The Most Popular Baby Name Letters by State 2026: 100 Baby Name Statistics

October 29, 2026
Statistics
The Most Popular Baby Name Letters by State 2026: A is the top letter in 45 of 51 states and D.C.; six states are now led by E

By Gustavo Athayde, Founder & Creative Director · Published October 29, 2026 · Last updated October 29, 2026

For 79 years, J was America’s favorite first letter for babies. Today, A leads in 45 of the 50 states and D.C., and 13.3% of babies born in 2025 received an A name. Yet the baby name letters by state tell a more varied story. In six northern states, from Maine to Wyoming, E has become the leading letter, which no state had chosen since North Dakota in 1926.

To find the most popular letters, we added up every name in the Social Security Administration’s 2025 state files, 2.77 million births in all, by its first letter. We then compared each state with 2005 and with the long record back to 1950. Below are 100 statistics, a full table for every state, and the official data on the families behind the names.

45 of 51states and D.C. where A is the most popular first letter
13.3%of 2025 babies received a name beginning with A
6states now led by E, the first since 1926
−40%decline in J’s share of births since 2005

At a glance

Key takeaways

  • A is America’s leading first letter, chosen for 13.3% of 2025 babies and leading in 45 of 51 jurisdictions.
  • E leads in six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
  • J led the nation from 1924 to 2002 and led every state from 1966 to 1991. No state has favored J since 2013.
  • J’s share has fallen 40% since 2005, from 12.7% to 7.6% of births, and it declined in all 51 jurisdictions.
  • L is the fastest-rising letter, up 72% in 20 years, led by Liam, Lucas, Levi and Luca.
  • New Mexico is the most A-loving state: 16.8% of its babies and 21.7% of its girls have an A name.
  • Among boys, J still leads in 33 states, but nationally it is only narrowly ahead of A (10.9% vs. 10.2%).
  • Signature letters divide the map: B in the heartland, K in the South, N in the Mid-Atlantic.
  • 43% of Americans say their middle name honors a family member (YouGov, 2022).

Baby name letters by state: the 2025 ranking

Our index adds up every name in the Social Security Administration’s 2025 state files by its first letter. The result is a letter for every state, and the map is more varied than the national ranking suggests.

Map: baby name letters by state, 2025

A leads in 45 states, but E has taken the NorthThe most popular first letter for babies born in 2025, with its share of births.Source: Social Security Administration state baby name data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
The most popular first letter for babies in every state, 2025A leads in 45 states and D.C.; E leads in six northern states.AK11.6%ME9.8%VT10.0%NH9.6%WA12.9%ID10.3%MT9.2%ND10.8%MN11.6%IL13.4%WI10.8%MI11.6%NY14.3%RI13.8%MA12.7%OR12.5%NV15.7%WY12.0%SD10.0%IA10.0%IN11.4%OH11.3%PA12.1%NJ14.3%CT12.6%CA15.7%UT10.1%CO12.9%NE11.4%MO10.6%KY11.0%WV10.3%VA12.8%MD13.5%DE13.0%AZ15.1%NM16.8%KS11.1%AR11.1%TN11.4%NC12.4%SC11.7%DC12.8%OK11.5%LA11.7%MS11.2%AL10.7%GA12.9%HI11.1%TX15.3%FL14.9%A leads, 14% or more (8)A leads, under 14% (37)E leads (6)
The most popular first letter for babies in every state, 2025A leads in 45 states and D.C.; E leads in six northern states.A leads, 14% or more (8)A leads, under 14% (37)E leads (6)E: ME, NH, VT, ND, SD, WYA 14%+: AZ, CA, FL, NJ, NM, NV, NY, TX
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The full table: every state’s letters

Share of babies born in 2025 whose first name begins with each letter, both sexes combined. “Biggest riser” is the letter that gained the most share since 2005; “Signature” is the letter most over-represented against the national rate (letters with at least 3% of births). Bold rows: states where E leads. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA state baby name data (names with five or more births per state).

