The top 100 baby names for boys in the U.S. in 2023 have been revealed by the Social Security Administration.
There were some notable changes among the top 10, which is based exclusively on Social Security data. Henry and Lucas both dropped down one place to eighth and ninth respectively, while William went from being the sixth most popular boy's name in 2022 to 10th in 2023. Benjamin, meanwhile, dropped out of the top 10 entirely.
Mateo climbed highest on the list as the sixth most popular name for a baby boy in 2023, while Theodore also moved up from 10th to seventh on the list. The top five remained unchanged from 2022, though, with Liam retaining number one spot ahead of Noah in second, while Oliver was third, James was fourth and Elijah was fifth.
Social media's influence was apparent. The third fastest rising boy's name on the list was Eiden, with the moniker's popularity attributed to TikTok creator Wyatt Eiden, who has racked up 1.6 billion views and more than 3 million followers on the video platform.
Our viewing habits also appear to hold some sway. Chozen was the second fastest rising boy's name, moving to number 813 in 2023. The name's newfound popularity may be the result of the character Chozen from the hit Netflix show, Cobra Kai.
Choosing a name for a newborn child can prove a stressful experience for parents. Given the potential implications, that is perhaps understandable. Multiple studies have highlighted the perceived impact a name can have on a child's life choices.
For example, as strange as it might sound, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people often picked careers that seemingly resembled their names. Lawrences and Laurens were found to be more likely to become lawyers, while those with names like Dennis or Denise were more inclined to dentistry.
The choice of name for a baby boy can, more specifically, have a significant impact on educational outcomes. A study published in the journal Education, Finance and Policy, for example, identified a potential link between boys with more gender-neutral names and increased behavioral problems at school and lower scores on academic tests.
The top 100 most popular baby names for boys, along with the number of males born bearing each name, based on Social Security card applications in the U.S. last year, can be viewed below:
1. Liam - 20,802
2. Noah - 18,995
3. Oliver - 14,741
4. James - 11,670
5. Elijah - 11,452
6. Mateo - 11,229
7. Theodore - 11,041
8. Henry - 10,941
9. Lucas - 10,842
10. William - 10,598
11. Benjamin - 10,172
12. Levi - 9,347
13. Sebastian - 8,865
14. Jack -8,683
15. Ezra -8,437
16. Michael - 8,383
17. Daniel - 8,356
18. Leo - 8,120
19. Owen - 7,985
20. Samuel - 7,973
21. Hudson - 7,935
22. Alexander - 7,875
23. Asher - 7,853
24. Luca - 7,770
25. Ethan - 7,763
26. John - 7,750
27. David - 7,354
28. Jackson - 7,284
29. Joseph - 7,237
30. Mason - 7,237
31. Luke - 7,217
32. Matthew - 7,190
33. Julian - 7,078
34. Dylan - 7,054
35. Elias - 6,980
36. Jacob - 6,976
37. Maverick - 6,962
38. Gabriel - 6,745
39. Logan - 6,686
40. Aiden - 6,675
41. Thomas - 6,598
42. Isaac - 6,581
43. Miles - 6,558
44. Grayson - 6,449
45. Santiago - 6,328
46. Anthony - 6,237
47. Wyatt - 6,237
48. Carter - 5,847
49. Jayden - 5,627
50. Ezekiel - 5,569
51. Caleb - 5,488
52. Cooper - 5,425
53. Josiah - 5,404
54. Charles - 5,395
55. Christopher - 5,171
56. Isaiah - 5,121
57. Nolan - 5,112
58. Cameron - 5,069
59. Nathan - 5,049
60. Joshua - 5,035
61. Kai - 4,946
62. Waylon - 4,881
63. Angel - 4,865
64. Lincoln - 4,842
65. Andrew - 4,781
66. Roman - 4,777
67. Adrian - 4,646
68. Aaron - 4,551
69. Wesley - 4,539
70. Ian - 4,538
71. Thiago - 4,505
72. Axel - 4,498
73. Brooks - 4,469
74. Bennett - 4,411
75. Weston - 4,356
76. Rowan - 4,195
77. Christian - 4,125
78. Theo - 4,122
79. Beau - 4,090
80. Eli - 4,081
81. Silas - 4,070
82. Jonathan - 4,066
83. Ryan - 4,020
84. Leonardo - 4,012
85. Walker - 4,006
86. Jaxon - 3,918
87. Micah - 3,875
88. Everett - 3,808
89. Robert - 3,807
90. Enzo - 3,796
91. Parker - 3,792
92. Jeremiah - 3,750
93. Jose - 3,704
94. Colton - 3,696
95. Luka - 3,650
96. Easton - 3,637
97. Landon - 3,637
98. Jordan - 3,632
99. Amir - 3,620
100. Gael - 3,616
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
