When I was in school, just in one of my classes, there were three girls named Kelsey and even more girls named Ashley. It seems like every year there are a handful of names that become really popular, and a few short years later, a new batch of names becomes really popular for a while. Based on Social Security card applications, here are the 10 most popular girls and boys names in Minnesota and in the nation.

According to the Social Security Administration, nationwide, the top names for boys in 2016 were :

  1. Noah
  2. Liam
  3. William
  4. Mason
  5. James
  6. Benjamin
  7. Jacob
  8. Michael
  9. Elijah
  10. Ethan

And the top 10 names for girls in 2016 nationwide, according to the Social Security Administration, were:

  1. Emma
  2. Olivia
  3. Ava
  4. Sophia
  5. Isabella
  6. Mia
  7. Charlotte
  8. Abigail
  9. Emily
  10. Harper

Here in Minnesota, the Social Security Administration shows different names in the top spots, Some are the same just in different order, some drop all together, and there are a few additions.

For the boys of Minnesota, the Social Security Administration shows these as the top names:

  1. Henry
  2. Oliver
  3. William
  4. Owen
  5. Liam
  6. Jack
  7. Mason
  8. James
  9. Noah
  10. Theodore
  1. Evelyn
  2. Olivia
  3. Emma
  4. Charlotte
  5. Harper
  6. Ava
  7. Grace
  8. Amelia
  9. Sophia
  10. Nora

It seems like the trend is to use more traditional names. Picking out a child's name seems like such a daunting task. It's something they will carry with them for life, so you want it to be just right. And there are so many things to consider in the process. Do you want to continue a tradition or honor a family member, do you want trendy names, or more obscure names. Whether you're hoping to avoid them or use them for inspiration, it's always interesting to see what the trends are.

More From KQCL Power 96