The national picture

  1. 1.ATELIER ANALYSIS45 of 51 jurisdictions chose A as their top first letter in 2025. The other six, however, chose E. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 2.ATELIER ANALYSIS13.3% of babies born in 2025 received an A name. In other words, that is about 1 in 7.5 newborns. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 3.ATELIER ANALYSISE ranks second nationally, with 8.99% of 2025 births. M, L and J follow, while each stays above 7.5%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 4.ATELIER ANALYSISNew Mexico is the most A-loving state, at 16.8% of 2025 births. California and Nevada follow at 15.7%, while Texas is fourth. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 5.ATELIER ANALYSISMontana has the lowest winning share of any A state, at 9.2% in 2025. Meanwhile, E sits close behind at 8.4%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Close races and podiums

  1. 6.ATELIER ANALYSISVermont had the closest race of 2025. There, E edged L by 0.05 points, less than any other margin. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 7.ATELIER ANALYSISNew Hampshire was nearly as close in 2025. There, too, E finished only 0.07 points ahead of C. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 8.ATELIER ANALYSISE is the runner-up letter in 31 states in 2025. By contrast, M is second in seven states. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 9.ATELIER ANALYSISA, E, M is the most common podium, shared by 14 states in 2025. Similarly, A, E, L appears in nine. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 10.ATELIER ANALYSIS30.6% of 2025 babies have a name starting with A, E or M. In 2005, by contrast, the top three covered 35.2%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  6. 11.ATELIER ANALYSISNew Mexico also has the most concentrated alphabet in 2025. In fact, its top three letters cover 36.5% of births. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The names behind the letters

  1. 12.ATELIER ANALYSISAmelia is the leading A name of 2025, with 12,699 girls in the state files. Ava and Asher follow, although well behind. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 13.ATELIER ANALYSISCharlotte was the top girls’ name in 28 states in 2025. Even so, C ranks only sixth among girls’ first letters. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 14.ATELIER ANALYSISLiam was the top boys’ name in 15 states in 2025. Meanwhile, Noah led in 14 and Oliver in 12. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

What this means for families. A first letter is also a monogram. If your family chooses an A name, you share that initial with roughly one in seven newborns, so the design of the letter, rather than the letter itself, is what makes it personal. Our guide to the most common initials in America shows how first and last initials combine, and our bespoke monograms page explains how a common letter becomes a distinctive mark.

From J to A: 75 years of America’s favorite letters

For most of the twentieth century, America’s babies were named under the letter J. The chart below counts how many states each letter led in every year since 1950.

How the leading letter changed

J ruled for half a century; A has led since 2003Number of states and D.C. (out of 51) where each letter was the most common first letter of the year.Source: Social Security Administration state baby name data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Number of states led by each first letter, 1950 to 2025J led all 51 jurisdictions from 1966 to 1991; A has led most states since 2003.0102030405119501960197019801990200020102020JDA 45E 6
Number of states led by each first letter, 1950 to 2025J led all 51 jurisdictions from 1966 to 1991; A has led most states since 2003.0102030405119501970199020102020JDA 45E 6

The age of J

  1. 15.ATELIER ANALYSISJ led the nation for 79 straight years, from 1924 through 2002. Then A took over in 2003. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 16.ATELIER ANALYSISJ led all 51 jurisdictions every year from 1966 to 1991. In other words, the sweep lasted 26 years. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 17.ATELIER ANALYSISD once rivaled J. In fact, D led 27 states in 1955, while J led 24. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The rise of A

  1. 18.ATELIER ANALYSIS1992 was the first year A led any state in the modern era. North Dakota and Wisconsin switched before any other state. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 19.ATELIER ANALYSIS2003 was the tipping point for A. That year, it led 30 states, while J led 21. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 20.ATELIER ANALYSIS2012 was the first year A led all 51 jurisdictions. It did so again from 2014 through 2018. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 21.ATELIER ANALYSISMississippi and Wyoming were the last states to favor J, in 2013. No state has chosen J since. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Shares over 75 years

