Arizona parents are charting their own course when it comes to baby names, with naming trends that look different from those seen across the country.
For boys in Arizona, Liam narrowly leads the rankings with 437 births in 2025, followed closely by Noah (434) and Mateo (419), according to May 2026 data from the Social Security Administration.
Hispanic and bilingual names are especially prominent, with Santiago, Elias, and Sebastian all appearing in the top ten. Traditional biblical names such as Elijah and Ezra remain popular, while Oliver and Theodore continue the national trend toward vintage-inspired names.
Among girls, SSA data shows Olivia holds the top spot with 353 births, maintaining its long-standing popularity. Sophia (315) and Mia (300) round out the top three, followed by Amelia, Isabella, and Emma.
Arizona’s rankings also highlight the state’s strong Hispanic influence, with names such as Eliana, Camila, and Sofia placing in the top ten. Meanwhile, Charlotte remains a favorite among parents seeking a timeless, elegant choice.
Comparisons to the USA
Among boys’ names, Arizona shows considerably more variety than the national rankings, according to the SSA. Five names that appear in Arizona’s Top 10 but not the national Top 10 are Santiago, Sebastian, Julian, Elias, and Ezra.
For girls, Camila and Luna are unique to Arizona’s Top 10, while Aria, Penelope, and Elena rank among the state’s Top 20 despite not reaching the national Top 20.
The influence of Arizona’s large Hispanic population is evident throughout the rankings. Hispanic favorites feature prominently among the state’s Top 100 baby names, with names such as Ana, Ximena, Catalina, and Valentina proving especially popular for girls.
For boys, names including Jesus, Alejandro, Emiliano, and Jose rank significantly higher in Arizona than they do nationwide.
Arizona parents are also embracing a mix of contemporary and international naming trends.
For girls, word-inspired names such as Ember, Daisy, and Melody continue to gain traction, while globally popular choices like Natalia, Anastasia, and Lucia are more common than the national average.
Among boys, rising biblical names including Jaziel, Adriel, and Ezekiel are growing in popularity, alongside international favorites such as Giovanni, Leonardo, and Ivan.
National trends
Arizona’s top two baby names in 2025 did match those across the nation — Liam for boys and Olivia for girls.
And for the seventh straight year, Liam and Olivia were the most popular names for newborn boys and girls in the United States, according to the SSA’s latest rankings.
Liam’s hold on the top spot is especially impressive. The name has now been America’s No. 1 boys’ name for nine consecutive years. Olivia has enjoyed a similarly strong run, leading the girls’ rankings since 2019 after ending Emma’s five-year streak at the top.
Beyond the top names, there was little movement in the national rankings. Noah remained the country’s second-most popular boys’ name, while Charlotte moved into the No. 2 spot for girls, edging past Emma, which slipped to third.
The rest of the top five was filled with familiar favorites. Oliver, Theodore and Henry followed Liam and Noah among boys, while Amelia and Sophia joined Olivia, Charlotte and Emma among the most popular names for girls.
The SSA releases its annual list of the nation’s most popular baby names each year ahead of Mother’s Day. The rankings are based on Social Security number applications filed for newborns, with the agency recording about 3.6 million births in 2025.
The database offers a unique look at how naming trends have evolved over time, with records dating back to 1880. Back then, John and Mary topped the charts — a distinction they would hold for much of the next century.
Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.
Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AzPreps 365 Friday Night Football Wrapup Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.
Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs.
Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.
Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.
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