Happy infant in baby bear robe.

Baby names that rose in popularity the most in 2021

Written by:
January 12, 2023
milaphotos // Shutterstock

Baby names that rose in popularity the most in 2021

Finding out you're going to become a parent is a revelation full of joy and anxiety. Deciding on a name is the first of many important decisions that could impact a child's life. Names can influence gender, racial, and socioeconomic bias. Names can also play a huge role in developing a sense of self.

Over the last century, names started to move away from the traditional, becoming more diverse. Today, more parents are choosing names that spark a feeling of individuality versus a name that blends in. Names with nontraditional spellings and pronunciations are also on the rise.

Stacker ranked the top 50 baby names that rose in popularity in 2021, using data from the Social Security Administration. Names were sorted by subtracting the name's 2021 rank from its 2020 rank. In the event of a tie, the 2021 rank was used (rank indicates where the name fell on the list of popular baby names).

Many of the names that rose in popularity are considered gender-neutral. The Social Security Administration considers sex and gender binary variables, and ranks were given to female and male names based on Social Security card applications.

A baby boy in a green outfit lying on the grass outside.
1 / 50
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#50. Rome (male)

- 2021 rank: 785
- 2020 rank: 969
- Change: 184

A baby girl in a white outfit and hat with ears surrounded by white teddy bears.
2 / 50
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#49. Noah (female)

- 2021 rank: 692
- 2020 rank: 877
- Change: 185

A sleeping baby girl wrapped in a white swaddle on a pink blanket.
3 / 50
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#48. Jenesis (female)

- 2021 rank: 745
- 2020 rank: 930
- Change: 185

A baby boy wrapped in a swaddle wearing a blue hat.
4 / 50
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#47. Zyon (male)

- 2021 rank: 938
- 2020 rank: 1124
- Change: 186

A baby girl with her hand in her mouth wearing a lace headband.
5 / 50
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#46. Marceline (female)

- 2021 rank: 779
- 2020 rank: 969
- Change: 190

A baby girl in a blue dress holding a book.
6 / 50
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#45. Soraya (female)

- 2021 rank: 987
- 2020 rank: 1180
- Change: 193

A baby boy in a white onesie on a blanket of colorful squares.
7 / 50
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#44. Azriel (male)

- 2021 rank: 921
- 2020 rank: 1118
- Change: 197

A smiling baby boy in a white onesie lying on a white fluffy blanket.
8 / 50
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#43. Koen (male)

- 2021 rank: 993
- 2020 rank: 1191
- Change: 198

A baby boy sleeping in a red santa suit and hat.
9 / 50
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#42. Palmer (male)

- 2021 rank: 990
- 2020 rank: 1188
- Change: 198

A baby girl on the beach wearing a crochet outfit and a flower crown.
10 / 50
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#41. Soleil (female)

- 2021 rank: 999
- 2020 rank: 1199
- Change: 200

A baby girl in a red santa suit and hat.
11 / 50
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#40. Halo (female)

- 2021 rank: 738
- 2020 rank: 939
- Change: 201

A baby girl yawning.
12 / 50
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#39. Nyra (female)

- 2021 rank: 844
- 2020 rank: 1046
- Change: 202

A sleeping baby girl wrapped in a colorful swaddle and wearing a purple headband.
13 / 50
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#38. Clover (female)

- 2021 rank: 866
- 2020 rank: 1069
- Change: 203

A baby boy in tan overalls sitting with colorful balloons.
14 / 50
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#37. Zyair (male)

- 2021 rank: 765
- 2020 rank: 968
- Change: 203

A baby girl in a tan outfit with a purple head wrap.
15 / 50
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#36. Della (female)

- 2021 rank: 708
- 2020 rank: 914
- Change: 206

A baby wearing a hat and leaning over a fluffy pillow.
16 / 50
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#35. Onyx (male)

- 2021 rank: 406
- 2020 rank: 613
- Change: 207

A baby boy with big blue eyes.
17 / 50
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#33. Bridger (male)

- 2021 rank: 721
- 2020 rank: 929
- Change: 208

A smiling baby outside in a purple tutu.
18 / 50
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#34. Navy (female)

- 2021 rank: 452
- 2020 rank: 660
- Change: 208

A baby boy making a funny face.
19 / 50
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#32. Cillian (male)

- 2021 rank: 743
- 2020 rank: 958
- Change: 215

A laughing baby girl with two new bottom teeth.
20 / 50
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#31. Zayla (female)

- 2021 rank: 924
- 2020 rank: 1145
- Change: 221

A baby boy in a red snow jacket and colorful hat.
21 / 50
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#30. Kylian (male)

- 2021 rank: 779
- 2020 rank: 1001
- Change: 222

A sleeping baby girl with a pink bow and plush animal.
22 / 50
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#29. Jaylani (female)

