ontario baby names

Ontario's most popular baby name has now been the same for 12 years straight

If you're looking for a baby name as unique as your precious little bundle of wriggling flesh, you should check out the Province of Ontario's newly-released list — and steer clear of anything on it.

Yes, for the 12th consecutive year, "Olivia" was the most popular name given to baby girls born across Ontario in 2021, followed by Emma and Charlotte (who dramatically swapped places in the second and third positions on the list this year.)

For boys, Noah, Liam and Oliver took the top three spots in 2021, bumping last year's third-biggest name, Benjamin, down two spots to number five. Jack came in fourth. 

Noah's reign as king of the baby names pales in comparison to Olivia's, with only three years of consecutive number-one rankings. Competitors are also nipping at his heels.

Liam followed "closely behind as the second-most popular" baby boy name on this year's list, according to the provincial government. Ella is also a significant name in that it just joined the top 10 list for girls.

What this all suggests is that teachers will soon be dealing with multiple Olivias, Emmas, Noahs and Liams in their classrooms, if they're not already doing so, forcing these children to adopt the first letters of their last names when being addressed — like Amanda C. or Michael P. or Katie M. in the 199os.

I, for one, hope that some Ontario parents with "M" last names choose Emma for their babies so that said babies be called "Emma M." in the future.

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up and finish this math problem on the board?

You'll find the top 10 Ontario baby names for each gender in 2021 below, but many more names dating all the way back to 1917 can be found using the province's free data catalogue.

Most popular name for baby girls in 2021
  1. Olivia
  2. Emma
  3. Charlotte
  4. Amelia
  5. Ava
  6. Sophia
  7. Isla
  8. Evelyn
  9. Mia
  10. Ella
Most popular name for baby boys in 2021
  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. Oliver
  4. Jack
  5. Benjamin
  6. Theodore
  7. Lucas
  8. William
  9. Ethan
  10. Leo

"Choosing a name is just one of many things that go along with welcoming a new baby. It is important that parents register their child's birth within 30 days of welcoming their newborn," reads a release issued by the province on Monday.

"ServiceOntario's 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle makes it easy to register a birth. It also allows parents to quickly apply for their child’s birth certificate, Social Insurance Number, Canada Child Benefits (including the Ontario Child Benefit), and Education Savings Referral service all through one application."

Lead photo by

Photo by Juan Encalada on Unsplash


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