We have passed the halfway point of 2018, and so far this year is leaving a distinctive mark on the lives of newborns.
Babies born this year hold some classic names and some new age ones. They vary between conventional spellings and fresh new takes. This week, Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Center released its mid-year list of the top names so far in 2018. It is based primarily on data provided voluntarily by users. The official statistics on baby-naming trends are collected by the U.S. government, but they won’t be released until early next year.
Videos by PopCulture.com
For now, here is an early look at what parents are calling their newborns in 2018.
Number 1 Name for Girls
So far, 2018’s number one name for baby girls is Emma. The short, simple name is German in origin, and is generally taken to mean “universal,” or “whole.”
This year, the name may be given in homage to an older relative, as Emma has been a popular name since the 19th century. It could also be in reference to Friends, as the audience that saw Rachel and Ross name their daughter Emma is now reaching child-rearing age.
Number 1 Name for Boys
Right now, the most popular name for little boys is Liam. The classic Irish name means “strong-willed” and often “warrior” or “protector.”
The name may be in vogue right now because young parents are reaching back into the roots of their ethnicity for inspiration. On the otherhand, it could more simply be a reference to popular actors like Liam Neeson or Liam Hemsworth.
Girl Names 2-5
The next few most popular names for girls this year are:
2. Olivia
3. Ava
4. Isabella
5. Sophia
Notably, the names all end in a soft “A” sound, and appear to be implicitly feminine.
Boy Names 2-5
The next few most popular names for boys this year are:
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. Mason
5. Logan
Names like Mason, which reference a skill or career, have become increasingly more popular in the last several years. Meanwhile, many biblical names for boys have surged in popularity this year — Noah being chief among them.
Girl Names 6-10
The next few most popular names for girls this year are:
6. Amelia
7. Mia
8. Charlotte
9. Harper
10. Mila
Names like Amelia, Charlotte and Harper all call to mind strong and independent women from history or fiction, perhaps suggesting that this year’s new parents hoped to pass that on to their newborns with a distant namesake.
Boy Names 6-10
The next few most popular names for boys this year are:
6. Lucas
7. Elijah
8. Ethan
9. James
10. Aiden
More biblical names prevail here, and once again a distinctly Irish name, Aiden, finds its way onto the list.
Girl Names 11-15
The next few most popular names for girls this year are:
11. Aria
12. Ella
13. Evelyn
14. Avery
15. Abigail
Of course, any name could be attributed to some fiction character or other, but it seems particularly noteworthy that Aria made the list of girl names in the year that Game of Thrones fans are frantically awaiting the series finale.
Boy Names 11-15
The next few most popular names for boys this year are:
11. Carter
12. Jackson
13. Sebastian
14. Alexander
15. Michael
The names chosen for boys seem to get more and more conventional as the list progresses, though notably the recently popularized spelling “Jaxon” got its own ranking further down at number 33.
Girl Names 16-20
The next few most popular names for girls this year are:
16. Riley
17. Emily
18. Luna
19. Scarlett
20. Chloe
Both Luna and Scarlett are very elemental names, calling to mind a force of nature or something ineffable. They add an air of mystery for the baby girls born in 2018.
Boy Names 16-20
The next few most popular names for boys this year are:
16. Benjamin
17. Jacob
18. William
19. Grayson
20. Jack
Finally, the list of boy names finishes out with a few that have a loaded historical basis. Any of these five names could convey a reference to prominent writers, thinkers or influencers from the last several hundred years — including William Shakespeare or Benjamin Franklin.
