William and Olivia have emerged as the most popular baby names for boys and girls in Mississippi in 2024, according to the latest data from the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics.

The rankings, based on provisional data, show that 167 baby boys were named William and 101 girls were given the name Olivia, propelling both names to the top spot after ranking third in 2023 for their respective genders.

For boys, the Top 5 names this year also include John, James, Noah, and Liam, while the Top 5 for girls is rounded out by Ava, Mary, Amelia, and a tie between Charlotte and Harper.

While many names from last year’s list remained popular, several saw a significant rise in usage. For boys, names like Beau, Luke, Kayden, Amir, and Silas climbed the ranks, while for girls, Lainey, Kehlani, Oaklynn, Londyn, and Aurora experienced notable surges in popularity.

The full Top 25 rankings for both boys and girls are available through the Mississippi State Department of Health’s website. For easy access to updates and resources, residents can also download the free MSDH Healthy App on both Apple and Android platforms.

The Office of Vital Records compiles this annual list based on birth certificate data from Mississippi residents, offering a snapshot of naming trends in the state.

The Top 10 names for boys in Mississippi were:

1. William (167)
2. John (159)
3. James (148)
4. Noah (118)
5. Liam (106)
6. Elijah (104)
7. Waylon (91)
8. Asher (86)
9. Samuel (84)
10. Levi / Walker (80)

The Top 10 names for girls in Mississippi were:

1. Olivia (101)
2. Ava (94)
3. Mary (92)
4. Amelia (91)
5. Charlotte / Harper (82)
6. Elizabeth (80)
7. Emma (67)
8. Nova (65)
9. Ivy (63)
10. Hazel (61)

To see the complete list of the Top 25 baby names for 2024, click here.