Top Baby Names In USA For 2021

Discover the most trendy and classy names of 2021.

Naming trends in the US show slight changes every year. Top US baby names in 2021 showed that parents prefer names that are not just meaningful and traditional but relevant in modern times. They preferred names with a rich background but also a contemporary sound. Owing to this change in preference, unconventional names saw a pique in interest and rose in the popularity charts.

The classic favorites Olivia (peace) and Emma (universal) stayed at the top of the list as parents continued to shower love on these timeless names. Alongside them, the popularity list also highlighted unique and trendy choices like Nora (light) and Scarlett (the color scarlet), which also gained significant attention. For boys, Liam (protector) and Noah (to rest) stayed right up at the top of the list, while more unconventional choices like Grayson (son of a gray-haired person) and Connor (lover of wolves) also won the affection of parents. Below is a list of the most popular names in the US, based on the official SSA data (1). Look for a stylish and trendy name for your little one.

In This Article

Browse Top Baby Names by Gender

Girl Boy

Browse Top Baby Names by Year

Name		Gender	Meaning
Julien		Boy	Jove's child; Youthful; Downy-bearded; Devoted to Jove
Jaxtyn		Boy	God is gracious; Town of Jack; Son of Jack
Frankie		Boy	French guy; Free; Truthful; Generous
Leyla		Girl	Night; Daughter of the night
Reece-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Enthusiasm; Ardor
Alec		Boy	Defender of the people
Zahra-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Your-Complete-Guide		Girl	Shining; Blooming flower; Brilliant
Koda-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Allies; Companion; Rice paddy of happiness
Ensley		Girl	Solitary; Woodland; Clearing
Landen-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	From the long hill
Reina		Girl	Queen; Clean; Pure; Wise
Sylas		Boy	Of the forest; Prayed for; God of the forest or the countryside
Reyna		Girl	Counsel; Queen
Darius		Boy	Possessing goodness
Lylah		Girl	Night; Night beauty; Delicate
Nalani		Girl	Serenity of the skies; Calm skies; The heavens; Royal
Ares		Boy	Bane; Ruin; Throng of battle
Boston-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Unisex	Botwulf's stone
Aleena		Girl	Torch; Shining light; Fair; Delicate; Noble; Bright
Kyree		Boy	Benevolent; Noble lord or lady
Saige		Girl	A wise person; A type of spice
Keith-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Wood; From the battleground
Leslie-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Unisex	Garden of holly; From the gray fortress
Ivanna		Girl	God is gracious
Edison		Boy	Son of Eda; Son of Adam
Emerie		Girl	A ruler who is brave, powerful, and vigorous
Johan		Boy	God is gracious
Shepherd		Boy	Shepherd; Sheepherder
Ashlyn		Girl	Dream; Vision; Ash tree clearing
Clementine		Girl	Merciful; Gentle; Orange
Watson		Boy	Son of Watt; Power of the army
Alora-Name-Meaning,-Origins-&-Variations:-Complete-Guide		Girl	God is light; Dreamer; Shining brightness; Bay tree
Jerry		Boy	God will exalt; Sacred name; Power of the spear
Ivory-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History-And-What-You-Need-To-Know		Unisex	Creamy-white color; Made of ivory
Bethany		Girl	House of figs
Marvin		Boy	Famous friend; Sea friend; Bone marrow; Eminent; Noble; Wish; Desire; Young goat or kid
Bonnie-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History-Guide		Girl	Beautiful; Good
Sasha:-A-Complete-Guide-To-Its-Meaning,-History,-And-Popularity		Unisex	Defender; Helper of mankind
Nikolas		Boy	Victory of the people
Quincy		Unisex	Fifth; Fifth born
Xiomara		Girl	Famous war
Axton		Boy	Acca's stone; Town of ash trees
Dayana		Girl	Divine; Goddess-like
Brycen-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Nicknames-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Son of Brice; Speckled man's son
