What is it with the Northwest and olive-y baby names?
According to data released Thursday by the Social Security Administration, Olivia and Oliver, both derived from the Latin word for “olive tree,” were 2023’s top baby names for girls and boys in just three states: Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
For Washington, this isn’t anything new. In fact, 2023 was the second consecutive year that these two names topped the list for boys and girls in the state. Olivia and Oliver also ranked No. 1 in 2020 and 2015.
There were 359 girls named Olivia born in Washington last year, down slightly from 389 in 2022. But Oliver increased in popularity, given to 416 boys last year, up from 405 in 2022.
Olivia, which was also the No. 1 baby name for girls nationally last year, has enjoyed a long run of popularity in Washington. It’s been the state’s top baby name for girls since 2017, when it overtook Emma. Olivia debuted among the Top 100 baby names for girls all the way back in 1990, ranking 82nd that year.
Oliver didn’t appear in the state’s Top 100 baby boy names until 2007, when it ranked 84th. It didn’t reach Washington’s Top 10 until 2014. It first hit the top spot in 2015, displacing Liam.
Oliver ranked third nationally in 2023. Liam was the No. 1 name for boys, followed by Noah.
There was barely any change in the Top 10 girls named in Washington. One name — Ava — fell out, dropping from 10th to 12th. Harper entered the list, jumping from 11th to ninth.
For Washington boys, Elijah and William dropped out of the Top 10, replaced by Mateo and Ezra. The latter name had a notable increase in popularity, surging from 16th in 2022 to 10th last year.
So, which Washington baby names may be on the rise, and which are losing steam?
Look out for Adeline. The name jumped from 83rd in 2022 to 58th last year, the most dramatic rise of any girls name in Washington’s Top 100. Josephine, Genesis, Maeve and Kinsley also had big increases in popularity.
And for boys names, Calvin had the sharpest rise in the state rankings, going from 90th in 2022 to 64th in 2023. Some other boys names climbed the rankings nearly as much, including Waylon, August, Theo, and Andrew. One year earlier, Andrew had a huge drop in the state rankings, falling 41 places, so it partially rebounded in 2023.
Fourteen girls baby names and 10 boys baby names debuted in the state’s Top 100 in 2023. Easily the most popular new name for girls was Lainey, coming in at an impressive 53rd, followed by Daisy at 71st and Millie at 79th. For boys, Axel was the most popular name new to the Top 100, ranking 76th. It was followed by Adriel at 82nd and Brooks at 86th.
Other names appear to be falling out of favor with Washington parents.
Among girls names in the Top 100 in 2022, Piper had the sharpest decline, dropping from 62nd to 92nd last year. Among boys names, Walker fell the farthest. From 2022 to 2023, it dropped from 70th to 97th.
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.