- 2021 rank: 795
- 2020 rank: 1023
- Change: 228

A baby girl in a pink hat and gloves and a red snow suit on a sled.
23 / 50
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#28. Taytum (female)

- 2021 rank: 948
- 2020 rank: 1178
- Change: 230

A baby girl in a high chair with her hand in her mouth.
24 / 50
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#27. Elia (female)

- 2021 rank: 878
- 2020 rank: 1108
- Change: 230

A baby girl in a brown and white checkered outfit.
25 / 50
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#26. Mylah (female)

- 2021 rank: 514
- 2020 rank: 747
- Change: 233

A baby boy in a blue shirt.
26 / 50
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#25. Elio (male)

- 2021 rank: 842
- 2020 rank: 1082
- Change: 240

A little boy in the sand on the beach.
27 / 50
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#24. Wylder (male)

- 2021 rank: 976
- 2020 rank: 1219
- Change: 243

A baby girl outside in a pink polka dot outfit.
28 / 50
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#23. Freyja (female)

- 2021 rank: 709
- 2020 rank: 952
- Change: 243

A baby boy lying on a striped blanket outside.
29 / 50
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#22. Gian (male)

- 2021 rank: 960
- 2020 rank: 1208
- Change: 248

A smiling baby boy wearing a sweater vest outside.
30 / 50
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#21. Banks (male)

- 2021 rank: 503
- 2020 rank: 753
- Change: 250

A smiling baby boy on a blanket outside playing with colorful cups.
31 / 50
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#20. Jiraiya (male)

- 2021 rank: 828
- 2020 rank: 1079
- Change: 251

A baby girl in a pink cardigan and floral hat outside.
32 / 50
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#19. Oakleigh (female)

- 2021 rank: 609
- 2020 rank: 861
- Change: 252

A baby girl in a pink vest and knit hat.
33 / 50
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#18. Ocean (female)

- 2021 rank: 877
- 2020 rank: 1130
- Change: 253

A smiling baby girl holding a strawberry blanket.
34 / 50
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#17. Arleth (female)

- 2021 rank: 957
- 2020 rank: 1216
- Change: 259

A baby boy in a yellow shirt.
35 / 50
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#14. Camilo (male)

- 2021 rank: 610
- 2020 rank: 873
- Change: 263

A smiling baby girl in a high chair wearing a striped shirt.
36 / 50
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#13. Flora (female)

- 2021 rank: 647
- 2020 rank: 925
- Change: 278

A baby boy in a blue sweater playing with bubbles.
37 / 50
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#12. Evander (male)

- 2021 rank: 767
- 2020 rank: 1046
- Change: 279

A baby girl in cat pajamas holding a stuffed animal.
38 / 50
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#11. Emberlynn (female)

- 2021 rank: 961
- 2020 rank: 1245
- Change: 284

A baby boy in a red knit suit in the Fall leaves.
39 / 50
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#10. Vida (female)

- 2021 rank: 992
- 2020 rank: 1277
- Change: 285

A baby girl clapping in the grass.
40 / 50
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#9. Khai (male)

- 2021 rank: 988
- 2020 rank: 1275
- Change: 287

A baby girl laughing.
41 / 50
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#8. Loyal (male)

- 2021 rank: 753
- 2020 rank: 1053
- Change: 300

A baby boy in overall shorts eating an ice cream.
42 / 50
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#7. Angelique (female)

- 2021 rank: 876
- 2020 rank: 1182
- Change: 306

A baby boy in overalls playing in the leaves.
43 / 50
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#6. Ozzy (male)

- 2021 rank: 712
- 2020 rank: 1048
- Change: 336

A baby girl in a striped suit and bucket hat playing in the sand.
44 / 50
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#5. Colter (male)

- 2021 rank: 627
- 2020 rank: 971
- Change: 344

A baby boy in a blue shirt sitting with a little dog outside.
45 / 50
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#4. Wrenley (female)

- 2021 rank: 498
- 2020 rank: 895
- Change: 397

A smiling baby boy in a striped shirt.
46 / 50
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#3. Raya (female)

- 2021 rank: 494
- 2020 rank: 935
- Change: 441

A baby girl in a blue and white checkered outfit lying next to a stuffed penguin.
47 / 50
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#2. Eliam (male)

- 2021 rank: 736
- 2020 rank: 1178
- Change: 442

A baby girl on the grass outside in an orange headband.
48 / 50
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#3. Raya (female)

- 2021 rank: 494
- 2020 rank: 935
- Change: 441

A baby boy in a plaid shirt being thrown up in the air.
49 / 50
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#2. Eliam (male)

- 2021 rank: 736
- 2020 rank: 1178
- Change: 442

A baby boy lying on a yellow blanket in the grass.
50 / 50
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#1. Amiri (male)

- 2021 rank: 757
- 2020 rank: 1291
- Change: 534

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