Baby names run in cycles. Some stay at the top of the charts for decades without changing much, while others spike for a few years on the strength of a hit show, a celebrity, or a cultural moment, then disappear from birth certificates almost as fast as they arrived.
Liam and Olivia have topped the U.S. rankings every year since 2020. The names just behind them tell a more layered story: old-fashioned revivals like Theodore and Henry, biblical staples like Elijah and Noah, and Spanish-language imports like Mateo, all climbing together.
To see which names defined different periods in the United States, Stacker analyzed baby name data from the Social Security Administration, using the agency's 2025 rankings of the most popular names.
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1 / 20Lucas has roots in the Greek name Loukas, traditionally understood as referring to someone from Lucania, a region of southern Italy. The name has been a steady presence near the top of the U.S. rankings in recent years, placing #8 in 2020, 2021, and 2022 before settling at #10 in 2025.
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2 / 20Eliana has several possible linguistic roots, including Hebrew, where it is commonly interpreted as "my God has answered." Its recent rise has been especially striking: After ranking #53 in 2020, Eliana climbed to #18 in 2024 and reached the top 10 for the first time in 2025.
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3 / 20The name William traces back to the Germanic name Wilhelm, combining elements associated with will or desire and protection. A longtime classic, William ranked #5 among boys in 2020 and remained within the top 10 through 2025.
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4 / 20Sofia is a variation of Sophia, a name with Greek roots meaning "wisdom." The spelling has made significant gains in recent years, rising from #17 in 2020 to #12 in 2023 before reaching a new high at #9 in 2025.
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5 / 20The Spanish form of Matthew has become an increasingly common choice among American parents. Mateo sat at #20 as recently as 2020, then jumped nine places by 2022 and reached #6 the following year. Though it has since eased back slightly, its #8 finish in 2025 keeps it firmly among the country's most popular boys' names.
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6 / 20Once used for both boys and girls, Evelyn has a long history as an English given name. Today, its staying power is particularly notable: The name spent four consecutive years at #9 before moving up one spot in 2024. Another year at #8 in 2025 shows just how little its popularity has wavered.
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7 / 20Biblical names are well represented among today's favorites, and Elijah is no exception. The Hebrew name, traditionally interpreted as "my God is Yahweh," has remained in the top 10 throughout the 2020s so far. It peaked at #4 in 2020 and 2021 and landed at #7 in 2025.
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8 / 20Isabella has hardly budged from the upper reaches of the baby-name charts in recent years. A form of Isabel with roots connected to the Hebrew name Elizabeth, it ranked between #6 and #7 every year from 2020 through 2025. More than 10,000 girls received the name in the latest year alone.
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9 / 20Centuries of use haven't diminished James' appeal. The classic name shares its ancient roots with Jacob and has continued to compete with far newer favorites, reaching #4 in both 2022 and 2023. By 2025 it had moved to #6, but nearly 12,000 newborn boys were still named James.
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10 / 20Short, internationally familiar, and used across numerous languages, Mia is often associated with Maria but has long stood on its own as a given name. It began the decade at #8, reached #5 in 2024, and finished 2025 at #6.
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11 / 20Old-fashioned names have found plenty of new fans, and Henry is one of the clearest examples near the top of the 2025 rankings. Derived from a Germanic name associated with "home" and "ruler," Henry has climbed from #9 in 2020 to #5 in 2025, its highest position during the six-year period.
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12 / 20Sophia's Greek meaning, "wisdom," has traveled across languages and centuries, as has the name itself. Its popularity among modern American parents has been remarkably dependable: It hasn't left the top six since 2020. In 2025, Sophia moved up one position from the previous year to claim #5.
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13 / 20Few names in the 2025 top 10 have gained ground as quickly as Theodore. Ranked just #23 in 2020, it broke into the top 10 in 2021 and was already at #4 by 2024. The Greek name, traditionally translated as "gift of God," held onto that spot in 2025 with 13,355 births.
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14 / 20Amelia has spent the first half of the 2020s hovering near the very top of the girls' rankings. The Germanic name, traditionally associated with work or industriousness, climbed as high as #3 in 2024 before returning to #4 in 2025. Even with that one-place drop, 12,699 girls received the name.
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15 / 20While other names have moved up and down around it, Oliver has stayed put. The centuries-old name ranked #3 among boys in every year from 2020 through 2025, an unusually consistent streak. Its exact etymology is debated, though the name has long been associated with the Latin word for olive tree.
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16 / 20After five straight years as America's second-most popular girls' name, Emma moved down to #3 in 2025. Its longevity extends far beyond the current rankings: The name comes from a Germanic element meaning "whole" or "universal" and has been used for centuries. Parents chose it for 12,754 baby girls in 2025.
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17 / 20Noah came remarkably close to the top spot in 2025, with 20,358 births compared with Liam's 20,818. The biblical name, traditionally associated with rest or comfort, has occupied #2 every year since at least 2020. That consistency has made Noah one of the defining boys' names of the decade so far.
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18 / 202025 brought Charlotte its highest ranking of the decade so far. The feminine form of Charles began the 2020s at #5, spent several years around #3, and then jumped from #4 in 2024 to #2 in 2025. With 13,400 births, it finished only slightly behind Olivia for the top spot.
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19 / 20No boys' name appeared more often in 2025 than Liam. An Irish short form of William, the name has become a modern favorite in its own right, holding the #1 position every year from 2020 through 2025. Its 20,818 births in 2025 were also the most recorded for Liam during those six years.
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20 / 20Olivia once again topped the girls' list in 2025, continuing an uninterrupted run at #1 that dates back to at least 2020. The name is associated with the Latin word for olive and has a literary history stretching back centuries. Despite those old roots, Olivia remains thoroughly current: 13,544 newborn girls received the name in 2025.
