What’s in a name? We’re not going to wax poetic on you, but there’s just something about baby names that leave many of us absolutely fascinated. When it comes to Canadian baby names in 2022, what’s popular, and what’s not so popular? What does a name say about a person, if anything? Is Olivia still the most popular name for baby girls (hint: it just might be), and will Karen officially go the way of the dodo? We need answers, pronto.
In recent years, we’ve arguably become even more obsessed with baby names. We highly doubt that, a handful of decades ago, the general pop was worried about what spelling alternative to Abigail was most popular (Abbigail, Abbygail, Abigale, Abigayle?) or whether or not their neighbour named their son Edward or Henry. Even if we’re not in the market for a baby name, we’re drawn to articles that list the hottest baby name trends and the ones that are quickly declining in popularity (see: Susan and Kyle). There’s an actual science behind baby name trends, too, that, until recently, had researchers and historians flummoxed for decades. (Get what you need to know on that here.) Our theory? Trends in baby names have everything to do with the unique, clever or downright odd monikers celebs give to their offspring.
So if you’re expecting a bundle of joy in 2022 – or are just inexplicably curious like the rest of us – we’ve broken down the most popular baby names in Canada by province and territory. The most recent available data varied by province and territory, with some areas publishing popular baby name data as up-to-date as 2021, with others going back a few more years. Here, we’ve included the most recent baby name information available online, as the trends spotted even a handful of years ago are still in motion.
Related: These 20 baby names are going to be huge in 2022.
The most popular baby names in Alberta
Top girls’ names for 2020: Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Ava and Sophia
Top boys’ names for 2020: Noah, Oliver, Liam, Benjamin and William
Related: Pregnant celebrities: All stars due in 2022.
The most popular baby names in British Columbia
Top girls’ names for 2020: Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Ava and Amelia
Top boys’ names for 2020: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Lucas/Theodore (tie) and Ethan
The most popular baby names in Manitoba
Top girls’ names for 2020: Olivia, Sophia, Amelia and Emily (note: only four girls’ names were listed in the top 10 name for 2020)
Top boys’ names for 2020: Liam, Oliver, Noah, Levi, James and Lucas
See also: Celebrity babies born in 2022: All you need to know.
The most popular baby names in New Brunswick
Top girls’ names for 2021: Charlotte, Olivia, Sophia, Ellie and Paisley
Top boys’ names for 2021: Liam, William, Oliver, Benjamin and Noah
The most popular baby names in Newfoundland and Labrador
Top girls’ names for 2020: Amelia/Emilia, Olivia/Ohlivea, Norah/Nora, Madelyn/Madalyn/Madeline/Madelynn/Madilyn and Lily/Lilly
Top boys’ names for 2020: Jaxson/Jaxson/Jackson, Jack, William, Liam and James
Related: 10 foods to help increase your fertility naturally.
The most popular baby names in Nova Scotia
Top girls’ names for 2021: Olivia, Ava, Ellie, Isla, Amelia and Ivy
Top boys’ names for 2021: Jack, Noah, Oliver/Owen (tie), Levi and Henry
The most popular baby names in Ontario
Top girls’ names for 2019: Olivia, Charlotte, Emma, Ava and Sophia
Top boys’ names for 2019: Noah, Liam, Lucas, Benjamin and Ethan
You may also like: 200+ unique boy and girl names for your baby.
The most popular baby names in Prince Edward Island
Top girls’ names for 2021: Alice, Scarlet, Grace/Ivy/Isla (tie), Ella/Olivia/Isabella/Lucy/Sophie/Willow/Ava/Ellie/Everly/Lexi/Anna/Maeve/Amelia/Annie/Charlotte/Sophia (tie) and Kinsley/Eliza/Katherine/Eloise/Evelyn/Adeline/Georgia/Nova/Sadie (tie)
Top boys’ names for 2021: Oliver, Theo/Jack (tie), Liam, Jackson/Leo/Noah/Ezra/Austin (tie) and Theodore/Ethan/Lucas/Benjamin/Emmett (tie)
The most popular baby names in Quebec
Top girls’ names for 2020: Olivia, Alice/Emma (tie), Charlie, Charlotte/Lea (tie) and Florence
Top boys’ names for 2020: Liam, William, Noah, Thomas and Leo
Related: How does maternity leave really work in Canada?
The most popular baby names in Saskatchewan
Top girls’ names for 2020: Olivia, Emma, Amelia, Sophia and Emily
Top boys’ names for 2020: Liam, Jack, Hudson/Noah/Oliver (tie), William and Theodore
See also: Ranked: the most popular gender-neutral names in 2022.
The most popular baby names in Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut
In the Northwest Territories (as of 2019), Zoey, Emily, Hazel, Kinsley and Lily were top baby names for the gals, while Elias, John, Joseph and Michael were the most popular baby names for the lads.
Although less data is provided in Yukon, in 2019, CBC News reported that Henry was the top name for boys (followed by Charles, Jason, Leo and Noah), while the most popular names for girls were Ava, Isla, Livia, Quinn and Aaliyah. (Bonus tip: Olivia too common a name? Try Livia.)
As for Nunavut, they haven’t released any new baby name data since 2015, but at that time, CBC News reported that Liam, Mason and Sandy were tops for boys, while Anna, Samantha and Sarah rounded out the top three for girls.
You may also like: Say goodbye to gender reveals: here’s how to have a zodiac party instead.
