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The naming verdict is in: these were the most popular baby names New Yorkers chose in 2024.
According to new data released by the NYC Department of Health, Mia and Noah are now the most popular baby names in the city, dethroning long-running favorites Emma and Liam, which had dominated the charts for nearly a decade.
Out of 65,222 babies born in New York City in 2024, Noah was chosen 722 times, making it the most popular boys’ name citywide. Mia claimed the top spot for girls, used 422 times. While short, classic names are still popular, the era of absolute Emma-and-Liam supremacy appears to be over.
The rest of the top 10 reads like a roll call from a Brooklyn playground or a Manhattan stroller brigade. Timeless staples like Sophia, David and Joseph sit alongside names that feel distinctly modern for NYC, including Zoe, Aiden and Dylan. There’s also a strong multicultural presence, reflecting the city itself: Muhammad held steady in the boys’ top 10, while Esther returned to the girls’ list more than a century after it first ranked among the city’s most popular names in 1898.
The list also shows how cyclical baby-naming trends can be. Amelia slid out of the top 10 after a strong showing last year, while Zoe made a large leap upward. Gender-neutral names are rising in popularity as well, with options like Angel, Riley, Cameron and Charlie being used across genders throughout the city
The Health Department, which has been tracking baby names for generations, notes that these lists aren’t only used for fun trivia; they’re a snapshot of the city’s identity at a given moment. Today’s Mias and Noahs will one day be the New Yorkers running bodegas, headlining Broadway shows and complaining about rent.
But for now, they’re just very, very well-named.
Girls
- Mia
- Emma
- Sophia
- Leah
- Isabella
- Zoe
- Olivia
- Chloe
- Sofia
- Esther
Boys
- Noah
- Liam
- Ethan
- David
- Lucas
- Jacob
- Joseph
- Aiden
- Dylan (tied)
- Muhammad (tied)
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