A Latino name makes its way into the top 10 most popular baby names in the U.S. for the first time

Nine of the ten most common baby names for boys in the U.S. remained the same between 2002 and 2023. The notable exception? Mateo nabbed the sixth spot, marking the first time ever a Latino name has made the list of most popular baby names in the country.

Mateo entered the top ten up from No.11 in 2022 as more than 11,000 American babies were given the name lat year, according to the Social Security Administration.

In an interview with CNN, Sophie Kihm, chief editor of the baby name website Nameberry, said that the name "began to appear among the top 1,000 in 1995" and its use "has intensified at an even faster pace" over the past years.

Kim added that the growing popularity of the name is probably related to the increase in the Latino population in the U.S., noting that it is becoming more common for people of different backgrounds to turn to their heritage when naming their babies. "It seems friendlier and more accessible than Matthew", she concluded. "It has that nice '-o' ending that is so popular now... It seems very fresh, yet still traditional."

Elsewhere on the list, Liam and Olivia top the ranking for the fifth consecutive year, while Noah and Emma still hold a grip on second place. Social media stars have had a major influence on new parents as the fastest rising girl's name is Kaeli, most likely inspired by YouTube and TikTok star Kaeli McEwen. The boys' side is also heavy influenced by influencers as the third fastest rising name is Eiden, most likely inspired by TikTok creator Wyatt Eiden.

The full list of top 10 baby names for boys and girls is listed below: