For much of U.S. history, parents weren’t very creative when it came to naming their children. Many families chose religious names when naming their child. Immigrants seeking to assimilate in their new country anglicized their names and those of their children, or took “American” names.
Fitting-in mattered, and that’s one of the reasons why the most popular names 100 years ago for girls were named Mary, Dorothy, or Margaret. Times and preferences changed, with Mary, Dorothy, Margaret replaced by Emma and Olivia.
Since the mid-1980s, there has been a greater variety of names as parents seek inspiration for their children’s names from sources as disparate as the Bible, popular culture, sports, and Eastern religions. And though not great in number, you might encounter some names in some states more frequently than others.
With that in mind, 24/7 Wall St. has created a list of names that are more common in a given state than they are nationally. We used data from the Social Security Administration for births from 2013 to 2017 to compile the list. 24/7 Wall St. gathered information from a variety of sources to help explain the meaning and origin of each name where possible.
Click here to see the most popular girl name unique to each state.
It is interesting, but not surprising, that the girl’s name Denali, meaning “the great one,” is found more often in Alaska than its frequency nationwide. Denali, the name of the highest peak in North America, is located in Alaska. In fact, you are 64 times more likely to encounter the name in Alaska than across the U.S.
Similarly, the name Hilinai, a Hawaiian word meaning “to trust,” is more than 500 times more likely to be encountered in Hawaii than in the rest of the nation.
In both states, Emma is the most popular name, but it is not unique to either state. Emma is the most popular name in 25 states and the second most popular moniker in 18 others.
Residents of some states pay homage to their heritage by picking a name that honors their ancestry. That is the case in Connecticut and Rhode Island, both of which have the highest percentages of Americans with Italian ancestry of any state. Each state’s uniquely popular girl’s name is Giuliana, a nod to the Roman name Julius, and is an Italian variation of the name Juliana.
In Massachusetts, which has the highest percentage of Americans with Portuguese heritage, the most uniquely popular female name is Mariaeduarda, a combination of the names Maria and Eduarda. The name Mariaeduarda may be encountered in Massachusetts, however, only 17 girls were given that name over the 2013-2017 time period.
24/7 Wall St. used a metric called the location quotient to determine the names that are more common in a given state than they are nationally. Economists use this gauge to find out the concentration of an industry in a region compared with a bigger reference point, such as a nation. We calculated the location quotient using data from the Social Security Administration. We only considered names with more than 10 entries. The SSA only reports names with more than five occurrences in a given year to preserve the child’s anonymity. If there was a tie in location quotient, we chose the name with the highest birth number. Birth totals by state are for 2013-2017.
Source: Rocky Grimes / Shutterstock.com
1. Alaska: Denali
> Location quotient: 64.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Denali in last 5 years: 27
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (259), Olivia (241)
Denali is the native name of North America’s highest mountain peak, formerly known as Mount McKinley. It means, “the great one.”
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Source: BJ Ray / Shutterstock.com
2. Alabama: Krimson
> Location quotient: 42.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Krimson in last 5 years: 28
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (1,537), Emma (1,387)
Krimson is a spelling alternative to Crimson.
Source: Thinkstock
3. Arkansas: Blakeleigh
> Location quotient: 15.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Blakeleigh in last 5 years: 23
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (991), Ava (814)
Blakeleigh is from Old English meaning “dark or fair.”
Source: Thinkstock
4. Arizona: Ariza
> Location quotient: 43.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Ariza in last 5 years: 109
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Sophia (2,378), Emma (2,219)
Ariza’s origin is from Hebrew, meaning “cedar panels” and referring to the rich wood of King Solomon’s temple.
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Source: Thinkstock
5. California: Lilit
> Location quotient: 5.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Lilit in last 5 years: 31
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Sophia (14,779), Mia (13,479)
Lilit is from the Assyrian phrase “of the night.” There is a large Assyrian community in California’s Central Valley.
Source: Thinkstock
6. Colorado: Aspen
> Location quotient: 6.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aspen in last 5 years: 356
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,605), Emma (1,593)
A favorite resort among skiers, it’s not surprising Aspen is also a baby girl name of choice in Colorado. The name suggests a fluttering of leaves in trees.
