What were the most popular baby girl names of the 2010s?
While some names went in and out of fashion, others totally reigned supreme over the last
decade.
Here are the baby girl names that parents chose most over the last ten years.
Ella was definitely one of the most popular baby girl names this past decade, although
it never managed to crack the Top Ten list of names, according to data from the Social
Security Administration.
Still, over the past decade, 77,581 Baby Ellas were born between 2010 and 2018.
That's an awful lot of Ellas.
Strangely enough, the name means "other or foreign," according to The Bump.
We didn't know that, but we do know that there are plenty of famous Ellas out there: Ella
Fitzgerald springs instantly to mind.
Meanwhile, some celebs are clearly enamored with the moniker.
For example, George and Amal Clooney welcomed their daughter Ella in 2017.
And let's not forget such fictional Ellas as Ella the Elephant and, of course, the Anne
Hathaway film Ella, Enchanted.
"Passionately put, Ella.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Hattie?"
The name "Chloe" certainly inspired plenty of parents over the last decade.
In fact, 78,693 baby girls were reportedly named Chloe between 2010 and 2018.
The name has a rather curious meaning, too.
According to Behind the Name,
"[It] means] 'green shoot' in Greek, referring to new plant growth in the spring."
So now you know.
Also: If you name your daughter Chloe, you can rest easy knowing she'll be in some very
good company, including the actresses Chloë Sevigny, Chloe Webb, and Chloë Grace Moretz.
We'd love to be a member of such an exclusive club.
Consider the name Olivia for a moment.
Really, what's not to love?
Between 2010 and 2018, parents named their baby girl Olivia no less than 165,581 times,
according to the Social Security Administration.
And parents evidently can't get enough of it: It's been a top-five name choice since
2008.
According to The Bump, the name means "olive tree"…which perhaps isn't the biggest shocker
in the world.
Additionally, the name has some serious cultural cachet.
As Behind the Name reports,
"This name was first used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in
his comedy Twelfth Night [in 1602]."
Really, there's no denying the fact that Olivia is a pretty and very sweet-sounding name.
And there's certainly no shortage of famous Olivias out there, from singer and actress
Olivia Newton-John to Oscar-winning thespian Olivia Colman.
Great company to be in, for sure.
"This is nice."
"Thank you."
"Oh, this is beautiful."
Isn't Sophia a charming name?
It was one of the most popular baby girl names this past decade.
A whopping 166,986 baby girls were reportedly named Sophia from 2010 and 2018.
In fact, Sophia has been a top-five name since 2009.
Meanwhile, there's more to the name Sophia than meets the eye.
According to Behind the Name,
"[Sophia] means 'wisdom' in Greek.
This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters
were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian."
How very hardcore.
It's worth noting that there are plenty of famous Sophias, including celebrated director
and writer Sophia Coppola and Italian actress and singer Sophia Loren.
It's all quite glamorous, no?
Want to know the most popular baby girl name of the past decade?
Perhaps it won't surprise you: Emma has been a popular moniker for quite some time.
According to the Social Security Administration, 177,410 girls were named Emma between 2010
and 2018, and Emma was the Number One girl's name from 2014 to 2018.
According to The Bump, Emma is German in origin and means "entire or universal."
And the name certainly pops up in pop culture a fair amount.
You may recall Ross and Rachel naming their daughter Emma on a Friends episode in 2002.
"She's clearly an Emma."
"Oh honey but you love that name."
"Yeah, but I love you more."
In 1999, Gwyneth Paltrow starred in a screen adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, playing
the titular socialite and winning an Oscar for the performance.
Meanwhile, there's loads of famous Emmas…like Emma Stone, Emma Roberts, and Emma Watson.
That clinches it: The name Emma is a total winner!
When it comes to baby names, Elizabeth is a bonafide classic.
In fact, the name has ranked as a Top 15 name for many years.
It's undoubtedly a popular choice: From 2010 to 2018, a total of 85,832 babies were named
Elizabeth.
According to The Bump, the name means "God's promise" or "God is my oath."
And there's no denying that it's a name of regal bearing: Queen Elizabeth II, a royal
whose life has been dramatized in the popular Netflix series The Crown, instantly springs
to mind.
And as Behind the Name reports,
"[The name] was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter
of King Andrew II who used her wealth to help the poor."
And of course, that's to say nothing of the late, legendary Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor.
The takeaway?
As far as baby names go, Elizabeth has got a lot going on.
How many Charlottes can you name in popular culture?
There's the 1952 novel Charlotte's Web by E.B.
White.
There's The Cure's moody 1981 single "Charlotte Sometimes," itself named after a 1969 children's
novel.
And last but not least, there's Charlotte York Goldenblatt, the Sex and the City character
played by Kristin Davis.
"I'm Charlotte by the way.
Trey's wife."
"I know.
I'm Burt."
And in the real world, the name Charlotte has certainly stood the test of time, and
it happens to be one of the oldest names on the list.
It's got some famous namesakes, like the novelist Charlotte Brontë, author of Jane Eyre.
Oh, and as far as sweet nicknames go, you've got a ton of options to choose from.
Charlie is just too cute for a baby girl, isn't it?
Clearly lots of people are fond of the name.
In fact, 89,043 babies were named Charlotte between the years 2010 and 2018.
