Whether influenced by pop culture, spiritual connectedness or just a name you really, really like, choosing a name for your baby is an important decision you’ll make in your baby’s life. So, if you’re stuck and need inspiration in 2023, the following were the top baby names in 2022 for boys.
While the Social Security Administration (SSA) collects the most popular names given to babies each year, 2022 data won’t be published until the spring, so the majority of these names come from data published by hospitals throughout the country.
Top boy names of 2022
Need a baby name in 2023?
At the close of 2022, there were a few baby name trends making the rounds. Quite popular were baby boy names ending in “o” and a fresh new batch of Hebrew names beyond the traditional Jacobs and Noahs. The following baby name trends may continue in 2023:
9. Atticus
Writer and editor Sarah Schmul Long elaborates on what statistics prove; people with the name Atticus have a higher percentage (75%) of being white vs. Black or Hispanic. This ancient Roman name has gained popularity in recent years, despite its connotation with the deeply controversial To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman character, Atticus Finch.
“Atticus’s racism was there all along,” Schmul Long wrote in Electric Literature. “Some of us — because our lives are untroubled by the grinding daily racism Black people face in America — had the privilege of missing it.”
10. Arlo
Old English for “hill” or “fortified hill,” the name Arlo has been popular since 2011. It’s teased its way 725 places to its current rank of 190th most popular boy name in 2021.
11. Silas
Silas, which means “forest” or “woods,” is derived from the name Sylvanus, the Roman god of the countryside.
12. Soren
This Scandinavian name may mean “stern” or “strength,” but it’s become increasingly popular with hygge-inspired parents.
13. Rowan
The name Rowan, which is of Irish and English origin, means “red-haired.” It was initially used as a surname, but has gained popularity as a first name.
14. Milo
Milo is a Slavic name meaning “soldier” that has at its roots means “dear” or “beloved.” Its popularity has been on a steady increase since 2008.
15. Asher
From the Hebrew word for “happiness,” Asher has been slowly trending upward as a baby boy name for the last 22 years.
16. Ezra
What could be “better than Ezra,” for a baby name in 2023? Nineties band references aside, Ezra was ranked the 37th most popular baby name in 2021.
