More than 100,000 babies were born in New York City in 2020, the most recent full-year data set available, and Emma and Liam retain their years-long crowns.
Liam has been the No. 1 name for boys since 2016, with another 682 babies by that name born in the city in 2020. Emma has been the top name for girls since 2017, and another 442 were given that name in 2020, according to the health department.
Overall, nine of the top ten girls’ names from 2019 stayed on the top 10 list for 2020. Charlotte dropped off, Sophia moved up to second and Olivia fell to fourth. Mia moved up one spot to be third. Sarah returned to the list at the eighth spot.
Eight of the top boys’ names from 2019 also stayed on the list for 2020. Matthew and Michael fell off, while Joseph and Alexander made gains. The top two names remained the same from 2019. Jacob and Ethan swapped positions to third and fourth. Both Aiden and Daniel dropped in the rankings to seventh and eighth.
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More Fun NYC Baby Name Facts and Trends
NYC births by borough: From 2019 to 2020, the number of babies born in NYC decreased 9.4 percent – from 110,443 births to 100,022 (51,255 boys and 48,767 girls). Manhattan reported the most births (38,951) in 2020, followed by Brooklyn (24,129), Queens (19,877), the Bronx (11,516) and Staten Island
Inspired by science: 181 babies were named Anthony, perhaps in honor of Dr. Fauci (No. 34 in terms of popularity among boys). Albert was the chosen name for 36 babies (No.129) like Albert Einstein. There were 40 babies named Katherine (No. 99) like Katherine Johnson and 36 babies named Jane (No. 103) like Jane Goodall
Babies sharing names with nature: Parents may have been inspired by astronomy, the natural world and the animal kingdom: Luna (No. 11), Lily (No. 40), Aurora (No. 49), Rose (No. 50), Violet (No. 52), Jade (No. 67), Ruby (No. 76), Jasmine (No. 78), Ivy (No. 81), Iris (No. 99), Sage (No. 107 and No. 150), Willow (No. 116), Wren (No. 129), Orion (No. 145), River (No. 147), Ocean (No. 148), Nova (No. 154), Wolf (No. 154), and Fox (No. 155)
Inspiring places: Cities are always a favorite for parents: Charlotte (No. 12), Madison (No. 25), Austin (No. 57), Savannah (No. 77), Samara (No. 97), Phoenix (No. 103), Brooklyn (No. 112), Siena (No. 116), Florence (No. 127), Kingston (No. 143), and Princeton (No. 146)
Seeking peace during a difficult year: 2020 was a year filled with adversity, so it’s no wonder many parents may have sought a more peaceful state of being for their babies: Grace (No. 32), Serenity (No. 57), Zion (No. 64), Harmony (No. 105), Hope (no. 110), Joy (No. 115), Dream (No. 117), Heaven (No. 117), Love (No. 128), Sincere (No. 143), Eden (No. 147)
