Families Choose Tried and True Names for Newborns with the continued Emma-nence and the long-leading Liam.
99,459 babies made their Big Apple entrance in 2022.
December 26, 2023 — The Health Department announced today the most popular names for babies held to a tried and true precedent, with Emma and Liam retaining the top spots in 2022, extending their reign on the list.
Liam has been the number one name for boys since 2016 while Emma has been the top choice for girls since 2017. In 2022, 388 Emmas and 739 Liams were born, according to New York City birth certificate records.
“What makes our city special are the New Yorkers – big and small – who call the five boroughs home,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “So welcome Emma, Liam, Mia, Noah and all the other newborns to New York. Our city and world are better for your presence in the new year and beyond.”
“We are here to support new babies and their families from their earliest days and can't wait to meet some of our newest New Yorkers,” said Dr. Leslie Hayes, the Health Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Family and Child Health.
| Most Popular Baby Names in New York City, 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| RANK | GIRLS | BOYS |
| 1 | Emma | Liam |
| 2 | Mia | Noah |
| 3 | Olivia | Ethan |
| 4 | Sophia | Lucas |
| 5 | Leah | David |
| 6 | Ava | Jacob |
| 7 | Esther | Aiden |
| 8 | Isabella | Joseph |
| 9 | Luna | Daniel |
| 10 | Amelia | Alexander |
| TOTAL BIRTHS | 48,864 | 50,595 |
If it ain’t broke…Name Trends
Out of the top ten girls’ names from 2021, nine remained on the 2022 list. Esther jumped into the seventh spot for girls’ names, shoving Sofia off the top ten – however it’s worth noting that if Sofia and Sophia were counted as a single name, it would be number one. For baby boys, Alexander once again conquered a spot, bumping Benjamin from number ten.
The changes highlight that admired names from U.S. history are not just fodder for Broadway hits.
Alexander was last on the top ten list in 2020, when nine out of the ten most popular boy names were also on the top ten the previous year. Liam and Noah have locked up the top two spots since 2020, while Ethan has held onto the third spot since 2021.
New York City Births by Borough, 2022
| Borough of Report | Count |
|---|---|
| Manhattan | 39,320 |
| Bronx | 11,048 |
| Brooklyn | 23,318 |
| Queens | 20,109 |
| Staten Island | 5,664 |
New focus in 2022
The city was eager in 2022 to take a broader look at the world, and names for some newborns reflected both an inward look, like Serenity (no. 82), Journey (no. 110) and Justice (no. 141), and hope for a celestial destination, like Heaven (no. 111) or Orion (no. 127).
Pointing toward the future
Many names pointed to adventure, like Maverick (no. 117) and Ocean (no. 124), while others prescribed a more exact path, like Artist (no. 142), Princeton (no. 143),Denver (no. 143) and Saint (no. 104).
An abiding interest in nature
Many of the top baby names reflected the beauty of nature and the seasons: Luna (no. 9) Venus (no. 127), Jade (no. 59) Sage (no. 99 for girls and 129 for boys), Lily (no. 25), Rose (no. 52), Violet (no. 49), Iris (no. 81) and Lilly (no. 123).
A new reign for royals
New Yorkers named Prince, Princess (no. 45 and no. 127, respectively),Majesty (no. 128), King (no. 103) all came into the world in 2022 as did Khaleesi (no. 125), which is a Dothraki royal title from Game of Thrones.
Resources for Expectant Parents
The Health Department has a webpage to guide parents with filling out legal paperwork related to their child including birth certificates, acknowledgement of parentage for unmarried fathers, and information for same-sex couples. For additional details, please visit: Expecting Parents.
Parents who need additional time to name their child for religious or other reasons may register their child’s birth without a first name and go back to add their child’s name later. They may do this without a fee either through DOHMH, within 60 days of birth, or through the birthing hospital within 12 months of date of birth. Once the name is added, it is final and requires a correction to change.
The Health Department also provides information on free or low-cost services for new parents, ranging from pre-pregnancy health related issues to offering resources to new parents for keeping their babies healthy. For more information, please visit our website: Pregnancy and Baby Care.
The Health Department’s Bureau of Vital Statistics compiles baby name lists from birth certificates and collects other data, including total births by year and demographic characteristics. To learn more about the information gathered from birth certificates, please visit: Vital Statistics.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Patrick Gallahue/Pedro Frisneda
PressOffice@health.nyc.gov
