It is abundantly clear that pop culture has had a significant effect on baby monikers. Photo / Getty Images
It is abundantly clear that pop culture has had a significant effect on baby monikers. Photo / Getty Images
Dutton and Wrenlee are on the rise but they’re no match for champs Liam and Olivia as the top baby names in the US last year.
The Social Security Administration released the annual list on Friday. The agency tracks baby names in each state based on applications forSocial Security cards, with names dating to 1880.
It’s Liam’s sixth straight year as No. 1. Olivia has reigned since the name unseated Emma four years ago. Emma is No. 2.
Coming in third for girls’ names is Charlotte, followed by Amelia, Sophia, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Evelyn and Luna. For boys’ names, Liam is followed by Noah, Oliver, James, Elijah, William, Henry, Lucas, Benjamin and Theodore.
Luna is the only newcomer in the Top 10, booting Harper.
The agency has been compiling the list since 1997, often revealing the impact pop culture has on baby naming trends. The smash hit Yellowstonehas clearly influenced new parents. The neo-Western starring Kevin Costner debuted in 2018, with characters surfacing among baby names ever since.
Kevin Costner plays John Dutton in Yellowstone. Over four seasons, the modern-day western has become one of TV's most popular series. Photo / Supplied
Dutton moved up the Social Security list to 835, a change of 986 spots from 2021. It’s the last name of the fictional family featured on the series, and it counts Costner’s John Dutton in its ranks. Dutton is the fastest rising name in the Social Security rankings.
Another Yellowstone name joins Dutton among its inspired baby names. Kayce, as in Kayce John Dutton on the show, moved to the 587th most popular name, up from 1077 the year before. Luke Grimes plays Kayce.
Rip, also from Yellowstone, has grabbed some naming attention, but it didn’t crack Social Security’s top 1000. Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler is Dutton adjacent as the son-in-law of John.
Other names rising fast for boys: Chosen, Khaza, Eithan. For girls, Wrenlee is followed by Neriah, Arlet, Georgina and Amiri.
The Social Security Administration’s latest data shows 3.64 million babies in the US were issued Social Security cards last year, up slightly from 2021.
