Last Updated: February 7, 2024
What to name the newest member of the family? It can be a nerve-wracking decision for new parents. Something out of scripture? A favorite singer or film star? A sports player or a Disney character? Virginia parents are choosing diverse names for their newborns. Today, the Office of Vital Records in the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) unveils its lists of Top 15 baby names for children born in the commonwealth in 2023, perhaps providing some inspiration for stressed-out parents-to-be.
Topping the list of the most popular names for boys in 2023 was Liam, while Charlotte was the most popular for girls, as it was in 2022. In 2022, there were 95,583 babies born; while the numbers for 2023 are still being counted, the Office of Vital Records estimates there were a similar number of births last year.
“It’s always fun to see what the most popular baby names will be in Virginia,” said Seth Austin, state registrar and director of VDH’s Office of Vital Records. “The inspiration for a name can come from so many different places, and no matter the inspiration, these new babies’ names will be central to their identity as they grow up and do great things in the world.”
Following Liam in popularity among Virginia parents in 2023 were Noah, James, Oliver, William, Lucas, Henry, Theodore, Benjamin, Levi, Elijah, Luke, John, Michael, Gabriel. Charlotte was followed by Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Amelia, Evelyn, Ava, Isabella, Elizabeth, Mia, Eleanor, Harper, Sofia, Luna, Abigail for girls in Virginia in 2023. And for your consideration, may we suggest “Virginia” as a suggestion as a little girl’s name if you’re expecting in 2024?
Office of Vital Records data also indicate the most popular 2023 baby names for the largest ethnic groups in the state: Asian, Black, Hispanic and White.
- Among Asian babies born in 2023, Noah and Olivia were the most popular names. Lucas, Muhammad, Ethan and Alexander fill out the Top Five list for boys; Ava, Sophia, Sophie and Charlotte complete the Top Five list for girls.
- For Black babies born in Virginia in 2023, Noah and Ava remained the most popular names from 2022. Amir, Josiah, Elijah and Legend round out the Top Five for boys, while Naomi, Nova, Serenity and Autumn fill out the Top Five for girls.
- Liam and Mia remain the top names for Hispanic boys and girls born in Virginia in 2023, as they were in 2022. Lucas, Muhammad, Ethan and Alexander fill out the Top Five list for Hispanic boys’ names, while Ava, Sophia, Sophie and Charlotte complete the Top Five list for girls’ names.
- James and Charlotte were the top names for White babies born in 2023, followed by William, Oliver, Henry and Liam for boys and Olivia, Emma, Amelia and Sophia for girls.
Half a century ago in 1973, VDH data shows that Michael and Jennifer were the most popular names for baby boys and girls born that year, retaining their top spots from 1972. James, Christopher, John, Robert, David, William, Brian, Jason, Kevin, Charles, Matthew, Richard, Thomas and Mark complete the Top 15 for boys’ names in 1973. Among girls in 1973, the rest of the Top 15 include Angela, Kimberly, Melissa, Amy, Michelle, Stephanie, Lisa, Heather, Mary, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Tammy, Crystal and Karen. Information about popular names in each of the 50 states going back to 1960 is available from the Social Security Administration by using its Popular Names by Decade tool.
Office of Vital Records data also reveals other interesting information about 2023 births.
- The most births occurred in August with 8,426 babies delivered, but July 7 saw the greatest number of babies born on a single day – 332.
- Fridays are the busiest day of the week in Virginia delivery rooms: 14,231 babies were born on a Friday in 2023; Sundays, on the other hand, are the slowest days of the week, with only 8,768 born on a Sunday in 2023.
- There were 2,620 sets of twins born in Virginia in 2023, while there were 76 sets of triplets born in the state.
- And on New Year’s Day 2023, 178 new Virginians came into the world.
The Office of Vital Records is Virginians’ one-stop shop for any number of personal records requests including birth and death certificates, and marriage and divorce records. The Office’s headquarters is located in Richmond at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite #101, Richmond, VA 23230; it is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The vital records call center — (804) 662-6200 — is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The public may also apply for a vital record, pay for it, and receive updates on the request’s fulfillment online using this tracking tool.
The public may also access Office of Vital Records services through their local health district offices and Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices. Use this Health Department locator tool to find your local health department office; please call ahead to ensure your local office offers the services you need to access. Use this DMV office locator tool to find a DMV office near you; DMV offices are open for walk-ins and appointments.