There's so much excitement when we find out we're pregnant. So many ideas and dreams pop into our brains as we daydream about what our child is going to be like and how our life is going to change. We start to plan what purchases we need to make, choose the outfit we're going to bring them home in — and, of course, solidify the name we're going to give our little one.
Trying to come up with the right baby name can be quite the task. There are endless options, and if there's a partner in the picture, both parties have to agree on something. Sometimes, it's easier to think abut which names will for sure not work, and doing research on which names are the most popular can help frame the decision as well.
Every year the Social Security Administration releases a list of the most popular baby names of the year. The 2019 names list was slightly delayed, but when the information was made available, there were very few surprises that ended up on the top 20 list.
We've rounded up the top 20 baby girl names list of 2019, so check them out.
No. 20: Aria
The baby girl name Aria has had an interesting rise in popularity over the past decade. In 2010, the name was on the popular list, landing at spot number 353, but the following year, when Game of Thrones started, the name jumped to spot 157 and has had a huge rise ever since.
No. 19: Mila
Mila is a short and sweet name, so it makes sense that it's popular. The name, which is a short form for the very uncommon name, Ludmila, is best known from actress Mila Kunis, who shortened her name to Mila from Milena.
No. 18: Avery
The baby girl name Avery has been long-running in the top 20 list, first entering back in 2011. It has moved up and down in popularity during this time, this year landing at spot 18, which is down from 16 the year before. It's a sweet name for parents looking for a more gender-neutral name.
No. 17: Sofia
There are some names that seem to stand in the popularity lane for a long time, and Sofia is one of them. This spelling of the name translates to mean the same thing as the other spelling, which is "wisdom, skill." That, paired with the shorter version, is why this name has been in the top 20 since 2011.
No. 16: Luna
Luna, which is inspired by the moon, has been a baby name that's seen a huge rise in popularity over the past few decades. In 2008, the name hit the popular list at the 400th spot, but 10 years later, Luna was close to the top 20 list, landing at the 23rd spot. In 2019, it finds itself in the 16th spot.
No. 15: Camila
This is only the second time that Camila has made it into the top 20 most popular baby name list. Last year it was at spot 18, and before that it was at 23rd spot, so it's been on a quick rise the last few years. We're going to guess the pop star Camila Cabello has something to do with the name increasing in popularity.
No. 14: Elizabeth
The name Elizabeth seems to be always popular. It's one of those classic names that never seems to go out of style. The name was the most popular back in the 1880s, but for the past 20-plus years it has been in the top 20 list of popular baby girl names. It's likely not going anywhere for a while.
No. 13: Ella
Ella is an example of a baby name that started as a nickname or a short name that then took over and became popular choice for a first name. It's moved up and down in the top 20 baby name list since 2008, and although it's not the highest it's been on the list, 13 is better than last year's 15th spot.
No. 12: Emily
We're looking at a past number one popular baby name, which it held for more than eight years. It's been falling down on the list ever since, and this spot is the furthest down the list Emily has been since at least 2000. Twenty-plus years is a long time to be in the top 20 popularity list.
No. 11: Abigail
Abigail is a surprisingly popular name given we don't hear it as often as some of the other names on this list. The name means "father is rejoicing," and it's been a part of the top 20 list for at least 20 years. According to BabyNameWizard its popularity really jumped in the 1980s, and it's remained popular ever since.
No. 10: Evelyn
Evelyn sounds like a super classic baby name, and it's one that works across any decade or generation. That's likely why it's here rounding out the top 10. The name is derived from the name Aveline, which isn't on the list, but it's a gorgeous option too.
No. 9: Harper
There was one year where hipster-sounding baby names was popular, and Harper was one that was a result of that time frame. It's been in the top 20 most popular baby names for quite some time, and this year it's the highest it's ever been on the list for the second year running.
No. 8: Mia
There is no question that the shorter girl names tend to be really favored among parents who are looking for the perfect name. Mia is one of the shortest names on the list, and it originally started out as a nickname for Maria.
No. 7: Amelia
The name Amelia has had an interesting run over the past several decades. It was very popular in the 1880s, then had a drop for several decades between before rising back up in popularity, and it's been on the upswing ever since. In 2018, the name was in eighth spot; this year, it lands in seventh place.
No. 6: Charlotte
Charlotte is a classic and timeless name that's been around for a long time. Those who have sported the moniker include television characters and real-life princesses. It's a feminine form of the name Charles. Surprisingly, Charlotte hasn't been on the most popular list for as long as some of the others, but it seems to hold at one spot for two years before jumping closer to the number one spot.
No. 5: Isabella
One of the best things about the name Isabella is the ability to use the full name or shorten it, calling the baby Isa or Bella instead. The name, which means "God is my oath," has been floating between the fourth and fifth spots seven years after dropping from the first spot back in 2009 and 2010.
No. 4: Sophia
This name is so popular that it's on the list twice, with two different spellings. This version is more popular than the one with slightly fewer letters, and it's been around a lot longer too. BabyNameWizard notes, "the name has been in common use in England since the 17th century, when it was bestowed upon the infant daughter of James I."
No. 3: Ava
Just like the eighth spot, Ava is another one of those baby names that give off the short and sweet vibes that seem to be very popular with parents choosing a baby girl name. The name, which is believed to be of German origin, has been in the top five spots since 2006.
No. 2: Emma
Emma has been a long favorite for parents who are looking for a name for their little girl. It first made an appearance in the top 20 back in 1999 when it landed in the 17th spot, and it hasn't fallen from that since. It used to be in the top spot, but falling down one isn't anything to get upset about.
No. 1: Olivia
The top baby girl name in the United States in 2019 is none other than Olivia. It's been a name on the top 20 most popular list since 1999, and for the past decade, it's never fallen below the fourth spot. This year, it's landed in first place after being stuck at number two for five years.
