Oh baby! Oliver still reigns, Lainey leaps to No. 1 in Montana baby name rankings
A stock image shows baby feet. (Unsplash photo)
Oliver was once again the most popular baby boy name in Montana last year, continuing its stronghold in the state.
According to Social Security data, Oliver has held the No. 1 spot for boys in four of the last five years and has ranked in Montana's top five since 2014. Nationally, it was the third most popular boys name in 2024.
Rounding out Montana’s top 10 boys names last year were James, Theodore, Hudson, William, Liam, Noah, Beau, Asher and Maverick.
Liam, meanwhile, maintained its status as the most popular boys name in the U.S. for the eighth straight year.
On the girls side, Lainey surged to the top in Montana after ranking No. 18 just a year earlier. Lainey unseated Charlotte and Olivia, which came in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
The rest of Montana’s top 10 girls names in 2024 included Eleanor, Evelyn, Amelia, Emma, Hazel, Isla, and Nora.
Emma — famously used as the name of Ross and Rachel’s baby on the sitcom "Friends" — has stayed in Montana’s top 10 since the episode aired in 2002. Nationally, it ranked second in 2024, just behind Olivia, which has been the top U.S. girls name since 2019.
The Social Security Administration has tracked baby name trends since 1997. Most parents apply for a Social Security number for their newborn during their hospital stay, a step required to claim the child as a dependent on tax returns or open a bank account in their name.