We’ve got some predictions of what will be the most popular baby boy names of 2022. And no, we did not look into a crystal ball or ask someone else to come up with these predictions. Instead, we checked out which baby boy names have been trending according to the Social Security Administration in order to get an idea of what baby names will continue to be picked for newborns. There will, of course, be some names that we haven’t included that become popular depending on what happens in popular culture, as baby name choices are often influenced by movies, books, and such.
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There are names on this list that became trendy relatively recently, but there are also names like Michael that have been consistently popular for many, many years. Some names are just classics and stand the test of time. Use this list as inspiration if you fall in love with a name on it, or use it as guide for what names to stay away from if you want a baby boy name that won’t be as popular.
Liam, pronounced LEE-əm
Liam is of Irish origin and means “resolute protection.” It started out as a nickname for the names Uilliam and William. It was the top name for boys in the US in 2018, and as you can see, it’s still going strong.
Noah, pronounced NOH-ə
Noah is of Hebrew origin and means “rest, repose.” It’s derived from the name Noach. In the Bible, Noah is the guy whom God told about the flood that was coming as a punishment for all the misbehaving that was going on at the time.
Oliver, pronounced AH-li-ver
Oliver, like Olivia, is of Latin origin and means “olive tree.” It’s been a popular name in England, Australia, and New Zealand for quite some time, and in 2009 it appeared for the first time on the US top 100 baby boy names.
Elijah, pronounced ee-LIY-zhə
Elijah is of Hebrew origin and means “Yahweh is God.” Yahweh is a form of the name used for God in the Bible. Like Noah, it is a name of Biblical origin that keeps getting more and more popular.
William, pronounced WIL-yəm
William, like Liam, is of English origin and means “resolute protection.” In French it is Guillaume. It is the most popular boy name in the US that begins with the letter W. Short forms of it include Bill, Billy, Will, Willy, Wills, or Liam.
James, pronounced JAYMZ
James is of Hebrew origin and means “supplanter.” And what the heck does supplanter mean? A supplanter is something or someone who is taking something or someone else’s place. Nicknames for James include Jim, Jimmy, Jaimie, or Jimbo.
Benjamin, pronounced BEHN-jə-min
Benjamin is of Hebrew origin and means “son of the right hand.” It is derived from Binyamin. In the Book of Genesis, Benjamin is the youngest of Jacob and Rachel’s 12 sons. Nicknames for Benjamin are Ben or Benny.
Lucas, pronounced LOO-kəs
Lucas is of Greek and Latin origin and means “man from Lucania.” Lucania is a historical region in Southern Italy. If you like the name, you might also consider Luke, Luca, Lucius, or Lucian.
Henry, pronounced HEHN-ree
Henry is of German origin and means “estate ruler.” In French it is Henri. Famous Henrys include Henry VIII, Henry Ford, and Henry Miller. Alternate versions of the name are Enrico, Enzio, and Enrique.
Alexander, pronounced al-ik-ZAN-der
Alexander is of Greek origin and means “defending men.” It comes from the Greek name Aléxandros. Variations of the name include Alessandro or Alejandro. You could also opt for Alex, Zander, Zan, or Xan.
Mason, pronounced MAY-sən
Mason is of English origin and means “worker in stone.” Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick’s oldest child is named Mason. It’s also one of those names that’s hard to shorten, so if you don’t want anyone calling your child by a nickname, it’s a good option.
Michael, pronounced MIY-kəl
Michael is of Hebrew origin and means “who is like God.” Michael is an archangel in the Bible. Michael is always on the most popular baby boy names lists. If you like the name, you might also like Miguel.
Ethan, pronounced EE-thən
Ethan is of Hebrew origin and means “strong, firm.” There are a few Ethans in the Old Testament. There are also a few Ethans in Hollywood. Tom Cruise’s character in Mission: Impossible is named Ethan, and then there’s Ethan Hawke.
Daniel, pronounced DAN-yəl
Daniel is of Hebrew origin and means “God is my judge.” Daniel, like Michael, is one of those names that is always popular. More than 10,000 people name their child Daniel every year. That’s a lot of Daniels.
Jacob, pronounced JAY-kuhb
Jacob is of Hebrew origin, and like James it means “supplanter.” It’s a name that is featured in the Old Testament. Jacob is the second-most-popular boy name that starts with a J. Guess which J name holds the top spot: Yup, it’s James.
Logan, pronounced LOH-gən
Logan is of Scottish origin and means “small hollow.” It was originally a last name. It can also be spelled as Logon, Logen, and Logyn. It’s also a name that is used for girls. The Wolverine character that Hugh Jackman plays is named Logan, which may be part of the reason why the name has become more popular.
Jackson, pronounced JAK-sən
Jackson is of English origin and means “son of Jack.” A lot of celebrities, including Spike Lee and Maya Rudolph, have named their sons Jackson. Some prefer to spell it as Jaxon or Jaxson.
Levi, pronounced LEE-viy or LAY-vee
Levi is of Hebrew origin and means “joined, attached.” Levi is another name from the Bible; it is featured in both the Old and New Testament. It’s also the name of a very iconic brand of jeans.
Sebastian, pronounced seh-BAS-chin
Sebastian is of Greek and Latin origin and means “person from ancient city of Sebastia.” Sebastia was a city that used to be in what is now a part of Turkey. The crab in The Little Mermaid is named Sebastian.
Mateo, pronounced mah-TAY-oh
Mateo is of Spanish, Italian, and Latin origin and means “gift of God.” It is a Latinized version of Matthew. It first became one of the top 100 baby boy names in the US in 2015, and its popularity continues to rise.
