For first time in 12 years, Mississippi has a new No. 1 baby name for girls
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Amelia displaces Ava as Mississippi’s No.1 girls name in 2025 after 12 years.
- James returns to No.1 boys slot in 2025, narrowly ahead of William and John.
- State list shows many traditional names and several ties; SSA noted Ava's history.
Congratulations, James and Amelia. Better luck next year, Ava.
The Mississippi State Department of Health announced the state’s most popular baby names of 2025, with two new names topping the list. For boys, James was the top choice, narrowly edging out William and John.
James returns to the top of the list for the first time since 2022, as William (2024) and John (2023) led the way the past two years.
The surprise came in the girls list. According to the Social Security Administration, Ava has been the No. 1 girls baby name in Mississippi for 12 consecutive years. This year, though, Amelia surged to into the No. 1 spot. According to the SSA report, the last girls name to finish ahead of Ava was Emma in 2012.
Top 25 girls names
1. Amelia
2. Charlotte
3. Olivia
4. Ava
5. Elizabeth
6. Mary
7. Ivy
8. Nova
9 (tie). Emma
9 (tie). Lainey
11. Ellie
12. Harper
13. Sophia
14. Ella
15 (tie). Avery
15 (tie). Naomi
15 (tie). Sadie
18. Kinsley
19. Paisley
20 (tie). Josie
20 (tie). Lucy
22 (tie). Eleanor
22 (tie). Millie
24. Evelyn
25. Hazel
Top 25 boys names
1. James
2. William
3. John
4. Noah
5. Elijah
6. Liam
7. Waylon
8. Hudson
9. Henry
10. Levi
11. Thomas
12. Cooper
13. Michael
14. Walker
15. Asher
16. Oliver
17. Mason
18. Grayson
19. Weston
20. Stetson
21. Samuel
22 (tie). Charles
22 (tie). Josiah
22 (tie). Maverick
25. Carter
This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 10:20 AM.