Top 2022 Boys' Names, Grouped by Spelling

 Here are the top Boys' names in the USA from the Social Security Administration Database, grouped by spelling. That is, Connor's popularity is added to that of Conor, Conner, Konnor, etc. in order to give a clearer vision of popularity. The names are grouped by how they SOUND, so Rain, Rayne, Rein, Reign etc. are all grouped together-- figuring if someone shouts "HEY RAIN!" on a crowded subway platform, Rein and Reign will also turn around. This ranking is especially useful for names like Jackson and Grayson where spellings like Jaxson, Jaxon, Jaxxon and Greyson, Gracen, and Graysen are also popular, and without the addition such names wouldn't chart in the top 10 spots.

The Full list is here: Top 2022 Boys' Names in the USA, Grouped by Spelling

The detailed list of highlights is here: 2022 Boys' Highlights

The fastest growing names in the top 200 last year were:

Wesley, Luis, Adriel, Cohen, Arthur, Kai, Zyaire, Leon, Santiago, Cooper, Emmanuel, Arlo, Juan, Amari, Enzo, Emiliano, Matias, Atlas, Dawson, Cade, Thiago, Walker, Theo

The biggest names in the top 200 that fell in popularity were:

Ryker, Camden, Bentley, Brody, Connor, Sawyer, Zachary, Evan, Braxton, Landon, Easton, Cole, George, Wyatt, Colton, Hunter, Cash, Messiah, Steven, Maxwell, Lincoln, Jude, Ryan, Emmett, Bryson, Maddox, Tyler, Mason, Logan, Jeremiah, Kingston, Chase

Overall, the biggest gainers and fallers were:

