The Most Popular Baby Name in Every State in 2026, Mapped

The baby name game has only gotten more competitive in the age of social media. Today, expectant parents can easily check just how many people have already claimed their Charlottes, Olivias, or even niche picks like Anicia in any given area. For new moms who want to spare their mini-me years of mispronunciations and misspellings, tracking state trends is the best way to see which baby names are blowing up. The same goes for the parent determined to avoid playground duplicates, who only opts for one-of-a-kind onesies and options like Atlas.

According to new data from BabyCenter, these were the top five names for girls and boys in 2026:

The shortlist of popular baby names may seem like a mixed bag, but the state-by-state data reveals a few big surprises. While Olivia was the most popular girl name overall, the Latin-derived pick meaning "olive tree" ranked first in only six states. Third-place Amelia came out on top in 11 states—in contrast to runner-up Eliana, which secured second place nationwide without topping the list in a single state.

As for the boys, third-year-consecutive top choice Noah came first in 15 states (plus D.C.). But Oliver, sitting at third overall, made the biggest mark on the map by taking the top spot in 16 states. Meanwhile, runner-up Liam held onto the silver despite ranking first in just three states: Massachusetts, Montana, and Hawaii.

The saying "if you know, you know" holds when it comes to local foods, sunset spots, and even baby names in states where uncommon monikers won out over the most popular picks in the U.S. With a distinct culture, language, and demographic mix setting it apart from the mainland, Hawaii naturally carved its own path on the baby name charts, crowning Kehlani (No. 87 nationally)—the name of the popular R&B singer, meaning "sea and sky"—as its top girl name. Meanwhile, thousands of miles from any tropical island, landlocked Montana stood solo in naming Isla its number-one choice.

As is the case with most things, from dog breeds to Disney movies, a few regions went rogue. Aurora (Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming) and Hazel (Nebraska, Oregon) made names for themselves, while the boys' side also birthed some standouts. Country-leaning Waylon (No. 18 nationally) locked down five states, from Idaho to Alabama, and the Spanish name Santiago, which means "Saint James," stole the show in New Mexico, proving that cultural flair often beats classic Americana.

You can check out the full state-by-state list for 2026 in the chart below, courtesy of BabyCenter. Scroll through to see where your own favorite names landed—or just how popular your state's top picks really are.

2026's Most Popular Baby Names by State

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