Liam and Olivia once again dominate top baby names list

WASHINGTON —  Olivia and Liam are once again America’s most common baby names. And Theodore joined the top 10 for the first time.

The Social Security Administration annually tracks the names given to girls and boys in each state, dating back to 1880. The lists are compiled from applications for Social Security cards.

Based on cultural and demographic trends, the lists show how names can rise and fall in popularity cultural and demographic trends.

Liam has reigned supreme five years in a row, while Olivia unseated Emma as the top name for the past three years, according to agency’s lists, which were released Friday.

After Liam, the most common names for boys in order: Noah, Oliver, Elijah, James, William, Benjamin, Lucas, Henry and Theodore.

And for girls, following Olivia: Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Evelyn and Harper.

The “fastest rising” baby names — which signify the names growing in popularity — are Amiri for boys and Raya for girls.

The top male names that have decreased in popularity are Jaxtyn, Karsyn and Xzavier. Various spellings of the name Denise declined in popularity from 2020 to 2021.

The Social Security Administration’s latest data shows that 3.64 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2021, a slight increase from last year’s 3.6 million babies while also representing an overall decline in the American birthrate.

The complete list of baby names is on the Social Security website.