Another year, another list of the most popular baby names. On Tuesday (December 22), Baton Rouge General released the top names given to the boys and girls born at the hospital in 2020. While the No. 1 names may sound familiar, the rest may come as a bit of a surprise.
During 2020, parents loved the names Emma for a girl and Grayson for a boy. The names have consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally, with Emma being the country's No. 2 choice for girls in 2019, according to the Social Security Administration. Baby Center showed the named dropped to No. 4, with Grayson coming in at No. 6 for the boys.
The top five names for boys and girls born at BRG are listed below:
Girls
- Emma
- Olivia
- Charlotte and Scarlett (tied)
- Sophia
- Serenity
Boys
- Grayson
- Jacob
- James
- Wyatt
- Josiah
Other popular names that didn't quite make the cut for the girls include Brooklyn, Faith and Hope, which the hospital said could reflect parents' need for peace and spirituality in such a challenging year.
Even more new life is expected in January, said BRG Chief of OB/GYN services Dr. Candee Moore, likely because of the pandemic. Other hospitals, such nearby Women's Hospital, are also expecting to see more births in the coming year, but they aren't too surprised.
"We do see some increases similar to ice storms, things that kind of keep people in close proximity and a little bit closer together," said Cheri Johnson, chief nursing officer for Women's Hospital. "So, I would anticipate with the stay at home order, and things like that we might see a little bit of an increase."
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