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The Top Baby Names of the 2010s, According to the Social Security Administration

From Noah to Charlotte, see if your favorites made the list.

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Updated on June 19, 2022

The Social Security Administration (SSA) ranks the 200 most popular baby names for babies assigned either boy or girl. Their comprehensive list comes from an analysis of names given to the more than 35 million babies born during the 2010s.

According to the SSA, the most popular names "were taken from a universe that includes 20,081,085 male births and 19,174,576 female births." Notable appearances include Jayden and Mason for the boys, which broke into the top 20 for the first time, and newcomers Harper, Evelyn, and Addison for the girls.

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The Importance of the Right Baby Name

Choosing the appropriate name for your child(ren) is one of the most important—and sometimes one of the more stressful and hotly debated—aspects of preparing to bring a baby into the world. Even first-time parents understand that a child's name will ultimately become an important part of their identity as they grow into adolescence and adulthood. It can be a fun and enjoyable experience to shop around for the perfect name, but the responsibility of naming a baby can also be incredibly scary. After all, your child will be known by that name for the rest of their lives (unless they decide to legally change it later in life). Many people stress about getting it right, about choosing the perfect name. As a result, parents may deliberate for months, trying on and eliminating various names to determine which one best suits their baby. Perusing a list like this one can be incredibly helpful for those who feel stalled.

A Few Suggestions

Choose a name for your baby that complements or rings well with a family name—like the name of a beloved parent or grandparent—and let the family name become your baby's middle name (or one of their middle names!).

You can also combine names typically associated with boys and names typically associated with girls to create something more unique-sounding. You do not have to be beholden to traditional ideas of gender when choosing a name. Opting for a gender-neutral name for your baby is always a viable option, and you will find several on the following list—such as Logan, Aiden, Dylan, Harper, Avery, and Addison. And they all work as choices for both first and middle names.

Once you have narrowed down your list to a handful of names, try researching what each name means. This can help you choose a name that feels representative of what you hope to impart to your child as a parent.

There really is no right or wrong way to do it! So use whatever method works for you. Either way, perusing this list of the top baby names of the 2010s won't hurt.