Every year, the New York Department of Health collects information on births in the state of New York. Along with information like birth weights and demographics, they also collect information on the most popular baby names. We dove into the past to see what baby names have been popular in New York since 1980, and to see how Nassau and Suffolk counties stand up!
And the Top Baby Boy Name Goes To...
Michael! Despite the popularity of names like Matthew and Anthony, Michael had a solid hold as the top boy name in New York, ranking first every single year between 1980 and 2012. But in 2013, Jacob beat out Michael, and since it has been slowly declining to more modern names like Liam, which took the cake in 2015 and 2016.
Let’s Not Forget Top Baby Girl Names
Unlike boys names, which had a clear winner until recent years, popular girls names across New York have been more varied. Jennifer was the winner in 1980, but names like Emily, Isabella and Sophia also had a good run. Parents went a different direction in 2015 and 2016, making Olivia the most popular name for girls.
How do baby names on Long Island compare?
In Suffolk County, the top baby names in 2016 were Matthew and Isabella. Isabella hasn’t been the most popular statewide since 2010, but it has remained in the top 5. Meanwhile, in Nassau County the most popular 2016 name for boys was Dylan and for girls, Emma or Olivia. Dylan was not in the top 10 for the state of New York, but did rank 12th for New York overall in 2016.
Keep Informed on Other Long Island Health Data
If you’d like to stay updated on other health data in New York state or Long Island, visit our data resources page.