Choosing a baby boy name is one of the first important decisions you’ll make as a parent-to-be. Should you select a traditional name that will stand the test of time, possibly one that’s remained in your family for generations? Or, should you opt for a more modern and unique baby boy name?
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to help you choose the perfect name for your son. And believe it or not, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is a great place to start. Every year, the SSA rounds up the 1,000 most popular baby girl and boy names.
Here, browse the list of the top baby boy names for inspiration (or to see if your little one's name made the list!).
Top 1,000 most popular baby boy names
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- Elijah
- James
- William
- Benjamin
- Lucas
- Henry
- Theodore
- Jack
- Levi
- Alexander
- Jackson
- Mateo
- Daniel
- Michael
- Mason
- Sebastian
- Ethan
- Logan
- Owen
- Samuel
- Jacob
- Asher
- Aiden
- John
- Joseph
- Wyatt
- David
- Leo
- Luke
- Julian
- Hudson
- Grayson
- Matthew
- Ezra
- Gabriel
- Carter
- Isaac
- Jayden
- Luca
- Anthony
- Dylan
- Lincoln
- Thomas
- Maverick
- Elias
- Josiah
- Charles
- Caleb
- Christopher
- Ezekiel
- Miles
- Jaxon
- Isaiah
- Andrew
- Joshua
- Nathan
- Nolan
- Adrian
- Cameron
- Santiago
- Eli
- Aaron
- Ryan
- Angel
- Cooper
- Waylon
- Easton
- Kai
- Christian
- Landon
- Colton
- Roman
- Axel
- Brooks
- Jonathan
- Robert
- Jameson
- Ian
- Everett
- Greyson
- Wesley
- Jeremiah
- Hunter
- Leonardo
- Jordan
- Jose
- Bennett
- Silas
- Nicholas
- Parker
- Beau
- Weston
- Austin
- Connor
- Carson
- Dominic
- Xavier
- Jaxson
- Jace
- Emmett
- Adam
- Declan
- Rowan
- Micah
- Kayden
- Gael
- River
- Ryder
- Kingston
- Damian
- Sawyer
- Luka
- Evan
- Vincent
- Legend
- Myles
- Harrison
- August
- Bryson
- Amir
- Giovanni
- Chase
- Diego
- Milo
- Jasper
- Walker
- Jason
- Brayden
- Cole
- Nathaniel
- George
- Lorenzo
- Zion
- Luis
- Archer
- Enzo
- Jonah
- Thiago
- Theo
- Ayden
- Zachary
- Calvin
- Braxton
- Ashton
- Rhett
- Atlas
- Jude
- Bentley
- Carlos
- Ryker
- Adriel
- Arthur
- Ace
- Tyler
- Jayce
- Max
- Elliot
- Graham
- Kaiden
- Maxwell
- Juan
- Dean
- Matteo
- Malachi
- Ivan
- Elliott
- Jesus
- Emiliano
- Messiah
- Gavin
- Maddox
- Camden
- Hayden
- Leon
- Antonio
- Justin
- Tucker
- Brandon
- Kevin
- Judah
- Finn
- King
- Brody
- Xander
- Nicolas
- Charlie
- Arlo
- Emmanuel
- Barrett
- Felix
- Alex
- Miguel
- Abel
- Alan
- Beckett
- Amari
- Karter
- Timothy
- Abraham
- Jesse
- Zayden
- Blake
- Alejandro
- Dawson
- Tristan
- Victor
- Avery
- Joel
- Grant
- Eric
- Patrick
- Peter
- Richard
- Edward
- Andres
- Emilio
- Colt
- Knox
- Beckham
- Adonis
- Kyrie
- Matias
- Oscar
- Lukas
- Marcus
- Hayes
- Caden
- Remington
- Griffin
- Nash
- Israel
- Steven
- Holden
- Rafael
- Zane
- Jeremy
- Kash
- Preston
- Kyler
- Jax
- Jett
- Kaleb
- Riley
- Simon
- Phoenix
- Javier
- Bryce
- Louis
- Mark
- Cash
- Lennox
- Paxton
- Malakai
- Paul
- Kenneth
- Nico
- Kaden
- Lane