In recent years, the name has seen a steady increase in popularity: It came in sixth in
a list of popular baby girl names in 2018, published by the Social Security Administration.
Really, it's no wonder Charlotte is such a popular choice, as far as baby names go.
For one thing, it's got quite an interesting meaning.
According to The Bump, the name translates to "free man."
The website also reveals that,
"[The name Charlotte] was introduced to Britain in the 17th century.
It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland."
So now you know.
It's no secret that Emily is a super common name.
Chances are you've met more than a few women named Emily over the years…and rest assured,
plenty more are on the way.
According to the Social Security Administration, it was apparently the Number One girls name
between 1996 and 2007…and it's still an incredibly popular choice: A whopping 109,149
babies were named Emily between 2010 to 2018.
Believe it or not, Emily wasn't always such a mainstream moniker.
As Behind the Name reports,
"In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover
came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (who lived from
1711 to 1786) was commonly known as Emily in English."
Meanwhile, the name Emily can mean "rival, laborious, or eager," according to The Bump.
Sure, that makes all these Emilys sound rather high-maintenance and overly dramatic, much
like the kinds of characters a certain Emily Blunt is fond of playing.
"Her driver just text-messaged me and her facials ruptured a disc.
God these people!"
Emily was one of the last decade's most popular names, and we don't expect that popularity
to fade anytime soon.
According to the Social Security Administration, 91,914 girls were named Madison between 2010
and 2018.
What's more, the name also happened to be a top-five baby girl name from 2000 to 2007.
But the name Madison wasn't always such a popular choice, in fact, it wasn't even considered
a girl's name at all for quite some time.
As Behind the Name reports,
"It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the [1984] movie Splash...in which
the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue
in New York City."
Truth be told, the character's actual name has never been particularly popular, in America
or anywhere else.
"My name is Eeeeeeee Eeeeeee Eeeeee!"
Meanwhile, The Bump reports that Madison means "son of the mighty warrior," which sounds
pretty darn ferocious to us.
"She's really hungry."
The name Abigail has consistently cracked the list of Top 15 names since 2000, according
to the Social Security Administration.
And Abigail's popularity has held steady in recent years.
It's a totally classic and timeless name in our book, and clearly we aren't alone in that
assessment: 109,253 babies were named Abigail between 2010 and 2018.
The meaning of the name is rooted in religion.
According to The Bump,
"[The Hebrew name means] father of exaltation.
Abigail was King David's wife in the Bible, and as a girls' name, it has come to represent
wisdom."
There's plenty of other fascinating facts surrounding the name.
As Behind the Name reports,
"The biblical Abigail refers to herself as a servant, and beginning in the 17th century
the name became a slang term for a servant."
Without a doubt, Abigail is an interesting and beautiful name, and we're sure its popularity
will continue to endure in the years to come.
As far as girl names are concerned, there seems to be a consensus that names ending
with "a" are the way to go.
Just think about the baby girl names you know, and you'll realize that names ending with
the letter "a" are all the rage.
It's a fact!
According to the Social Security Administration, 156,709 baby girls were named Isabella between
2010 and 2018.
In fact, Isabella has been a top-five baby girl name choice since 2006.
The meaning behind the name is certainly intriguing.
According to The Bump,
"[The Hebrew name means] God's promise.
A royal name, Isabella is feminine and romantic."
The name is steeped in fascinating history, too.
As Behind the Name reports,
"[The name] was borne by many medieval royals, including queen consorts of England, France,
Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella
of Castile."
As for famous people, actress and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini certainly springs to mind,
and that's definitely some good company to be in.
"Have you ever been to the west?"
"Out west?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Yes."
"Really?
They say it's beautiful."
Parents definitely seem to prefer shorter names for baby girls, and this next name is
absolutely no exception.
Ava is a spin on one of the oldest names out there: Eve.
According to the Social Security Administration,140,979 babies were named Ava between 2010 and 2018.
And since 2006, Ava has been a top-five girl's name.
According to The Bump, the name means "life," "serpent," or "bird."
The site also points out that
"Ava possesses the vintage Hollywood glam of screen siren Ava Gardner, plus the sleek
appeal and allure of compact, modern-sounding names that speed along the popularity lists...Ava
is one of those elemental names at home in many countries, like Iran (it means 'voice'
in Persian)."
Ava is certainly a sweet-sounding take on Eve, and, with such a storied background and
meaning, it's no wonder that the name has been so popular for parents throughout the
years.
Whether you want a new spin on a biblical name, or something sweet and simple, Ava would
be the perfect name for your baby girl.
The name Mia certainly proved a popular choice this past decade.
According to the Social Security Administration, there were 116,301 Mias born between 2010
and 2018.
As The Bump reports, the name Mia means "beloved," and it's popularity has been on the rise in
recent years.
Meanwhile, Behind the Name points out that,
"[Mia comes from the] Scandinavian, Dutch and German diminutive of Maria.
It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning 'mine.'"
No matter how you look at it, Mia is a solid name, and it's no wonder that people are fond
of the moniker.
And who could forget the fictional Mia Thermopolis, princess of Genovia.
It's officially time to watch The Princess Diaries and witness actress Anne Hathaway's
stunning transformation as Mia!
"Hey Mia would you rather hit a beach ball?"
"Order me a pizza, huh?
Pepperoni."
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