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New York’s most popular baby names of the year show a swing back to old-timey and “traditional” classics — possibly as a reaction to having such an unorthodox mayor rise to power, an expert told the post Friday.
The Empire State’s list 100 of trendiest baby boy names are packed with “biblical” references, including number one Noah, and others such as, Joseph, James and Jacob, according to newly released 2025 name data.
“These top names feel very biblical and very traditional,” said Taylor Humphrey, a California-based baby name consultant.
“Mayor Mamdani is so divergent from tradition and I do wonder if that played some part in Gen Z parents moving back towards more traditional heritage,” adding that Mamdani was campaigning, and in the spotlight for much of 2025.
After No. 1 Noah, which was given to 1,381 boys in 2025 in New York, the rest of the top ten boys names were, in order: Liam, Theodore, Luca, Oliver, Luca, Joseph, James, Jacob and Ethan. The girls were topped by Emma, given to 774 Empire State girls, followed by Olivia, Mia, Sophia, Charlotte, Isabella, Amelia, Lea, Sofia, Zoe.
The time-honored names may also be due to political polarization in the Big Apple and the US at large, she said.
“NYC is a microcosm of the whole world — it’s such a melting pot — and religion gets more popular in times of political uncertainty,” she said. “People are thinking, ‘What can we trust?’ and holding their religions closer.”
Big Apple couples having babies in their 20s and 30s are likely finding a blast from the past comforting, she said.
“New York’s brand is being really cutting edge and cool, where fashion happens celebrities go to escape [L.A.] — it’s such a vibe,” said Humphrey, a former New Yorker now living in the Bay Area.
“But Gen Z conservative values might be pulling away from the idea of what New York represents to people,” she said.
Overall, names on the list “feel more reflective of New York as a state than New York as a city,” Humphrey said, adding that fewer people in the Big Apple are “reproducing.”
Unusual sightings on the list include “Gitty,” a Yiddish name meaning “blessed,” along with a steep rise in the popularity of Ester at number 15, Humphry said.
The names also show a shift towards religion in Jewish and Muslim culture, she said.
“You’re seeing Muhammad and Amir and traditional Jewish names such as Chana and Esther,” she said, listing the number 39 and number 69 boys names and the number 57 and number 15 girls names in the top 100. “It shows New York’s diversity.”
Humphrey — who charges tens of thousands of dollars to help parents come up with the perfect name— said New York City clients tend to like odd vintage names.
“They seem to be much more likely or interested in a category that I would call clunky vintage names — like Gertrude, Agatha, Agnes, Ethel,” she said. “Names with heft to them.”
“There’s something about the Brooklyn hipster of the 2010s becoming the cool Park Slope mom; they have this rugged, gritty granola vibe that’s very wholistic but still sophisticated, and clunky vintage name gives a little bit of both.”
“It’s an ‘If you know, you know’ name. Plus you can guarantee it will be unique,” she said. “It won’t be on the top 100 list.”
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