“Jacob” Gets Bumped As The Most Popular Boys Name, “Sophia” Still The Top Girls Choice

The Social Security Administration has released its annual list of the most popular names given to newborns.

There was an upset atop the boys list, and the trend of naming children after "Game of Thrones" characters continues.  Get ready for a "Khaleesi" sitting next to your kid in second grade in 2020.

For the first time in fourteen years, there is a new most popular boys name, according to the annual SSA report, which covers 2013.  Jacob had been the reigning champion, but that name dropped to third behind the emergent Noah and Liam.  Mason and the old school William round out the top five for boys.

It's interesting to note that the name Liam has emerged in the wake of the success of the British band, One Direction, which features a Liam, and William's recent ascendance into popularity coincides with the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton in 2011.

Sophia remains the most popular girls name for the third year running.  Sophia overtook Isabella in 2011.  Emma and Olivia are second and third on the 2013 girls chart, followed by Isabella and Ava.

Michigan bucked the national trend, as Jacob remained the most popular name for boys, and Emma was our state's most popular girls name.

New names that are emerging on the list, include  Jayceon (and Jayse/Jayce), Milan, Atlas, and Duke for the boys; Daleyza, Marjorie, Lennon, Jurnee, and Everlee/Everleigh for girls. Also rising: Arya and boys' names starting with Bran.

Children named after characters from the highly popular HBO Series "Game of Thrones" continued to climb.  According to the pop culture site Vox, there were 241 Khaleesis born in 2013, up from 146 in 2012 (a 65 percent jump). That puts the name above the likes of Stacy, Pamela, Janet, and Joan.

Names from pop culture beginning to drop off, Katniss and all of the names from the "Harry Potter" novels and movies, including Hermoine and Draco.

You can go to this page on the SSA site to type in your child's name to see where it ranks nationally.