The 50 most popular baby boy names
Every year, the Social Security Administration updates its list of the most popular baby boy names in America.
Names such as Jaxon and Christopher are no longer among the top 50. Instead, there are even some newcomers to the list.
Here's the complete list of the top 50 baby boy names of 2021.
50. Charles
A top 50 name throughout the 20th century, Charles returns to the highest tier of baby boy names after falling to 64th place in 2009.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo is seen at the 2021 NBA Finals with son Liam Charles Antetokounmpo.
49. Josiah
In 2020, Josiah dropped to No. 50, down from 45th in 2019. The name moved up one spot in 2021.
The baby boy name is cooling after steadily gaining popularity beginning in the late 1970s.
NFL tight end Josiah Deguara is pictured. Deguara was born in 1997, when the name ranked 223rd in the Social Security Administration's data.
48. Elias
Elias is a newcomer to the top 50 list.
Actor Elias Harger arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of "Felix And The Hidden Treasure" at The Entertainer – Hornblower Cruises on July 1, 2021 in Marina del Rey, California.
47. Maverick
Tom Cruise's high-flying character from "Top Gun," pictured, presumably would approve of this trend: Maverick has become a top-50 baby boy name in the U.S. for the second time on record. The first time was in 2020.
In 2019, it was ranked as 58th on the list. As recently as 2010, it wasn't even in the top 500.
46. Thomas
Since Thomas Magnum returned to the pop-culture forefront, via the 2018 reboot of "Magnum P.I." starring Jay Hernandez, pictured, as the titular, Ferrari-driving private detective, the name Thomas has perked up.
Thomas has moved from 49th place in 2017 to 45th in 2020 and 46th in 2021.
The name was a top 10 favorite from 1931 to 1966.
45. Lincoln
In 2020, Lincoln bumped up one spot, after a three-year run in 41st place.
At the time, it marked the name's best showing to date in the Social Security Administration rankings. In 2021, it slipped a few spots.
Pictured is TV favorite Alfonso Ribeiro with his family, including son Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro, Jr.
44. Dylan
The name Dylan has dropped over the years. In 2020, the name fell four spots, down from 39th place in 2019.
The name surged in popularity after Luke Perry first brought the character Dylan McKay to the small screen in 1990 via "Beverly Hills, 90210."
Perry is pictured here in an early "90210" publicity photo.
43. Anthony
The popular name Anthony has returned to the top 50. (The name didn't appear among the top 50 in 2020.)
Comedian and actor Anthony Anderson is seen here arriving at the Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022.
42. Luca
Anthony was a top 10 name from 2005 to 2008, but has slipped in the rankings since then.
Pictured is NBA star Anthony Davis. Davis was born in 1993, when Anthony was the 19th most popular baby boy name.
41. Jayden
The fourth most popular boy name in 2010 and 2011, Jayden has dropped in the rankings.
Pictured is former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels.
40. Isaac
Isaac slips from 34th place in 2019 and 39th in 2020. The name has been a top 50 perennial since 2001.
Pictured is NFL defensive end for the Cleveland Browns Isaac Rochell.
39. Carter
Carter continues to cool after reaching an all-time high as the 24th most popular baby boy name, a position it held from 2017 to 2018. On the whole, Carter is far more popular in the 21st century than it was in the 20th century.
Pictured is TV host Carter Oosterhouse. Oosterhouse was born in 1976, as Jimmy Carter was on his way to defeating President Gerald Ford for the White House.
38. Gabriel
In 2020, the name Gabriel experienced its lowest ranking since 2001. It remains at No. 38 again in 2021.
Overall, the name is more popular this century than last.
Actor Richard Speight Jr. pictured here played the archangel Gabriel on the TV series "Supernatural."
37. Ezra
Since the debut of the animated series "Star Wars Rebels" featuring protagonist Ezra Bridger, pictured, the name Ezra has skyrocketed in popularity.
In 2014, the first year of "Star Wars Rebels," Ezra ranked at No. 119. In the latest Social Security Administration rankings, it jumps five places, up from 49th in 2019. This is its best showing to date.
36. Matthew
Matthew was a top 10 name from 1974 to 2007 and has slipped downward since then.
Oscar-winner Matt Damon is pictured. Damon was born in 1970, just prior to Matthew going from a popular name to a super-popular name.