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7. Connecticut: Giuliana
> Location quotient: 5.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Giuliana in last 5 years: 138
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,133), Emma (1,016)
Giuliana, which is an Italian derivation of the Roman name Julius, can be found in Connecticut. The Nutmeg State has one of the highest percentages of Italian-American populations in the U.S. The name Julius means “downy-bearded, soft-haired.”
Source: Thinkstock
8. Delaware: Kehlani
> Location quotient: 7.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Kehlani in last 5 years: 11
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (312), Olivia (288)
Kehlani is a Hawaiian name meaning “sea and sky.”
Source: Thinkstock
9. Florida: Carlota
> Location quotient: 10.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Carlota in last 5 years: 77
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Isabella (6,916), Emma (6,022)
Carlota is a variation of the Italian name Carlotta and the Old German name for Carol, Caroline and Charlotte, and it means “free man.”
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Source: Thinkstock
10. Georgia: Ansleigh
> Location quotient: 9.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Ansleigh in last 5 years: 109
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (3,086), Olivia (2,821)
The moniker Ansleigh comes from an Old English place name meaning “hermitage field.”
Source: Thinkstock
11. Hawaii: Hilinai
> Location quotient: 528.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Hilinai in last 5 years: 22
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (318), Olivia (291)
You are more likely to find people named Hilinai, which means “to trust,” in Hawaii than any other place. According to the 2014 Social Security Administration data, Hilinai ranked 90th in popularity as a baby girl’s name in Hawaii.
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Source: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com
12. Iowa: Jersey
> Location quotient: 7.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Jersey in last 5 years: 36
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (940), Olivia (916)
The girl name Jersey is more likely to be found in Iowa than in New Jersey. The name is derived from the Channel Island of Jersey, which means “grassy island.”
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13. Idaho: Oaklee
> Location quotient: 19.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Oaklee in last 5 years: 61
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (590), Olivia (530)
Oaklee is of Old English origin and means “meadow of oak trees.”
Source: Thinkstock
14. Illinois: Zuzanna
> Location quotient: 15.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zuzanna in last 5 years: 71
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (4,105), Emma (3,833)
If you think Zuzanna is a variation of Susannah, you would be correct. Zuzanna is a Hebrew name meaning “lily.”
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Source: Thinkstock
15. Indiana: Jolisa
> Location quotient: 9.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Jolisa in last 5 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,190), Olivia (2,001)
Jolisa is a name created in the United States, combining the names Joe and Lisa.
Source: Thinkstock
16. Kansas: Breckyn
> Location quotient: 22.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Breckyn in last 5 years: 41
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,029), Olivia (963)
Breckyn means “freckled” in Gaelic.
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Source: Thinkstock
17. Kentucky: Layken
> Location quotient: 7.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Layken in last 5 years: 21
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,572), Ava (1,308)
The name is of English origin, though its meaning is unknown. This is a spelling variant of Laken, which gained popularity in the 1980s through a character on the television soap opera “Santa Barbara.”
Source: Thinkstock
18. Louisiana: Amyri
> Location quotient: 31.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Amyri in last 5 years: 21
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (1,431), Olivia (1,343)
The highest recorded use of the name Amyri was in 2013 with 15 babies bearing that name, according to names.org.
Source: Thinkstock
19. Massachusetts: Mariaeduarda
> Location quotient: 25.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Mariaeduarda in last 5 years: 17
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,140), Olivia (2,113)
This is a combination of the names Maria and Eduarda and is of Portuguese origin. Massachusetts has the largest number of residents with Portuguese ancestry in the U.S., with about 320,000, according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data.
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Source: Thinkstock
20. Maryland: Zori
> Location quotient: 11.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zori in last 5 years: 34
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (1,579), Olivia (1,552)
Zori is a Slavic name meaning “golden dawn.” There are about 300,000 people of Polish and Russian descent who live in Maryland.
Source: Jubileejourney / Wikimedia Commons
21. Maine: Libby
> Location quotient: 6.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Libby in last 5 years: 17
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (371), Olivia (342)
Historically, Libby has been used as a shortened version of Elizabeth or Elisabeth, meaning “God’s promise.” Increasingly, Libby is being used as its own name.
