Ontario's most popular baby names for 2024 are out one has been top choice for 16 years

Ontario's most popular baby names in 2024 have been announced, and surprise, surprise: it's status quo. Hey, wait, does Status sound like a good name, or is it just us?

For a staggering 16 years straight, no girl name has been more coveted than Olivia, from the Latin word for "olive tree", symbolizing peace and harmony. 

Back in 2008, before the Olivia craze took over, Emma – from the Old German word "ermen" meaning "whole" or "universal" –  was the most popular baby name for girls.

Names like Charlotte, Sophia, and Amelia continue to hold their spot in the annual ranking, and so the top 10 girl names are pretty much the same old, same old.

The Province of Ontario's list of top baby names in 2024 also crowned Noah – a Hebrew name meaning "rest" and "comfort," – as the most popular boys' name for a sixth year in a row. Just like last year, Liam, Theodore, Oliver and Jack round out the top 5, which, if you ask us, sounds like a pop punk boy band manufactured by Simon Cowell. 

An interesting debut on the boys' list is Muhammad, a name of Arabic origin meaning "high praise." It's an extremely common name used around the world, but 2024 is the first time it's cracked the top ten in Ontario. 

It seems only celebrities are brave enough to think outside the box; Canadian rocker Bryan Adams named his daughter Mirabella Bunny. If you think that's outlandish, you haven't met Moxie Crimefighter, son of magician Penn Jillette, or Pilot Inspektor, son of actor Jason Lee. 

Top girl names in Ontario in 2024

1. Olivia
2. Charlotte
3. Sophia
4. Amelia
5. Emma
6. Ava
7. Maya
8. Sofia
9. Mia
20. Isla

Top boy names in Ontario in 2024

1. Noah
2. Liam
3. Theodore
4. Oliver
5. Jack
6. Henry
7. Benjamin
8. Lucas
9. Muhammad
10. Leo

We get it, tradition is comforting, but it's time to retire the classics, Ontario. Our future kids deserve some personality — somewhere in between X Æ A-Xii and Olivia, there's got to be something unique and noteworthy.