35. Grayson
After entering the top 1,000 in 1984, the name rose to 32nd place in 2018. It ranks as No. 35 for the 2021 year.
Pictured is NBA guard Grayson Allen. Allen was born in 1995 as the name Grayson cracked the top 500 for the first time.
34. Hudson
This name is on the move. In 2000, Hudson was the 588th most popular baby boy name. It cracked the top 100 in 2012.
Stock-car racer Timmy Hill is pictured in 2021 with son Hudson.
33. Julian
The name Julian has dropped since its all time best mark of 31st place in 2019.
Pictured is Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman. Edelman was born in 1986, when Julian was the 172nd most popular baby boy name.
32. Luke
"Star Wars" didn't necessarily make Luke a top baby boy name, but it sure didn't make it less a popular one.
In 1977, when actor Mark Hamill brought the hero Luke Skywalker to life, Luke was the 190th most popular baby boy name. Over the next 25 years, the name slowly, but surely, worked its way into the top 50.
Hamill is pictured here as the lightsaber-wielding Luke of "Star Wars."
31. Leo
The name Leo continues to maintain its popularity.
A top 50 name of the early 1900s, Leo stood in 482nd place in 1996. Then came "Titanic" and the rise of movie star Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured. By 2000, the name Leo had moved up to 389th place. It continued to climb from there.
30. David
A top-five name from 1950 to 1984, David has sunk in popularity over the years.
Pictured is comedian Dave Chappelle. Chappelle was born in 1973 amid David's dominance in the baby-name world.
29. Wyatt
The name Wyatt holds steady after slipping from an all-time high in 2017, when it ranked 25th. It was also ranked No. 29 in 2020.
Pictured is Wyatt Oleff, who plays Stanley Uris in the It horror movie franchise.
28. Joseph
With the latest rankings, Joseph reaches a new all-time low down two spots from 2020.
The name was a top-10 fixture from 1900 to 1933, and again from 1999 to 2005.
The Jonas Brothers' resident Joseph — Joe Jonas — is seen in 2022.
27. John
The most popular boy name of the early 20th century from 1900 to 1923, John ranks at No. 27 in 2021.
Pictured is EGOT winner John Legend, one of the star judges on "The Voice."
26. Aiden
The name Aiden has dropped in popularity since its peak showing in ninth place in 2010 and 2011. In 2020, it fell four spots to No. 24, down from 20th in 2019. It now ranks below the top 25 at No. 26 in 2021.
Stand-up comic Aidan Park is pictured. The variation Aidan was the 261st most popular baby boy name in 2020.
25. Asher
After breaking into the top 100 for the first time in 2014, the name Asher has surged in popularity.
Pictured is actor Asher Angel, who portrayed Billy Batson in "Shazam!"
24. Jacob
The name Jacob was the most popular baby boy name from 1999 to 2012.
It dropped out of the top 10 in 2018. Its showing in the 2020 Social Security Administration rankings was its worst since 1992. It moved even further down on the agency's site to No. 24 in 2021.
Jacob deGrom, star pitcher for Major League Baseball's New York Mets, is pictured.
23. Samuel
So far this century, Samuel has been in or near the top 25 among popular baby boy names. In the latest rankings, it enjoys a spot at No. 23.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson is pictured here.
22. Owen
Owen has been far more popular as a boy name in the 21st century than it ever was in the 20th century.
Since 2008, when the character Dr. Owen Hunt (as played by Kevin McKidd, pictured) debuted on TV's "Grey's Anatomy," Owen has jumped from the 58th most popular boy name.
21. Logan
Baby boy names tend to rise or fall in popularity.
In 2017, the name Logan jumped from 18th place to fifth place, then dropped to 10th in 2018.
Actor Logan Lerman from the Percy Jackson franchise is pictured here.
20. Ethan
From 2009 to 2010, Ethan was the second most popular baby boy name in the United States.
Ethan dropped out of the top 10 in 2017, and returned in 2019, before falling to 13 in 2020 and falling even further in 2021 to No. 20.
Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke is pictured here.
19. Sebastian
The 152nd most popular boy name in 1999, Sebastian broke into the top 20 for the first time in 2018. In the latest rankings, it has maintained the same spot in held in 2020.
Sebastian Stan, the actor best known as Bucky Barnes (aka, Winter Soldier) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is pictured.
