Need A Baby Name? These Were Illinois’ Most Popular Last Year

Even though the individual states in the United States are all different (some are wildly different than others), we tend, as a nation, to stick together and like the same things when it comes to naming our offspring when the time comes.

I don't mean that the same names keep the same level of popularity for a century or more (my grandmother's best friends, Ethel, Hazel, and Bertha can't point to many girls carrying those names today), but we do kind of stick to the baby-naming trends for a decade or more.

So let's take a look at what Illinoisans and other Midwesterners, along with the rest of the country went with when naming their infants over the last year or so.

Turning Back The Clock 100 Years To 1923, These Are The Top Baby Names Parents Were Handing Out In Illinois

According to the website BabyBoyAndGirlNames.com, Illinois residents were really fond of naming their baby boys Robert, and their baby girls Mary. Those two names hold 1923's number-one spot. Here are the top 5 for each, 100 years ago in Illinois:

Boys

1. Robert
2. John
3. William
4. James
5. Charles

Girls

1. Mary
2. Dorothy
3. Betty
4. Helen
5. Margaret

Times Change, Names Change, So Here's What Illinois Families Went With Last Year

Remember how I said some names have staying power? Well, the names Olivia and Liam are a couple of examples of names that remain super-high in popularity across the country. Here are Illinois' current top 5 boys and girls names (SSA.gov):

Boys

1. Noah
2. Liam
3. Oliver
4. Henry
5. Benjamin

Girls

1. Olivia
2. Emma
3. Sophia
4. Charlotte
5. Amelia

Unsurprisingly, the least popular boy and girl names are still Adolph and Adolphette. Go figure.

Now, if you have some outlaw tendencies, you'll want to peruse this list: