2021’s Top Baby Names In Washington: Liam, Olivia, Amelia

SEATTLE — Picture this: the year is 2039. We have solved world hunger and we fly around town in robot pants. You are attending a high school graduation ceremony — they still do these in the future — and you notice you're hearing the name 'Liam' a lot as the principal calls more and more students to the stage to hand over their cyber-diplomas.

There's a reason for that.

Liam and Olivia are the top names Washington 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. 402 babies born in our state were named Liam while 452 were named Olivia, records show.

Here are the top 10 female names in our state last year:

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

These were the top 10 male names in 2021:

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

Washington's parents didn't do much to deviate from the national norm this year. 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.