These were IL’s 20 most popular baby names last year. See which ones made the cut

The most popular baby boy’s name in Illinois has changed from 2023 to 2024, according to new data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, while the top name for girls stayed the same.

The federal agency releases a list of the top 100 most frequently given names to newborn girls and boys each year by state and nationally. In 2024, Liam took over the No. 1 spot for boys, with 737 newborns in the Land of Lincoln receiving the name. The name Liam jumped, as it was the second most popular in Illinois in 2023.

Illinois’ top baby name for girls was Olivia in 2023 and in 2024, though 2024 saw fewer newborns named Olivia compared to the previous year. The U.S. national birthrate dropped to a record-low rate of fewer than 1.6 children born per woman in 2024, as reported by CBS news.

Missouri parents tend to favor different names — the Show Me State’s top choices were Amelia for girls and Oliver for boys in 2024, with Oliver staying in the top spot and Amelia moving up from its performance in 2023, from third place. The most popular baby girls’ name in Missouri in 2023 was Charlotte.

While some parents are opting for unique naming trends such as spelling common names differently or choosing more ethereal-sounding monikers, the most popular baby names in Illinois remain relatively traditional. One girls’ name appears on the list with two different spellings. 

What are the most popular baby names in Illinois?

Here’s how the top 10 baby names for girls born in Illinois in 2024 compared, according to the SSA data:

1. Olivia (501 newborns)

2. Mia (477)

3. Charlotte (463)

4. Sophia (452)

5. Emma (447)

6. Amelia (435)

7. Sofia (388)

8. Isabella (353)

9. Evelyn (306)

10. Ava (299)

And here’s how the top 10 most popular baby names for boys born in Illinois stacked up for 2024:

1. Liam (737)

2. Noah (670)

3. Oliver (556)

4. Theodore (509)

5. Mateo (476)

6. Henry (463)

7. Benjamin (390)

8. James (389)

9. William (357)

10. Santiago (356)

Missouri’s top baby names for girls in 2024 were Amelia, Charlotte, Olivia, Eleanor, Evelyn, Sophia, Emma, Harper, Hazel and Violet. The state’s top boys’ names were Oliver, Henry, Theodore, Noah, Liam, James, William, Hudson, Elijah and Jack.

Here’s how the top 10 most popular U.S. baby names for girls compared in 2024:

1. Olivia

2. Emma

3. Amelia

4. Charlotte

5. Mia

6. Sophia

7. Isabella

8. Evelyn

9. Ava

10. Sofia

And here are the top 10 baby names for boys born in the U.S. in 2024:

1. Liam

2. Noah

3. Oliver

4. Theodore

5. James

6. Henry

7. Mateo

8. Elijah

9. Lucas

10. William

Some of the names that saw the greatest increase in popularity in the U.S. from 2023 to 2024 were Ailany, Aylani, Marjorie, Scottie and Analeia for girls, and Truce, Colsen, Bryer, Halo and Azaiah for boys.

Conversely, girls’ names Emryn, Zhuri, Layne, Alitzel and Kamari saw the greatest declines in popularity in 2024, while less popular boys’ names included Khari, Karsyn, Kye, Kole and Khai.

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Meredith Howard

Belleville News-Democrat

Meredith Howard is a service journalist with the Belleville News-Democrat. She is a Baylor University graduate and has previously freelanced with the Illinois Times and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Support my work with a digital subscription