- Kairo
- Maximus
- Omar
- Finley
- Atticus
- Crew
- Brantley
- Colin
- Dallas
- Walter
- Brady
- Callum
- Ronan
- Hendrix
- Jorge
- Tobias
- Clayton
- Emerson
- Damien
- Zayn
- Malcolm
- Kayson
- Bodhi
- Bryan
- Aidan
- Cohen
- Brian
- Cayden
- Andre
- Niko
- Maximiliano
- Zander
- Khalil
- Rory
- Francisco
- Cruz
- Kobe
- Reid
- Daxton
- Derek
- Martin
- Jensen
- Karson
- Tate
- Muhammad
- Jaden
- Joaquin
- Josue
- Gideon
- Dante
- Cody
- Bradley
- Orion
- Spencer
- Angelo
- Erick
- Jaylen
- Julius
- Manuel
- Ellis
- Colson
- Cairo
- Gunner
- Wade
- Chance
- Odin
- Anderson
- Kane
- Raymond
- Cristian
- Aziel
- Prince
- Ezequiel
- Jake
- Otto
- Eduardo
- Rylan
- Ali
- Cade
- Stephen
- Ari
- Kameron
- Dakota
- Warren
- Ricardo
- Killian
- Mario
- Romeo
- Cyrus
- Ismael
- Russell
- Tyson
- Edwin
- Desmond
- Nasir
- Remy
- Tanner
- Fernando
- Hector
- Titus
- Lawson
- Sean
- Kyle
- Elian
- Corbin
- Bowen
- Wilder
- Armani
- Royal
- Stetson
- Briggs
- Sullivan
- Leonel
- Callan
- Finnegan
- Jay
- Zayne
- Marshall
- Kade
- Travis
- Sterling
- Raiden
- Sergio
- Tatum
- Cesar
- Zyaire
- Milan
- Devin
- Gianni
- Kamari
- Royce
- Malik
- Jared
- Franklin
- Clark
- Noel
- Marco
- Archie
- Apollo
- Pablo
- Garrett
- Oakley
- Memphis
- Quinn
- Onyx
- Alijah
- Baylor
- Edgar
- Nehemiah
- Winston
- Major
- Rhys
- Forrest
- Jaiden
- Reed
- Santino
- Troy
- Caiden
- Harvey
- Collin
- Solomon
- Donovan
- Damon
- Jeffrey
- Kason
- Sage
- Grady
- Kendrick
- Leland
- Luciano
- Pedro
- Hank
- Hugo
- Esteban
- Johnny
- Kashton
- Ronin
- Ford
- Mathias
- Porter
- Erik
- Johnathan
- Frank
- Tripp
- Casey
- Fabian
- Leonidas
- Baker
- Matthias
- Philip
- Jayceon
- Kian
- Saint
- Ibrahim
- Jaxton
- Augustus
- Callen
- Trevor
- Ruben
- Adan
- Conor
- Dax
- Braylen
- Kaison
- Francis
- Kyson
- Andy
- Lucca
- Mack
- Peyton
- Alexis
- Deacon
- Kasen
- Kamden
- Frederick
- Princeton
- Braylon
- Wells
- Nikolai
- Iker
- Bo
- Dominick
- Moshe
- Cassius
- Gregory
- Lewis
- Kieran
- Isaias
- Seth
- Marcos
- Omari
- Shane
- Keegan
- Jase
- Asa
- Sonny
- Uriel
- Pierce
- Jasiah
- Eden
- Rocco
- Banks
- Cannon
- Denver
- Zaiden
- Roberto
- Shawn
- Drew
- Emanuel
- Kolton
- Ayaan
- Ares
- Conner
- Jalen
- Alonzo
- Enrique
- Dalton
- Moses
- Koda
- Bodie
- Jamison
- Phillip
- Zaire
- Jonas
- Kylo
- Moises
- Shepherd
- Allen
- Kenzo
- Mohamed
- Keanu
- Dexter
- Conrad
- Bruce
- Sylas
- Soren
- Raphael
- Rowen
- Gunnar
- Sutton
- Quentin
- Jaziel
- Emmitt
- Makai
- Koa
- Maximilian
- Brixton
- Dariel
- Zachariah
- Roy
- Armando
- Corey
- Saul
- Izaiah
- Danny
- Davis
- Ridge
- Yusuf
- Ariel
- Valentino
- Jayson
- Ronald
- Albert
- Gerardo
- Ryland
- Dorian
- Drake
- Gage
- Rodrigo
- Hezekiah
- Kylan
- Boone
- Ledger
- Santana
- Jamari
- Jamir
- Lawrence
- Reece
- Kaysen
- Shiloh
- Arjun
- Marcelo
- Abram
- Benson
- Huxley
- Nikolas
- Zain
- Kohen
- Samson
- Miller
- Donald
- Finnley
- Kannon
- Lucian
- Watson
- Keith
- Westin
- Tadeo
- Sincere
- Boston
- Axton
- Amos
- Chandler
- Leandro
- Raul
- Scott
- Reign
