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
Kirsten-Name:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin,-Variations		Girl	A Christian
Genaro		Boy	January; Devoted to Janus
Layah-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Weary; Cow
Hawk		Boy	Falcon; Bird of prey
Islah		Unisex	Island; Improvement
Lora		Girl	Laurel
Heston		Boy	One who came from Heston; Farmstead; Settlement; Brushwood
Hayze		Unisex	Hedged enclosure; Wind; Fire
Job-Baby-Name-Meaning,-Origin-And-History---Complete-Guide		Boy	Persecuted; Where is the (divine) father?
Justyce		Unisex	Judge; Officer of justice
Olympia		Girl	From Olympus; Mount Olympus
Kasai		Unisex	Fire; Flame
Rue		Girl	Friend; Companion; Neighbor; Regret; Sadness; Heartbreak
Kwame-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Born on a Saturday
Kellin		Boy	Slender; War
Runa		Girl	Rune; Secret lore; Moon
Lyon		Boy	Lion; Hill fort of Lugus; Shining
Sunni		Girl	She was the gift of the Sun
Kirby-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide-For-2025		Boy	Church settlement; Settlement by a church; Descendant of Cíarmhac
Kory		Unisex	Maiden; Daughter; In a hollow; In a cauldron
Paizley		Girl	Church; Pattern commonly found on fabrics
Nahmir		Boy	Leopard
Uma-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Flax; Night; Fame; Splendor; Tranquility
Taron-Baby-Name:-Origin,-Meaning,-And-4-Charming-Nicknames		Boy	Thunder
Adella:-A-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origin,-Meaning,-And-Popularity		Girl	Noble; Of a noble kind
Merlin		Girl	Sea; Hill fort
Aeris		Girl	Earth; Strife; Discord
Treyton		Boy	A settlement near trees; Three
Theadora		Girl	Gift of God
Shaquille-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-History-And-5-Variations		Unisex	Handsome; Well-developed; Beautiful; Good looking
Alyse		Girl	Of the noble kind; Honorable
Anastacia-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Resurrection; The one rising of the dead
Sylvester		Unisex	Man from the forest; Wild
Aveline		Girl	Hazelnut; Nut
Brie-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Comprehensive-Guide-For-2025		Girl	Hill; Power; High; God is my strong man
Aayansh		Boy	Sun; Part; Fraction
Cailyn		Girl	Young girl; Maiden; Pure; Each of the two
Tydus-Baby-Name-Meaning,-Popularity,-And-Numerology-Guide		Boy	Title of honour
Vedant-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	One who has complete knowledge of the Vedas
Adriano		Boy	From Hadria
Ameen-Name-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity-in-2025:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Honest; Faithful; Truthful
Wali-Baby-Name-Complete-Guide:-Meaning,-History,-Pronunciation		Unisex	Protector; Helper; Friend
Irma-Name:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Pronunciation		Girl	Universal; Whole; Great
Bane		Boy	Ban; Bear; Cause of distress; Long-awaited child
Jenevieve		Girl	Woman; Family; Juniper tree
Charis		Girl	A graceful person; Kindness
Abir		Boy	Aroma; Perfume; Scent; Mighty; Brave; Soar; Fly; Spirit; Colored powder
Ezlyn		Unisex	Help; Lake
Brayton		Boy	Broad; Farmstead
Bruin		Boy	A person with brown hair or skin; The brown; Brown bear; Armor
Kaniyah		Girl	Beautiful; Beloved
Kavya-Name-Meaning,-History,-Popularity:-Ultimate-Guide		Girl	A poem
Amere		Unisex	Admiral; Commander
Darrion		Boy	Great; Oaktree; One who is from Airelle
Bohdi		Unisex	Enlightenment in Buddhism
Lacie-Name-Meaning,-Origin-&-Key-Insights		Girl	Joyful; From Lassy
Darsh		Boy	One of the many names of Lord Krishna; Seeing
Kiyah		Unisex	Mine; King; The cooing of a bird
Lacy		Girl	From Lassy; Cheerful
Brave		Unisex	Show-off; Fine; Brave; Courageous; Daring
Decklan		Boy	Full of goodness
Dempsey		Boy	Proud; Haughty
Madina		Girl	City of the Prophet
Cael		Unisex	Slender; Thin; A mythical hero
Everardo-Name-Pronunciation,-Meaning-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Brave boar
Minerva:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning,-History,-And-Popularity		Girl	Intellect
Evin		Boy	Love; Fortunate victor; Swift; Lively
Lynnlee		Unisex	Lake; Clearing
Nava-Name-Meaning:-4-Cultural-Interpretations-&-Origins		Girl	Beautiful; New; Melody; Treeless plateau; Tuneful
Geno-Name-Meaning:-3-Origins-&-Rich-History		Boy	Earthworker; Well-born; Noble
Talitha		Girl	Little girl; Young girl
Enoc		Boy	Dedicated
Abella		Girl	Breath; Vapor; Noble; Bright; Bee
Jeronimo		Boy	Sacred name
Ainara		Girl	The swallow bird; Moonlight; Moon flame; Moon pomegranate
Dru		Boy	Manly; Masculine; Strong
Kamal		Boy	Lotus; Beauty; Perfection
Sanvi-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Variations-&-Popularity		Unisex	One that is pursued; Pursuit of knowledge; Goddess Parvati; Goddess Lakshmi; Divinity; Wisdom; Prosperity; Love; Auspiciousness
Aleen		Girl	Good-looking; Rosy; Noble; Light
Keandre-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Ancient; Man; Manly; Masculine
Annalyse		Girl	God's promise of grace
Anvika		Girl	Powerful; Strong
Arina		Girl	Peace; From Hadria; Gold; Radiant one
Luc		Boy	From Lucania; Light
Kawhi		Boy	Coffee; Brew
Oswaldo		Boy	One who is born with divine power
Berkleigh		Girl	Birch tree clearing
Payson		Boy	Son of Pays; Peace; Small; Humble
Arisbeth		Unisex	My God is an oath
Candace-Name-Meaning:-History,-Popularity-&-Nicknames		Girl	Queen mother; White; Pure
Pete		Boy	Stone; Rock
Azariyah-Baby-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-Pronunciation-&-Popularity		Unisex	God has helped
Kiari		Unisex	Bright; Black
Price		Boy	Son of the ardent one; Enthusiasm
Baileigh		Girl	Bailiff; Steward
Esty-Baby-Name-Meaning-And-History-In-2025:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Star; Evening star
Reilly		Boy	Rye clearing; Brave; Descendant of Raghailleach
Bellarose-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-Popularity,-Variations-&-Traits		Unisex	Beautiful rose; Famous type
Julieth		Girl	Youthful; Jove's child; Downy-bearded; Devoted to Jove
Sanad:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity		Boy	Support; Sturdy; Wall

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