We know what the top names in the country were last year, but what about the top names in each state? Here’s the list, released just yesterday by the SSA. I’ve also included each state’s most popular unique names (i.e., names that only appeared in the data for that particular state).
| State | Top Names (f & m) | Top Unique Names (f & m) |
| Alabama | Ava & William | Crimson & Kendarius, Walton (tie) |
| Alaska | Aurora & Oliver | (none) & Paxson |
| Arizona | Emma & Liam | Sedona & Yadier |
| Arkansas | Ava & Noah | (none) & Timber |
| California | Emma & Noah | Ani & Aram |
| Colorado | Olivia & Liam | Vail & Redding |
| Connecticut | Olivia & Noah | (none) & (none) |
| Delaware | Ava & Liam | (none) & (none) |
| D.C. | Ava & William | (none) & (none) |
| Florida | Isabella & Liam | Abigaelle & Miron |
| Georgia | Ava & William | Kaylei & Taylin |
| Hawaii | Emma & Liam | Mahina & Kaimana |
| Idaho | Olivia & Liam | Quincey & Roczen |
| Illinois | Olivia & Noah | Jamaya & Laron |
| Indiana | Emma & Oliver | Dawt, Elma (tie) & Jamin |
| Iowa | Harper & Oliver | Huxley & Kinnick |
| Kansas | Olivia & Liam | Macklyn & Creighton, Whit (tie) |
| Kentucky | Emma & William | Annlee, Terri (tie) & Jansen |
| Louisiana | Ava & Noah | Jaicee, Jersi (tie) & Colston |
| Maine | Oliver & Charlotte | (none) & (none) |
| Maryland | Ava & Liam | Anjolaoluwa & Adon, Murtaza (tie) |
| Massachusetts | Emma & Benjamin | Vittoria & Henrique |
| Michigan | Olivia & Noah | Layal & Eldon |
| Minnesota | Evelyn & Henry | Maida & Muhsin |
| Mississippi | Ava & John | Swayze & Jadarius |
| Missouri | Olivia & Liam | Charlea & Daxten, Zebulun (tie) |
| Montana | Harper & Liam | (none) & (none) |
| Nebraska | Olivia & Liam | (none) & (none) |
| Nevada | Emma & Liam | (none) & (none) |
| New Hampshire | Olivia & Oliver | (none) & (none) |
| New Jersey | Emma & Liam | Tzipora & Binyomin |
| New Mexico | Isabella & Noah | (none) & (none) |
| New York | Emma & Liam | Gitty & Mendel |
| North Carolina | Ava & Noah | Holden & Nahmir |
| North Dakota | Olivia & Oliver | (none) & (none) |
| Ohio | Ava & Liam | Wilma & Grayden |
| Oklahoma | Emma & Liam | Dim, Jadyn (tie) & Thang |
| Oregon | Emma & Oliver | Runa & (none) |
| Pennsylvania | Emma & Liam | Barbie, Surah (tie) & Joniel |
| Rhode Island | Amelia, Olivia (tie) & Liam | (none) & (none) |
| South Carolina | Ava & William | Emmagrace, Mills (tie) & Drayton, Mills (tie) |
| South Dakota | Harper & Grayson, Henry, Liam (3-way tie) | (none) & Ryken |
| Tennessee | Emma & William | Annaclaire, Caylen, Eulalia, Jakyra, Kamri, Parthenia, Tamari, Tylee (8-way tie) & Neyland |
| Texas | Emma & Liam | Jessi & Eliud |
| Utah | Olivia & Oliver | Mable & Ammon |
| Vermont | Harper & Oliver | (none) & (none) |
| Virginia | Ava & William | Tyasia & Alexi, Javonte, Mckinley (3-way tie) |
| Washington | Olivia & Liam | Callista & Ruvim |
| West Virginia | Emma & Mason | (none) & Bransen |
| Wisconsin | Evelyn & Oliver | (none) & Broxton, Kelby (tie) |
| Wyoming | Amelia, Emma (tie) & Oliver | (none) & (none) |
A few final thoughts…
- I love that Aurora is now #1 in Alaska. :)
- What’s up with Wilma in Ohio? Nine baby girls is nearly a quarter (23%) of the total national usage. Interesting.
- One of the other unique Utah boy names was Kaladin, which comes from a character in the Stormlight Archive book series by Utah-based fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson.
How about you — what are your thoughts/observations?
Source: Popular Names by State – SSA
Image (USATopographicalMap) by NOAA