Biggest gainers Biggest fallers

Maziyon 1700% Adore -81%

Kuiper 600% Abdirahim -79%

Navon 420% Kiko -77%

Vishaan 420% Nahim -76%

Amirion 350% Jayston -76%

Majestic 340% Nahil -76%

Kamelo 333% Prentice -75%

Kix 320%         Markee -75%

Arsha 320% Taquan -74%

Layson 300% Jaydis -72%

Orhan 291% Matson -72%

Forever 271% Javaris -71%

Burech 267% Casher -71%

Maynard 257% Knightly -71%

Baldemar250% Audren -70%

Deuce 245% Delson -69%

Dutton 242% Maki -69%

Mayco 240% Meshach -68%

Jeyder 240% Keefer -68%

Dupree 233% Zed         -68%

Zimri 229% Jestin -67%

Xaivius 225% Kaique -67%

Weslyn 225% Qusai -66%

Hayaan 220% Alvi     -65%

Myheir 213% Philopater-65%

Zoraiz 213% Safir -65%

Seyven 200% Sharod -65%

Venture 200% Sherwin -65%

Maximos 200% Talib -65%

Nayden 200% Bran -64%

Buster 200% Saketh -64%

Hanan 200% Antonius -64%

Jorawar 200% Jazion -63%

Zabdiel 200% Lebron -63%

Motley 193% Taft         -63%

Treylin 189% Yandriel -63%

Arch 188% Ireoluwa -63%

Badr 186% Bashar -63%

Damiri 186% Traeger -63%

Namari 183% Zakeem -63%

Kyliam 181% Kasir -62%

Akito 180% Agamveer-62%

Bud         180% Boyan -62%

Filiberto 180% Creston -62%

Johnmark180% Griff -62%

Kendriel 180% Kwasi -62%

Maguire 180% Quavion -62%

Mohab 180% Delaney -62%

Saim 180% Taurus -61%

Jabin 178% Deshun -61%

Zaxton 178% Navid -60%

Mehdi 177% Halim -60%

Nishan 175% Eyoel -60%

Shyne 175% Oluwatobi-60%

Yoni 173% Ayat         -60%

Kerrion 171% Brannon -59%

Yuki 171% Lord -59%

Swae 171% Aliou -59%

Sakai 168% Ole         -58%

Chidubem167%         Anh         -58%

Georges 167% Anyelo -58%

Hasiel 167% Atlantis -58%

Azariel 167% Diar     -58%

Attila 163% Javar -58%

Abdulsalam160% Nam -58%

Adorian 160% Ronav -58%

Campion 160% Samuele -58%

Chetan 160% Wills -58%

Jaquavion160% Brigg -58%

Jaraiya 160% Bronn -58%

Shaddai 160% Eldrick -58%

Tadeusz 160% Fenn -58%

Icarus 160% Miyon -58%

Kahiau 160% Malex -58%

Aldair 160% Corwin -58%

Tahmid 160% Zahair -58%

Power 158% Ashad -57%

Skanda 157% Aliyar -57%

Faolan 157% Jamian -57%

Weller 157% Damone -57%

Denilson 156% Jameis -57%

Michoel 156% Malaquias -57%

Otoniel 155% Mclaren -57%

Amal 150% Nobel -57%

Oluwafemi150% Norbert -57%

Pio         150% Phor -57%

Prem 150% Raynard -57%

Sheridan 150% Quban -57%

Whelan 150% Omri -57%

Azaire 149% Freedom -57%

Braxley 146% Worth -57%

Adlai 144% Zealan -57%

Anir         144% Delmar -56%

Kulture 144% Dyland -56%

Amore 143% Garner -56%

Hazem 143% Boyce -56%

Kiam 143% Cordero -56%

Ozair 143% Errol -56%

Ruvim 143% Nihit -56%

Muhammadumar142% Saifan -56%

Agamjot 140% Larenz -56%

Avriel 140% Urias -56%

Braddock140% Xian -56%

Etzio 140% Elgin -56%

Jujhar 140% Liban -56%

Mackinnon140% Esben -55%

Seydina 140% Joash -55%

Waiks 140% Kj         -55%

Jyree 140% Jahkor -55%

Rayleigh 140% Loai         -55%

Acee 140% Rev         -55%

Niyan 140% Travell -55%

Drin         138% Ayo         -55%

Edinson 138% Bao         -55%

Itzan 138% Brio         -55%

Nikodem 138% Dearies -55%

Rama 138% Jamori -55%

Kymir 137% Jinu         -55%

Ediel 136% Victoriano-55%

Ahnaf 136% Brinley -55%

Antonios 133% Emar -55%

Abid 133% Amel -54%

Alazar 133% Kedar -54%

Feliciano 133% Ikaia -54%

Inigo 133% Kazim -54%

Miquel 133% Portland -54%

Rosalio 133% Roddy -54%

Munasar 133% Severiano-54%

Quan 133% Tahsin -54%

Zebedee 133% Zekari -54%

Amadi 133% Deaire -54%

Zuko 132% Jonte -54%

Eladio 130% Alamin -53%

Karma 130% Vadim -53%

Kenshin 130% Corbett -53%

Graylen 129% Igor         -53%

Abenezer 129% Lui         -53%

Katrell 129% Manvik -53%

Murdock 129% Sergey -53%

Zo         129% Zyrus -53%

Canden 129% Jabri -53%

Acre 129% Castle -53%

Erlin 127% Brixon -53%

Jaeger 127% Rise         -53%

Nyx         127% Wylan -53%

Fennec 125% Nalan -52%

Akshat 122% Filemon -52%

Chapel 122% Valerio -52%

Anmay 120% Lamarcus-51%

Bereket 120% Advay -50%

Cosmas 120% Feras -50%

Endymion120% Jabir -50%

Eyas 120% Richmond-50%

Jaior 120% Arvik -50%

Kova 120% Shiva -50%

Kurrency 120% Ubaldo -50%

Osinachi 120% Yves -50%

Owens 120% Jadarius -50%

Rasul 120% Sabian -50%

Saban 120% Andoni -50%

Sadiel 120% Ara     -50%

Tavius 120% Abelino -50%

Nishanth 120% Dayden -50%

Sajan 120% Henning -50%

Malosi 120% Teal     -50%

Raymir 120% Endy -50%

Leano 120% Fowler -50%

Casimir 117% Liel         -50%

Callisto 117% Michele -50%

Havi 117% Narayan -50%

