How Popular Is That Baby Name?
See where a baby name ranks in popularity. Trend direction and how many babies share the name per year.
How Baby Name Popularity Works
The Social Security Administration tracks every baby name registered in the US. The #1 name (currently Olivia for girls, Liam for boys) is given to about 1% of all babies. Even the most popular names are less common than in past decades — in the 1950s, "James" accounted for 4.5% of boys. Today, "Liam" accounts for about 1%. Name diversity has increased dramatically.
The Popularity Paradox
Parents often choose "unique" names to avoid their child being one of three Emmas in the class. But even the #1 name only appears in about 1 in 100 births. The probability of two children with the same top-10 name in a class of 25 is only 15-20%. The real risk of duplicate names comes from regional and cultural clustering, not national statistics.
Name popularity follows fashion cycles. Jennifer was #1 in the 1970s-80s and is now seen as a "mom name." Names that feel fresh today (Olivia, Liam) will feel dated in 30 years. Historical names (Henry, Eleanor, Theodore) are currently surging because they feel classic rather than trendy — the safest long-term choice.