Donald-Name-Meaning:-A-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-And-Popularity		Boy	One who rules the world
Briana		Girl	High; Power; Hill
Adrianna-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Unisex	From Hadria; Woman from Hadria; Dark
Dariel		Boy	Open; From Airelle
Christina-Name-Meaning,-Origin-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Girl	Anointed; Follower of Jesus Christ
Bodie		Boy	Awakening; Enlightenment; Large-bodied
Julie		Girl	Youthful; Downy-bearded; Soft hair
Karina		Boy	Pure; Beloved; Each of the two
Onyx-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-Variations		Unisex	Claw; Nail; Fingernail; Gemstone
Karsyn		Girl	From the marsh; Son of marsh-dwellers
Julieta-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Pronunciation-&-Trends-in-2025		Girl	Youthful; Jove's child; Downy-bearded; Devoted to Jove
Brixton-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-History-&-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	A district in South London; Stone of the Saxon lord Brixi
Raylan-Name:-Ultimate-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Counselor; Beam of light; Rye land
Emmie		Girl	Rival; Universal; Great
Shiloh-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-History-&-Popularity-Guide-For-2025		Boy	Tranquil; Abundance; His gift
Rayan-Name-Meaning-and-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide-for-2025		Boy	Wise; Smart; Thinker; Watered; Luxuriant; Little king; Gate to Heaven
Colby		Boy	From a coal town; From a dark town
Carly		Girl	Free man; Army
Irene		Girl	Peace
Layton		Boy	Leek town
Valentino		Boy	Brave; Strong
Macy		Girl	Hill; Person from Massy; Gift of God
Trenton-Name-Meaning,-History,-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide		Unisex	Trent's town
Marie-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Wished for child; Sea of bitterness; Star of the sea
Landyn		Boy	Long hill
Oaklee		Unisex	Oak clearing; From the oak meadow
Gustavo		Boy	Staff of the Gods
Alessandro		Boy	Defender of mankind
Malaysia		Girl	To run; To go fast
Ander		Boy	Manly; Male; Virility; Brave; Defender of mankind
Anne		Girl	Grace; Favor; Eagle
Ridge-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origins-&-Trends		Boy	A person who lived near a ridge; A continuous elevated mountain crest; Back or spine
Mara-Name-Meaning:-Origins,-Variations-&-Famous-Bearers		Boy	Bitter
Ahmad		Boy	Much praised; Most commendable
Rhea		Girl	Flowing stream; Ground
Kingsley		Boy	King's meadow; King's wood
Jayda		Girl	Precious stone Jade; Stone of the flank; He knows; Wise; Gift
Issac-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	He will laugh
Anahi		Girl	Beautiful like a flower; Speaker; Immaculate; Immortal
Ledger		Boy	To sit or lay; People; Spear
Davina		Girl	Beloved; Calf; Fox; Little black one
Mauricio		Boy	Moorish
Tony-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Priceless; Flourishing
Marilyn		Girl	Wished for child; Star of the sea
Ahmed-Name-Meaning-&-Origin:-Key-Insights-For-Expecting-Moms		Boy	Highly praised; Most commendable
Rosa		Girl	Rose; Dew
Duke-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-History-&-Popularity		Boy	Leader
Skyla		Girl	Scholar; Sky; Cloud
Uriah		Boy	God is my light; My light is Yahweh
Mariam-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Wished for a child; Bitter
Leonard		Boy	Lion-like; Brave man
Aarav		Boy	Peaceful melody; A calm noise
Elora		Boy	God is my light; Sun ray
Siena-Name-Meaning:-Origins,-Variations,-Popularity,-&-History		Girl	A place in Italy; Orange-red
Mohammed		Boy	Praised; Commendable
Megan		Girl	Pearl; Child of light

Infographic: Nature-related Names Popular In 2021

Nature-inspired names carry a refreshing simplicity that ties individuals to the natural world, evoking a sense of peace and calm. These names often symbolize growth and strength. The infographic below highlights some of the most popular nature-related names that parents in the US have cherished over the years.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team