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Source: Thinkstock
22. Michigan: Breslyn
> Location quotient: 18.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Breslyn in last 5 years: 41
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (2,842), Emma (2,818)
The name Breslyn might have come from another language or is a variant form of some other name.
Source: NicholasBPhotography / iStock
23. Minnesota: Maryama
> Location quotient: 34.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Maryama in last 5 years: 81
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,731), Emma (1,627)
Maryama is a variation on the more common Mariama, which itself is a version of Miriam and Marianna. All are derived from the Hebrew name Mary, said to mean “sea star.”
Source: Thinkstock
24. Missouri: Kamori
> Location quotient: 11.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Kamori in last 5 years: 19
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,982), Olivia (1,923)
There were 423 babies named Kamori who were born between 1880 and 2016, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
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Source: Thinkstock
25. Mississippi: Swayze
> Location quotient: 30.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Swayze in last 5 years: 51
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (980), Emma (750)
The origin and meaning of this name are unknown, though it might have become popular because of actor Patrick Swayze.
Source: Nick Fox / Shutterstock.com
26. Montana: Kimber
> Location quotient: 10.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Kimber in last 5 years: 41
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (315), Olivia (266)
Kimber is an Old English word for “Cyneburga’s wood” or “Cyneburga’s land.” Cyneburga might be a reference to St. Cyneburga who lived in England in the seventh century.
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Source: Thinkstock
27. North Carolina: Airlie
> Location quotient: 13.9 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Airlie in last 5 years: 16
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (3,046), Emma (3,019)
Airlie comes from the Gaelic word for “promise.” It also has Anglo-Saxon origins.
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Source: Thinkstock
28. North Dakota: Briar
> Location quotient: 12.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Briar in last 5 years: 30
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (363), Harper (317)
The name Briar comes from the English word for a shrub or small tree.
Source: Thinkstock
29. Nebraska: Juana
> Location quotient: 12.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Juana in last 5 years: 30
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (644), Olivia (600)
Juana is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning “Yahweh is merciful.” The English name Joanna comes from the name Juana.
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Source: Thinkstock
30. New Hampshire: Maeve
> Location quotient: 7.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Maeve in last 5 years: 53
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Charlotte (426), Olivia (392)
Maeve comes from the Celtic language and means “she who intoxicates.”
Source: Thinkstock
31. New Jersey: Bassheva
> Location quotient: 26.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Bassheva in last 5 years: 17
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,687), Isabella (2,671)
The name is likely of Jewish origin. Bas Sheva was the name of a prominent Jewish singer in the 1950s. Bas Sheva was the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Biblical name “Bathsheba.”
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Source: Thinkstock
32. New Mexico: Yalexa
> Location quotient: 51.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Yalexa in last 5 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Sophia (593), Mia (580)
Yalexa may be a uniquely popular name in New Mexico, but the name is pretty rare. Yalexa is the 32,473rd most popular name of all time, according to names.org.
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Source: Thinkstock
33. Nevada: Irie
> Location quotient: 4.7 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Irie in last 5 years: 22
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Sophia (941), Emma (879)
The name is derived from the Jamaican word meaning “positive and powerful.”
Source: Thinkstock
34. New York: Ruchel
> Location quotient: 19.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Ruchel in last 5 years: 66
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (6,260), Emma (6,115)
Ruchel is the Yiddish version of the name Rachel. New York has the highest number of Americans who claim Jewish ancestry at nearly 1.8 million people. Americans of Jewish heritage make up 8.9% of the state’s population, the highest percentage of Jewish people of any state.
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35. Ohio: Fatimata
> Location quotient: 9.3 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Fatimata in last 5 years: 21
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (3,706), Ava (3,443)
The origin of this name is from West Africa. It is similar to the name Fatima.
Source: Thinkstock
36. Oklahoma: Cing
> Location quotient: 26.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Cing in last 5 years: 58
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,296), Olivia (1,116)
The highest recorded use of the first name Cing, which likely originated in China, in the United States was in 2016 with a total of 53 babies.
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Source: Thinkstock
37. Oregon: Sequoia
> Location quotient: 10.9 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Sequoia in last 5 years: 32
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (1,160), Olivia (1,133)
Sequoia is a giant evergreen tree found in northern California. It is not surprising this name is found in neighboring Oregon.
