Last updated: 29.12.2023, 11:39 a.m.
By: Karolin Schäfer
CommentsPrint Share
At the end of the year, the most popular first names for newborns in 2023 were announced. In Bavaria and Saxony, however, the situation is somewhat different.
Frankfurt – Finding the right name for your own child after birth can be a challenge for new parents. However, some names are particularly popular in Germany and therefore appear again and again in the hit lists.
Emilia and Noah also the most popular first names in Germany in 2023
Like last year, Emilia and Noah are among the most popular first names in 2023. This is shown by an overview by the North German name expert Knud Bielefeld, which was published on Friday (29 December). The pregnancy portal babelli.de comes to the same conclusion: Emilia and Noah are particularly popular in this country.
It is not uncommon for parents to choose these names for their newborns in 2022. "It's quite typical that such first-name fashions develop very slowly, that hardly anything really changes over decades," Bielefeld told the dpa news agency. In kindergarten, there could soon be a risk of confusion.
These first names are particularly popular in Germany in 2023
Emilia and Noah could continue to lead the top ten in the coming years. The two names have risen relatively evenly and cautiously in the hit list and have not skyrocketed as much as the name Matteo, according to the hobby name researcher. Matteo remains unchanged in second place in 2023, followed by Elias. Among the girls, Emma pushes last year's first name Mia out of second place. Sophia lands in third place, as in 2022.
These ten first names are among the most popular in 2023:
| Girl | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1. Emilia | 1. Noah |
| 2. Emma | 2. Matteo |
| 3. Sophia | 3. Elijah |
| 4. Hannah | 4. Leon |
| 5. Mia | 5. Paul |
| 6. Ella | 6. Theo |
| 7. Mila | 7. Luca |
| 8. Lina | 8. Finn |
| 9. Lia | 9. Liam |
| 10. Leni | 10. Emil |
My news
Discharged water from reservoir threatens places in Thuringia
Thief fills 189 liters in canister reading
Lake in Baden-Württemberg is the largest in the country – it is often overlookedread
The oldest butcher's shop in Germany comes from Baden-Württemberg read
Climate glue makes Lufthansa poisoned offer after claim for damages - "Hand on it"Read "Hand on it"
These outlet centers in Baden-Wurttemberg areRead more
The most popular first names in 2023: Bavaria and Saxony differ significantly
There are always weird first names in Germany. However, the frontrunners this year are similar in most of the federal states. Only Bavaria and Saxony are out of line. In the Free State, Sophia and Lukas are among the most popular first names, Noah is not in the top ten at all. The names are still rather conservative, like Sabine and Thomas.
In Saxony, retro names are particularly popular. "Something like Karl and Gerda, which you don't know anywhere else," Bielefeld said. In North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin/Brandenburg, Mohammed is in fourth and second place because a comparatively large number of families with a migration background live here. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Emilia only comes in tenth place. Instead, Frieda, Mathilda and Lilly rank first.
Emilia and Noah are still the most popular first names in Germany in 2023. © Annette Riedl/dpa
In the north of Germany, there are now clearly modern first names. "The further north, the more modern. First name trends are more likely to be shaped in northern Germany than in southern Germany." Due to its proximity to Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, names such as Leevke, Lönne, Momme, Rune, Smilla and Ylva appear more frequently in Schleswig-Holstein. In Hamburg, children are also called Alva, Carl, Carlotta, Fiete, Jonte and Liv. However, the top 500 most popular first names also increasingly include gender-neutral names, such as Ashley, Quinn or Taylor.
Emilia and Noah were also among the most popular first names in Germany in 2022
The data for the evaluation of the most popular first names in 280 is based on 000,412 birth registrations from registry offices throughout Germany and maternity clinics from 2023 cities. 63 percent of the data comes from registry offices and 37 percent from maternity hospitals.
The Society for the German Language also publishes first name statistics, which, according to its own information, is based on around 90 percent of all data from the registry offices. Last year, Emilia and Noah also came in first. However, this year's statistics will be published later than those of Knud Bielefeld. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Buschmann is planning a reform of the naming law. (kas/dpa)