Most Popular Baby Names in South Dakota

In 2025, Lainey was the most popular girls' name in South Dakota, given to 50 babies, and Oliver was the top boys' name with 66. Nationally, Olivia and Liam were on top.

Social Security counted 3,052 girls and 3,843 boys born in South Dakota that year under names given to at least five babies there.

Top 100 names in South Dakota, 2025

Top girls' names in South Dakota, 2025
Rank	Name	Babies	vs 2024
1	Lainey	50	up 2
2	Charlotte	44	same
3	Evelyn	39	up 9
4	Emma	36	up 2
5	Olivia	36	same
6	Eleanor	32	up 2
7	Ellie	31	up 2
8	Harper	31	down 4
9	Nora	31	down 2
10	Amelia	30	down 9
11	Lucy	30	up 17
12	Ella	29	up 4
13	Ivy	29	up 8
14	Hazel	27	same
15	Lily	27	up 12
16	Sophie	27	up 26
17	Willow	27	down 6
18	Aurora	25	down 5
19	Emery	25	up 26
20	Isla	25	down 3
21	Sophia	25	down 6
22	Paisley	24	down 3
23	Iris	22	up 129
24	Nova	22	up 25
25	Ava	21	down 7
26	Avery	20	up 5
27	Violet	20	down 17
28	Clara	19	up 32
29	Elizabeth	19	up 75
30	Elsie	19	up 3
31	Isabella	19	down 6
32	Layla	19	up 22
33	Mia	19	down 10
34	Millie	19	up 58
35	Sadie	19	up 22
36	Vivian	19	up 7
37	Wrenley	19	down 7
38	Adeline	18	up 21
39	Delilah	18	up 43
40	Eden	18	down 1
41	Ember	18	down 1
42	Sutton	18	up 10
43	Ailany	17	new
44	Grace	17	down 3
45	Quinn	17	up 20
46	Emersyn	16	down 24
47	Remi	16	up 4
48	Scarlett	16	up 89
49	Scottie	16	up 89
50	Sylvie	16	up 230
51	Cora	15	down 19
52	Eloise	15	up 16
53	Everly	15	up 9
54	Gianna	15	up 17
55	Hadley	15	down 35
56	June	15	new
57	Kinsley	15	down 31
58	Lennon	15	down 3
59	Luna	15	up 30
60	Ruth	15	up 35
61	Zoey	15	up 57
62	Claire	14	up 19
63	Eliana	14	down 2
64	Haven	14	up 110
65	Josephine	14	up 7
66	Ruby	14	same
67	Stella	14	down 9
68	Brynlee	13	up 52
69	Lydia	13	down 40
70	Melody	13	up 199
71	Naomi	13	up 200
72	Rose	13	new
73	Aria	12	down 35
74	Blair	12	up 94
75	Briar	12	up 119
76	Chloe	12	down 32
77	Hannah	12	up 31
78	Josie	12	down 5
79	Lillian	12	down 33
80	Madison	12	up 51
81	Parker	12	down 31
82	Penelope	12	down 18
83	Tatum	12	up 33
84	Addison	11	down 48
85	Daisy	11	up 37
86	Eliza	11	up 155
87	Emily	11	up 38
88	Everleigh	11	up 161
89	Harlow	11	new
90	Maeve	11	down 34
91	Mila	11	down 43
92	Murphy	11	up 91
93	Oaklynn	11	same
94	Rylee	11	up 2
95	Wren	11	down 42
96	Zoe	11	up 122
97	Aaliyah	10	up 44
98	Abigail	10	down 74
99	Adalynn	10	up 20
100	Annie	10	up 45

Top boys' names in South Dakota, 2025
Rank	Name	Babies	vs 2024
1	Oliver	66	up 1
2	Liam	60	down 1
3	Henry	50	same
4	Hudson	50	up 6
5	Noah	50	up 3
6	Theodore	47	down 2
7	Beau	42	up 5
8	William	41	up 1
9	Leo	40	up 44
10	Maverick	38	up 12
11	Elijah	35	same
12	Brooks	33	down 6
13	Asher	32	down 8
14	James	32	up 1
15	Bennett	31	down 1
16	Ezra	31	up 4
17	Cooper	30	down 4
18	Levi	30	down 2
19	Colter	29	up 6
20	Stetson	29	up 72
21	Waylon	29	up 25
22	Grayson	27	up 7
23	Jackson	27	up 29
24	Myles	27	up 58
25	Nolan	27	up 73
26	Archer	26	up 58
27	Beckett	26	up 8
28	Lincoln	26	down 7
29	Luke	26	up 3
30	Dean	25	up 88
31	Elias	25	down 4
32	Benjamin	24	up 31
33	Graham	24	up 17
34	Jack	24	down 27
35	Rowan	24	down 4
36	Thomas	24	up 37
37	Lucas	23	up 7
38	Michael	23	down 8
39	Weston	23	down 5
40	Wyatt	23	down 16
41	August	22	up 54
42	Carter	22	down 6
43	Daniel	22	down 1
44	Everett	22	down 16
45	Mateo	22	same
46	Cameron	21	up 55
47	Owen	21	down 14
48	Rhett	21	up 78
49	Samuel	21	up 91
50	Benson	19	up 36
51	Charles	19	down 4
52	Isaiah	19	down 14
53	John	19	up 19
54	Sawyer	19	down 31
55	Sutton	19	up 38
56	Wesley	19	down 38
57	Hayes	18	down 6
58	Joseph	18	up 32
59	Josiah	18	up 22
60	Luka	18	same
61	Micah	18	up 77
62	Miles	18	down 45
63	Ryker	18	down 22
64	Atlas	17	up 10
65	Jaxon	17	up 6
66	Logan	17	down 7
67	Milo	17	down 6
68	Tate	17	up 45
69	Callum	16	up 78
70	David	16	up 32
71	Dawson	16	down 23
72	Easton	16	down 53
73	Emmett	16	down 30
74	Nash	16	up 82
75	Roman	16	down 35
76	Walker	16	down 14
77	Baker	15	down 2
78	Callan	15	up 68
79	Charlie	15	up 69
80	Isaac	15	up 43
81	Nathan	15	up 89
82	Parker	15	down 43
83	Theo	15	down 29
84	Tucker	15	up 91
85	Arthur	14	same
86	Axel	14	up 57
87	Caleb	14	down 31
88	Gabriel	14	down 30
89	Jasper	14	up 7
90	Mason	14	down 64
91	Otto	14	up 8
92	Robert	14	up 19
93	Silas	14	down 27
94	Alexander	13	up 47
95	Barrett	13	down 40
96	Baylor	13	up 64
97	Callahan	13	up 159
98	Harrison	13	down 61
99	Harvey	13	up 51
100	Jacob	13	down 21

Names South Dakota likes more than the rest of the country

From 2021 to 2025, these names made up a much bigger share of babies in South Dakota than they did nationally. The number is how many times the national rate. At the top: Lennon, Wrenley and Collins for girls, and Sutton, Colter and Briggs for boys.

Girls

Lennon: 6.6× (77 babies)
Wrenley: 6× (77 babies)
Collins: 5.6× (59 babies)
Sutton: 5.3× (69 babies)
Sawyer: 5.3× (55 babies)
Brynlee: 5.2× (62 babies)
Lainey: 4.9× (154 babies)
Palmer: 4.9× (50 babies)
Elsie: 4.8× (74 babies)
Hadley: 4.5× (95 babies)

Boys

Sutton: 8.1× (62 babies)
Colter: 6.5× (87 babies)
Briggs: 6.2× (62 babies)
Baylor: 5.6× (50 babies)
Hayes: 5.1× (105 babies)
Baker: 5× (53 babies)
Stetson: 4.5× (91 babies)
Otto: 4.3× (53 babies)
Rhett: 4.2× (102 babies)
Ryker: 4.1× (94 babies)

Every number one since 1910

The longest reign for girls in South Dakota belongs to Jennifer, at number one from 1971 to 1983. For boys, it's Robert, from 1918 to 1940.

