The Most Popular Boy Baby Names In New Jersey

Today we present a list of the top baby boy names in New Jersey. These numbers represent babies that were born in 2021, the most current data available from the Social Security Administration.

However, as with any countdown, we need to take a look back. First, the top 10 baby boy names 25 years ago (1996) according to the Social Security Administration.

The number to the right of the name represents the number of babies that were given that name.

Michael 1,738 6. Daniel 989
Mathew 1,448 7. Ryan 945
Christopher 1,221 8. John 912
Nicholas 1,168 9. Anthony 902
Joseph 1,066 10. Andrew 803

The current top 10 baby boy names in New Jersey according to the Social Security Administration:

Liam 730 6. Benjamin 372
Noah 634 7. James 371
Lucas 466 8. Jacob 363
Joseph 409 9. Anthony 340
Michael 379 10. Ethan 325

It's interesting how many names on both lists are religious-based. I expected to see more names that were more contemporary.

What's in a name?

Joseph appears on both lists and is derived from the Hebrew name, Yoseph. The name is mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Michael is another name that appears on both lists. Like Joseph, it's another name based in the Hebrew culture and is derived from the name, Mikha'el, or "who is like God?"

Liam, the most popular name for a baby boy in New Jersey is an Irish name. The name Liam means, "strong-willed warrior."

I did some research to see how many Stevens were born in 2021, and to my dismay, the name didn't crack the top 100. Steven was beaten out by names like Thiago, Declan, and gasp, Stephen.

The Meaning and History of First Names - Behind the Name