State Baby Name Outliers in 2025: Where Regional Favorites Displace National #1s
While Liam and Olivia led the national baby name charts in 2025, official state-by-state birth data from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) reveals dramatic geographic variations where regional favorites completely displace national leaders. In the 2025 SSA State Top 5 Tables (tabulated from 100% of Social Security card applications registered in 2025), Waylon captured the #1 boy spot in West Virginia despite ranking #61 nationally, and Isla took #1 for girls in Hawaii despite ranking #33 nationally.
Examining national aggregate lists provides an accurate picture of countrywide frequency, but it obscures strong cultural, linguistic, and historical naming preferences across individual states. In Hawaii, traditional indigenous Hawaiian names like Ka'eo and regional favorites dominate top newborn rankings. Across the Mountain West and Appalachia, traditional heritage names such as Waylon in West Virginia and Wyatt in Wyoming rank dozens of places higher than on national rosters.
Prominent State-Level #1 Divergences in the 2025 Data
The table below highlights standout state-level #1 names from the official 2025 SSA state tables that sit well outside the national top 10:
| State | Sex | State #1 Name | 2025 State Births | 2025 National Rank | National #1 Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia (WV) | Boy | Waylon | 152 | #61 | Displaced Liam (#2 in WV with 141 births) |
| Alabama (AL) | Boy | John | 324 | #26 | Displaced Liam (#3 in AL with 298 births) |
| Hawaii (HI) | Girl | Isla | 68 | #33 | Displaced Olivia (#2 in HI with 61 births) |
| South Dakota (SD) | Girl | Lainey | 54 | #142 | Tied Charlotte (#1 in SD with 54 births) |
| Wyoming (WY) | Boy | Wyatt | 41 | #39 | Tied Oliver (#1 in WY with 41 births) |
These state deviations reflect distinct regional naming traditions. In Alabama, traditional family names like John, William (#2), and James (#4) remain deeply entrenched, continuing generational naming customs that keep classic names at the top of the ballot. In South Dakota, country-music-influenced names like Lainey surge into the top spot, outpacing names that dominate nationwide.
Why Parents Should Check State Tables Alongside National Lists
When selecting a baby name, prospective parents often review national top 10 lists to gauge whether a name feels overused. If you live in West Virginia, naming your son Liam (#1 nationally) actually puts him in a less common bracket locally than naming him Waylon (#61 nationally, but #1 in WV). Similarly, parents in Hawaii will encounter Isla far more frequently at daycare and school than national statistics would suggest.
For additional analysis on how individual spelling variations alter official rankings, read Why Spelling Variants Split Baby-Name Ranks in U.S. Data and Olivia Kept First Place. Charlotte Nearly Closed the Gap.
Name Scout lets you explore official U.S. Social Security Administration birth records from 1910 through 2025, compare state-by-state popularity rankings, and filter names by sound and origin. Try Name Scout in your browser, Download Name Scout for iPhone, or Get Name Scout on Android.