Presented by

Firstnames

It’s all in the name – after all, aptronyms are a very real thing: when the name suits its owner most aptly. All ancient civilizations knew that a name has power over a person's fate and character. Make sure to choose your child’s first name with care. You can find inspiration here on the page where we have listed firstnames by letter.

Click on the initial of the first name you are looking for

Popular first names

When looking for the right first name for a child, some parents opt for original and unusual names, while others first browse lists of the top names chose by other young parents. Emma, Olivia, Noah or Liam: popular first names like this often have meanings that parents want their children to adopt. The following top 30 list is based on statistics from national databases over the last few years. These are the most common first names for boys and girls.

Other interesting facts about first names

In the United States, there’s a lot of freedom when it comes to naming children, with only a few laws restricting what names can be given. This freedom has led to a wide variety of names and naming trends in the US. Names can express creativity, personality, cultural identity, and values, and this can form greater cohesion and communication of America’s diverse melting-pot cultures. The US is incredibly diverse, and this is reflected in the variety of first names. Even names that are really popular among American families, such as Sophia and Noah, aren’t originally English.

Every year, immigrants bring new names with them. That’s how many Arabic first names, such as Nisa or Yasin, have become popular. In addition to other cultures, books and films also inspire parents. Biblical first names continue to be very popular. But it’s not just the Bible, but also new books such as the Harry Potter or Twilight series that inspire parents when naming their kids. And just like the fictional characters in books, TV shows and movies, celebrities also influence parents’ choice of names: that’s why Emma has been one of the most popular first names in America for several years.