Most popular baby names of 2008

The top three baby names saw some interesting shifts between 2007 and 2008. For boys in the US, Jacob maintained its #1 position, while Michael stayed at #2, and Ethan held steady at #3. The UK saw more movement, with Oliver climbing to the #1 spot, displacing Thomas who fell to #2, while Harry held firm at #3. For girls in the US, Emma rose to claim the #1 position in 2008, pushing Emily down after its reign at the top in 2007. Isabella held steady at #2, while Emily dropped to #3. In the UK, Emily climbed to #1, with Grace falling from the top spot to #2, and Sophie moving up to #3.

Looking at the top 10 girls' names in the US for 2008, we see Emma, Isabella, Emily, Olivia, and Ava leading the pack. Notably, Olivia jumped three places from #7 to #4, showing increasing popularity. Sophia also made a significant climb from #6 to #7. Traditional names continued to dominate, with eight of the top ten names ending in the feminine 'a' or 'ah' sound. In the UK, Emily, Grace, and Sophie led the rankings, with Ruby making an impressive jump to #4 from outside the top 10 in 2007.

For boys' names in 2008, the US top 10 remained relatively stable with Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, and Daniel rounding out the top five. Alexander moved up to #6 from #11 in 2007, showing the biggest jump within the top rankings. Classic, biblical names continued to dominate the American list, with seven of the top ten having biblical origins. In the UK, Oliver, Thomas, and Harry led the pack, with traditional British names showing strong staying power. Joshua held steady at #4, while Daniel completed the top five.

Some broader naming patterns emerged across both countries in 2008. Girls' names ending in 'a' or with soft sounds remained extremely popular, with names like Sophia, Isabella, and Olivia ranking highly in both countries. For boys, traditional names with biblical roots maintained their strong presence, especially in the US. Two-syllable names dominated both boys' and girls' lists. Interestingly, the name Ava showed strong popularity in both countries, ranking #5 in the US and climbing to #17 in the UK. Names with royal connections continued to appeal to British parents, with Harry, William, and Elizabeth all appearing in the UK top lists.

Top baby names of 2008