Canada’s newest parents stuck with tradition at the very top of the list in 2024. Olivia remained the most popular girl’s name and Noah the most popular boy’s name for a fourth straight year, according to fresh national figures released this week.
What topped the list
Statistics Canada’s latest release shows a stable slate of boys’ names. Behind Noah were Liam, Theodore, Leo, William, Oliver, Lucas, and a comeback for James at No. 8, with Benjamin and Thomas rounding out the top 10.
For girls, there was more movement. Charlotte climbed to No. 2, nudging past Emma, while Amelia, Sophia, Sofia, Mia, Chloe, Lily, and Ava filled out the top 10.
The naming update arrived alongside a demographic milestone. Canada’s total fertility rate fell to 1.25 in 2024, the lowest on record, as the average age of mothers at birth reached 31.8 years.
Nine provinces and territories posted record lows, and British Columbia sat at the bottom with 1.02 children per woman.
These shifts matter for long-range planning in categories from diapers and formula to early childhood education and housing suited to smaller households.
Names on the rise
The year’s biggest climbers point to a broader mix of inspirations. On the boys’ side, Zorawar, Weston, Adrian, Roman, and Brooks recorded the sharpest jumps within the top 100.
For girls, Lainey, Asees, Fatima, Adeline, and Lydia rose fastest. Such gains hint at an increasingly eclectic pool of cultural references, from classic English nicknames to names with South Asian and Arabic roots.
Flower names have blossomed for more than three decades. Lily now sits in the top 10 after ranking far outside the top 500 in the early 1990s.
Violet and Ivy have also climbed dramatically, with Rose, Rosalie, Willow, Iris, and even Dahlia all seeing multi-decade momentum.
At the same time, one-syllable boys’ names have grown more common, including Jack, Miles, Luke, Beau, Kai, and Max. James has never lost its appeal, remaining inside the top 35 every year since records began in 1991.
The top of Canada’s name rankings changed little, but the middle of the list is dynamic and increasingly diverse.
