Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the United States

On this page we'll look at what the most popular baby boy names are in the United States. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the most popular names for boys born in 2022, with a rank, total count for the number of births registered with that given name, and a comparison for the count for that name in 2021.

You can use the links below to view more popular boy names. This page is currently showing names ranked from 251 to 500.

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

Rank Name 2022 2021 Change
251 Nash 1,402 1,577 -11.75%
252 Kyler 1,357 1,458 -7.18%
253 Dallas 1,346 1,280 5.03%
254 Preston 1,345 1,462 -8.34%
255 Crew 1,345 1,295 3.79%
256 Paxton 1,341 1,382 -3.01%
257 Steven 1,339 1,500 -11.34%
258 Zane 1,338 1,474 -9.67%
259 Kaleb 1,332 1,440 -7.79%
260 Lane 1,331 1,312 1.44%
261 Phoenix 1,329 1,422 -6.76%
262 Paul 1,326 1,370 -3.26%
263 Cash 1,300 1,395 -7.05%
264 Kenneth 1,297 1,365 -5.11%
265 Bryce 1,292 1,414 -9.02%
266 Ronan 1,292 1,250 3.30%
267 Kaden 1,285 1,321 -2.76%
268 Maximiliano 1,274 1,157 9.63%
269 Walter 1,273 1,274 -0.08%
270 Maximus 1,266 1,307 -3.19%
271 Jax 1,261 1,444 -13.53%
272 Hendrix 1,261 1,243 1.44%
273 Emerson 1,261 1,223 3.06%
274 Atticus 1,259 1,295 -2.82%
275 Zayn 1,258 1,220 3.07%
276 Tobias 1,244 1,231 1.05%
277 Cohen 1,239 1,186 4.37%
278 Aziel 1,233 971 23.77%
279 Kayson 1,229 1,212 1.39%
280 Rory 1,225 1,130 8.07%
281 Finley 1,215 1,298 -6.61%
282 Brady 1,215 1,271 -4.51%
283 Holden 1,214 1,492 -20.55%
284 Jorge 1,213 1,232 -1.55%
285 Malcolm 1,211 1,218 -0.58%
286 Clayton 1,194 1,227 -2.73%
287 Niko 1,186 1,158 2.39%
288 Francisco 1,172 1,112 5.25%
289 Josue 1,171 1,072 8.83%
290 Brian 1,170 1,183 -1.10%
291 Bryan 1,167 1,206 -3.29%
292 Cade 1,166 954 20.00%
293 Colin 1,162 1,282 -9.82%
294 Cayden 1,159 1,168 -0.77%
295 Andre 1,159 1,159 0.00%
296 Aidan 1,154 1,195 -3.49%
297 Muhammad 1,149 1,081 6.10%
298 Derek 1,147 1,089 5.19%
299 Ali 1,122 955 16.08%
300 Elian 1,119 885 23.35%
301 Bodhi 1,112 1,206 -8.11%
302 Cody 1,106 1,066 3.68%
303 Jensen 1,100 1,087 1.19%
304 Damien 1,097 1,221 -10.70%
305 Martin 1,096 1,089 0.64%
306 Cairo 1,094 1,015 7.49%
307 Ellis 1,089 1,027 5.86%
308 Khalil 1,085 1,133 -4.33%
309 Zander 1,080 1,137 -5.14%
310 Otto 1,080 965 11.25%
311 Dante 1,077 1,067 0.93%
312 Ismael 1,072 919 15.37%
313 Angelo 1,064 1,037 2.57%