  1. 22.ATELIER ANALYSIS17.6% of babies born in 1980 had a J name. By 2025, however, the share was 7.6%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 23.ATELIER ANALYSISA has nearly quadrupled since 1950. Indeed, its share rose from 3.4% of births to 13.3% in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 24.ATELIER ANALYSISD has moved the other way. Specifically, it fell from 12.1% of births in 1955 to 3.4% in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 25.ATELIER ANALYSISE has more than tripled since 1960. In fact, it rose from 2.7% of births to 9.0% in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 26.ATELIER ANALYSISWest Virginia was the J stronghold of 1985. That year, in fact, 19.0% of its babies had a J name. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The 20-year shift: letters rising and falling since 2005

Twenty years is roughly one generation of parents. Between 2005 and 2025, the alphabet of American names moved away from J, K and D and toward L, E and W.

Winners and losers by letter

L and E rose while J fell by five pointsChange in the share of babies whose name begins with each letter, 2005 to 2025, in percentage points.Source: Social Security Administration state baby name data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Change in share of births by first letter, 2005 to 2025L, E and W gained the most; J lost more than five percentage points.L+3.3 ptsE+2.9 ptsW+1.2 ptsO+1.0 ptsR+0.8 ptsH+0.7 ptsV+0.6 ptsZ+0.4 ptsI+0.3 ptsS+0.3 ptsG−0.3 ptsM−0.4 ptsA−0.5 ptsB−0.6 ptsC−0.8 ptsT−1.0 ptsK−1.6 ptsD−1.8 ptsJ−5.1 pts
Change in share of births by first letter, 2005 to 2025L, E and W gained the most; J lost more than five percentage points.L+3.3 ptsE+2.9 ptsW+1.2 ptsO+1.0 ptsR+0.8 ptsH+0.7 ptsV+0.6 ptsZ+0.4 ptsI+0.3 ptsS+0.3 ptsG−0.3 ptsM−0.4 ptsA−0.5 ptsB−0.6 ptsC−0.8 ptsT−1.0 ptsK−1.6 ptsD−1.8 ptsJ−5.1 pts

The 12 most common first letters of 2025 in the SSA state files, all 50 states and D.C. combined. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA state baby name data.

The decline of J

  1. 27.ATELIER ANALYSISJ has lost 5.1 percentage points since 2005, falling from 12.7% to 7.6%. That 40% drop is larger than for any other letter. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 28.ATELIER ANALYSISJ declined in all 51 jurisdictions from 2005 to 2025. In fact, it was the biggest loser in 43. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The rising letters

  1. 29.ATELIER ANALYSISL is the fastest-rising letter since 2005, up from 4.7% to 8.0% of births. Above all, Liam, Lucas and Levi carry it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 30.ATELIER ANALYSISE gained 2.9 points from 2005 to 2025, reaching 9.0% of births. It also rose in every jurisdiction. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 31.ATELIER ANALYSISL was the biggest gainer in 35 states from 2005 to 2025. Meanwhile, E led the gains in 14 others. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 32.ATELIER ANALYSISW has more than doubled, from 1.05% of births in 2005 to 2.29% in 2025. For example, William and Wyatt lead it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 33.ATELIER ANALYSISO has nearly doubled as well since 2005. As a result, it now covers 2.1% of 2025 births. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

State-by-state shifts

  1. 34.ATELIER ANALYSISK fell from 5.8% to 4.2% of births between 2005 and 2025. Meanwhile, D slipped to 3.4%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 35.ATELIER ANALYSISA gained share in only 11 jurisdictions from 2005 to 2025. Even so, it kept first place almost everywhere. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 36.ATELIER ANALYSISHawaii saw the largest rise of any letter in any state. In fact, L climbed 6.6 points there between 2005 and 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 37.ATELIER ANALYSISWyoming saw the steepest climb for E, up 6.6 points since 2005. As a result, E now leads there. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 38.ATELIER ANALYSISJ still led 11 jurisdictions in 2005, most of them in the South. By 2013, however, only two remained. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  6. 39.ATELIER ANALYSISJacob was the top J name of 2005, with 25,851 boys. By 2025, the classic James led instead. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

What this means for parents. Letters move slowly, but they do move. Names such as James and William show that a classic can outlast any trend, which is why many families look to their own history first. A personal monogram built on a family name keeps its meaning long after the fashion of a letter has turned.

