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!