314 Brantley 1,060 1,292 -19.73%
315 Manuel 1,060 1,031 2.77%
316 Colson 1,058 1,021 3.56%
317 Cruz 1,056 1,110 -4.99%
318 Tatum 1,050 834 22.93%
319 Jaylen 1,049 1,034 1.44%
320 Jaden 1,047 1,076 -2.73%
321 Erick 1,044 1,035 0.87%
322 Cristian 1,040 986 5.33%
323 Romeo 1,038 925 11.51%
324 Milan 1,036 826 22.56%
325 Reid 1,034 1,104 -6.55%
326 Cyrus 1,032 924 11.04%
327 Leonel 1,028 862 17.57%
328 Joaquin 1,023 1,073 -4.77%
329 Ari 1,020 949 7.21%
330 Orion 1,014 1,042 -2.72%
331 Odin 1,014 999 1.49%
332 Gideon 1,012 1,071 -5.66%
333 Ezequiel 1,012 967 4.55%
334 Daxton 1,010 1,093 -7.89%
335 Warren 1,008 939 7.09%
336 Casey 1,000 682 37.81%
337 Anderson 994 996 -0.20%
338 Spencer 985 1,038 -5.24%
339 Karson 977 1,086 -10.57%
340 Eduardo 976 964 1.24%
341 Chance 972 1,010 -3.83%
342 Fernando 971 897 7.92%
343 Raymond 962 988 -2.67%
344 Bradley 950 1,062 -11.13%
345 Wade 945 1,012 -6.85%
346 Cesar 945 830 12.96%
347 Prince 938 969 -3.25%
348 Julius 936 1,034 -9.95%
349 Dakota 933 943 -1.07%
350 Koa 933 527 55.62%
351 Kade 933 846 9.78%
352 Raiden 930 835 10.76%
353 Callan 928 859 7.72%
354 Hector 923 896 2.97%
355 Ricardo 916 935 -2.05%
356 Remy 916 901 1.65%
357 Onyx 916 759 18.75%
358 Edwin 914 913 0.11%
359 Stephen 911 951 -4.30%
360 Kane 907 993 -9.05%
361 Saint 907 664 30.94%
362 Titus 902 895 0.78%
363 Desmond 901 912 -1.21%
364 Killian 899 931 -3.50%
365 Sullivan 898 865 3.74%
366 Mario 897 929 -3.50%
367 Jay 890 855 4.01%
368 Kamari 877 806 8.44%
369 Luciano 875 716 19.99%
370 Royal 868 876 -0.92%
371 Zyaire 867 828 4.60%
372 Wilder 864 881 -1.95%
373 Marco 864 781 10.09%
374 Russell 860 918 -6.52%
375 Rylan 856 956 -11.04%
376 Nasir 856 901 -5.12%
377 Jared 855 800 6.65%
378 Archie 855 779 9.30%
379 Gianni 850 814 4.33%
380 Kashton 845 708 17.64%
381 Kobe 844 1,106 -26.87%
382 Travis 842 842 0.00%
383 Sergio 842 835 0.83%
384 Marshall 833 847 -1.67%
385 Iker 830 613 30.08%
386 Briggs 818 865 -5.59%
387 Gunner 817 1,014 -21.52%
388 Bowen 816 881 -7.66%
389 Apollo 816 778 4.77%
390 Baylor 814 757 7.26%
391 Sage 814 722 11.98%
392 Tyson 805 918 -13.12%
393 Kyle 804 886 -9.70%
394 Oakley 804 768 4.58%
395 Malik 803 804 -0.12%
396 Sean 797 888 -10.80%
397 Mathias 797 699 13.10%
398 Armani 795 879 -10.04%
399 Johnny 794 708 11.45%
400 Hugo 794 711 11.03%
401 Sterling 792 836 -5.41%
402 Forrest 790 736 7.08%
403 Harvey 789 728 8.04%
404 Kameron 785 946 -18.60%
405 Banks 785 579 30.21%
