These Are 2021’s Most Popular Baby Names In Virginia, DC

VIRGINIA — From soccer matches to dance recitals and school assemblies across Virginia: You may hear the names Charlotte and Liam repeated often as students are introduced at events.

Liam and Charlotte are the top names Virginia parents chose for their babies in 2021, according to the Social Security Administration, which this month released its top baby names by state analysis.

In all, 596 babies born in our state were named Liam, while 454 were named Charlotte, records show.

Here are the top 10 female names in Virginia last year:

1. Charlotte
2. Olivia
3. Emma
4. Ava
5. Sophia
6. Amelia
7. Isabella
8. Elizabeth
9. Evelyn
10. Mia

These were the top 10 male names in 2021:

1. Liam
2. Noah
3. James
4. William
5. Oliver
6. Elijah
7. Henry
8. Lucas
9. Benjamin
10. Jackson

Here are the most popular names for girls in the District of Columbia:

1. Charlotte
2. Ava
3. Maya
4. Sophia
5. Emma
6. Elizabeth
7. Nora
8. Olivia
9. Zoe
10. Eleanor

These were the top 10 male names in DC:

1. Henry
2. William
3. James
4. Noah
5. Liam
6. Theodore
7. Charles
8. Benjamin
9. Leo
10. John

Liam and Charlotte were also the most popular baby names in 2020 for Virginia. Last year, 510 boys were named Liam, and 457 girls were named Charlotte in 2020.

Nationally, Liam, Noah and Oliver once again were the most popular names for boys. For girls, parents liked Olivia, Emma and Charlotte the best. Olivia and Emma were the top girl names in 2020, but Charlotte overtook Ava as the No. 3 name last year.

The Social Security Administration started releasing the annual list in 1997, with names dating back to 1880. The agency also notes that popular culture influences baby names.

Over the past 100 years, the male name Michael has held the top spot most often at 44 times, while the female name Mary has been ranked No. 1 for 35 times over the same period.