Which first letters were the most and least popular for U.S. baby names in 2022?
Top first letters for girl names: A, E, M
For baby girls, the most-used first letter was A, followed by E and M. The least-used first letter was U.
The most popular girl names per letter were…
- A-names (given to over 267,800 baby girls): Amelia, Ava, Aria, Abigail
- B-names (over 47,600): Brooklyn, Bella, Brielle, Blakely
- C-names (over 91,300): Charlotte, Camila, Chloe, Claire
- D-names (over 41,500): Delilah, Daisy, Diana, Delaney
- E-names (over 154,200): Emma, Evelyn, Elizabeth, Eleanor
- F-names (over 17,000): Freya, Faith, Finley, Fatima
- G-names (over 41,500): Gianna, Grace, Genesis, Gabriella
- H-names (over 55,000): Harper, Hazel, Hannah, Hailey
- I-names (over 46,000): Isabella, Isla, Ivy, Iris
- J-names (over 71,600): Josephine, Jade, Julia, Juniper
- K-names (over 86,400): Kinsley, Kennedy, Kehlani, Kaylee
- L-names (over 118,000): Luna, Layla, Lily, Lucy
- M-names (over 147,000): Mia, Mila, Madison, Maya
- N-names (over 59,400): Nora, Nova, Naomi, Natalie
- O-names (over 30,500): Olivia, Oakley, Olive, Oaklynn
- P-names (over 36,600): Penelope, Paisley, Piper, Parker
- Q-names (over 4,000): Quinn, Quincy, Queen, Quinley
- R-names (over 74,200): Riley, Ruby, Raelynn, Rylee
- S-names (over 119,300): Sophia, Sofia, Scarlett, Stella
- T-names (over 23,500): Taylor, Tatum, Teagan, Thea
- U-names (over 600): Unique, Uma, Una, Unity
- V-names (over 34,700): Violet, Victoria, Valentina, Vivian
- W-names (over 16,100): Willow, Wren, Wrenley, Winter
- X-names (over 4,900): Ximena, Xiomara, Xyla, Xena
- Y-names (over 9,100): Yaretzi, Yara, Yareli, Yamileth
- Z-names (over 29,500): Zoe, Zoey, Zuri, Zara
Top first letters for boy names: J, A, L
For baby boys, the most-used first letter was J, followed by A and L. The least-used first letter was U.
The most popular boy names per letter were…
- A-names (given to over 181,000 baby boys): Alexander, Asher, Aiden, Anthony
- B-names (over 82,300): Benjamin, Brooks, Bennett, Beau
- C-names (over 121,500): Carter, Charles, Caleb, Cooper
- D-names (over 84,000): Daniel, David, Dylan, Dominic
- E-names (over 109,900): Elijah, Ethan, Ezra, Elias
- F-names (over 20,500): Finn, Felix, Finley, Francisco
- G-names (over 51,500): Gabriel, Grayson, Greyson, Gael
- H-names (over 50,000): Henry, Hudson, Hunter, Harrison
- I-names (over 32,300): Isaac, Isaiah, Ian, Ivan
- J-names (over 195,800): James, Jack, Jackson, John
- K-names (over 94,800): Kai, Kayden, Kingston, Kaiden
- L-names (over 132,400): Liam, Lucas, Levi, Leo
- M-names (over 128,900): Mateo, Michael, Mason, Matthew
- N-names (over 56,200): Noah, Nathan, Nolan, Nicholas
- O-names (over 40,500): Oliver, Owen, Oscar, Omar
- P-names (over 23,100): Parker, Peter, Patrick, Preston
- Q-names (over 2,800): Quinn, Quentin, Quincy, Quinton
- R-names (over 82,200): Roman, Ryan, Robert, Rowan
- S-names (over 73,500): Sebastian, Samuel, Santiago, Silas
- T-names (over 61,100): Theodore, Thomas, Theo, Thiago
- U-names (over 2,600): Uriel, Uriah, Ulises, Ulysses
- V-names (over 11,100): Vincent, Victor, Valentino, Vicente/Vincenzo (tie)
- W-names (over 50,300): William, Wyatt, Waylon, Wesley
- X-names (over 7,000): Xavier, Xander, Xzavier, Xavion
- Y-names (over 9,000): Yusuf, Yosef, Yehuda, Yahir
- Z-names (over 27,600): Zion, Zachary, Zayden, Zane
Source: SSA
I tallied my favorite names list to see which starting letters were prevalent. Pretty similar to the U.S. most popular. For girls, A (34), L (29), and M (20). For boys, L (17), A (12), E (8), and M (8).
Oh it’s very interesting that you thought to do that, and that there are some similarities. How long are your lists in total?
I believe my list of girls’ names is about 300 names long, and the boys’ is 200.
If I didn’t have this blog as an outlet, my various lists of names (favorites, etc.) would be massive at this point. :)