406 Grady 785 720 8.64%
407 Jake 784 965 -20.70%
408 Franklin 783 795 -1.52%
409 Lawson 781 893 -13.38%
410 Tanner 780 899 -14.18%
411 Jaziel 779 537 36.78%
412 Eden 779 580 29.29%
413 Pablo 774 771 0.39%
414 Reed 773 735 5.04%
415 Zayne 772 849 -9.50%
416 Pedro 772 715 7.67%
417 Royce 770 805 -4.44%
418 Edgar 769 755 1.84%
419 Ibrahim 762 663 13.89%
420 Winston 759 752 0.93%
421 Ronin 757 707 6.83%
422 Leonidas 755 680 10.45%
423 Devin 744 825 -10.33%
424 Damon 742 723 2.59%
425 Noel 738 782 -5.79%
426 Rhys 725 748 -3.12%
427 Clark 724 788 -8.47%
428 Corbin 720 882 -20.22%
429 Sonny 720 585 20.69%
430 Colter 717 436 48.74%
431 Esteban 714 710 0.56%
432 Erik 712 694 2.56%
433 Baker 709 678 4.47%
434 Adan 708 646 9.16%
435 Dariel 707 526 29.36%
436 Kylo 707 555 24.09%
437 Tripp 707 688 2.72%
438 Solomon 704 726 -3.08%
439 Caiden 704 729 -3.49%
440 Frank 704 688 2.30%
441 Major 701 749 -6.62%
442 Memphis 699 761 -8.49%
443 Quinn 696 761 -8.92%
444 Hank 695 713 -2.56%
445 Dax 695 640 8.24%
446 Donovan 691 724 -4.66%
447 Finnegan 691 857 -21.45%
448 Nehemiah 687 753 -9.17%
449 Andy 686 632 8.19%
450 Camilo 679 453 39.93%
451 Asa 678 586 14.56%
452 Jeffrey 677 723 -6.57%
453 Santino 677 735 -8.22%
454 Isaias 674 597 12.12%
455 Jaiden 673 735 -8.81%
456 Kian 669 666 0.45%
457 Fabian 668 681 -1.93%
458 Callen 666 652 2.12%
459 Ruben 666 650 2.43%
460 Alexis 664 629 5.41%
461 Emanuel 661 574 14.09%
462 Francis 660 633 4.18%
463 Garrett 660 770 -15.38%
464 Kendrick 660 718 -8.42%
465 Matthias 656 677 -3.15%
466 Wells 656 618 5.97%
467 Augustus 655 656 -0.15%
468 Jasiah 653 582 11.50%
469 Alijah 650 758 -15.34%
470 Alonzo 650 564 14.17%
471 Koda 649 559 14.90%
472 Collin 648 726 -11.35%
473 Ford 646 703 -8.45%
474 Jaxton 645 661 -2.45%
475 Troy 645 733 -12.77%
476 Kohen 645 470 31.39%
477 Frederick 645 623 3.47%
478 Kason 644 722 -11.42%
479 Seth 643 597 7.42%
480 Denver 642 577 10.66%
481 Kyson 640 633 1.10%
482 Ares 639 565 12.29%
483 Raphael 635 543 15.62%
484 Bodie 629 557 12.14%
485 Sylas 623 546 13.17%
486 Zaiden 622 577 7.51%
487 Uriel 622 585 6.13%
488 Shiloh 620 477 26.07%
489 Lewis 616 604 1.97%
490 Kieran 615 598 2.80%
491 Marcos 614 595 3.14%
492 Bo 612 612 0.00%
493 Shepherd 612 555 9.77%
494 Philip 611 673 -9.66%
495 Zaire 608 556 8.93%
496 Gregory 607 604 0.50%
497 Princeton 607 619 -1.96%
498 Roberto 607 576 5.24%
499 Leland 605 717 -16.94%
500 Eithan 603 278 73.78%

