Most Popular Baby Names in 2012

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 2012. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the top 250 most popular baby names in 2012, with a total count for the number of births registered with that given name.

You can also use the links below to research more about the most popular baby names.

Top 1000 most popular boy names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Top 1000 most popular girl names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Boys Girls
Rank Name Count Name Count
1 Jacob 19,088 Sophia 22,320
2 Mason 18,976 Emma 20,954
3 Ethan 17,683 Isabella 19,113
4 Noah 17,360 Olivia 17,320
5 William 16,894 Ava 15,541
6 Liam 16,808 Emily 13,657
7 Michael 16,185 Abigail 12,713
8 Jayden 16,138 Mia 12,028
9 Alexander 15,241 Madison 11,406
10 Aiden 14,913 Elizabeth 9,715
11 Daniel 14,287 Chloe 9,664
12 Matthew 13,979 Ella 9,207
13 Elijah 13,885 Avery 8,315
14 James 13,440 Addison 8,179
15 Anthony 13,207 Aubrey 8,055
16 Benjamin 12,825 Lily 7,964
17 Joshua 12,665 Natalie 7,898
18 Andrew 12,629 Sofia 7,833
19 Joseph 12,573 Charlotte 7,479
20 David 12,548 Zoey 7,472
21 Jackson 12,489 Grace 7,383
22 Logan 12,480 Hannah 7,280
23 Christopher 11,905 Amelia 7,245
24 Gabriel 11,558 Harper 7,193
25 Samuel 11,460 Lillian 7,164
26 Ryan 10,942 Samantha 6,933
27 Lucas 10,713 Evelyn 6,876
28 John 10,628 Victoria 6,865
29 Nathan 10,426 Brooklyn 6,792
30 Isaac 10,056 Zoe 6,461
31 Dylan 9,993 Layla 6,270
32 Caleb 9,969 Hailey 5,911
33 Christian 9,624 Leah 5,775
34 Jonathan 9,361 Kaylee 5,625
35 Landon 9,350 Anna 5,620
36 Carter 9,266 Aaliyah 5,511
37 Luke 9,014 Gabriella 5,506
38 Owen 8,692 Allison 5,426
39 Brayden 8,506 Nevaeh 5,401
40 Gavin 8,257 Alexis 5,366
41 Wyatt 8,227 Audrey 5,297
42 Isaiah 8,170 Savannah 5,196
43 Eli 8,070 Sarah 5,194
44 Henry 8,069 Alyssa 5,087
45 Hunter 8,040 Claire 4,944
46 Jack 7,938 Taylor 4,866
47 Evan 7,901 Riley 4,832
48 Jordan 7,814 Camila 4,790
49 Nicholas 7,737 Arianna 4,727
50 Tyler 7,701 Ashley 4,700
51 Aaron 7,537 Brianna 4,638
52 Jeremiah 7,485 Sophie 4,578
53 Julian 7,386 Peyton 4,474
54 Cameron 7,365 Bella 4,354
55 Levi 7,231 Khloe 4,314
56 Brandon 7,033 Genesis 4,304
57 Angel 7,020 Alexa 4,295
58 Austin 7,005 Serenity 4,241
59 Connor 6,979 Kylie 4,173
60 Robert 6,958 Aubree 4,050
61 Adrian 6,945 Scarlett 4,045
62 Charles 6,937 Stella 3,999
63 Thomas 6,844 Maya 3,977
64 Sebastian 6,734 Katherine 3,951
65 Colton 6,361 Julia 3,879
66 Jaxon 6,308 Lucy 3,814
67 Zachary 6,261 Madelyn 3,794
68 Ayden 6,228 Autumn 3,777
69 Kevin 6,227 Kayla 3,772
70 Dominic 6,184 Makayla 3,771
71 Jose 6,039 Mackenzie 3,758
72 Blake 6,038 Lauren 3,660
73 Oliver 5,918 Gianna 3,626
74 Justin 5,898 Ariana 3,585
75 Bentley 5,881 Faith 3,551
76 Jason 5,753 Alexandra 3,482
77 Chase 5,694 Melanie 3,467
78 Ian 5,693 Sydney 3,454
79 Josiah 5,525 Naomi 3,422
80 Xavier 5,373 Caroline 3,418
81 Parker 5,365 Bailey 3,412
82 Adam 5,318 Morgan 3,401
83 Cooper 5,192 Jasmine 3,388
84 Nathaniel 4,789 Kennedy 3,387
85 Jace 4,723 Ellie 3,384
86 Grayson 4,713 Eva 3,366
87 Carson 4,593 Skylar 3,344
88 Tristan 4,433 Kimberly 3,314
89 Nolan 4,426 Violet 3,281
90 Luis 4,370 Molly 3,260
91 Brody 4,364 Trinity 3,242
92 Juan 4,283 Aria 3,230
93 Hudson 4,219 Jocelyn 3,230
94 Bryson 4,036 London 3,201
95 Carlos 4,008 Lydia 3,171
96 Easton 3,940 Madeline 3,161
97 Kayden 3,878 Reagan 3,087
98 Alex 3,863 Piper 3,069
99 Damian 3,858 Annabelle 3,057
100 Ryder 3,814 Andrea 3,050
101 Jesus 3,782 Maria 3,031
102 Cole 3,778 Brooke 2,974
103 Micah 3,764 Payton 2,945
104 Vincent 3,730 Paisley 2,920
105 Max 3,695 Ruby 2,916
106 Jaxson 3,664 Paige 2,913
107 Eric 3,633 Mariah 2,897
108 Asher 3,556 Nora 2,888
109 Hayden 3,543 Rylee 2,797
110 Diego 3,337 Lilly 2,787
111 Miles 3,267 Brielle 2,770
112 Steven 3,239 Jade 2,736
113 Ivan 3,231 Destiny 2,717
114 Maxwell 3,231 Nicole 2,655
115 Elias 3,227 Mila 2,641
116 Aidan 3,223 Kendall 2,624
117 Bryce 3,183 Liliana 2,622
