lucah

#16 Michael

(#17) – 9904 births – Mikael, Micheal, Mikel, Mykel

#17 Alexander

(#13) – 9861 births – Alexzander, Aleksander

#18 Mason

(#18) – 9734 births – Mayson, Maison, Masen, Masyn

#19 Levi

(#12) – 9627 births – Levy

#20 Theodore

(#10) – 9612 births – Theodor

#21 Jack

(#11) – 9535 births

#22 Jayden

(#41) – 9411 births – Jaden, Jaiden, Jadon, Jaydon, Jaidyn, Jaydan, Jeyden, Jaeden

#23 Ethan

(#20) – 9182 births – Eithan

#24 Daniel

(#16) – 9149 births

#25 Carter

(#39) – 9103 births – Karter

#26 Sebastian

(#19) – 9097 births – Sebastien, Sabastian

#27 Jacob

(#24) – 8859 births – Jakob, Jaycob, Jakub

#28 Miles

(#54) – 8847 births – Myles

#29 Logan

(#21) – 8820 births

#30 Owen

(#22) – 8758 births

#31 Samuel

(#23) – 8565 births

#32 John

(#27) – 8471 births

#33 Asher

(#25) – 8281 births

#34 Joseph

(#28) – 8184 births – Josef

#35 Julian

(#33) – 8162 births – Julien

#36 Wyatt

(#29) – 8006 births

#37 David

(#30) – 7881 births

#38 Leo

(#31) – 7776 births

#39 Josiah

(#49) – 7768 births – Jasiah, Joziah, Jesiah, Jessiah, Jaziah

#40 Matthew

(#36) – 7740 births – Mathew

#41 Luke

(#32) – 7726 births – Luc

#42 Hudson

(#34) – 7717 births – Hudsyn

#43 Isaac

(#40) – 7645 births – Issac, Isaak, Izaak, Izaac

#44 Ezra

(#37) – 7542 births – Ezrah

#45 Dylan

(#44) – 7507 births – Dillon, Dilan, Dillan

#46 Caleb

(#51) – 7505 births – Kaleb

#47 Gabriel

(#38) – 7251 births

#48 Cameron

(#62) – 6995 births – Kameron, Kamryn, Kamron, Camren, Camron, Camryn, Kamren, Kamran

#49 Thomas

(#46) – 6981 births – Tomas

#50 Lincoln

(#45) – 6953 births – Linkin

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. And, 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? Share your comments on the Nameberry forums!