18. Mason
Kim Kardashian West is seen in 2019 with nephew Mason Disick.
The name Mason has skyrocketed in popularity since Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick welcomed Mason in 2009.
17. Michael
From 1953 to 2010, Michael never ranked lower than third place. It slipped to sixth place in 2011, and all the way down to 14th place in 2018.
In the latest rankings, Michael slipped again down to No. 17.
Pictured is "Black Panther" co-star Michael B. Jordan.
16. Daniel
After a three-year stint in 15th place, Daniel moves up one spot in the latest rankings.
The name has been an American mainstay of the top 20 since 1952. Famous American Daniels include two-time Super Bowl champ Danny Amendola, pictured.
15. Mateo
The name Mateo surged in popularity in the 2010s, rising from 222nd in 2010 to 26th in 2019. The year 2020 marked Mateo's best showing in the Social Security Administration rankings. It held on to the same spot in 2021.
Elias Janssen, who played Mateo in the TV series "Jane the Virgin," is pictured.
14. Jackson
The popular name Jackson has moved up a few spots on the list.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee is pictured with son Jackson at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
13. Alexander
The popularity of the name Alexander doesn't seem to be linked to the hit musical "Hamilton," pictured, which originally starred Lin-Manuel Miranda as US founding father Alexander Hamilton.
In 2016, the year after the show became a Broadway sensation, Alexander went from being the eighth most popular baby boy name to the 11th.
12. Levi
This is the highest the name Levi has ever ranked on record. The name has moved up from No. 18 to No. 12 since 2020.
As recently as 2008, it was the 116th most popular boy name in the country.
Actor Matthew McConaughey is pictured with son Levi in 2009.
11. Jack
The name jack climbed up 10 spots from No. 21 in 2020 to No. 11 in 2021.
Actor Chris Pratt is pictured in 2018 with son Jack.
10. Theodore
The name Theodore climbed up on the list to No. 10 from No. 23 in 2020.
President Donald Trump is pictured in 2020 with grandson Theodore Kushner.
9. Henry
The name Henry hasn't been this popular since the early 20th century.
In 2020, the name experienced its best showing since 1910, which is the last time Henry was a top 10 name. It remained at No. 9 in 2021.
Actor Matt Bomer is pictured here with his son Henry at the 2019 Tony Awards.
8. Lucas
Lucas maintains the position it first reached in 2019 and 2020.
Actor Chad Michael Murray is pictured here. He played Lucas Scott on "One Tree Hill."
The name Lucas steadily gained popularity during the 2003 to 2012 run of Murray's character.
7. Benjamin
This is Benjamin's third consecutive year in seventh place.
The name Benjamin has been in the top 10 since 2015.
Pictured here is Bravo host Andy Cohen with son Benjamin.
6. William
William had a long run as a top 10 name from 1900 to 1973.
The name returned to the top 10 in 2004, dropped out for a couple of years, returned in 2007, and has been there ever since. Actor Will Smith is pictured here.
5. James
A 20th century mainstay of the top 10 from 1900 to 1993, James slumped in the aughts. It returned to the top 10 in 2014.
In 2019, James fell one spot, to sixth, where it remained in 2020 before climbing to No. 5 on the list in 2021. NBA star James Harden is pictured here.
4. Elijah
NFL defensive back Elijah Riley pictured here was born in 1998 as the name Elijah was storming up the popularity chart. The name cracked the top 10 for the first time in 2016.
Both 2020 and 2021 marked Elijah's best showing in the Social Security Administration rankings since at least 1900.
3. Oliver
This is Oliver's third consecutive year in third place.
Since the TV superhero show "Arrow," featuring the character Oliver Queen, played by actor Stephen Amell, premiered in 2012, Oliver has risen from 73rd place to its current position.
2. Noah
After a four-year run in first place from 2013 to 2016, the name Noah is now on a five-year run in second place.
The social media star Noah Beck is pictured. Beck was born in 2001 as the name Noah was cracking the top 30 for the first time on record.
1. Liam
In 1994, when Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and his band released their first studio album, the name Liam, a longtime British favorite, was the 360th most popular baby boy name in the country.
A few years later the name cracked the top 200 and kept on climbing.
This is the sixth straight year Liam is the most selected baby boy name in the United States.