In 2024, the names Liam and Olivia are still the most popular choices for babies born in the United States. This is the sixth year in a row they have held these top spots. The Social Security Administration, which has been keeping track of baby names since 1880, shared its annual list just in time for Mother's Day. This list shows what parents across the country are choosing for their newborns.

Liam has been the favorite name for boys for eight years now, while Olivia has been the top choice for girls for six years. After Liam and Olivia, Emma is the second most popular name for girls, and Noah is the second for boys. Interestingly, the name Luna has dropped out of the Top 10 for girls, making room for Sofia, which has made its debut at number 10.

The Social Security Administration's data shows the most common names for boys after Liam are Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas, and William. For girls, after Olivia, the popular names include Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava, and Sofia. This list gives us a good idea of what names American parents are liking these days.

Sophie Kihm, the editor of Nameberry, a website about baby names, says that parents in the U.S. are choosing names that have meaning in different cultures. Many families come from various backgrounds, so they want names that are easy to understand around the world. Kihm’s name even appears in two forms on the list, showing how people are picking names that reflect their heritage. The Social Security Administration also reports that about 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024, which is a small increase from last year. Social media and popular TV shows might be influencing these naming trends, as seen with the rise of the name Ailany, which means "chief" in Hawaiian, and the boys' name Truce, meaning "peace," which jumped over 11,000 spots in popularity.

Original news source: Liam and Olivia dominate — again — with top baby names for a sixth year in a row (AP News)

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different baby names from the article without speaking, while the other groups guess the names. This will encourage students to think creatively and engage with the content.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Create a list of baby names mentioned in the article. Ask students to choose their favorite name and explain why they like it. Then, conduct a class poll to see which name is the most popular among students, allowing them to practice speaking and expressing opinions.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Have students read the article and then work in pairs to come up with catchy headlines that summarize the main points. Each pair can present their headlines to the class, allowing them to practice concise writing and presentation skills.
– SPEED SUMMARIZING
Instructions: Give students a limited time (e.g., 2 minutes) to summarize the article's main points in pairs. After the time is up, each pair will share their summaries with the class. This will help improve their summarization and speaking skills.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: Students will create a mind map on the whiteboard based on the article, starting with "Popular Baby Names in 2024" as the central idea. They will branch out with names, trends, and cultural influences mentioned in the article. This activity promotes collaborative learning and visual organization of information.

In 2024, the names Liam and ? are still the most popular choices for babies born in the United States. This is the sixth year in a row they have held these top spots. The ? Security ?, which has been keeping track of baby names since 1880, shared its annual list just in time for Mother's Day. This list shows what parents across the country are choosing for their newborns. Liam has been the ? name for boys for eight years now, while Olivia has been the top choice for girls for six years. After Liam and Olivia, Emma is the ? most ? name for girls, and Noah is the second for boys. Interestingly, the name Luna has dropped out of the Top 10 for girls, ? room for Sofia, which has made its debut at number 10. The Social Security Administration's data shows the most ? names for boys after Liam are Noah, Oliver, Theodore, James, Henry, Mateo, Elijah, Lucas, and William. For girls, after Olivia, the popular ? include Emma, Amelia, Charlotte, Mia, Sophia, Isabella, Evelyn, Ava, and Sofia. This list gives us a good idea of what names American ? are liking these days. Sophie Kihm, the editor of ?, a website about baby names, says that parents in the U.S. are choosing names that have meaning in different cultures. Many families come from various backgrounds, so they want names that are easy to understand around the ?. Kihm’s name even appears in two forms on the list, showing how people are picking names that reflect their heritage. The Social Security Administration also reports that about 3.61 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024, which is a ? increase from last year. Social media and popular TV shows might be ? these ? trends, as seen with the rise of the name Ailany, which means "chief" in Hawaiian, and the boys' name Truce, ? "peace," which jumped over 11,000 spots in popularity.

1. What is a name that you really like? Why do you like it?
2. Do you think names can influence a person's personality? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if your parents named you something very unusual?
4. Do you like the idea of names that have cultural meanings? Why?
5. What is a name that you think is becoming popular in your country? Why do you think that is?
6. Do you think social media has a big impact on naming trends? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if your name suddenly became very popular?
8. Do you think it's important for names to be easy to pronounce? Why?
9. What is a name that you think is timeless and will never go out of style?
10. Do you believe that a person's name can affect their opportunities in life? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if you met someone with the same name as you?
12. Do you think parents should choose names based on trends, or should they pick names that have personal meaning? Why?
13. What is a name that you dislike, and why?
14. How do you think names reflect a person's identity or background?
15. Do you think it's okay for parents to name their children after celebrities? Why or why not?

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