Most popular baby names of 2017

The landscape of baby naming saw both stability and interesting shifts from 2016 to 2017. In the United States, Emma and Olivia held firmly to their first and second place positions for girls for the second consecutive year, while Ava maintained her bronze medal position. This remarkable consistency in the top three girls' names indicates these classic yet contemporary choices continue to resonate with American parents. Meanwhile, the boys' side experienced a notable change as Liam overtook Noah for the number one position, with William maintaining its third-place ranking.

Looking more closely at the top 10 American girls' names of 2017, the most significant climber was Charlotte, which rose from 7th to 6th place. Amelia also showed impressive momentum, jumping from 10th to 8th place in just one year. Sophia fell from 4th to 5th, while Isabella dropped from 5th to 4th, essentially switching positions. The letter 'E' continues to dominate the top of the girls' list, with Emma, Evelyn, and Elizabeth all appearing in the top 13. Names ending with the feminine 'a' sound remain overwhelmingly popular, with Emma, Olivia, Ava, Isabella, Sophia, and Mia all securing spots in the top 10.

For American boys in 2017, traditional masculine names continued their strong showing. Beyond Liam overtaking Noah at the top, Logan made an impressive five-spot jump from 18th to 5th place, demonstrating a surge in popularity. Benjamin held steady at 6th, while Mason slipped from 4th to 7th. The top 10 features several biblical names including Noah, William, James, Benjamin, Elijah, and Jacob, suggesting parents continue to find inspiration in traditional religious sources. Names with soft consonants and strong endings like Liam, Noah, William, and Benjamin appear to be the current preference among American parents.

In the United Kingdom, naming patterns showed both similarities and distinct differences from American trends. Amelia maintained its reign as the top girls' name in the UK, while Harry claimed the crown for boys, moving up from 2nd place in 2016. The UK continues to favor shorter, classic names like Harry, George, and Jack for boys, contrasting with America's preference for slightly longer names. Interestingly, Olivia ranked 85th in the UK while being the second most popular name in the US, highlighting how naming trends can diverge significantly across the Atlantic. Names with royal connections like George, Harry, and Charlotte remained popular in the UK, reflecting the ongoing cultural influence of the monarchy on British naming patterns.

Top baby names of 2017