The Most Popular And Unique Baby Names In The U.S. Right Now
When it comes to picking baby names, parents are spoiled for choice. The possibilities are endless! But if you find choosing a name to be overwhelming, don’t worry: the Social Security Administration has you covered. The government agency has compiled a list of names ranging from the most popular to the most unique in America today. We’ve got 40 of the stand-outs right here, and we’ve conveniently broken them down into four different categories: names that are rising in popularity, the year's most popular girl names, the year's most popular boy names, and the names no other baby will have. Things sure have changed since the 1950s...
Names That Are Rising In Popularity
1. Everleigh
Trust us, that’s a real name! "Everleigh" was created in the United Kingdom, and it means “wild boar wood.” Its first appearance on the SSA chart came in 2008 where it didn't even crack the top 1,000 names. The name has become more popular in the U.S. since then, but it remains pretty obscure compared to other choices. The 2021 ranking had it in 100th place.
2. Athena
If you’re familiar with Greek mythology, then you’ll know that Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom. And over the years, it’s also been used as a baby name. Yet considering how famous this member of the Greek pantheon is, the name hasn’t caught on like you might expect. Athena was sitting at 98th place, just inside the top 100 names of the SSA’s ranking.
3. Serenity
The word serenity has ties to both Latin and French language. It means “calm.” But somewhere along the way, it eventually became a name for girls. Did the connotations with peacefulness fuel this change? In more modern times, you could argue that fans of the sci-fi action film Serenity might’ve played a role! It’s still somewhat rare in America, though, coming 95th in the chart.
4. Weston
Just like "Easton", "Weston" has practically the same origin story. The only difference is that the name was given to those living in western communities. Makes sense! Now, it’s a boy’s name that a lot of moms and dads could miss when choosing one for their baby. That’s understandable. After all, Weston came 95th in the SSA’s most recent chart for boys' names, so it's not exactly the world's most popular name!