- Alessandro
- Camilo
- Derrick
- Morgan
- Julio
- Clay
- Edison
- Jaime
- Augustine
- Julien
- Zeke
- Marvin
- Bellamy
- Landen
- Dustin
- Jamie
- Krew
- Kyree
- Colter
- Johan
- Houston
- Layton
- Quincy
- Case
- Atreus
- Cayson
- Aarav
- Darius
- Harlan
- Justice
- Abdiel
- Layne
- Raylan
- Arturo
- Taylor
- Anakin
- Ander
- Hamza
- Otis
- Azariah
- Leonard
- Colby
- Duke
- Flynn
- Trey
- Gustavo
- Fletcher
- Issac
- Sam
- Trenton
- Callahan
- Chris
- Mohammad
- Rayan
- Lionel
- Bruno
- Jaxxon
- Zaid
- Brycen
- Roland
- Dillon
- Lennon
- Ambrose
- Rio
- Mac
- Ahmed
- Samir
- Yosef
- Tru
- Creed
- Tony
- Alden
- Aden
- Alec
- Carmelo
- Dario
- Marcel
- Roger
- Ty
- Ahmad
- Emir
- Landyn
- Skyler
- Mohammed
- Dennis
- Kareem
- Nixon
- Rex
- Uriah
- Lee
- Louie
- Rayden
- Reese
- Alberto
- Cason
- Quinton
- Kingsley
- Chaim
- Alfredo
- Mauricio
- Caspian
- Legacy
- Ocean
- Ozzy
- Briar
- Wilson
- Forest
- Grey
- Joziah
- Salem
- Neil
- Remi
- Bridger
- Harry
- Jefferson
- Lachlan
- Nelson
- Casen
- Salvador
- Magnus
- Tommy
- Marcellus
- Maximo
- Jerry
- Clyde
- Aron
- Keaton
- Eliam
- Lian
- Trace
- Douglas
- Junior
- Titan
- Cullen
- Cillian
- Musa
- Mylo
- Hugh
- Tomas
- Vincenzo
- Westley
- Langston
- Byron
- Kiaan
- Loyal
- Orlando
- Kyro
- Amias
- Amiri
- Jimmy
- Vicente
- Khari
- Brendan
- Rey
- Ben
- Emery
- Zyair
- Bjorn
- Evander
- Ramon
- Alvin
- Ricky
- Jagger
- Brock
- Dakari
- Eddie
- Blaze
- Gatlin
- Alonso
- Curtis
- Kylian
- Nathanael
- Devon
- Wayne
- Zakai
- Mathew
- Rome
- Riggs
- Aryan
- Avi
- Hassan
- Lochlan
- Stanley
- Dash
- Kaiser
- Benicio
- Bryant
- Talon
- Rohan
- Wesson
- Joe
- Noe
- Melvin
- Vihaan
- Zayd
- Darren
- Enoch
- Mitchell
- Jedidiah
- Brodie
- Castiel
- Ira
- Lance
- Guillermo
- Thatcher
- Ermias
- Misael
- Jakari
- Emory
- Mccoy
- Rudy
- Thaddeus
- Valentin
- Yehuda
- Bode
- Madden
- Kase
- Bear
- Boden
- Jiraiya
- Maurice
- Alvaro
- Ameer
- Demetrius
- Eliseo
- Kabir
- Kellan
- Allan
- Azrael
- Calum
- Niklaus
- Ray
- Damari
- Elio
- Jon
- Leighton
- Axl
- Dane
- Eithan
- Eugene
- Kenji
- Jakob
- Colten
- Eliel
- Nova
- Santos
- Zahir
- Idris
- Ishaan
- Kole
- Korbin
- Seven
- Alaric
- Kellen
- Bronson
- Franco
- Wes
- Larry
- Mekhi
- Jamal
- Dilan
- Elisha
- Brennan
- Kace
- Van
- Felipe
- Fisher
- Cal
- Dior
- Judson
- Alfonso
- Deandre
- Rocky
- Henrik
- Reuben
- Anders
- Arian
- Damir
- Jacoby
- Khalid
- Kye
- Mustafa
- Jadiel
- Stefan
- Yousef
- Aydin
- Jericho
- Robin
- Wallace
- Alistair
- Davion
- Alfred
- Ernesto
- Kyng
- Everest
- Gary
- Leroy
- Yahir
- Braden
- Kelvin
- Kristian
- Adler
- Avyaan
- Brayan
- Jones
- Truett
- Aries
- Joey
- Randy
- Jaxx
- Jesiah
- Jovanni
- Azriel
- Brecken
- Harley
- Zechariah
- Gordon
- Jakai
- Carl
- Graysen
- Kylen
- Ayan
- Branson
- Crosby
- Dominik
- Jabari
- Jaxtyn
- Kristopher
- Ulises
- Zyon
- Fox
- Howard
- Salvatore
- Turner
- Vance
- Harlem
- Jair
- Jakobe
- Jeremias
- Osiris
- Azael
- Bowie
- Canaan
- Elon
- Granger
- Karsyn
- Zavier
- Cain
- Dangelo
- Heath
- Yisroel
- Gian
