Liam and Olivia have steadily held their places as the most popular American first names. For decades, these two names have dominated the charts, whether on the first, second, or third place. But what is it that makes these names so popular? The last few years we have noticed some steady trends in the way that people name their children. Liam and Olivia fit perfectly in this trend. Would you like to know what the naming trends are, which names are the most popular, what they mean, and just exactly how common they are? Keep reading to find out. 

Baby naming trends

For both boys’ names and girls’ names, there are some trends that can clearly be distinguished. These trends are not only popular in the United States, but also in some other European and American countries. In recent decades, popular first names in America have been quite short. Most popular names have between four and six letters, divided in only two or three syllables. 

This trend is not very surprising, because since globalization became more important, giving your child an international name has become more popular. Names such as Emma, Liam, and Mia are easy to pronounce for speakers of various languages. Besides, short and easy names are easy to understand and remember. However, there are some exceptions to this trend. According to firstnames.blog, names such as the popular girls’ names Isabella and Charlotte, have been very popular for quite some years as well. 

Top 3 American boys’ names

In 2021, more than 20,000 Liams were born. This means that one out of every 92 babies that were born in 2021 were named Liam. It is therefore no surprise that Liam was the most popular baby name in 2022. The name Liam has kept its first place ranking of most popular names since 2019. However, in 2018 Liam was already the second most popular name, besides Jackson. Keep reading to find out what the name Liam and the other four most popular American boys’ names mean.

1. Liam

Liam is a popular name in English speaking countries. Specifically in the US and Ireland, you will find a lot of Liam’s. There are plenty of theories about what the meaning of the name Liam could be. For example, some say that it is a derivative of the French name Guillaume. This name was shortened to Uilliam and later shortened even more to Liam. It can also be a name for someone called William. 

The meaning of the name Liam could mean something like "strong-willed warrior" or "protector". It could also have a German background. In this case, it is likely a contraction of the old German words “willa” (will or resolve) and “helma” (helmet). A reason for this name to be so popular could be that many celebrities have this name, including Liam Neeson, Liam Payne, and Liam Hemsworth.

2. Noah

Noah is another name with a rich history. It is most likely that people named Noah have been named after the Biblical figure Noah. In the Bible, Noah built an ark and filled it with all sorts of animals to repopulate the earth after the big flood. The name Noah came likely from the Hebrew word "Noach," which means rest or peace. In 2021 more than 18.000 babies were given the name Noah. This means that one out of every 99 babies born in 2021 was named Noah. The name Noah was also given to 415 girls, but was not as nearly as popular as a girls’ name. 

3. Oliver

Oliver was the third most popular boys’ name in 2022. In 2021, nearly 15.000 Oliver’s were born. This means that for every 127 babies, one of them was named Oliver. That means that the chance of running into another Oliver in university is more than 85%. One of the reasons that Oliver is a popular name is because there are many famous actors, directors, and historical figures who are called Oliver. Oliver is the male version of the name Olivia. It derives from the Latin words oliva, which means olive or olive tree. The olive tree is a symbol of peace, friendship, beauty and dignity. In Norse history, the name would mean “ancestor's descendants”.

Source: picture from Pixabay.com by Victoria_Watercolor https://pixabay.com/photos/baby-smile-portrait-newborn-2972221/ 11-24-2017

Top 3 American girl’s names

Running into Olivia, being the most popular girls name of 2022, is most likely to happen at least once in a lifetime. Olivia The name Olivia is older than the United States, as it was already used in the 13th century. Olivia has been the most popular name since only 2019. Before that, it came in second, just behind the name Sophia. Close to 18.000 girls’ names Olivia were born in 2021. That means that one in every hundred babies was named Olivia.

1. Olivia

The name Olivia has a beautiful meaning. In French and Latin oliva, the words this name derived from, means olive or olive tree: the symbol of peace, friendship, beauty, and dignity. Olivia is the female version of the boys’ name Oliver. A variation of Olivia is Olive. Olivia is also a popular name in Spanish and Italian speaking countries.

2. Emma

Emma most likely has Germanic roots but it could also be a Hebrew name. The Germanic meaning of the name Emma would be “whole” or “universal”, whilst the Hebrew meaning would be “all containing” or “my God has answered”. The name could also be the female version of the Biblical figure Emanuel, which stands for “God with us”. In 2021, more than 15.000 girls were named Emma: which would be one out of 115 babies. 

3. Amelia

Amelia is a relatively new name in the list. In fact, in 2019 it wasn't even in the top 5 yet. Amelia rose to the third place in 2020. Nearly 13.000 girls with the name Amelia were born in 2021. This means that one in every 137 baby girls were named Amelia. Amelia is probably the English version of the German name Amala. Its meaning is said to be "industrious" or "hardworking".