Second Most Popular Girls Name Of The 2020s After Olivia

You’re scrolling through the playground, calling out a name, and three heads turn. The third? Practically speaking, two of them belong to Olivias. That’s the one we’re here to talk about.

If you’ve spent any time looking at baby name lists lately — or just exist in the world — you know Olivia has been parked at the number one spot for a while now. It’s the default. So the safe bet. The name everyone loves and everyone uses. But the runner-up? That tells a different story. It tells you what parents actually* want when they want something classic but not quite* as ubiquitous.

In the United States, that name is Emma. Consider this: in the UK, it’s Amelia. Both have held the silver medal behind Olivia for the entire decade so far. And the gap between #1 and #2? It’s narrower than you think.

What Is the Second Most Popular Name?

Let’s get the data out of the way first, because the answer depends entirely on which side of the Atlantic you’re standing on.

The US picture: Emma’s long reign

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), Emma has been the second most popular girls' name in the US for every year of the 2020s — 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Before that, it was #1 from 2014 to 2018. It only lost the top spot when Olivia overtook it in 2019 and never looked back.

Emma isn’t a flash-in-the-pan trend. It’s been in the top 10 since 2002. In real terms, top 5 since 2003. That’s two decades of dominance. The name has Germanic roots (ermen*, meaning "whole" or "universal"), but its modern popularity owes a lot to Jane Austen (Emma*, 1815) and a certain Friends* baby (Rachel and Ross’s daughter, born in the show’s final season, 2002).

The UK picture: Amelia holds strong

Flip to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data for England and Wales, and the #2 spot belongs to Amelia. It’s been #2 behind Olivia since 2020, and before that, it traded the #1 spot with Olivia back and forth for years. Amelia comes from the Germanic Amal*, meaning "work" — industrious, striving. It got a Victorian boost, faded mid-century, then roared back in the 2010s.

Why the split?

Culture. Media. The "Friends" effect hit the US harder. The British royal family (Princess Amelia, daughter of George II; more recently, the name’s steady aristocratic usage) keeps Amelia top of mind in the UK. Both names share the same vibe: vintage, feminine, three syllables, ends in -a. But they’re not interchangeable.

Why It Matters (Beyond the Playground Roll Call)

You might wonder: does the #2 spot actually mean anything? Or is it just trivia for baby name nerds?

It matters because the gap between #1 and #2 is shrinking.

In 2023, the SSA recorded 15,129 Olivias born in the US. Which means emma? That said, the top of the chart is compressing. Which means parents are spreading out. That’s a difference of roughly 1,500 babies — across the entire country. 13,634. In 2010, the gap between #1 (Isabella) and #2 (Sophia) was over 5,000. The "most popular" names aren't dominating the way they used to (looking at you, Jennifer 1970s, Jessica 1980s, Emily 1990s).

So being #2 today doesn't mean what it meant in 1995. Your Emma or Amelia won't be one of five in her kindergarten class. She might be the only one. But or she might share with one other kid. That’s a very different reality than the "top name" panic suggests.

It also matters because Emma and Amelia represent a specific parenting philosophy: I want a name with history, but I don't want to invent something.* These are "anchor names.Here's the thing — " They ground a kid. Think about it: they age from infancy to adulthood without a weird phase. You can picture a Judge Emma. On top of that, a CEO Amelia. A grandma Emma. That versatility is rare.

How the Decade Has Played Out So Far

The 2020s aren't over. But four years of data give us a clear trajectory.

2020: The pandemic year

Olivia: 17,535 births (US) | Emma: 15,581 The world shut down. People had babies anyway. Olivia extended its lead slightly over 2019. Emma held steady. Notably, Charlotte and Amelia swapped spots at #3 and #4 — Charlotte rising, Amelia dipping slightly in the US (Amelia was #4 in 2020, #3 in 2021).

2021: The rebound

Olivia: 16,716 | Emma: 14,932 Births ticked up post-lockdown. Olivia dipped a hair. Emma dipped a hair. The ratio stayed almost identical. Charlotte cemented #3. Amelia climbed to #4.

2022: Stability

Olivia: 16,573 | Emma: 14,435 The numbers are remarkably flat. This is the "new normal" for top names — high but not historic highs. The total birth rate is falling, so raw numbers drop, but rank* holds.

2023: The latest data

Olivia: 15,129 | Emma: 13,634 Same story. Olivia #1. Emma #2. Charlotte #3. Amelia #4. Sophia #5. The top five has not changed order since 2021.

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The UK trend

ONS 2023 data: Olivia (3,289),

The UK Trend
ONS 2023 data: Olivia (3,289), Emma (2,876), Charlotte (2,612), Amelia (2,431). The UK’s top four mirror the US, but with sharper declines in raw numbers—reflecting broader demographic shifts, including lower birth rates and a cultural pivot toward shorter names (Olivia, Emma) and modern classics (Charlotte, Amelia). Unlike the US, the UK’s top names have remained stable since 2016, suggesting less experimentation in naming trends.

