If you’re expecting a baby, you’ve probably looked through your fair share of baby name lists, searching for that perfect name that’s unique but not weird, appealing but not too popular. You may have binged baby name YouTube videos or scanned the Social Security Administration’s list of the country’s most popular baby names of 2020 to see where your favorites rank.

To take your research up a notch, check out this newer, Utah County-specific data from Utah Valley Pediatrics. While the SSA’s 2021 data won’t be available for a few months, Utah Valley Pediatrics just released baby name data from the more than 6,000 new babies they saw in 2021 in nine offices spanning Lehi to Payson. Keep reading to see the top 10 girl and boy names, learn which names are uniquely popular in Utah County and get some ideas for alternatives to these popular names. Here’s to finding the perfect name for your baby!

The rankings

Here are Utah Valley Pediatrics’ top 10 girl and boy names of 2021, along with how they compare with the SSA 2020 rankings for baby names across the country and in Utah.

Girl Names

1. Olivia (no. 1 across the US; 1 in Utah)
2. Emma (no. 2 across the US; 2 in Utah in 2020)
3. Lucy (no. 49 across the US; 6 in Utah)
4. Amelia (no. 6 across the US; 4 in Utah)
5. Hazel (no. 31 across the US; 7 in Utah)
6. Avery (no. 19 across the US; 20 in Utah)
7. Charlotte (no. 4 across the US; 3 in Utah)
8. Emery (no. 89 across the US; 79 in Utah)
9. Claire (no. 57 across the US; 18 in Utah)
10. Harper (no. 10 across the US; 8 in Utah)

Boy Names

1. James (no. 6 across the US; 7 in Utah)
2. Jack (no. 21 across the US; 4 in Utah)
3. Oliver (no. 3 across the US; 1 in Utah in 2020)
4. William (no. 5 across the US; 2 in Utah)
5. Hudson (no. 42 across the US; 12 in Utah)
6. Owen (no. 22 across the US; 9 in Utah)
7. Henry (no. 9 across the US; 5 in Utah)
8. Lincoln (no. 40 across the US; 6 in Utah)
9. Miles (no. 59 across the US; 18 in Utah)
10. Thomas (no. 45 across the US; 22 in Utah)

In Utah, we’re known for our quirky baby names. But it seems as though, with old-fashioned names becoming popular again, Utah County parents are trending towards names that are a little more classic. But, parents: Don’t worry about how popular or unusual your favorite names are. If you love it, go for it!

Uniquely popular girls’ names

Emery ranked number eight on Utah Valley Pediatrics’ list, but it ranked 79th Utah-wide in 2020 and 89th across the US. According to http://nameberry.com, Emery is of German origin and means “industrious,” a great fit in Utah with our symbol of the busy beehive. 

What if you like the name but are looking for something a little less common? Here are some similar names to consider: Ellory, Emalea, Millie, Romily and Ida (meaning “industrious one”).

Like Emery, Claire ranked highly on Utah Valley Pediatrics’ list (ninth) but lower on Utah’s list (18th) and even lower across the US (57th). Claire derives from a French word meaning “clear,” “bright” or “light-colored,” according to http://verywellfamily.com. This name is a feminine yet not frilly name that will definitely stand the test of time.

For some names that are similar to Claire but less popular, here are some names to consider: Char, Clairy (a little y makes a big difference!), Kait, Laure and Elaine (French and Scottish for “bright, shining light”).

Uniquely popular boys’ names

Ranking fifth on Utah Valley Pediatrics’s list, Hudson ranks 31st across the US and ranked 12th in Utah in 2020. According to http://thebump.com, Hudson means “son of Hudde,” which “could be referring to the ‘son of Hugh’ or the ‘son of Richard,’ since Hudde is a medieval pet form of both names.” If you’re a lover of New York, the Hudson River may be a nice, subtle connection.

Names that are similar to Hudson but don’t rank as highly on the popularity charts include Audy, Humphrey, Hutton, Umberto and Wilson.

Miles ranked ninth on Utah Valley Pediatrics’ list but lower on Utah’s list (18th) and was 59th country-wide. The name is the English version of the Latin Milo and means “soldier or merciful,” according to http://nameberry.com. Whether you’re a fan Miles Morales (AKA, Spider-Man) or trumpeter Miles Davis, or you simply like the way the name sounds (that long i contrasting with the soft l is really nice), it’s a solid choice!

Names similar to Miles but not as popular include Emileo, Milas, Rees, Wells and Armand (French for “soldier”).

If your baby will be walking into kindergarten in a Utah County school, now you’ll have an idea of what their best friends’ names might be. To see the rest of the names that made up Utah Valley Pediatrics’ top 50 baby names in 2021, visit http://uvpediatrics.com/2021-utahs-most-popular-baby-names/. Choosing a name feels like a lot of pressure, but keep going, and you’ll find a name that you and your baby will love!

Kevin Moffitt is the administrator of Utah Valley Pediatrics, which has nine locations throughout Utah Valley.

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