118 Antonio 3,115 Kaitlyn 2,601
119 Timothy 3,113 Sadie 2,592
120 Giovanni 3,090 Natalia 2,591
121 Bryan 3,081 Mary 2,579
122 Santiago 3,049 Jordyn 2,568
123 Richard 3,024 Vanessa 2,553
124 Colin 3,022 Mya 2,549
125 Braxton 3,014 Penelope 2,535
126 Kaleb 2,995 Isabelle 2,503
127 Kyle 2,965 Alice 2,501
128 Kaden 2,953 Reese 2,459
129 Jonah 2,951 Gabrielle 2,421
130 Miguel 2,941 Hadley 2,418
131 Preston 2,937 Katelyn 2,415
132 Lincoln 2,911 Rachel 2,415
133 Riley 2,884 Angelina 2,408
134 Leo 2,878 Isabel 2,382
135 Victor 2,871 Eleanor 2,379
136 Brady 2,860 Clara 2,334
137 Mateo 2,839 Jessica 2,333
138 Jeremy 2,834 Brooklynn 2,325
139 Jaden 2,832 Elena 2,271
140 Patrick 2,817 Vivian 2,262
141 Brian 2,815 Aliyah 2,259
142 Ashton 2,811 Sara 2,258
143 Declan 2,780 Eliana 2,249
144 Joel 2,777 Laila 2,248
145 Sean 2,774 Amy 2,234
146 Gael 2,744 Lyla 2,223
147 Sawyer 2,741 Juliana 2,217
148 Alejandro 2,729 Adriana 2,150
149 Marcus 2,716 Valeria 2,143
150 Jesse 2,707 Makenzie 2,125
151 Caden 2,694 Elise 2,121
152 Leonardo 2,684 Mckenzie 2,119
153 Jake 2,678 Quinn 2,108
154 Kaiden 2,670 Delilah 2,093
155 Wesley 2,647 Cora 2,080
156 Camden 2,598 Kylee 2,051
157 Edward 2,592 Rebecca 2,015
158 Brantley 2,581 Gracie 2,006
159 Roman 2,573 Izabella 1,969
160 Silas 2,494 Josephine 1,953
161 Jude 2,483 Eden 1,936
162 Axel 2,477 Michelle 1,933
163 Grant 2,468 Alaina 1,932
164 Cayden 2,377 Jennifer 1,924
165 Emmanuel 2,348 Catherine 1,912
166 George 2,333 Aurora 1,904
167 Malachi 2,325 Valentina 1,903
168 Maddox 2,310 Stephanie 1,887
169 Bradley 2,296 Valerie 1,863
170 Alan 2,284 Jayla 1,844
171 Weston 2,284 Willow 1,833
172 Gage 2,270 Melody 1,788
173 Devin 2,240 Hazel 1,784
174 Greyson 2,236 Daisy 1,783
175 Kenneth 2,221 Alana 1,778
176 Mark 2,203 Summer 1,778
177 Oscar 2,197 Margaret 1,777
178 Tanner 2,179 Melissa 1,771
179 Rylan 2,170 Kinsley 1,755
180 Nicolas 2,131 Kinley 1,749
181 Harrison 2,125 Ariel 1,739
182 Derek 2,116 Lila 1,727
183 Ezra 2,088 Ryleigh 1,713
184 Peyton 2,075 Giselle 1,709
185 Tucker 2,042 Haley 1,708
186 Emmett 2,025 Julianna 1,696
187 Avery 2,017 Ivy 1,695
188 Cody 2,010 Alivia 1,693
189 Calvin 1,964 Brynn 1,655
190 Paul 1,953 Keira 1,651
191 Abraham 1,953 Aniyah 1,644
192 Abel 1,947 Kate 1,643
193 Andres 1,945 Angela 1,639
194 Theodore 1,943 Daniela 1,637
195 Jorge 1,939 Harmony 1,623
196 Ezekiel 1,937 Londyn 1,621
197 Kai 1,937 Hayden 1,614
198 Collin 1,932 Adalyn 1,609
199 Omar 1,920 Megan 1,559
200 Jayce 1,912 Allie 1,549
201 Bennett 1,910 Alayna 1,548
202 Conner 1,903 Gabriela 1,547
203 Trevor 1,881 Presley 1,535
204 Peter 1,867 Jenna 1,523
205 Eduardo 1,858 Alexandria 1,520
206 Maximus 1,844 Jada 1,514
207 Jaiden 1,830 Ashlyn 1,511
208 Jameson 1,821 Adrianna 1,506
209 Seth 1,815 Fiona 1,503
210 Kingston 1,777 Norah 1,502
211 Javier 1,772 Emery 1,484
212 Travis 1,757 Amaya 1,476
213 Garrett 1,744 Miranda 1,472
214 Everett 1,739 Maci 1,470
215 Graham 1,715 Cecilia 1,463
216 Xander 1,714 Ximena 1,463
217 Cristian 1,672 Ana 1,459
218 Damien 1,665 Hope 1,453
219 Griffin 1,652 Katie 1,449
220 Ryker 1,652 Shelby 1,445
221 Myles 1,620 Jordan 1,423
222 Corbin 1,618 Callie 1,421
223 Luca 1,616 Eliza 1,418
224 Zane 1,593 Luna 1,414
225 Francisco 1,567 Leilani 1,412
226 Stephen 1,567 Angel 1,403
227 Ricardo 1,566 Mckenna 1,403
228 Alexis 1,560 Genevieve 1,388
229 Zayden 1,558 Isla 1,385
230 Drake 1,546 Makenna 1,385
231 Iker 1,543 Lola 1,382
232 Lukas 1,543 Danielle 1,374
233 Charlie 1,535 Tessa 1,365
234 Spencer 1,535 Leila 1,364
235 Zion 1,532 Chelsea 1,356
236 Erick 1,520 Adelyn 1,350
237 Josue 1,513 Adeline 1,343
238 Chance 1,513 Camille 1,342
239 Trenton 1,511 Esther 1,342
240 Jeffrey 1,505 Mikayla 1,338
241 Elliot 1,499 Adalynn 1,334
242 Paxton 1,496 Sienna 1,325
243 Fernando 1,481 Jacqueline 1,319
244 Shane 1,477 Arabella 1,314
245 Keegan 1,470 Emerson 1,312
246 Landen 1,470 Athena 1,309
247 Zander 1,469 Maggie 1,307
248 Amir 1,466 Lucia 1,304
249 Manuel 1,463 Lexi 1,301
250 Raymond 1,460 Ayla 1,293

