The Top Baby Names of 2018
Of the 114,296 babies born in New York City last year, Emma and Liam pacify the competition for the second year in a row
December 23, 2019 — The Health Department today announced that Emma and Liam were the most popular baby names in New York City in 2018. Liam has been the number one name for boys since 2016. Emma has been the top name for girls since 2017. The Health Department’s birth certificate records show 501 Emmas and 779 Liams were born in New York City in 2018.
| Most Popular Baby Names New York City, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Girls | Boys |
| 1 | Emma | Liam |
| 2 | Isabella | Noah |
| 3 | Sophia | Ethan |
| 4 | Mia | Jacob |
| 5 | Olivia | Aiden |
| 6 | Ava | David |
| 7 | Leah | Lucas |
| 8 | Sarah | Matthew |
| 9 | Amelia | Daniel |
| 10 | Chloe | Alexander |
| Total Births | 55,854 | 58,442 |
Name Trends
Eight of the top 10 girl names from 2017 stayed on the top 10 list for 2018. Emily dropped off of the top 10 list in 2018. Isabella rose from fifth most popular to second most popular in 2018. Sophia rose from fourth to third, while Mia and Oliva dropped lower on the list. Amelia and Chloe joined the list, coming in at the ninth and tenth most popular girl names in 2018.
Nine of the boy names from 2017 stayed on the list for 2018. Jayden dropped from the top 10 in 2018, while Alexander was added. Ethan moved up to the third most popular from fourth in 2017; Aiden moved from the ninth most popular in 2017 to the fifth most popular. David, Lucas and Matthew dropped one spot from 2017 to 2018. Daniel moved from tenth most popular to the ninth most popular in 2018. Alexander entered the list as the tenth most popular name in 2018.
New York City Births by Borough, 2018
From 2017 to 2018, the number of babies born in New York City decreased 2.3%– from 117,013 births to 114,296 (58,442 boys and 55,854 girls).
| Borough | Count |
|---|---|
| Manhattan | 42,945 |
| Bronx | 13,452 |
| Brooklyn | 28,270 |
| Queens | 23,963 |
| Staten Island | 5,666 |
| Top Names by NYC Borough, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Borough | Girls | Boys |
| Manhattan | Emma | Noah |
| Bronx | Isabella | Liam |
| Brooklyn | Esther | David |
| Queens | Mia | Liam |
| Staten Island | Mia | Michael |
Gender-Neutral names
There were a number of names popular for both boys and girls: Angel (No. 65 and No. 133), Avery (No 110 and No. 38), Blake (No. 143 and No. 125), Charlie (No. 128 and No. 119), Dylan (No. 11 and No. 117), Eden (No. 141 and No. 117), Hayden (No. 133 and No. 137), Kai (No. 89 and No. 140), Logan (No. 18 and No. 130), Milan (No. 134 and No. 131), Parker (No. 126 and No. 123), Phoenix (No. 155 and No 124), Remy (No. 148 and No. 133), Riley (No. 147 and No. 30), River (No. 148 and No. 136), Royal (No. 161 and No.138), Quinn (No. 157 and No. 119), and Yael (No. 162 and No. 132).
Top Names of the 2010s
| Most Popular Baby in Names York City over the 2010s | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Girls | Boys |
| 2010 | Isabella | Jayden |
| 2011 | Isabella | Jayden |
| 2012 | Sophia | Jayden |
| 2013 | Sophia | Jayden |
| 2014 | Sophia | Ethan |
| 2015 | Olivia | Ethan |
| 2016 | Olivia | Liam |
| 2017 | Emma | Liam |
| 2018 | Emma | Liam |
Celebrity Names
Some New Yorkers seemed influenced by 2018’s biggest celebrities. For girls, the names Scarlett (No. 32), Tessa (No. 122), Reese (No. 129), and Regina (No. 138) were popular. For boys, Leonardo (No. 76), Oscar (No. 86), Joaquin (No. 156), and Idris (No. 156) were popular.Royal Names
Some parents may have been inspired by British royalty when naming their children Meghan (No. 122), Harry (No. 144), William (No. 21), and Kate (No. 121). Other parents sought royal titles for their children: King (No. 91), Queen (No. 139), Prince (No. 109), and Princess (No. 136).
Future-Trend Setters
Some New Yorkers gave their children names that are not commonly chosen, with as few as 10 parents naming their daughters Aminah, Ida, and Zadie and sons Bentley, Lucian, and Warren.
Resources for Expectant Parents
The Health Department has a webpage to help parents fill out legal paperwork related to their child, including birth certificates, acknowledgement of paternity for unmarried fathers, and information for same-sex couples.
Parents who need additional time to name their child for religious or other reasons may register their child’s birth without a first name and go back to add their child’s name later. They may do this without a fee either through the Health Department within 60 days of birth or through the birthing hospital within 12 months of date of birth. Once the name is added, it is final and requires a correction to change.
The Health Department also provides information on free or low-cost services for new parents, ranging from pre-pregnancy health related issues to offering resources to new mothers for keeping their babies healthy.
The Health Department’s Bureau of Vital Statistics compiles baby name lists from birth certificates and collects other data, including total births by year and demographic characteristics.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Patrick Gallahue / Michael Lanza, (347) 396-4177
PressOffice@health.nyc.gov