New report reveals the most popular baby names in Minnesota this year
When you first share the exciting news that you are expecting a new baby, one of the first questions friends and family ask is whether you’ve picked a name yet. It is a big decision, after all, as it will stick with your child for the rest of their life!
The process of naming a baby has become so involved that some couples hire professional name consultants to curate lists or turn to AI generators to come up with the perfect monogram.
Parenting and pregnancy platform BabyCenter tracks the most popular baby names each year, and their most recent report reveals the most popular names across the country in 2026, ranking them state by state as well. We are excited to share the popular baby names Minnesota so far!
Olivia and Noah still reign supreme for families across the country, but that wasn’t the case in the North Star State. Minnesota parents chose differently than the national favorites, with Evelyn and Henry ranking as the top choices in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Just across the border in Wisconsin and Iowa, Charlotte and Oliver are 2026 favorites in both states. Moms and dads in South Dakota gravitated toward Sophia and Oliver, and in North Dakota, Anicia and Andrew.
Nationally, Eliana rose 5 spots from last year to break into the #2 spot, followed by Amelia, Charlotte, and Sophia. Only one new girl name broke into the top 100 in 2026, with Magnolia ranking #88.
On the boys’ side, the top 5 names stayed the same for the third year running, with Liam in second, followed by Oliver, Elijah, and Mateo.
The report also found that popular names are getting longer, with nearly 30% of the top girl names and 31% of the top boy names clocking in at seven letters or more. The favorite initials were E on the ‘girls’ side and J on the ‘boys’ side.
Several names dropped off the top 100 list completely, including Leah, Brooklyn, Christian, and Ryan.
BabyCenter also tracks trends that may influence favorite names in 2027, and popular culture may be a big factor influencing parents.
Names like Ilya, Garrett, Allie, Beau, and Jules got bumps from hockey-based dramas like Heated Rivalry and Off Campus. Western- and Greek-inspired names like Stetson and Atlas also rose, thanks to shows like Yellowstone and movies like The Odyssey.
The list also found that parents are leaning into edgier names featuring the letter X, like Bexley and Alexandra for girls, and Braxton and Knox for boys.
Top 20 Girl Names of 2026 so far
- Olivia
- Eliana
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Sophia
- Isabella
- Emma
- Aurora
- Evelyn
- Mia
- Ellie
- Lily
- Violet
- Sofia
- Hazel
- Ava
- Aria
- Luna
- Ella
- Willow
Top 20 Boy Names of 2026 so far
- Noah
- Liam
- Oliver
- Elijah
- Mateo
- Lucas
- Elias
- Levi
- Ezra
- Leo
- Asher
- Luca
- Henry
- Hudson
- Theodore
- James
- Sebastian
- Samuel
- Waylon
- Daniel
To check out the full list of the most popular baby names, click here.
Mary McGuire is a mother of three young girls and freelance journalist based in the Twin Cities. Her current interests include searching for lost pacifiers, cleaning up crushed Cheerios, and sharing everything our great state has to offer with other families. Born and raised in Edina, Mary has worked in broadcast television for more than a decade at TV stations across the country.
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