Seattle’s Top Baby Names, Revealed

Picking a baby name is no small task, and it’s always useful to gather information about the most popular baby names in certain areas. Seattle’s top baby names for 2023 include unique ones like Freya, Caspian, and Arlo, along with classics like Oliver, Liam, and Emma (via Seattle Times). What causes a particular name to surge in popularity can depend upon a number of factors, so let's get into those.

Sometimes a name is chosen for a famous actor/actress, a character from a book, or inspired by other pieces of popular culture. Another route to go is to find the meaning behind a name. After all, giving your child a name that will fit is an important step in getting to know this new little family member. If the name is tied to your own family history, well that just makes things even more interesting. Read on as we learn about the city of Seattle’s top baby names for 2023.

In this post, we’ll do a deep dive into the origin and meaning behind Seattle’s top baby names. Get a better idea of where they come from as well as the popular culture references that are keeping them among this city in Washington‘s top baby names from 2023. We’ll cover both boys' and girls’ names so you’ll get a fair amount of inspiration, and by the end of this, you may have a better idea of what direction you may be leaning for naming your own future family members! 

Eloise

“Eloise” has roots in French and German. In French it translates to “healthy”, and the German iteration of the name is “Helewidis” and the English derivative is “Heloise.” Perhaps the most famous “Eloise,” is the literary character from Kay Thompson's Eloise published in 1955. This little girl embodies bravery, imagination, and fun, all wonderful values to emulate for the name of a little girl. Popular nicknames include “Louise,” “Luisa,” and “Lois” (via Family Education).

Maeve

Next up we have “Maeve,” which is traditionally Irish. In old Irish, the name “Medb” translates to “intoxicating,” and also can be interpreted as “a ruler “She who rules.” In Irish mythology, the Queen of the Fairies is referred to as “Maeve” (via Very Well Family).

Soren

“Soren,” is a Scandinavian name. Traditionally spelled “Søren,” the different “o's” here impact the pronunciation from “Sur-en” to the anglicized version of “Sorr-en.” In Danish the name means “stern” (via Nameberry).

Aurelia

The name “Aurelia” has roots in the Latin word “aureus” and dates back as far as the Roman Empire. Derived from the surname “Aurelius,” it means “golden.” Famous historical individuals with the name include the mother of Julius Caesar, and variations on the name include the Italian “Aurelio” (via Name Of The Year).

Arlo

“Arlo,” comes from the name “Harlow,” which comes from Anglo-Saxon words meaning a “fortified hill.” It first showed up in the English poem “The Faerie Queene,” written by Edmund Spenser in 1590. It's also connected to the Irish-Gaelic word “Aherlow” which means “between two highlands.”

Felix

“Felix” comes from the Latin meaning “happiness.” Adapted from a surname, it has been around since Roman times and is believed to provide luck from the Gods. In the Bible, Felix appears as a procurator (treasury officer) of Judea.

Freya

The name “Freya,” is classically Nordic coming from the name “Freyja,” which means “noble woman.” In Norse mythology, Freya is the goddess of love and fertility, practicing magic to change the future and predict outcomes. The male variations on the name include “Frey,” and “Freyr.”

Atticus

Another of Seattle's top baby names is “Atticus.” Perhaps most associated with the wholesome lawyer Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, the name comes from the Greek and Latin for an “individual from Attica.” Attica was a region that contained the, now capital, Athens.

Isla

Pronounced “Eye-lah,” the name “Isla” comes from the Scottish name “Islay,” the Queen of the Hebrides. A Scottish folk tale describes how a princess from Denmark dropped stones on her journey to Scotland, these stones formed the islands that now lay between Ireland and Scotland. In Spanish, the name means “island.”

Alice

Ever heard of Alice In Wonderland? Outside of this brave literary character, the name stems from the German, meaning “noble,” and “kind.” In French, the name used to be spelled “Aalis,” and “Adelais.” The German variation used to be much longer, appearing as “Adalhaidis.”

Caspian

Yet another literary name among Seattle's top baby names for 2023, is “Caspian.” Caspian is a character in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, where they sail across the sea. The name “Caspian,” belongs to the largest inland body of water between Asia and Europe, and it means “white.” This meaning comes from the Latin word “Caspii,” which describes people living in the Caucasus region of Central Asia.

Ophelia

“Ophelia,” comes from the ancient Greek word “ōphéleia.” It means to “aid,” or “benefit.” It is also the name of Shakespeare's martyred heroine Ophelia in Hamlet. Other literary appearances include the 1504 poem Arcadia. Spelling variations include “Ofelia,” and masculinizations include “Ophelius.”

Beatrice

“Beatrice,” also appears in the works of Shakespeare along with Dante, with nicknames like “Bea,” or even “Tris.” Its Latin origins mean “she who brings happiness,” or “blessed.” Other variations on the name are “Beatriz,” or “Beatrix.” These come from the name “Viatrix,” which means “voyager.”

Arthur

Continuing the trend of literary characters, “Arthur,” connects to King Arthur. Arthur was a legendary English King with roots in Welsh mythology. The name comes from the Celtic meaning “bear,” combining the words “artos,” with “viros,” or “rigos,” meaning “man,” and “king.” It's a name perfect for a strong, powerful ruler. Nicknames include “Art,” or “Artie,” and variable spelling include “Aurthur.”

The following names are popular in Seattle but also consistently show up among the top baby names all around the United States, i.e. Washington State, North Dakota, San Diego, and many other spots.

Emma

“Emma,” has roots in the Germanic name “Ermen,” which translates to “universal,” and “whole,” or “complete.” It is a nice sentiment to give to a new baby that completes your family. In pop culture, we've got multiple famous actresses with the name including Emma Watson, and Emma Stone. Emma Woodhouse appears In Jane Austen's titular novel Emma, which was published in 1815.

Liam

“Liam” has roots in Irish, German, and English languages. It is a derivative of the classically English name “William,” which comes from the German, “Wilhelm,” and the Irish iteration “Uilliam.” It means “warrior,” and a “protector.” The “Wilhelm,” variation connects to the helm of a helmet, part of the armor that a warrior wears as they go into battle.

Oliver/Olivia

“Oliver” and its feminine version, “Olivia,” are steadily popular names. With Latin roots in the term “oliva,” meaning olive, and the French “Olivier,” meaning “olive tree.” The name is often connected to meanings of peace, unity, and beauty. As for pop culture moments, ever heard of the famed literary character Oliver Twist? How about Olivia from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night? No wonder these names stick around!

Sophia

The name “Sophia,” comes from the Greek meaning of “wisdom.” There are a number of famous rulers who held the name Sophia, while the masculinized version “Sophus,” is far less popular.

Noah

The name “Noah” is a Biblical name from the Old Testament's Book of Genesis. Noah's Ark is a tale of perseverance, loyalty, and hard work. In Hebrew, the name comes from “Noach,” meaning rest. While predominantly used as a boy's name, it can also be a girl's name.

Evelyn

Lastly, for this list, we have the name “Evelyn.” It has roots in French. The derivative is “Avaline,” which used to be a surname, but the modern name combines “Eve,” and “Lynn,” which have many meanings. The name as a whole can mean “wished for,” “little bird,” “island of water,” and “strength.”

The image featured at the top of this post is ©canadastock/Shutterstock.com.