If the Most Popular Baby Names Feel Overused, Try These Alternatives
The most popular baby names hit the top of the charts for a reason: they’re adorable and on-trend, and everyone wants to use them. But then comes the unfortunate side effect of your little Emma being one of ten Emmas in her class, and when you’re trying to distinguish Emma P. from Emma J. from Emma W. from Emma H., it doesn’t seem like such a great choice any more.
The U.S. Social Security Administration has been tracking the most popular baby names since the 1880s (when, ironically, Emma was at #3 on the list — very close to where it is now!). It’s a good way to know whether the baby name you’ve had your heart set on is one that every other parent in America has had their heart set on too.
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There’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving your child a popular baby name. After all, they’ll always be able to find it on a personalized keychain, right?! And since no one will likely mispronounce or misspell it, you won’t be dooming them to a lifetime of correcting people.
But if you’re finding that names like Ava and Oliver are a smidge too overused for your taste, we’ve got some popular baby name alternatives that are similar, yet still different enough to be distinctive. All of our favorite alternative names have some resemblance to the popularity chart’s “heavy hitters”, either the same amount of syllables, the same primary sound, the same beginning and ending letter, or just the same overall vibe.
Popular Baby Name Alternatives for Girls
Sophia rebounded into the top 5 once again — and Emma, which has been in the top 5 most popular girls’ names since 2002, is still holding strong at #2, just behind the #1 pick: Olivia.
If You Like Olivia, Try …
If You Like Emma, Try …
If You Like Sophia, Try …
If You Like Charlotte, Try …
If You Like Amelia, Try …
If You Like Ava, Try …
If You Like Isabella, Try …
Popular Baby Name Alternatives for Boys
The most popular boys’ names tend to skew less trendy than the most popular girls’ names, sticking largely with the classics; names like Christopher, David, James, and John have been on the top 5 list more often than not throughout the decades. Still, there’s some variation — last year, William left the top 5 for the first time in 12 years, and this year is at #10. However, its trendier shortened version, Liam, still stands in the same #1 spot that it’s held since 2017.
If You Like Liam, Try …
If You Like Noah, Try …
If You Like Oliver, Try …
If You Like Theodore, Try …
If You Like Elijah, Try …
If You Like Lucas, Try …
If You Like James, Try …
Whether you choose a popular name for your child, or go rogue and pick something completely outlandish (we’re looking at you, Elon Musk and Grimes), it will fit them just perfectly. And you can always get a personalized keychain on Etsy.
From Castian to Zaide, here’s a list of rare and unique boy names that were used only five times in 2023.
Launch Gallery: The Best Baby Names for Every Zodiac Sign
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