Girls

Lainey: 2025
Amelia: 2024
Ava: 2023
Evelyn: 2021–2022
Harper: 2020
Emma: 2019
Harper: 2018
Emma: 2016–2017
Harper: 2014–2015
Emma: 2012–2013
Ava: 2011
Sophia: 2010
Emma: 2008–2009
Ava: 2007
Emma: 2005–2006
Madison: 2004
Emma: 2003
Hannah: 2002
Madison: 2001
Hannah: 2000
Alexis: 1999
Emily: 1998
Hannah: 1997
Samantha: 1996
Ashley: 1995
Megan: 1994
Ashley: 1985–1993
Jessica: 1984
Jennifer: 1971–1983
Lisa: 1963–1970
Lori: 1961–1962
Mary: 1958–1960
Debra: 1955–1957
Mary: 1953–1954
Linda: 1947–1952
Mary: 1937–1946
Shirley: 1935–1936
Mary: 1932–1934
Betty: 1930–1931
Mary: 1929
Betty: 1928
Mary: 1927
Dorothy: 1926
Mary: 1923–1925
Dorothy: 1920–1922
Helen: 1919
Mary: 1918
Helen: 1916–1917
Mary: 1915
Dorothy: 1914
Mary: 1912–1913
Helen: 1910–1911

Boys

Oliver: 2025
Liam: 2024
Oliver: 2022–2023
Henry: 2021
Oliver: 2020
Liam: 2019
Grayson: 2018
Oliver: 2015–2017
Liam: 2012–2014
Mason: 2011
Jacob: 2010
Ethan: 2009
Jacob: 2008
Ethan: 2007
Jacob: 2005–2006
Ethan: 2004
Jacob: 1999–2003
Austin: 1998
Jacob: 1996–1997
Austin: 1995
Tyler: 1992–1994
Michael: 1991
Tyler: 1990
Michael: 1988–1989
Matthew: 1987
Michael: 1986
Christopher: 1985
Matthew: 1982–1984
Joshua: 1981
Michael: 1980
Matthew: 1979
Michael: 1978
Jason: 1972–1977
Michael: 1963–1971
David: 1958–1962
Michael: 1956–1957
David: 1955
Michael: 1954
David: 1949–1953
Robert: 1946–1948
James: 1944–1945
Robert: 1942–1943
James: 1941
Robert: 1918–1940
John: 1917
Robert: 1916
John: 1910–1915

Top five names by decade

Most popular names in South Dakota by decade
Decade	Girls	Boys
2020s	Charlotte, Amelia, Evelyn, Harper, Emma	Oliver, Henry, Liam, Theodore, Hudson
2010s	Emma, Harper, Ava, Olivia, Sophia	Liam, Owen, Mason, Noah, Oliver
2000s	Emma, Hannah, Emily, Madison, Olivia	Jacob, Ethan, Mason, Logan, Noah
1990s	Ashley, Samantha, Emily, Jessica, Megan	Tyler, Jacob, Austin, Michael, Matthew
1980s	Jessica, Amanda, Jennifer, Ashley, Sarah	Matthew, Michael, Joshua, Christopher, Ryan
1970s	Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Angela, Heather	Jason, Michael, Christopher, Chad, Matthew
1960s	Lisa, Mary, Lori, Julie, Brenda	Michael, David, Mark, James, Scott
1950s	Mary, Linda, Debra, Susan, Patricia	David, Michael, James, Robert, Steven
1940s	Mary, Linda, Sharon, Carol, Barbara	Robert, James, Richard, David, Larry
1930s	Mary, Betty, Shirley, Donna, Dorothy	Robert, Donald, James, Richard, John
1920s	Mary, Dorothy, Betty, Helen, Ruth	Robert, Donald, John, William, James
1910s	Helen, Mary, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth	John, Robert, William, Donald, George

See every state or the national list for 2025.

Source: Social Security Administration, baby names by state, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a state in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.