What's in a (Popular) Name?

How do we know which baby names are hot each year? It's simple! The Social Security Administration collects data as parents register their newborns for a Social Security card. So, instead of waiting for the 10-year census, we get an annual update on the trending names!

Popular Baby Names vs. Popular First Names: Any Differences?

If you're wondering why the most popular baby names and the most popular first names aren't the same, remember: first names include everyone, not just babies. With 16.5% of the population over 65, names popular in their generation, like 'Keegan' or 'Athena', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Jacob' or 'Sophia' topping the overall popular names list until the Baby Boomer generation decreases significantly.

What Factors Influence Baby Name Popularity?

Ever wondered how a name like 'Noah' or 'Mia' hits the charts? It's not an exact science, but here are some cool factors:

Celebrity Influence

Americans adore their stars! A favorite celeb can influence baby names, so if you see more little 'Ethans' or 'Emmas' running around, you might have a Hollywood A-lister to thank!

Character-Inspired Names

Bookworms and movie buffs often name their kids after beloved characters. If 'William' or 'Abigail' sound familiar, check out the latest bestseller or box-office hit!

Following the Trend

We humans are trend-followers. So, if a friend's baby 'Liam' or 'Madison' has a cute ring to it, don't be surprised if it catches on!

The Power of Recall

Names heard repeatedly stick in our minds. So if 'Aiden' or 'Olivia' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Michael' or 'Avery' stand the test of time, thanks to the tradition of naming babies after older relatives.

Religion and Politics

Religious texts and political figures inspire many parents. Evergreen choices like 'Jayden' or 'Emily' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Alexander' or 'Samantha' becomes popular, these factors give us some fun insights into the ever-changing landscape of baby names!

Historical Data for Baby Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names have changed, you can use the links below to view the historical data by decade.

Most popular first names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular boy names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular girl names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Data Source(s)

All of the data on this page is sourced from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and excludes any names with fewer than 5 occurrences in any geographic area.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spent a lot of time downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 2012". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 29, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-2012/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 2012". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-2012/. Accessed 29 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 2012. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-2012/.