Most Popular Baby Names in North Carolina (2025)

In 2025, the most common boy's name registered in North Carolina was Noah (684 births) and the most common girl's name was Amelia (459).

North Carolina sits in the South region, South Atlantic 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 3 times and the top girl's name changed 3 times.

The longest unbroken run at #1 belongs to William on the boys' side (10 consecutive years) and Emma on the girls' side (6).

2025 Boys

  1. 1Noah684
  2. 2Liam680
  3. 3Oliver507
  4. 4William500
  5. 5James471
  6. 6Henry450
  7. 7Elijah426
  8. 8Theodore425
  9. 9Levi376
  10. 10John360
  11. 11Lucas349
  12. 12Hudson341
  13. 13Samuel334
  14. 14Elias329
  15. 15Mateo319
  16. 16Benjamin300
  17. 17Ezra298
  18. 18Wyatt298
  19. 19Asher297
  20. 20Luke285

2025 Girls

  1. 1Amelia459
  2. 2Charlotte453
  3. 3Olivia441
  4. 4Sophia396
  5. 5Emma391
  6. 6Isabella342
  7. 7Mia325
  8. 8Eliana321
  9. 9Evelyn317
  10. 10Eleanor315
  11. 11Ava313
  12. 12Ailany275
  13. 13Sofia275
  14. 14Harper267
  15. 15Elizabeth260
  16. 16Isla245
  17. 17Violet228
  18. 18Lily226
  19. 19Lucy225
  20. 20Aurora221

Number one by year in North Carolina

Top three each year, boys then girls.

YearBoysGirls
2025Noah, Liam, OliverAmelia, Charlotte, Olivia
2024Liam, Noah, OliverOlivia, Amelia, Emma
2023Liam, Noah, WilliamOlivia, Amelia, Charlotte
2022Liam, Noah, WilliamOlivia, Amelia, Charlotte
2021Liam, Noah, WilliamOlivia, Ava, Emma
2020Liam, Noah, WilliamOlivia, Ava, Emma
2019Liam, Noah, WilliamAva, Olivia, Emma
2018Noah, William, LiamAva, Emma, Olivia
2017William, Noah, LiamAva, Emma, Olivia
2016William, Noah, MasonAva, Emma, Olivia
2015William, Noah, MasonAva, Emma, Olivia
2014William, Mason, NoahAva, Emma, Olivia
2013William, Mason, ElijahEmma, Ava, Sophia
2012William, Mason, JacobEmma, Sophia, Ava
2011William, Mason, JacobEmma, Ava, Olivia
2010William, Jacob, ElijahEmma, Isabella, Ava
2009William, Jacob, ChristopherEmma, Madison, Isabella
2008William, Jacob, JoshuaEmma, Madison, Ava

Other South states

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

All 50 states and DC

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular baby name in North Carolina?
For births registered in 2025, Noah was the top boy's name (684) and Amelia was the top girl's name (459), according to Social Security card applications filed for North Carolina births.
Where does this North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
They include births with a Social Security card application that lists North Carolina as the state of birth. Names are counted as written on the application, so spelling variants are counted separately.
How often is the North Carolina 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.