Every year, people wait to hear what the most popular baby names are. The list of names, which are compiled from data and released through the Social Security Administration from the previous year, helps parents in their research for coming up with and agreeing on the perfect baby name for their little-one-to-be. Some parents like to check out the list in hopes of finding the one that sings to them, others scan the list to know which name to avoid — if they're looking for a more uncommon name. Whatever the reason, it's always fun to look at, but for 2019 the name list was delayed.
According to Today, which touched on the list delay in May when the data is typically available, the administration had a reason for the delay. At first the administration said it was not going to release the names – which would have been the first time in 25 years that the list wasn't made publicly available.
The reason given at the time was the list was being withheld due to the global health crisis. "Out of respect and honor for all people and families affected by the [global heath crisis], the announcement of the 2019 most popular baby names is being rescheduled to a to-be-determined date," said the administration in a statement. "The agency sends its gratitude and heartfelt thanks to everybody fighting the pandemic and providing vital services throughout the country during these difficult times."
The administration didn't give details on when that date was going to be, but quietly released the list. We're not sure exactly when it was made available, but it's here. Check out the top 10 boys' and top 10 girls' names that were the most popular in 2019.
At No. 10 for Boys: Ethan
It's not surprising to see the baby boy name Ethan on this list. If we take a look at Baby Name Wizard, we can see the name has been on the rise since 2005 and hitting the 10th spot on the list for 2019 is fitting for its rise in popularity.
No. 9 Boys: Mason
The baby name Mason has been given to any gender, but it has reached the top 9 spot in the 2019 Baby Name list. The name, which means "one who works with stone," has historically been used as a last name, and that's a popular route for baby names lately.
No. 8 Boys: Lucas
Lucas has been comfortable in the No. 8 spot on the boys list for a long time. According to Social Security Administration, Lucas has been holding at 8 since 2018, moving up from the 11th spot in 2017. The name means "light" and it's no surprise it's a popular choice.
No. 7 Boys: Benjamin
The name, and its variations, have been popular for a while and we don't anticipate that changing any time soon. Since 2016, it's been holding pretty steady at the sixth spot, but in 2019 it was just bumped down slightly.
No. 6 Boys: James
It's not surprising to see so many classic baby boy names on this list and that's definitely how we would classify the name James. For 2019, it landed at No. 6, and it's been comfortable within the top 5 since 2014.
No. 5 Boys: Elijah
Elijah jumped two spots in 2019, landing at the fifth top name and it's a name that's a touch more quirky than the others on this list and we can't help but have our mind go to the actor Elijah Wood with this name. While it's a little unusual, it's been in the top 15 most popular names since 2011.
No. 4 Boys: William
Well, William is a name that we can't ever seem to go wrong with. If the parents are hoping to have a boy's name that won't ever fall out of favor, William has been really steady in its popularity. Since 2000, the lowest on the list it has ever been is at spot 11.
No. 3 Boys: Oliver
Wow, Oliver getting into the top three is the most popular it's ever been. This name has been on quiet a journey over the past 20 years, and its popularity rose really fast once it was on the upswing. Last year, it landed in the fifth spot, rising up from No. 10 the year before. Who knows, maybe it will hit No. 1?
No. 2 Boys: Noah
The boys' name Noah has been in the top 10 for a while and in 2019, it took second place down from its first place standing a few years ago. It had the first standing name for four years in a row, so dropping slightly down to the second place.
At the Top Spot for Boys No. 1: Liam
The baby boy name that's grabbed the top most popular baby name list for 2019 was the boys' name Liam. Liam took the top spot from Noah after landing in the second and third spot for a few years before that. This is the third year Liam's been No. 1.
At No. 10 for Girls: Evelyn
Rounding out the top of the most popular girls' names of 2019 is a really elegant sounding name, Evelyn. We love that it has that old-school feel to it, and it's been up and down for many years. According to Social Security Administration, this is the second year it's been in this spot.
No. 9 Girls: Harper
According to Baby Name Wizard, the name Harper for a girl was traditionally given to people who play the harp, which is a gorgeous instrument and an equally pretty name. The name itself has an old-school sound to it, and it's held this spot for a few years.
No. 8 Girls: Mia
The name Mia is one of those names for a girl that sound sweet and it's perfect for parents who are wanting a name with a delicate feel to it. Hitting this year's list at the eighth spot, it's down one spot from the year before, but it's been in the top 10 for several years now.
No. 7 Girls: Amelia
The name Amelia is one that doesn't have a universally agreed meaning with some feeling it's derived from amal, which means work, or a variant of the name Emilia, which means rival, according to Baby Name Wizard. It's made a pretty quick climb, just a few years ago it was at spot 11.
No. 6 Girls: Charlotte
Charlotte is one of those never-dying classic names that is fit for a literal princess and has been in style for a long time. It's never risen to the top spot on the popular names list, but it's been comfortably in the top 10 for six years now.
No. 5 Girls: Isabella
Since 2004, the girls' name Isabella has held into the top 10 baby name list, and now that it's in the fifth spot for 2019, it's down one spot from fourth place which it held for a few years. Don’t fret though, Isabella has had a long popular run and we don't anticipate it going anywhere.
No. 4 Girls: Sophia
The name Sophia, which means "wisdom or skill" used to be a top name, a previous top spot holder for three consecutive years, it's been bouncing between the fourth and fifth spot for a few years. This is another name that's perfect for parents who want that princess-feel to it.
No. 3 Girls: Ava
Another short and sweet name, Ava has all those classic feels and it's elegant, too, so there's no surprise to see it so high on the 2019 baby name list. It's been in the top 10 since 2005 and has spent most of its time on this list sitting in the fifth spot, so it's a bonus this year that it's in the third spot.
No. 2 Girls: Emma
Taking second to the most popular baby name list for girls in 2019 is Emma. Another one of those names with a sweet and cute feel to it since it's on the shorter side, Emma has taken a small slide. The name held on to the top spot for the past five years consecutively, so it will be interesting to see what it does next year.
At the Top Spot for Girls No. 1: Olivia
The baby girl name that's landed at the top spot for 2019 is none other than Olivia. This name has taken second for the past five years to Emma, but for 2019, it gets top honors. The name has been on the top 10 list since 2001 and it has finally now reached the top of the list.