Girls’ letters and boys’ letters by state

Girls and boys follow different alphabets. A dominates among girls almost everywhere, while J still holds on among boys in most states.

Map: the leading letter for boys

J still leads among boys in 33 statesThe most popular first letter for boys born in 2025, with its share of boys' births.Source: Social Security Administration state baby name data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
The most popular first letter for boys in every state, 2025J leads among boys in 33 states, A in 11, C in five and L in two.AK11.8%ME10.2%VT9.9%NH12.0%WA10.5%ID9.4%MT9.2%ND10.4%MN9.1%IL11.0%WI9.4%MI10.3%NY11.7%RI14.1%MA11.9%OR9.9%NV12.7%WY13.4%SD9.7%IA9.5%IN10.6%OH10.2%PA10.8%NJ11.5%CT12.1%CA12.5%UT8.8%CO10.2%NE9.7%MO10.1%KY10.5%WV10.5%VA11.0%MD11.8%DE12.6%AZ12.0%NM13.3%KS10.4%AR11.1%TN11.4%NC11.1%SC11.6%DC12.0%OK10.1%LA12.1%MS13.2%AL12.8%GA11.5%HI11.3%TX11.8%FL11.6%J (33)A (11)C (5)L (2)
The most popular first letter for boys in every state, 2025J leads among boys in 33 states, A in 11, C in five and L in two.J (33)A (11)C (5)L (2)

National letters by sex

  1. 40.ATELIER ANALYSIS16.7% of girls born in 2025 received an A name. In other words, that is about 1 in 6 girls. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 41.ATELIER ANALYSISJ still leads among boys in 2025, but only narrowly. It holds 10.9% of boys, while A holds 10.2%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 42.ATELIER ANALYSISJ has shrunk sharply among boys since 2005. Indeed, its share fell from 17.2% to 10.9% in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

State leaders by sex

  1. 43.ATELIER ANALYSISA leads among girls in 43 states in 2025. E, however, leads among girls in the other eight. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 44.ATELIER ANALYSISJ leads among boys in 33 states in 2025. Meanwhile, A leads in 11 and C in five. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 45.ATELIER ANALYSIS11 states favor A for both girls and boys in 2025. Most are in the West, as well as New York and New Jersey. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 46.ATELIER ANALYSIS21.7% of New Mexico girls born in 2025 have an A name. No letter holds a larger share than that anywhere. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 47.ATELIER ANALYSISRhode Island is the strongest J state for boys in 2025. There, 14.1% of boys have a J name, more than in any other state. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Twenty years earlier

  1. 48.ATELIER ANALYSISIn 2005, the map was almost uniform. Specifically, A led among girls in 50 places, and J among boys in 50. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 49.ATELIER ANALYSISM has softened among girls since 2005, from 11.1% to 9.3%. Still, it remains the third girls’ letter. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The return of E across the North

The most striking change on the map is in the North. Six states from Maine to Wyoming now favor E, carried by classic names such as Evelyn, Eleanor and Emma.

The six states where E is the leading first letter in 2025. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA state baby name data.

