Your First Name Meaning & Origin

The names that we choose for our children come from many different sources. First names can come from a family member, the name of a place, it can be something completely original or something from a baby book. While you may think you are unique with the names you choose, where you live may have a more significant impact on the baby names you choose than you would expect.

Depending on which region in the country you live, the popularity of specific first names will vary. However, no matter where you live, specific baby names dominate all regions of the country. According to the most recent data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), below is a list of the top 25 boy and girl names for the Northeast, West, South, and the Midwest.

Northeast

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Northeast as the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Typically, first names in the Northeast are more diverse than other regions of the state. The top 25 boy and girl names in the Northeast according to the SSA are:

Boy names:

Liam
Noah
Jacob
Logan
Lucas
Michael
Benjamin
Mason
James
Joseph
Matthew
Ethan
Alexander
William
Ryan
Daniel
Dylan
Oliver
Anthony
David
John
Aiden
Jack
Jackson
Henry

Girl names:

Emma
Olivia
Ava
Sophia
Isabella
Charlotte
Mia
Amelia
Abigail
Emily
Ella
Madison
Evelyn
Harper
Grace
Avery
Elizabeth
Leah
Scarlett
Sofia
Riley
Chloe
Aria
Nora
Hannah

West coast

Like the Northeast, first names Emma, Olivia, Liam, Noah and Isabella make up the top baby names of both regions.

However, specific first names like Sebastian, are ranked higher on the West coast than the national average. Below is a list of the top 25 boy and girl names for Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii:

Boy names:

Noah
Liam
Sebastian
Jacob
Matthew
Ethan
Daniel
Mateo
Julian
Alexander
Benjamin
Logan
Oliver
Aiden
William
Lucas
Jayden
David
James
Elijah
Nathan
Dylan
Michael
Aaron
Isaac

Girls names:

Emma
Olivia
Mia
Sophia
Isabella
Emily
Ava
Camila
Sofia
Abigail
Charlotte
Victoria
Evelyn
Amelia
Penelope
Luna
Scarlett
Aria
Elizabeth
Mila
Chloe
Grace
Avery
Harper
Ella

South

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the South as Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.

When it comes to the South, you can count on Southern parents to add some spice. While it is common for Southern parents to choose traditional first names for their children, mostly by passing down traditional family names, they are also known to get creative with their spelling. The top 25 boy and girl names in the South are:

Boy names:

Noah
Liam
William
Elijah
James
Mason
Jacob
Logan
Michael
Aiden
Benjamin
Lucas
Matthew
Ethan
Alexander
John
Daniel
Samuel
Oliver
David
Jayden
Jackson
Luke
Carter
Sebastian

Girl names:

Emma
Olivia
Ava
Isabella
Sophia
Mia
Charlotte
Amelia
Harper
Abigail
Elizabeth
Evelyn
Emily
Madison
Avery
Sofia
Ella
Victoria
Scarlett
Layla
Chloe
Camila
Aubrey
Aria
Riley

Midwest

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Midwest as Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.

While the Midwest may not be known for setting fashion trends, it does have a knack for determining which baby first names are on the rise. Also, the Midwest has the most diverse baby names, according to the SSA. Below are the top 25 boy and girl names for the Midwest:

Boy names: