2014’s Most Popular Baby Names, State By State

You already know the most popular baby names of 2014, and now it’s time to get a little more local.

The Social Security Administration just released 2014’s official lists of the most popular baby names by state. While the national winners, Emma and Noah , are used so frequently that they snag the number one spots nationally, plenty of others hold their own. Liam  topped 16 state lists, beating out William’s 12 (although we’ve got to give credit where credit is due: William has ranked in the top five nationally since 1915).

As for girls, Olivia took the crown in 15 states, followed by Sophia. For now Charlotte hasn’t taken the top spot in any state, but the royal baby could change that in the future.

It’s where the states differ that things get really interesting: while Harper  has taken off in popularity over the last few years, especially with the birth of David Beckham’s daughter, only the Dakotas (both North and South!) have the name in the number one spot. And some states’ top names don’t hit number one in any other place, like Minnesota’s Henry, Wyoming’s Jackson, and Massachussetts’ Benjamin. Only Washington, DC overwhelmingly chose Elizabeth , and New Mexico was the name Mia solo top spot.

Interestingly, the states’ actual leading names typically don’t match their most common Google searches. In the Northeast, for example, New Jersey’s most popular search for female baby names was Mia. New York searched  Ava, and Delaware searched Brittany — yet when it came down to it, Sophia won out in all three states. It just goes to show the power of a trendy name, especially in close quarters.

Did you find your baby’s name in your state list?