New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announced on Dec. 27, 2024, that a total of 10,613 babies were born in The Bronx in 2023. This compared with 39,484 born in Manhattan the same year, 22,297 born in Brooklyn, 20,148 born in Queens, and 5,847 born on Staten Island.

 

Meanwhile, DOHMH officials said that in 2024, across the city, 98,389 babies were born, with the name “Liam” being the most popular name for boys for a seventh straight year, and “Emma” the number name for girls for the sixth straight year.

 

DOMHH officials went on to say that the 10 most popular names for girls, in descending order, were Emma, Mia, Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, Amelia, Leah, Chloe, Luna, and Sofia. They said the name “Sofia” reentered the top ten after being overtaken by “Esther” in 2022, while “Isabella” and “Amelia” climbed a few spots, pushing “Leah” down two places. Meanwhile, they said “Chloe,” a girl’s baby name that topped the list in 2020 made a strong comeback in 2023.

 

When it came to boy’s names, they said the 10 most popular, in descending order, were Liam, Noah, David, Lucas, Jacob, Ethan, Joseph, and Dylan, followed by Michael and Muhammad tying in tenth position.

 

“David” climbed the ranks from 2022 to secure a spot in the top three, pushing “Ethan” down from third to seventh. “Alexander” dropped to seventeenth, while “Dylan” and “Muhammad” reached the list for the first time. [Could the former be in light of the latest Timothée Chalamet movie about singer Bob Dylan, “A Complete Unknow”‘?] Meanwhile, “Michael,” a New York favorite from 1980 to 2006, made a comeback in the top ten boys names.

 

Across the concrete jungle, nonetheless, the beauty of nature and the seasons was reflected in the choice of some of the top baby names of 2023 like Violet (45), Rose (52), Gemma (78), Daisy (93), Sage (100 girls, and 139 boys), Pearl (107), Aura (111), Sapphire (116), and Flora (118).

 

Meanwhile, other parents in 2023 leaned into names from mythical tales such as Adonis (76), Amari (78), Ares (125), Atreus (145), Aurora (41), Athena (79), and Iris (87).

 

“Our youngest New Yorkers are what make our city so special,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “We welcome Emma, Liam, Mia, Noah, and all the other newborns to New York. With your presence, our city is a more joyful, brighter place for the new year and beyond.”

 

The Health Department’s Bureau of Vital Statistics compiles baby name lists based on birth certificates and also collects other data, including total births by year and demographic characteristics. To learn more about the information gathered from birth certificates, visit Vital Statistics.

 

The Health Department also provides information on free or low-cost services for new parents, ranging from pre-pregnancy, health-related issues to resources for new parents to keep their babies healthy. For more information, visit Pregnancy and Baby Care.

 

Additionally, the department makes a webpage available to guide parents with filling out legal paperwork related to their child, including birth certificates, acknowledgement of parentage for unmarried parents, and more. For more information, visit Expecting Parents.

 

As reported, Montefiore Health System welcomed the first babies born within its hospital network in The Bronx on Jan. 1, as did NYC Health + Hospitals.