Montreal 117% Ontario -50%

Yunuen 117% Renny -50%

Zayland 117% Tegveer -50%

Monaco 117% Coltrane -50%

Naujour 117% Gurveer -50%

Zahan 117% Louden -50%

Zay         117% Marson -50%

Miran 116% Mihailo -50%

Josian 115% Odie -50%

Macaulay115% Volvy -50%

Kaizen 115% Yomar -50%

Elios 114% Channon -50%

Cayetano 114% Lateef -50%

Chiron 114% Rafeeq -50%

Coyote 114% Damaris -50%

Jamiri 114% Admir -50%

Mikolaj 114% Aesir -50%

Montavious114% Axen -50%

Wave 114% Chatham -50%

Hershy 113% Chavez -50%

Durrell 113% Dathan -50%

Truen 113% Dontez -50%

Jurgen 111% Elend -50%

Kenrick 111% Nike -50%

Promise 111% Vic         -50%

Brazen 110% Yuva -50%

Jacque 109% Biruk -50%

Mustafo 109% Eiker -50%

Cielo 108% Oberon -49%

Geralt 107% Nas         -49%

Kior         107% Mishael -48%

Ciro         106% Eivan -48%

Maykel 106% Takai -48%

Carin 106% Hal         -48%

Magic 106% Huxson -48%

                Jeremih -48%

                Ausar -48%

                Nain -48%

Of the boys' names that debuted last year, the biggest was Maziyon, with 82 babies given the name. The second biggest was Kaiyzen with 67 babies. Maziyon had debuted last year with the spelling Mazion, but this is the first with a Y, which was way more popular (Mazion only had 8 namesakes). Other big debuts: Jahkarri (36), Xacari (20), Amiriyon (18), Heziah (18)

Here are all the Boys' names that debuted in 2022:

Top 2022 Girls' Names Grouped by Spelling

 I have finally finished the 2022 SSA Baby name list, grouped by spelling. For the 12th year, Sophia takes the #1 spot!

Here's the top 100:

The long list is here. 

Boys' names hopefully coming soon!

Caitlin and Friends

 The name Caitlin was first recorded in the Social Security Name Database in 1955 when it was given to 5 girls. It's possible that it was pronounced like Kate-lyn, or that is was pronounced in its original Irish form (cot-leen); we don't know because the SSA does not record diacritical marks. FUN FACT: the name Kathleen is actually an anglicization of the Irish form, which is spelled Caitlín. Caitlín (sometimes found Caitilín) is the Irish Gaelic form of Cateline, a medieval French form of Catherine, which was brought to Ireland by the Normans in the 12th century. Catherine ultimately comes from the Greek Aikaterine, which has an uncertain origin. It was the name of a 3rd century saint, with who the name became associated. Because of this saintly association, the name was connected to Greek katharos, meaning "pure," and today most baby name books list it as meaning "pure," when it probably has no etymological connection to that root. It may derive from aikia meaning "torture," or could derive from the Greek goddess name Hecate.

Caitlin didn't become popular in the USA until the 1980s, peaking in 1988. In this time, a bunch of other spellings came into vogue, some of them surpassing the original in popularity. In 2021 (the most recent year for which we have data at this posting), the most common spelling was Kaitlyn, followed by Katelyn, Caitlyn, and Katelynn, with Caitlin being  the 5th most popular spelling. 

Here is every spelling of Caitlin recorded in the SSA database:

Note: I have included the -land, -lynd, -lind spellings because the Kateland I met pronounced it like Kaitlin. Some may actually pronounce the -d on the end, but based on other people I have met of the same generation with -land names (Ashland, Ryland), the final "d" is often silent.

A strange spelling that I didn't add to the general list was Katelund-- I wasn't sure about that one, and there are aren't many other -lund names in the database.

Based on the spellings of Cait (Caet, Cate, Kate, Kait etc.) and the spellings of Lin (Lyn, Lynn, Linn etc.), I have made a chart of all the possible ways you could spell Caitlin. The names in bold are ones that actually have shown up in the SSA database, meaning that at least 5 girls in a given year would have that spelling.

There are actually tons of unused possibilities! Do you want an unusual spelling? How about Catelinn? Some are a little weird, like Kaytelain and Caetlind, but Caytlen and Kaetlin seem plausible.

It's interesting that there's a Kayte- but not Cayte-. also, the absence of -linne is interesting, since it shows up in a lot of alternate spellings of other names out there, like Jacquelinne, Madelinne, Adelinne, etc.

So... want a spelling nobody else has dreamed of? Try Caytelinne.