These were IL’s 10 most popular baby names last year. See which made the cut
The No. 1 most popular baby names for girls and boys held steady in Illinois in 2025, according to new data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, but the top 10 lists saw a few changes from 2024.
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. Olivia and Liam were the most popular names in 2025 as well as in 2024, although 2025 saw fewer newborns named Liam compared to the previous year.
The U.S. birth rate declined by 1% in 2025 from 2024, nonprofit health policy organization KFF reported, and it’s seen a 23% decline since 2007.
Missouri parents tend to favor different names — the Show Me State’s top choices were Charlotte and Oliver in 2025, with Oliver staying in the same top spot from the previous year and Charlotte moving up from second place in 2024. Missouri’s top baby girl name in 2024 was Amelia.
While some parents are opting for naming trends such as taking inspiration from popular French names, sticking to short monikers or spelling common names differently, the most popular baby names in Illinois remain relatively traditional. One girls’ name appears on the list with two different spellings.
Most popular baby names in Illinois
Here’s a list of the top 10 most popular names for baby girls born in Illinois in 2025:
1. Olivia (501 babies)
2. Charlotte (500)
3. Sophia (473)
4. Emma (458)
5. Mia (412)
6. Amelia (405)
7. Sofia (343)
8. Isabella (338)
9. Camila (298)
10. Evelyn (296)
Here’s how the most popular baby boy names compared in Illinois in 2025:
1. Liam (690 babies)
2. Noah (683)
3. Oliver (541)
4. Theodore (537)
5. Henry (462)
6. Mateo (417)
7. James (406)
8. Leo (385)
9. Benjamin (365)
10. Sebastian (360)
Illinois’ most popular baby names in 2024 were Olivia, Mia, Charlotte, Sophia, Emma, Amelia, Sofia, Isabella, Evelyn and Ava for girls, and the top baby boy names were Liam, Noah, Oliver, Theodore, Mateo, Henry, Benjamin, James, William and Santiago.
Most popular baby names in the U.S.
Here’s how the top 10 most popular baby girl names across the nation compared in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration:
1. Olivia (13,544 babies)
2. Charlotte (13,400)
3. Emma (12,754)
4. Amelia (12,699)
5. Sophia (12,561)
6. Mia (11,078)
7. Isabella (10,666)
8. Evelyn (9,123)
9. Sofia (8,252)
10. Eliana (8,191)
Here’s how the top 10 names for baby boys compared in the U.S. for 2025:
1. Liam (20,818)
2. Noah (20,358)
3. Oliver (14,939)
4. Theodore (13,355)
5. Henry (12,020)
6. James (11,945)
7. Elijah (11,111)
8. Mateo (11,045)
9. William (10,545)
10. Lucas (10,219)
Some of the names that saw the greatest increase in popularity in the U.S. from 2024 to 2025 were Klarity, Rynlee, Ailanny, Naylani and Madisson for girls, and Kasai, Akari, Eziah, Jasai and Neithan for boys.
Conversely, girls’ names Aubrie, Cattleya, Jaycee, Zendaya and Novalee saw the greatest declines in popularity in 2025, while boys’ names that declined in popularity included Karim, Khaza, Khai, Landen and Seven.
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