Where E leads

  1. 50.ATELIER ANALYSISSix states chose E as their top letter in 2025. Moreover, all six lie along the northern tier, from New England to the Rockies. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 51.ATELIER ANALYSIS2019 marked E’s first state lead since North Dakota in 1926. Then, Montana and Vermont led the return. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 52.ATELIER ANALYSISE reached seven states in 2024, when Montana joined. Then, in 2025, Montana returned narrowly to A. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 53.ATELIER ANALYSISWyoming has the highest E share in the nation, 12.0% of 2025 births. Alaska follows at 11.4%, while New Mexico is third. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The names behind the E revival

  1. 54.ATELIER ANALYSISEvelyn and Eleanor lead the E names in the E states in 2025. Evelyn tops three states, while Eleanor tops two. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 55.ATELIER ANALYSISEmma is the top E name nationally in 2025, with 12,754 girls. Elijah and Evelyn follow, while Elias is fourth. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 56.ATELIER ANALYSISThe six E states recorded 32,298 births in the 2025 files. So E is a regional favorite, not a national one. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 57.E is the top starting letter for girls in BabyCenter’s 2026 rankings. In fact, it makes up 15% of the top 100 girls’ names. — BabyCenter, via NBC
  5. 58.J still leads for boys in BabyCenter’s 2026 rankings, with 14% of the top 100. Moreover, the list covers 350,000+ babies. — BabyCenter, via NBC

What this means for heritage. The E revival is a return to names that grandparents and great-grandparents carried. For families who want to mark that continuity, a family monogram can join a newborn’s initial to the family name it continues.

Signature letters and name endings

Every state shares the same leading letters, so we also asked a second question: which letter does each state use far more than the nation as a whole? We also looked at how names end.

Map: each state’s signature letter

B marks the heartland, K the South and N the Mid-AtlanticFor each state, the letter with the highest ratio of its state share to its national share, among letters used by at least 3% of babies.Source: Social Security Administration state baby name data; Gustavo Athayde analysis · gustavoathayde.com
Each state's signature letter, 2025The letter each state uses most above the national rate, among letters with at least 3% of births.AKE ×1.26ME×1.46VT×1.52NHC ×1.41WAR ×1.12ID×1.52MT×1.61ND×1.75MN×1.38ILM ×1.05WI×1.33MI×1.23NY×1.14RIJ ×1.24MAC ×1.16OR×1.22NV×1.18WY×1.89SD×1.65IA×1.60IN×1.24OH×1.23PA×1.10NJ×1.24CTC ×1.24CA×1.18UT×1.47COE ×1.10NE×1.55MO×1.41KY×1.37WV×1.49VA×1.08MD×1.20DE×1.29AZ×1.14NM×1.27KS×1.35AR×1.38TN×1.29NC×1.21SC×1.39DC×1.33OK×1.32LA×1.69MS×2.17AL×1.44GA×1.51HI×2.09TX×1.15FL×1.17B (14)H (10)K (8)N (6)A (5)Other (8)
Each state's signature letter, 2025The letter each state uses most above the national rate, among letters with at least 3% of births.B (14)H (10)K (8)N (6)A (5)Other (8)Other: C in CT, MA, NH; E in AK, CO;M in IL; J in RI; R in WA

Signature letters

  1. 59.ATELIER ANALYSISB is the signature letter of 14 states in 2025, more than any other. Most of them, in fact, are in the heartland. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 60.ATELIER ANALYSISH is the signature letter of 10 states in 2025. These also include Maine, Vermont, Montana and Wyoming. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 61.ATELIER ANALYSISK is the signature letter of eight states in 2025. Seven are in the South, while the eighth is Hawaii. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 62.ATELIER ANALYSISMississippi has the most distinctive letter in 2025. Indeed, its K share is 2.2 times the national rate. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  5. 63.ATELIER ANALYSISN is the signature letter of six jurisdictions in 2025. Moreover, all of them are in the Mid-Atlantic. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

How names end

  1. 64.ATELIER ANALYSIS39.0% of girls born in 2025 have a name ending in A. In 1985, by contrast, the share was 35.3%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  2. 65.ATELIER ANALYSISGirls’ names ending in Y have faded since 1985. Since then, their share fell from 17.6% to 12.0%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  3. 66.ATELIER ANALYSIS27.8% of boys born in 2025 have a name ending in N. Still, that is down from 34.4% in 2005. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
  4. 67.ATELIER ANALYSISBoys’ names ending in S have grown since 2005, from 7.1% to 8.9%. For example, Lucas, Elias and James all end in S. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

America’s top baby names and the letters behind them

The national top 10 is where most coverage of baby names begins. However, the top names cover a smaller share of babies each year, which is why letters reveal more than any single name.