How Are the Most Popular Baby Boy Names Determined?

Curious about how the list of the most popular baby boy names is compiled? Unlike the most common male first names list, or the most common surnames list, baby name lists are more current and up to date.

This is due to the fact that baby name lists are compiled using information from the United States social security administration and it is collected on a regular basis, rather than relying on census data which is only collected every 10 years.

The social security administration (SSA) collects information on how people are naming their babies when the parent files with them for a social security card for their child in the same year they are born. Therefore the most popular baby boys name list is updated with a decent amount of frequency.

Where Do the Most Popular Baby Boy Names Come From?

Certain names on the list may throw you for a loop, especially if you see a name that is popular but also that you’ve never heard of before. Scientists and historians alike have spent years trying to narrow down why people name their children the way they do and have come to find there is no exact answer.

The way people name their children varies widely from culture to culture and decade to decade. Below are some possible places where it is hypothesized that people find the names they give their children.

Based on Celebrities and Pop Culture

Although there may be some deep story behind your name, the reality is, most people don’t have a story behind their name. Rather, humans tend to name their children certain names they hear at one point in their life and think of as “cool.”

And when talking about ‘hearing’ a name, how do most people hear things on a daily basis? Well, from the media, social media, and pop culture of course. Therefore many names of famous celebrities frequently make the top lists for baby names.

For example, ‘Liam’ which is at the top of the list likely came from the prominence of the actor Liam Neeson. But people don’t just take names directly from celebrities, as they also take them from the names of celebrities' children. This can be seen in the name ‘Miles’ which only began to climb up the list after famous model Chrissy Teagen named her son Miles.

People don’t just watch TV, however, and names can also come from books or other stories. This phenomenon is a bit easier to track, as it can bring back weird names to popularity, which is what happened in 2005, when older names like ‘Carlisle,’ ‘Emmett,’ and ‘Edward,’ came back to the top list after they appeared in the popular novel ‘Twilight.’

Baby Names Can be Family Names

It is very common in America for people to name their sons after the child’s father. This practice leads to many names which have been around for a long time staying on the top charts for decades.

These are names like ‘William,’ ‘Robert,’ and ‘John,’ and sometimes the parent will add the suffix ‘Jr.’ to the name, or ‘II’ to indicate the child is the second or third member of the family with that name. Although this practice is becoming less common as the years go by, anytime a little boy is named ‘William Jr.’ it helps keep the name William trending as a baby boy's name.

Parents Think of the Implication of Names

There are some names that have been on the list for decades, and continue to start there just because of the process parents go through when naming their children. Besides picking a name that both parents like, they often have to think if the name will have implications for the child.

Take the name ‘Adolf’ for example. It is an old German name that means ‘noble.’ Although you may like the name, you also know that naming your children the name Adolf would possibly lead to them getting harassed in school, and may cause people to have an opinion about your child before they even met him.

Because of a fear of giving a child a name that will cause them to be bullied or teased, some parents try to keep it simple by picking a common name. A practice that keeps names like ‘Lucas’ and ‘Alexander’ at the top of the charts.

Political and Religious Names

Although many couples have started to get more creative with baby girls' names, many baby boy names still have religious origins. ‘Noah,’ ‘Elijah,’ and ‘Daniel’ are all names that appear in the Bible and have been given to baby boys for centuries.

While some parents continue to name their children these names because they are religious, it’s also important to note that this naming tactic often overlaps with parents thinking of the implications of their child’s name. For example, a non-religious couple may name their son Daniel just because they hear the name and know there are many Daniels in the world so their son won’t be teased for his name.

Political names are often common as well among men. Parents may name their children after a famous politician, or they may take the last name of a politician and make it a first name. An example of this is ‘Obama’ which, while not popular, is a first name that came about when Barack Obama was elected. Even though his first name is Barack, people became much more attached to his last name, leading some people to name their sons ‘Obama.’

How Have Baby Boys Names Changed Over the Years?

If you had looked at this list a few decades ago, it would have looked much different than it does now. One of the main reasons why is because people have generally become more creative with naming practices over the years when it comes to baby boys.

Throughout the history of the United States, baby boy names were always quite simple. They were typically short and came from the Bible. Well, as the number of religious people has declined in the United States, many people have tired of naming their sons ‘Jacob,’ ‘John,’ and ‘Matthew.’

Of course, these names are still on the list, but they are no longer the top three. Instead, names like ‘Liam,’ ‘Oliver,’ and ‘Henry’ have taken their spots. While it has always been easy to come up with unique girls' names, it has been harder to say the same for boys' names. This hasn’t stopped people, however, as names like ‘Axel,’ ‘Maverick,’ and ‘Roman’ have all made the list in the past few years.

Part of the reason unique names are on the rise for baby boys is thanks to pop culture. Where once people only had their neighbors to look to for unique names, people now carry the internet in the palms of their hands. This makes it easier to look up unique boys' names or to find out more information about how their favorite celebrity is naming their son or daughter.

Overall, society is seeking to become more individualistic than ever before. Therefore while it was once okay for all the boys on the block to be named ‘John’ this isn’t going to fly anymore as parents look for their son to have a more unique name like ‘Thiago.’

Historical Data for Baby Boy Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names for boys 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.

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  • "Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the United States". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 19, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-boy-names/.

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