Names, like fashion, change with the times, which explains why ever-shifting social trends and popular culture greatly influence the monikers parents give their children. So it’s not surprising that names favored just five years ago may be deemed too old fashioned for today’s parents.
So what do popular female names in 2020 tell us about current preferences for the naming of girl babies? Although it’s difficult to pinpoint any one reason for such a personal decision, the trend appears to be a return to more conventional names for girls. (What were parents naming their kids a century ago? See the most popular names in America since 1880.)
2020 was the height of the pandemic, a time when many people experienced the loss of loved ones and job security. So perhaps it was natural for parents to choose traditional names during a time of great upheaval. The top five names on this list are all classically beautiful female names that have been popular for decades, even centuries. Perhaps parents wanted the comfort of knowing their child would have a name that is both lovely and not too unusual.
Popular culture may have also played a role. Did the popularity of Charlotte grow after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge named their only daughter Charlotte? Is the emergence of Aria due to the name of the well-liked heroic female character in “Games of Thrones?” (Missed “Games of Thrones the first time? These are the most binge-worthy series you can stream right now.)
Not all the girl names are of the traditional variety, however. A few like Avery, Addison, and Riley are non-gender specific and could be tagged for boys or girls. And there are some newbies on the list: Nova and Paisley fall into that category.
What girl names will rise to the top in 2021? Check back to see if parents choose time-honored ones — or look to break with tradition with a new batch of names.
Click here to see America’s most popular baby girl names in 2020
To identify the most popular baby girl names in 2020, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the total number of births for each name with five or more occurrences in 2020 from the Social Security Administration. Names with less than five occurrences are not tracked by the SSA in order to protect anonymity. Total births for 2010 and 2000, along with each year in between, also come from the SSA.
50. Paisley
> Birth count 2020: 4,333
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49. Lucy
> Birth count 2020: 4,339
> Pictured: Lucy Liu, Actor
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48. Willow
> Birth count 2020: 4,345
> Pictured: Willow Smith, Musician
47. Addison
> Birth count 2020: 4,467
> Pictured: Addison Rae, TikTok Star
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46. Lillian
> Birth count 2020: 4,468
> Pictured: Lillian Gish, Actor
45. Leah
> Birth count 2020: 4,482
> Pictured: Leah Remini, Actor
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44. Isla
> Birth count 2020: 4,538
> Pictured: Isla Fisher, Actor
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43. Everly
> Birth count 2020: 4,590
> Pictured: Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan (Everly is their daughter)
42. Stella
> Birth count 2020: 4,624
> Pictured: Stella Adler, Dance Teacher
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41. Zoe
> Birth count 2020: 4,725
> Pictured: Zoe Salldana, Actor
40. Emilia
> Birth count 2020: 4,750
> Pictured: Emilia Clarke, Actor
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39. Hannah
> Birth count 2020: 4,910
> Pictured: Hannah Simone, Actor
38. Nova
> Birth count 2020: 4,940
> Pictured: Nova Miller, Musician
37. Violet
> Birth count 2020: 5,075
> Pictured: Violet Farebrother, Actor
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36. Aurora
> Birth count 2020: 5,184
> Pictured: Aurora Aksnes, Musician
35. Lily
> Birth count 2020: 5,195
> Pictured: Lily Rabe, Actor
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34. Victoria
> Birth count 2020: 5,249
> Pictured: Victoria Beckham, Former Member of Spice Girls, Fashion Designer
33. Riley
> Birth count 2020: 5,309
> Pictured: Riley Keough, Actor
32. Zoey
> Birth count 2020: 5,331
> Pictured: Zoey Deutch, Actor
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31. Hazel
> Birth count 2020: 5,457
> Pictured: Hazel Court, Actor
30. Nora
> Birth count 2020: 5,550
> Pictured: Nora Jones, Musician
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29. Ellie
> Birth count 2020: 5,562
> Pictured: Ellie Kemper, Comedian
28. Grace
> Birth count 2020: 5,569
> Pictured: Grace Kelly, Actor
27. Chloe
> Birth count 2020: 6,093
> Pictured: Chloe Grace Moretz, Actor
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26. Aria
> Birth count 2020: 6,093
> Pictured: Aria Aber, Poet
25. Penelope
> Birth count 2020: 6,099
> Pictured: Penelope Cruz, Actor
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24. Layla
> Birth count 2020: 6,174
> Pictured: Laila Ali, Boxer
23. Madison
> Birth count 2020: 6,196
> Pictured: Madison Beer, Musician
22. Eleanor
> Birth count 2020: 6,335
> Pictured: Eleanor Roosevelt, Former First Lady
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21. Scarlett
> Birth count 2020: 6,455
> Pictured: Scarlett Johansson, Actor
20. Mila
> Birth count 2020: 6,602
> Pictured: Mila Kunis, Actor
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19. Avery
> Birth count 2020: 6,698
> Pictured: Avery Christine, YouTube Personality
18. Emily
> Birth count 2020: 6,856
> Pictured: Emily Mortimer, Actor
17. Sofia
> Birth count 2020: 6,926
> Pictured: Sofia Vergara, Actor
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16. Elizabeth
> Birth count 2020: 7,216
> Pictured: Elizabeth Olsen, Actor
15. Ella
> Birth count 2020: 7,303
> Pictured: Ella Fitzgerald, Musician
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14. Luna
> Birth count 2020: 7,770
> Pictured: Luna, “Harry Potter” Character
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13. Abigail
> Birth count 2020: 7,817
> Pictured: Abigail Adams, Actor
12. Gianna
> Birth count 2020: 7,826
> Pictured: Gianna D’Angelo, Singer
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11. Camila
> Birth count 2020: 8,096
> Pictured: Camila Cabello, Musician
10. Harper
> Birth count 2020: 8,778
> Pictured: Harper Lee, Author
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9. Evelyn
> Birth count 2020: 9,445
> Pictured: Evelyn Ashford, Runner
8. Mia
> Birth count 2020: 11,157
> Pictured: Mia Wasikowska, Actor
7. Isabella
> Birth count 2020: 12,066
> Pictured: Isabella Rossellini, Actor
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6. Amelia
> Birth count 2020: 12,704
> Pictured: Amelia Earhart, Pilot
5. Sophia
> Birth count 2020: 12,976
> Pictured: Sophia Loren, Actor
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4. Charlotte
> Birth count 2020: 13,003
> Pictured: Charlotte Brontë, Author
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3. Ava
> Birth count 2020: 13,084
> Pictured: Ava Gardner, Actor
2. Emma
> Birth count 2020: 15,581
> Pictured: Emma Thompson, Actor
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1. Olivia
> Birth count 2020: 17,535
> Pictured: Olivia Rodrigo, Musician
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