40 Most Popular Baby Names of 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.