Most popular baby names of 1998

The top names in the United States showed remarkable stability from 1997 to 1998, with Michael and Emily maintaining their reign as the most popular choices for boys and girls respectively. Jacob and Matthew continued to hold the second and third positions for boys, showing American parents' enduring preference for these biblical classics. For girls, however, there was movement within the top three as Jessica dropped from second place to eighth, allowing Hannah to climb to the second position and Samantha to enter the top three.

Among the top 10 girls' names in the US for 1998, several names showed impressive momentum. Madison continued its remarkable rise, reaching ninth position as parents increasingly embraced this presidential surname as a feminine choice. Alexis jumped two spots to claim sixth place, reflecting the growing popularity of unisex names with a strong "x" sound. Elizabeth maintained its classic appeal at number ten, demonstrating that traditional royal names never truly go out of style. Interestingly, names with the long "a" sound (Hannah, Sarah, Taylor) dominated the upper ranks, suggesting parents were drawn to these bright, open-vowel sounds.

The American boys' top 10 in 1998 remained largely consistent with the previous year, though there were subtle shifts worth noting. Tyler moved up to eighth place from tenth in 1997, while Andrew fell from seventh to ninth. Austin maintained strong popularity at tenth position, continuing America's affection for place names for boys. The traditional biblical names continued their dominance, with Jacob, Joshua, and Matthew all holding firm in the top five. Notably, names with two syllables (Jacob, Matthew, Joshua, Tyler) comprised the majority of the top selections, suggesting parents preferred these rhythmically balanced options for their sons.

Looking at broader naming patterns across both countries, the UK and US showed fascinating cultural differences. While Emily ranked first for girls in both countries in 1997, by 1998 Megan had claimed the top spot in the UK while Emily maintained dominance in the US. The UK continued to favor shorter, classic boys' names like James and Thomas, while American parents preferred Michael and Jacob. Names ending in "-n" sounds were particularly prevalent among boys' choices in both countries (Jason, Nathan, Jordan). For girls, the "-a" ending maintained its timeless appeal in the US (Samantha, Amanda), while the UK showed greater preference for names ending in "-ie" or "-y" sounds (Sophie, Emily). These patterns reflect subtle but distinct cultural preferences shaping the naming landscape on both sides of the Atlantic.

Top baby names of 1998