The top names of 2025

  1. 68.Liam and Olivia were America’s top baby names of 2025. In fact, both have now held the top spot for seven straight years. — SSA
  2. 69.Charlotte climbed to second place among girls in 2025. As a result, Emma’s six-year run as runner-up ended. — SSA
  3. 70.Eliana debuted in 10th place among girls in 2025. In doing so, it replaced Ava, a top-10 fixture for years. — SSA
  4. 71.Three of the top 10 girls’ names of 2025 begin with E: Emma, Evelyn and Eliana. By contrast, only Amelia begins with A. — SSA
  5. 72.Theodore and Henry rank fourth and fifth among boys in 2025. James, Elijah and William also make the top 10. — SSA

How varied names have become

  1. 73.71.5% of all names given in 2025 came from the top 1,000. In 2016, by comparison, the share was 73.3%. — SSA
  2. 74.Girls’ names are more varied than boys’. In 2025, the top 1,000 covered 67.3% of girls’ names but 75.6% of boys’. — SSA
  3. 75.3,593,747 babies born in 2025 held a Social Security card by March 2026. Of these, 1,835,823 were boys, while 1,757,924 were girls. — SSA
  4. 76.James is the most given boys’ name from 1926 to 2025, with 4,505,076 babies. Meanwhile, Mary leads the girls with 2,845,637. — SSA
  5. 77.Noah and Emma were the top names of the 2010s. Liam and Olivia, meanwhile, ranked second. — SSA

Births and families behind the names

Names are chosen one family at a time. These official figures describe the families and births behind the 2025 letter map.

Births in 2024 and 2025

  1. 78.3,606,400 babies were born in the United States in 2025, according to provisional data. That is about 1% fewer than in 2024. — CDC
  2. 79.53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 was the general fertility rate in 2025. However, the figure is still provisional. — CDC
  3. 80.The teen birth rate fell 7% in 2025. As a result, at 11.7 births per 1,000, it reached another record low. — CDC
  4. 81.3,628,934 births were registered in the United States in 2024. That was 1% more than in 2023. — CDC
  5. 82.27.6 years was the mean age of mothers at first birth in 2024. It was also a record high, up from 27.5 in 2023. — CDC
  6. 83.South Dakota had the highest general fertility rate of any state in 2024, at 66.7. It is also an E state. — CDC

Marriage and households

  1. 84.About six in 10 births in 2024 were to married mothers. Meanwhile, the share to unmarried women eased to 39.5%. — CDC
  2. 85.30.8 and 28.4 were the median ages at first marriage for men and women in 2025. In 1975, by contrast, they were 23.5 and 21.1. — Census Bureau
  3. 86.47% of U.S. households in 2025 were married couples. That still makes them the most common household type. — Census Bureau

Family names, traditions and keepsakes

Many American names are handed down rather than chosen from a list. Surveys show how often a name honors a parent or grandparent, and how families carry a shared surname forward.

Honoring relatives

  1. 87.43% of Americans say their middle name honors a family member. In addition, the 2022 YouGov poll surveyed 1,000 adults. — YouGov
  2. 88.27% of Americans say their first name comes from a family member. So the middle name is where most families honor relatives (2022). — YouGov
  3. 89.Men are more likely to carry a family name. In 2022, 32% of men said so, compared with 21% of women. — YouGov
  4. 90.52% of men named for a relative were named after their father (2022). Another 23% were named after a grandfather. — YouGov
  5. 91.36% of women named for a relative were named after their grandmother (2022). In fact, no other relative comes close. — YouGov
  6. 92.62% of Americans named for a relative say that relative was alive at their birth (2022). In other words, the name was a living handoff. — YouGov
  7. 93.38% of Americans say both parents chose their name together (2022). By contrast, 27% say their mother chose alone. — YouGov
  8. 94.23% of new mothers named their baby after a family member in a 2024 BabyCenter poll. In fact, it was the most common source of a name. — BabyCenter, via FOX