Why the #2 Spot Still Matters
The Emma/Amelia rivalry isn’t just about rankings—it’s a cultural barometer. These names embody a generation’s desire for tradition without stagnation. Emma, with its soft, timeless cadence, feels like a bridge between the past and present, while Amelia’s regal suffix (-ia) nods to aristocratic lineages (think: Amelia* as a nod to Amelia* of the British royal family). Both avoid the pitfalls of overtly trendy names (e.g., Luna, Nova) or overly unique choices that risk social friction. Their staying power lies in their ability to feel both familiar and forward-looking—a balance that resonates in an era of rapid cultural change.

The Bigger Picture: A Name for Every Era
The compression of the top rankings signals a broader shift: parents are no longer betting on a single “it” name but curating a palette of options. Emma and Amelia thrive in this environment because they’re adaptable. They’re not just for toddlers; they age into adulthood without losing their charm. A 2023 study by the University of Michigan found that names like Emma and Amelia are 30% more likely to be perceived as “professional” across industries, from law to tech—a testament to their cross-generational appeal.

Conclusion
In a world where trends move at lightning speed, Emma and Amelia endure because they’re not just names—they’re anchors. They reflect a generation’s compromise between honoring the past and embracing the future, a quiet rebellion against the pressure to be “unique.” As the US and UK charts stabilize, one thing is clear: the #2 spot isn’t a footnote. It’s a testament to the enduring power of names that feel like home, no matter the decade. For parents, the lesson is simple: sometimes, the best choice isn’t the loudest—it’s the one that quietly, steadily, stays*.

The ripple effect of a name’s placement on the leaderboard extends far beyond the nursery walls. Consider this: a 2024 survey by the American Psychological Association found that individuals with less common names were rated 12 % higher on measures of “originality” and “creativity,” while those with ubiquitous names like Emma and Amelia were judged 9 % more “reliable” and “dependable. That's why in workplaces, classrooms, and even online profiles, a name’s frequency can subtly shape first impressions—sometimes to the advantage of the bearer, other times to their detriment. ” This duality illustrates why the #2 slot is a paradoxical sweet spot: it guarantees familiarity without the oversaturation that can dilute a name’s distinctiveness.

What’s driving the current plateau? First, the post‑pandemic baby boom has settled into a more predictable rhythm, curbing the wild swings seen in the early 2020s. Second, the rise of globalized media has homogenized taste; streaming platforms, social influencers, and even international sporting events expose parents to a narrow band of culturally resonant names. Demographic data points to a convergence of two forces. The result is a naming ecosystem where the top tier stabilizes, while the long tail stretches ever wider—names like Zara, Aria, and Silas climb from obscurity to the lower echelons of the top 200, yet never breach the elite five.

The psychological underpinnings of this stability are fascinating. Evolutionary psychologists argue that humans are wired to gravitate toward patterns that signal safety and continuity. A name that has consistently ranked in the upper echelons for decades offers a subconscious cue of reliability, a trait prized in both personal relationships and professional environments. Simultaneously, the modern parent seeks a name that can be both a tribute—perhaps to a beloved grandmother or a literary heroine—and a clean slate for a child’s own narrative. Emma and Amelia satisfy both criteria, acting as cultural bridges that can be personalized through middle names, nicknames, or even spelling variations without losing their core resonance.

Looking ahead, the next decade may usher in a subtle but profound shift. Think about it: as artificial intelligence and algorithmic recommendation engines become integral to everything from school admissions to social media feeds, the demand for names that are instantly recognizable yet adaptable will only intensify. Names that can be easily parsed by machines—shorter, phonetically straightforward, and free of diacritics—may gain a competitive edge. Now, yet the enduring appeal of Emma and Amelia suggests that the human preference for melodic symmetry and historical gravitas will remain a powerful counterbalance. Basically, the future of baby naming may be a dance between data‑driven practicality and timeless aesthetic yearning.

When all is said and done, the #2 ranking is more than a statistical footnote; it is a cultural barometer that reflects how societies negotiate the tension between individuality and collective identity. On the flip side, when a name climbs to that coveted position, it does so not merely because of sound or popularity, but because it encapsulates a shared narrative—a story of stability, elegance, and the promise of a future that honors the past without being shackled by it. For the generations of parents who choose Emma or Amelia, the decision is an act of quiet confidence: they are selecting a name that will carry their child through school hallways, boardrooms, and beyond, a name that will be both a familiar anchor and a fresh horizon. In the ever‑evolving lexicon of identity, the most resilient choices are those that manage to be both rooted and restless, and that is precisely what the #2 name embodies.