- Shepard
- Harold
- Kamdyn
- Rene
- Rodney
- Yaakov
- Adrien
- Kartier
- Cassian
- Coleson
- Ahmir
- Darian
- Genesis
- Kalel
- Agustin
- Wylder
- Yadiel
- Ephraim
- Kody
- Neo
- Ignacio
- Osman
- Aldo
- Abdullah
- Cory
- Blaine
- Dimitri
- Khai
- Landry
- Palmer
- Benedict
- Leif
- Koen
- Maxton
- Mordechai
- Zev
- Atharv
- Bishop
- Blaise
- Davian
How are the top baby boy names chosen?
Every year, the SSA compiles their list of the top baby names for boys and girls using data from U.S. Social Security Card applications. The most recent data available is for 2021, which the list above references.
Read This Next
Baby boy names that are rising in popularity
The top baby boy names in the U.S. right now — Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah and James — have been popular for quite some time. Liam has held the number one spot for baby boy names since 2017, while Noah, Oliver and Elijah have also been somewhere in the top five positions for the past few years.
This year, James and William swapped rankings: James moved up one spot to the number five position, and William moved down to number six. Theodore also jumped 13 positions into the top 10 this year, replacing Alexander.
Two-syllable names remain popular for baby boys: Lucas and Henry are just a couple of examples in the top 10. The rest of the list is sprinkled with classic and up-and-coming names alike, all providing ideas for parents hunting for the perfect baby boy name for their newest arrival.
While many of the top baby boy names have remained among the most popular for the past few years, other boy names are on the rise and quickly approaching the top spots. Jack, for example, jumped 10 spots, from number 21 in 2020 to number 11 in 2021. The name Levi is also trending, from number 18 in 2020 to number 12 in 2021.
It’s clear that unique names are also popular. From 2020 to 2021, the names that increased most in popularity were all rather unique, perhaps suggesting that they will continue to be popular in 2022. Big increases included the name Amiri, which surged 534 spots; Eliam, which rose 442 spots; and Colter, which jumped 344 spots. Other trending names for baby boys include Ozzy, Loyal, Khai, Evander and Camilo.
Baby boy names that were popular 100 years ago
Unlike baby girl names, the SSA's list of the most popular baby boy names didn’t look too different back in the 1920s — some of the most popular names for boys a century ago still remain popular today.
For instance, William was the number three boy name in the 1921 and holds the number six spot today. (In fact, William has never left the top 20 names for boys since 1900.) James was the number four name in 1921, and holds the number five spot today.
Also popular in 1920: Names starting with "R" (Robert and Richard were both in the top 10 in 1921), one-syllable names (in addition to John, George and Frank were popular choices 100 years ago) and two-syllable names ending with "D" (such as Harold, Edward, Donald, Howard, David and Leonard).