America’s 'rarest' baby names have been revealed and some might surprise you
Some baby names are clearly more popular choices than others.
Now, many of us probably know all of the go-to monikers parents opt for when naming their newborns - think Olivia, Liam, Noah and Emma - but what about the 'rarest' choices that barely anyone goes for in the United States?
Well, according to a study conducted by childcare agency, Go Au Pair, there are some baby names that are so rare that as little as just five children share the same name in their respective state.
The agency gathered the information through the Social Security Administration and compiled the rarest names from each US state between 2000 and 2023 and, if a name was used less than five times within an area, it wasn't included in the database due to privacy.
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So, without further ado, let's get into it...
In alphabetical order by state, the list reads:
- Alabama: Zaykeese (13)
- Alaska: Atigun (5)
- Arizona: Noname (11)
- Arkansas: Maziyah (205)
- California: Alique (5)
- Colorado: Aristea (76)
- Connecticut: Nayeliz (179)
- Delaware: Naim (1,549)
- District of Columbia: Meklit (474)
- Florida: Kendly (5)
- Georgia: Nyyear (99)
- Hawaii: Lehiwa (5)
- Idaho: Moroni (255)
- Illinois: Kotryna (5)
- Indiana: Nymeir (34)
- Iowa: Brex (104)
- Kansas: Macklyn (301)
- Kentucky: Eleia (125)
- Louisiana: Ryda (5)
- Maine: Winner (212)
- Maryland: Danera (5)
- Massachusetts: Jadalys (6)
- Michigan: Fatme (10)
- Minnesota: Sabarin (5)
- Mississippi: Johneisha (40)
- Missouri: Carmya (20)
- Montana: Treysen (320)
- Nebraska: Halsey (329)
- Nevada: Eluney (113)
- New Hampshire: Babyboy (952)
- New Jersey: Mariaeduard (11)
- New Mexico: Charmayne (78)
- New York: Hudes (5)
- North Carolina: Aryya (22)
- North Dakota: Cauy (155)
- Ohio: Firman (12)
- Oklahoma: Daycee (47)
- Oregon: Trask (31)
- Pennsylvania: Pater (6)
- Rhode Island: Jahziel (883)
- South Carolina: Tradd (8)
- South Dakota: Wicahpi (6)
- Tennessee: Kavious (27)
- Texas: Taslin (5)
- Utah: Arikka (5)
- Vermont: Wylder (1,873)
- Virginia: Lakhi (37)
- Washington: Chelan (6)
- West Virginia: Haylea (480)
- Wisconsin: Yuepheng (51)
- Wyoming: Mazikeen (1,236)
Readers Digest has since commented on few 'overarching trends', which may have impacted the choosing of such rare names, writing: "There are a few overarching trends we can suss out here, though not one major one that encompasses the whole country.
"The first one to note is the names with the letter z, like Mazikeen, Jahziel, Nayeliz, Maziyah and Zaykeese, a hot trend for 2025."
According to the outlet, 'creative spellings' often with the letter y, are represented in a 'big way' too, with Kotryna, Wylder, Aryya, Charmayne, Carmya, Ryda and Haylea.
"And a double-barrel name shows up here - Mariaeduard, a name that may have lost its hyphen when recorded," it added.
Readers' Digest also pointed to 'rare names that dovetail with the people residing there', noting: "For example, Sabarin, a name with Arabic roots, pops up in Minnesota, a state with many Arab Americans, and the Hebrew name Hudes makes an appearance in New York, which has the most Jews in the world outside of Israel."
But what about Noname (Arizona) and Babyboy (New Hampshire)?
Well, it is totally normal for a parent to land on this when it comes to naming their newborn; these 'names' are very likely placeholders.
Rhiannon Ingle