Are you looking for a boy name that speaks to a family tradition or honors a cultural tradition? Or do you want your son to have a completely unique name? Whatever your approach, you’ll find plenty of great options in the following list of the 1,000 most popular baby boy names, as recorded by the Social Security Administration (SSA). The following list reflects the U.S. birth certificate data from 2021. A quick scroll through the list reveals that several names have reigned supreme for years, like Oliver, Elijah, Noah, and James—just to name a few. You’ll also find some potential pop culture nods (could that be the “Bridgerton” influence to see Simon, Anthony, and Colin all making the cut?) along with classics like Max, Nicholas, John, and Joseph. “M” and “L” names seem to tip the scales toward the top of the list—you’ll spot Liam, Lucas, Levi, Mateo, Michael, and Mason all within the top 20 ranking. Take a look through to help you narrow down your list of favorites (or inspire new ones) and enjoy the experience of finding a name you love for your new baby.
Top 1,000 Baby Boy Names of 2021
Special Considerations
Middle Names
In the United States, it’s traditional for a person to have three names—a first name, a middle name, and your family or last name. Of course, there are plenty of parents who give their children more than one middle name, or none at all. Whatever you choose for your son, it’s always a good idea to make sure the names flow well together as a group, and that the initials don’t spell out something that might embarrass you or your child in the future! It may sound like common sense, but making sure you run through these considerations with your favorite names will help you feel more confident in finding the perfect name for your little one.
Family Names
Choosing a family name for your baby boy is still a common tradition, but there are multiple ways to go about it. In some families, the son (usually the first child) has the exact same name as the father, with the addition of a “Jr.” (meaning junior) suffix at the end. If this extends beyond the original father and son, you typically use Roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to depict this designation. In other families, name sharing may be less traditional. Some parents will name their son the same first name as the father, but call the son by their more unique middle name to help differentiate between the two. Or some families use different names completely, but choose ones that have similar meanings or sounds to honor the original name. When it comes to sharing names, be sure to consider the most famous and historical figures who will share your son’s name. Are they individuals you want your son to be associated with? Whether you plan for it or not, the association with a famous person who shares the same name will likely follow your child throughout their lives so take special care to make sure you’re happy with the choice.
Gender-Neutral Names
There are so many great gender-neutral names you might not have thought of yet in your search for the perfect boy name. Take a look—you might just find the one you’ve been waiting for!
About This List
The Social Security Administration (SSA) usually releases birth certificate data around Mother’s Day each year. It compiles the most popular baby names from the previous year. Listed above are the top 1,000 baby boy names from 2021, as determined by birth certificate data. In addition to this list, you can search the entire SSA database for over 100 years’ worth of baby name data, from 1879 forward, on your search for the best name for your baby boy.
More Baby Name Ideas
For more baby boy name inspiration, take a look at the following lists:
