Fastest Falling Baby Girl Names in the United States (Last 5 Years)
Last updated: 3/5/2026
Baby name popularity in the United States changes every year. Some names rise quickly, while others gradually lose favor.
This report analyzes official U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data to identify the baby girl names that declined the most between 2019 and 2024.
The ranking is based on absolute change in birth counts — highlighting names that saw the largest real decrease in usage nationwide.
The largest decline is Ava, which fell from 14,544 births in 2019 to 8,662 in 2024 (-5,882, -40.0%).
These declining baby girl names in the United States reflect shifting parental preferences and changing cultural influences. While some baby girl names are falling out of popularity rapidly, others show gradual decreases as new trends emerge.
Naming trends in the United States tend to shift rapidly; declines can reflect cultural shifts or simply natural turnover.
Over multi-year periods, such shifts often reveal deeper structural changes in naming preferences rather than short-term fluctuations.
Quick highlights
- Largest absolute decline: Ava — from 14,544 births in 2019 to 8,662 in 2024 (-5,882, -40.0%).
- Steepest percentage drop: Alexa, Aubree, Taylor.
- Established names losing momentum: Ava, Olivia, Emma.
Distribution commentary
This ranking covers 50 names with a combined decline of 87,003 births. In practical terms, this represents tens of thousands of families choosing alternative names within just 5 years. The average decline per name is 1,740 births, with an overall rate of -33.0%.
The top 3 names account for only 15% of the total decline, suggesting that the shift is not driven by a single collapsing trend but by a broader turnover across multiple popular names. This pattern often indicates generational replacement — where previously dominant names gradually give way to new preferences rather than disappearing abruptly.
Notably, many of the names experiencing decline were previously ranked within the Top 50 nationally. This indicates that the current shift is not limited to fringe names, but affects historically dominant baby girl names as well.
Market shift signal
When several top-ranked names decline simultaneously, it often signals a broader generational reset in naming preferences. In the current period, multiple long-standing Top 20 names show consistent decreases, suggesting a structural transition in mainstream naming trends. Such synchronized declines often precede the rise of a new dominant naming wave.
Stability analysis
The distribution of decline rates shows moderate volatility. While several names experienced sharp drops of more than 40%, many others declined at a steadier pace between 10–25%. The close alignment between average (-33.0%) and median (-30.5%) decline rates suggests that the trend is structurally broad rather than concentrated in a few outliers.
Visual overview
Longer bars indicate larger absolute decline in number of births (not percentage change).
Decline comparison
How the ranking works
Names are sorted by absolute decline in births between the two years. Percentage change is shown for context. Only names that declined are included.
Full ranking
The table below includes the complete ranking of the fastest falling baby girl names in the United States, based on official SSA birth data. It shows starting and ending birth counts, absolute decline, and percentage change.
| # | Name | Births in 2019 | Births in 2024 | Change | Decline % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ava | 14,544 | 8,662 | -5,882 | -40.0% |
| 2 | Olivia | 18,569 | 14,718 | -3,851 | -21.0% |
| 3 | Emma | 17,221 | 13,485 | -3,736 | -22.0% |
| 4 | Abigail | 9,189 | 5,499 | -3,690 | -40.0% |
| 5 | Harper | 10,494 | 7,370 | -3,124 | -30.0% |
| 6 | Isabella | 13,404 | 10,770 | -2,634 | -20.0% |
| 7 | Ella | 8,127 | 5,685 | -2,442 | -30.0% |
| 8 | Aubrey | 4,595 | 2,209 | -2,386 | -52.0% |
| 9 | Emily | 8,256 | 5,955 | -2,301 | -28.0% |
| 10 | Victoria | 6,379 | 4,267 | -2,112 | -33.0% |
| 11 | Zoey | 5,685 | 3,600 | -2,085 | -37.0% |
| 12 | Bella | 4,396 | 2,469 | -1,927 | -44.0% |
| 13 | Mila | 7,341 | 5,472 | -1,869 | -25.0% |
| 14 | Skylar | 4,049 | 2,186 | -1,863 | -46.0% |
| 15 | Brooklyn | 4,312 | 2,487 | -1,825 | -42.0% |
| 16 | Everly | 4,780 | 3,008 | -1,772 | -37.0% |
| 17 | Madison | 6,300 | 4,563 | -1,737 | -28.0% |
| 18 | Sophia | 13,813 | 12,088 | -1,725 | -12.0% |
| 19 | Avery | 7,349 | 5,632 | -1,717 | -23.0% |
| 20 | Natalie | 4,808 | 3,114 | -1,694 | -35.0% |
| 21 | Savannah | 4,182 | 2,490 | -1,692 | -40.0% |
| 22 | Alexa | 2,002 | 348 | -1,654 | -83.0% |
| 23 | Hannah | 5,641 | 4,054 | -1,587 | -28.0% |
| 24 | Aubree | 2,335 | 773 | -1,562 | -67.0% |
| 25 | Audrey | 4,459 | 2,993 | -1,466 | -33.0% |
| 26 | Reagan | 2,753 | 1,292 | -1,461 | -53.0% |
| 27 | Evelyn | 10,441 | 9,116 | -1,325 | -13.0% |
| 28 | Piper | 3,188 | 1,877 | -1,311 | -41.0% |
| 29 | Lillian | 5,126 | 3,882 | -1,244 | -24.0% |
| 30 | Layla | 6,518 | 5,305 | -1,213 | -19.0% |
| 31 | Caroline | 3,919 | 2,720 | -1,199 | -31.0% |
| 32 | Scarlett | 7,084 | 5,894 | -1,190 | -17.0% |
| 33 | Arya | 3,050 | 1,863 | -1,187 | -39.0% |
| 34 | Aria | 7,116 | 5,935 | -1,181 | -17.0% |
| 35 | Taylor | 2,048 | 877 | -1,171 | -57.0% |
| 36 | Addison | 4,493 | 3,327 | -1,166 | -26.0% |
| 37 | Kaylee | 2,556 | 1,392 | -1,164 | -46.0% |
| 38 | Samantha | 3,369 | 2,221 | -1,148 | -34.0% |
| 39 | Anna | 3,845 | 2,700 | -1,145 | -30.0% |
| 40 | Ariana | 3,683 | 2,569 | -1,114 | -30.0% |
| 41 | Grace | 6,104 | 5,002 | -1,102 | -18.0% |
| 42 | Serenity | 3,436 | 2,342 | -1,094 | -32.0% |
| 43 | Mackenzie | 2,591 | 1,520 | -1,071 | -41.0% |
| 44 | Riley | 5,710 | 4,644 | -1,066 | -19.0% |
| 45 | Peyton | 2,867 | 1,812 | -1,055 | -37.0% |
| 46 | Elizabeth | 7,920 | 6,878 | -1,042 | -13.0% |
| 47 | Cora | 3,601 | 2,570 | -1,031 | -29.0% |
| 48 | Faith | 2,273 | 1,272 | -1,001 | -44.0% |
| 49 | Gabriella | 3,493 | 2,496 | -997 | -29.0% |
| 50 | Penelope | 6,733 | 5,741 | -992 | -15.0% |
Click any name above to explore its historical ranking, meaning, origin, and full popularity timeline.
What this means for parents
Declining names may reflect natural turnover rather than a name becoming undesirable. Some names cycle in and out of favor. A decline does not mean a name is "bad" — it may simply be less fashionable at the moment. If you prefer a name that feels distinctive but still familiar, declining names may offer a balance between recognizability and reduced overuse. Consider both current trends and long-term patterns when choosing.
About this analysis
This analysis of declining baby names in the United States is based on official U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) birth statistics.
All calculations are performed using publicly released SSA datasets and a standardized comparison methodology across reporting periods.
- Percentage decline can appear dramatic when the starting number of births is small.
- National data does not reflect regional or local naming differences.
- Year-over-year changes may be influenced by cultural trends, media exposure, or demographic shifts.
We periodically refresh the report as new official data becomes available.