A century of the most popular baby names in America

5/13/24 11:23AM

Popularity contest

The Social Security Agency released the 2023 update of its 1,000 most popular baby names in America list on Friday, with 2 very familiar names clinching the #1 spots again: Olivia won out for the baby girls for the 5th year in a row, while Liam topped the male chart for a staggering 7th consecutive year.

The agency has been compiling the annual ranking for almost 3 decades now, using data from applications for Social Security cards that date back to 1879, meaning that there’s a whopping 144 years’ worth of data to dig into — something of a dream for us at Chartr.

What’s in a name

From 19th Century mainstays such as Ernest and Bertha, all the way to 2023’s fastest risers like Chozen or Kaeli (which saw surges inspired by a Netflix hit and a TikTok influencer, respectively), baby names reveal a lot about the cultural moment we’re in. Indeed, some parents who are feeling particularly uninspired when it comes to picking out a name for their newborns are reportedly enlisting expensive consultants, who charge up to $500 for a set of name recommendations, to help them in their quest to find the perfect moniker.

Check out the full list of the top 1,000 baby names.

Jake Lahut

PAIN AT THE PUMP

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The UAE’s OPEC exit will hit the group in the barrels

After just shy of 60 years in OPEC, its membership even predating its status as a nation-state, the United Arab Emirates yesterday announced its shocking departure from the oil production group, effective May 1, as the knock-on effects of the Iran war continue to play out across the Middle East and the energy landscape.

For context, the UAE produces the third-highest amount of oil in the group, per April data and OPEC’s latest set of annual statistics.

According to the cartel’s 2025 Annual Statistical Bulletin, the OPEC group was collectively exporting some 19 million barrels of crude oil a day last year, with the United Arab Emirates accounting for some 14% of that daily output.

UAExit means UAExit

The nation, whose energy minister told Reuters yesterday that the decision was taken “after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production” and wasn’t made following discussions with any other country, made up a healthy share of the group’s total confirmed crude oil reserves, as well.

Of the 12 nations in the core group, which was founded by just five oil superpowers back in September 1960, only two (Iraq and Saudi Arabia) exported more barrels of crude oil daily, pumping out 3.36 million and 6.05 million barrels, respectively, each day to nations around the world.

For its part, the UAE said it will “continue its responsible role by gradually and thoughtfully increasing production, in line with demand and market conditions,” per the official state news agency. Clearly, the nation now wants a little more control of just how much oil it can pump around the world, with the UAE having to eat a large proportion of lost revenues due to its healthy abundance and OPEC restrictions.