Source: Thinkstock
38. Pennsylvania: Barbie
> Location quotient: 16.8 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Barbie in last 5 years: 76
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (4,076), Olivia (3,710)
No, this name is not derived from the doll’s name. Barbie comes from the Greek barbaros, meaning foreign or strange. In the Catholic tradition, the name may come from St. Barbara, the protector against fire and lightning.
Source: Thinkstock
39. Rhode Island: Giuliana
> Location quotient: 6.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Giuliana in last 5 years: 36
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (378), Emma (334)
The name Giuliana, which is the Italian derivation of Juliana, can be found in Rhode Island, which has the highest percentage of Italian-Americans in the U.S. The name comes from the Roman name Julius, which means “downy-bearded, soft-haired.”
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Source: Thinkstock
40. South Carolina: Zo
> Location quotient: 15.1 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Zo in last 5 years: 14
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Ava (1,335), Emma (1,311)
Zo means “spiritual leader” and its origin is African. There are about 1.3 million people of African descent in South Carolina, or 27% of the state’s population, the fifth-highest percentage in the U.S.
Source: Thinkstock
41. South Dakota:Berkley
> Location quotient: 18.2 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Berkley in last 5 years: 37
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (299), Harper (279)
The name Berkley is derived from Berkeley, the name of two parishes and towns in Gloucestershire and Somerset, England. Both names come from the Old English meaning “birch wood.”
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Source: Thinkstock
42. Tennessee: Lakelynn
> Location quotient: 7.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Lakelynn in last 5 years: 29
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (2,254), Ava (2,003)
The highest recorded use of the name Lakelynn was two years ago with 55 babies named Lakelynn, according to names.org. The name is also spelled Lakelyn.
Source: Thinkstock
43. Texas: Allyzon
> Location quotient: 7.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Allyzon in last 5 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (10,889), Sophia (10,494)
Allyzon is an alternative spelling to Alison and is Swedish in origin.
Source: Thinkstock
44. Utah: Brexlee
> Location quotient: 40.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Brexlee in last 5 years: 22
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1,391), Emma (1,311)
The name Brexlee soared more than 11,000 places among most popular names to No. 6,486 in 2016 from the previous year, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
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Source: Thinkstock
45. Virginia: Soliana
> Location quotient: 6.5 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Soliana in last 5 years: 31
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (2,473), Emma (2,439)
The name Soliana is of Ethiopian origin and it is another version of the name “St. Mary.” It also might be of Eritrean origin meaning “star” or “sun.” There is a sizable Ethiopian presence in Virginia, and 3.4% of Alexandria is composed of those of Americans of Ethiopian descent.
Source: Thinkstock
46. Vermont: Juniper
> Location quotient: 11.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Juniper in last 5 years: 30
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (160), Olivia (156)
The name Juniper is derived from the berry-bearing shrub of the same name.
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Source: Thinkstock
47. Washington: Sehaj
> Location quotient: 5.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Sehaj in last 5 years: 10
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (2231), Emma (2,171)
Sehaj comes from the Indian meaning for “patience” or “state of tranquility.” The city of Bellevue has seen a surge in its Indian population.
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Source: Thinkstock
48. Wisconsin:Eleanore
> Location quotient: 5.6 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Eleanore in last 5 years: 30
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Olivia (1737), Emma (1,713)
Eleanore’s origin comes from the Old French form of the Occitan (a Romance language in southern France) name Aliénor.
Source: Thinkstock
49. West Virginia:Lakyn
> Location quotient: 9.0 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Lakyn in last 5 years: 20
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (610), Olivia (518)
Lakyn is of Hebrew origin and means “she who comes from the lake.”
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Source: aoldman / iStock
50. Wyoming: Aspen
> Location quotient: 17.4 times more common than nationwide
> Number of baby girls named Aspen in last 5 years: 49
> Most and 2nd most popular baby girl name: Emma (173), Olivia (146)
A favorite resort among skiers in Colorado, Aspen is also a baby girl name of choice in neighboring Wyoming. The name suggests a fluttering of leaves in trees.
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