Most Popular Baby Names in Kentucky (2025)

In 2025, the most common boy's name registered in Kentucky was Oliver (278 births) and the most common girl's name was Amelia (212).

Kentucky sits in the South region, East South Central division. Regional preference is visible in this data: neighbouring states often share a top name that the national list ranks lower.

Across 18 years of records (2008 to 2025), the top boy's name changed 4 times and the top girl's name changed 9 times.

The longest unbroken run at #1 belongs to William on the boys' side (9 consecutive years) and Emma on the girls' side (8).

2025 Boys

  1. 1Oliver278
  2. 2Liam253
  3. 3Hudson229
  4. 4Waylon223
  5. 5Noah203
  6. 6Henry191
  7. 7Theodore191
  8. 8Elijah185
  9. 9James181
  10. 10William173
  11. 11Asher171
  12. 12John163
  13. 13Grayson157
  14. 14Levi157
  15. 15Samuel148
  16. 16Lucas145
  17. 17Cooper143
  18. 18Maverick141
  19. 19Walker136
  20. 20Weston136

2025 Girls

  1. 1Amelia212
  2. 2Charlotte187
  3. 3Sophia166
  4. 4Evelyn164
  5. 5Lainey160
  6. 6Emma159
  7. 7Willow156
  8. 8Ellie152
  9. 9Eleanor149
  10. 10Harper147
  11. 11Olivia141
  12. 12Ivy124
  13. 13Ava123
  14. 14Ella122
  15. 15Elizabeth119
  16. 16Lily113
  17. 17Violet110
  18. 18Hazel106
  19. 19Scarlett103
  20. 20Lucy99

Number one by year in Kentucky

Top three each year, boys then girls.

YearBoysGirls
2025Oliver, Liam, HudsonAmelia, Charlotte, Sophia
2024Liam, Oliver, WaylonCharlotte, Amelia, Lainey
2023Liam, Oliver, NoahAmelia, Charlotte, Emma
2022Liam, Noah, OliverHarper, Olivia, Amelia
2021Liam, James, ElijahEmma, Olivia, Amelia
2020Liam, William, OliverAmelia, Olivia, Emma
2019Liam, William, ElijahAmelia, Ava, Emma
2018William, Liam, NoahEmma, Olivia, Ava
2017William, Elijah, NoahEmma, Ava, Harper
2016William, Elijah, LiamEmma, Ava, Olivia
2015William, Mason, ElijahEmma, Olivia, Ava
2014William, Elijah, JamesEmma, Ava, Olivia
2013William, Noah, MasonEmma, Sophia, Ava
2012William, Mason, JamesEmma, Isabella, Sophia
2011William, Mason, ElijahEmma, Isabella, Sophia
2010William, Jacob, BraydenIsabella, Emma, Addison
2009Jacob, William, JamesEmma, Isabella, Madison
2008William, Jacob, JamesMadison, Emma, Olivia

Other South states

Alabama · Arkansas · District of Columbia · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Louisiana · Maryland · Mississippi · North Carolina · Oklahoma · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Virginia · West Virginia

All 50 states and DC

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular baby name in Kentucky?
For births registered in 2025, Oliver was the top boy's name (278) and Amelia was the top girl's name (212), according to Social Security card applications filed for Kentucky births.
Where does this Kentucky data come from?
The Social Security Administration publishes a state-specific file of names taken from Social Security card applications. It covers 2008 onward in the range shown here and is public domain.
Why are some names missing from the Kentucky list?
SSA withholds any name with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state and year. That is a privacy rule, not a gap in the records, so a missing name means "fewer than 5", never zero.
Do these counts include every baby born in Kentucky?
They include births with a Social Security card application that lists Kentucky as the state of birth. Names are counted as written on the application, so spelling variants are counted separately.
How often is the Kentucky ranking updated?
SSA releases the previous year's data annually, usually in the first half of the following year. Past years do not change once published.

U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) - Popular Baby Names (state-specific) · Names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state and year are withheld by SSA.