The family surname

  1. 95.79% of women in opposite-sex marriages took their husband’s last name (2023). Meanwhile, 14% kept their own. — Pew Research Center
  2. 96.52% of Americans say children should take the father’s surname when parents’ names differ (2025). By contrast, only 17% favor a hyphen. — YouGov
  3. 97.Over 95% of New Jersey children of U.S.-born parents received their father’s surname from 2000 to 2021. In addition, the study covered over 2 million births. — Torche et al., Social Science Research

Keepsakes and personalization

  1. 98.51% of consumers call personalization important when buying a baby gift, according to a 2026 survey. A year earlier, 49% did. — Gifts & Decorative Accessories
  2. 99.Searches for heirloom jewelry rose 45% on Pinterest between September 2024 and August 2025. Keepsakes, in short, are in demand. — Pinterest, via National Jeweler
  3. 100.$5.27 billion is the projected growth of the U.S. personalized gifts market from 2024 to 2029 (projection). In other words, that is 9.9% a year. — Technavio

What this means for families. A name chosen to honor a grandparent is already an heirloom. A family crest or a monogram that pairs a child’s initial with the family name gives that choice a form that can be engraved, framed and passed down.

Methodology

Our index uses the Social Security Administration’s state-specific baby name files (namesbystate.zip), which list every name given to at least five babies of one sex in a state in a given year, from 1910 to 2025. We read the files directly, added the counts of every name by its first letter (and, separately, by its last letter), and divided by the total for each state, year and sex. The 2025 files list 2,769,754 births across the 50 states and D.C.; names with fewer than five births in a state are not published and are therefore not counted.

The leading letter is the letter with the largest share of births; “both sexes” combines girls and boys. A state’s signature letter is the letter with the highest ratio of its state share to its national share, among letters used by at least 3% of babies nationally. Changes are expressed in percentage points. Records before 1937, when Social Security began, are based on people who applied for cards later and are less complete, so our historical comparisons focus on 1950 to 2025.

All comparisons are descriptive. External statistics come from the SSA, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the Census Bureau and the surveys cited, each with its own methodology and year.

About the author

Gustavo Athayde, Founder and Creative Director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde — Founder & Creative Director, GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde is the founder and creative director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE, a bespoke monogram atelier based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graphic designer by training, he creates monograms, personal and family crests, heraldic emblems, signet designs and wax seals for individuals, families, couples and brands across the United States. Every commission is refined line by line into a symbol meant to be kept, used and passed down.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular first letter for baby names?
A. In 2025, 13.3% of babies in the SSA state files received a name beginning with A, and A was the leading letter in 45 of the 50 states and D.C.
Which states prefer the letter E?
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. In 2025, E was the leading first letter in these six states, E first returned to the top in 2019, after last leading a state, North Dakota, in 1926.
Is J still a popular letter for baby names?
J remains the leading boys’ letter in 33 states, but its national share fell from 12.7% of births in 2005 to 7.6% in 2025. No state has chosen J as its leading letter overall since 2013.

More about the data

Which letter is growing fastest in baby names?
L. Its share of births rose from 4.7% in 2005 to 8.0% in 2025, a gain of 72%, with names such as Liam, Lucas, Levi and Luca.
Where does this data come from?
From the Social Security Administration’s state baby name files, which count every name given to at least five babies of one sex in a state each year. We added the names by first letter for every state from 1950 to 2025.
Why do first letters matter for a monogram?
A first letter is the foundation of a personal monogram. Because more than one in five babies now has a name beginning with A or E, the drawing of the letter and its pairing with the family name are what make a monogram distinctive.

Cite this page

Source: Gustavo Athayde, "The Most Popular Baby Name Letters by State 2026", https://gustavoathayde.com/baby-name-letters-by-state/

Feel free to use these statistics and charts — we just ask for a link back to this page.

Sources