These are the most popular baby names in every state

These are the most popular baby names in every state These are the most popular baby names in every state Liam and Emma may have been the top two  baby names  in the United States for 2018 but that wasn’t the case for each state individually. Last week, the  Social Security Administration  (SSA) broke down the  most popular baby names for boys and girls in each of the 50 states.For girls, Emma came out ahead in 15 states. However, Olivia was a close second with 12 states selecting it as the top name. And Ava wasn’t far behind, stealing the number one spot in 11 states, mostly on the East Coast.  Other popular picks included Harper, Evelyn, and Charlotte.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!The top three girls’ names fit a trend described by Laura Wattenberg, founder of  Namerology. She  told Quartz  that parents are opting for “short names with multiple vowels, like Ella and Lila, that feel light on the ear.”On the boys’ side, while Liam took the lead in 20 states, Olive r was the top pick in 11 states followed by Noah in nine states. William was also a common choice in seven states, particularly in the South.Some states had more unique moniker preferences. For instance, in Alaska, the number one girls’ name was Aurora (perhaps after the state’s aurora borealis). And in South Dakota, the preferred boys’ name was Grayson, which no other state chose.For the full list of the top five baby names in each state,  visit the SSA’s website here.And while Liam and Emma remain the most popular names in the country, they aren’t the fastest-rising, according to the  SSA’s data. The agency noted that Meghan had jumped the most for girls, likely due to Meghan Markle’s increasing popularity. And for boys, Genesis moved up over 600 spots, signifying a return to more classic names along with a trend of spiritual monikers.This article first appeared on Fatherly.      You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people