Each year, the NYC Health Department announces the top baby names of the year prior, and they just released 2022’s! For a sixth consecutive year, Liam remains the number one boy name in NYC. As for girls, Emma maintains the top name choice for NYC girls since 2017.
Nearly 100,000 babies were born in NYC in 2022. Of those 99,459 babies (to be exact), 739 were Liams and 388 were Emmas, according to birth certificate records in NYC. Most births in 2022 came out of Manhattan with a total of 39,320. Brooklyn followed second with 23,318 births, Queens in third with 20,109 births, The Bronx in fourth with 11,048 births, and lastly, Staten Island with 5,664 births.
The top 10 most popular baby names in NYC for 2022 were:
| RANK | GIRLS | BOYS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emma | Liam |
| 2 | Mia | Noah |
| 3 | Olivia | Ethan |
| 4 | Sophia | Lucas |
| 5 | Leah | David |
| 6 | Ava | Jacob |
| 7 | Esther | Aiden |
| 8 | Isabella | Joseph |
| 9 | Luna | Daniel |
| 10 | Amelia | Alexander |
“What makes our city special are the New Yorkers – big and small – who call the five boroughs home,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “So welcome Emma, Liam, Mia, Noah and all the other newborns to New York. Our city and world are better for your presence in the new year and beyond.”
Nine of the girls name on the 2022 list were also seen on the 2021 list. The only girl name not to appear a year later in the top 10 was “Sofia.” However, the alternate spelling of the name, “Sophia,” took its place on this year’s list instead.
And though NYC has seen quite the pattern when it comes to baby names over the years, there are of course parents who opt for more unconventional names, drawing inspiration from nature, royalty and the future. Some of those names from 2022 include Sage (no. 99 for girls and 129 for boys), Venus (no. 127), Majesty (no. 128), Saint (no. 104) and Ocean (no. 124).
As for 2023’s top baby names, we’ll have to wait another year to find out. Read more about 2022’s list here.