Articles

Trends, history and geography of baby names in the United States, from Social Security data.

• November 15, 2026The baby names on the rise in 2025Ailany nearly tripled in a single year, Lainey grew almost sevenfold in five years, and Eithan went from 259 to 3,636 babies: the fastest-rising names in the latest Social Security figures.Read the article →
• November 15, 2026Baby names of the 1980s: where are Jessica and Michael now?Jessica, Jennifer, Michael and Christopher ruled the 1980s. Forty years later, most of these names have fallen far down the rankings, but a few, like James and Elizabeth, are still in the top 20.Read the article →
• November 15, 2026Regional baby names: where American names are most concentratedWillie nine times more common in Mississippi than nationally, Manuel in New Mexico, Marion in Vermont, Gordon in North Dakota: the names with the strongest local roots in the United States.Read the article →