What are California’s 20 most popular baby names? See which ones made the cut
The most popular baby names in California changed for the first time in five years in 2024, according to new data from the U.S. Social Security Administration.
The names Noah and Olivia had topped the list since 2019 as names such as Emma, Mia, Liam, and Mateo competed for second and third place.
Then last year, the names Mia and Liam finally toppled the longtime winners and took the top spots on the list, which is categorized by binary sex markers. In California, more than 2,700 male babies were named Liam and nearly 2,000 female babies were named Mia, according to the list.
The federal agency releases a list of the top 100 most popular names given to newborn babies each year in each state and across the country.
While Liam was the top name for male babies across the country — still followed by Noah — Mia came in fifth place for female babies. Emma was the second most popular name for female babies in 2024.
What were the most popular baby names in California in 2024?
- No. 1: Liam and Mia
- No. 2: Noah and Olivia
- No. 3: Mateo and Camila
- No. 4: Santiago and Emma
- No. 5: Sebastian and Sophia
- No. 6: Julian and Isabella
- No. 7: Oliver and Amelia
- No. 8: Ezra and Sofia
- No. 9: Lucas and Luna
- No. 10: Ethan and Gianna
What were the most popular baby names in the U.S. in 2024?
- No. 1: Liam and Olivia
- No. 2: Noah and Emma
- No. 3: Oliver and Amelia
- No. 4: Theodore and Charlotte
- No. 5: James and Mia
- No. 6: Henry and Sophia
- No. 7: Mateo and Isabella
- No. 8: Elijah and Evelyn
- No. 9: Lucas and Ava
- No. 10: William and Sofia
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What are California’s 20 most popular baby names? See which ones made the cut."
