Alberta
Olivia and Noah most popular baby names in 2020
Olivia continued a record streak as the most popular baby girl’s name in Alberta in 2020 while Noah remained in the top spot for baby boys.
Alberta families welcomed 49,030 babies in 2020 – 25,160 boys and 23,870 girls. Olivia was the most popular girl’s name for the eighth year in a row, giving it the longest popularity streak for any girl’s name in Alberta since 1980. Noah placed first on the boys’ names list for the second consecutive year.
Other popular names for girls were Emma, Charlotte, Ava and Sophia. Oliver, Liam, Benjamin and William rounded out the top five names for boys.
Alberta remains a province of many cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and many of our youngest members have names reflecting that diversity. Alberta is home to baby girls named Amara, Amaya, Zahra, Zoya, Baani, Danika, Raya, Thalia, Yuna and Chimamanda. Some of Alberta’s youngest boys are named Mateo, Ahmed, Bodhi, Yusuf, Zorawar, Arjun, Gurbaaz, Miguel, Abdul and Idris.
“Last year was difficult for everyone, but every new baby that an Alberta family welcomed brings joy and also hope for the future. Whether parents welcomed their firstborn or a sibling to other children, they can count on the same thing: Alberta is a great place to raise a family and we have a strong future ahead of us.”
In a year unlike any other, positivity seemed to be a popular theme for some new parents, with names like Hope, Peace, Faith, Charity, Joy, Happy and Brave appearing on the list of registered names.
Some parents also seemed to be inspired by athletes (Kobe, Muhammad-Ali, Beckham), mythology (Artemis, Persephone, Aries, Zeus), music (Dre, Zeppelin, Bowie), video games (Zelda, Link, Eevee), literature (Guinevere, Atticus) and places (Cairo, Nile, Phoenix).
Quick facts
- Notable changes to the 2020 lists:
- Isla appeared in the top 10 list for girls for the first time. The name was 12th most popular among girls in 2019.
- Theodore and Levi appeared in the top 10 list for boys for the first time. The names were 19th and 27th most popular among baby boys in 2019, respectively.
- Lily increased in popularity among girls’ names, from 24th most popular in 2019 to ninth in 2020.
- Ethan dropped to 12th place among the most popular boys’ names, after appearing in the top 10 list every year since 2000.
- Historically, girls’ names that held the No. 1 spot for the longest consecutive time period include:
- Jessica: six years (1990-1995)
- Emily: five years (1998-2002)
- Olivia: eight years (2013-2020)
- Historically, boys’ names that held the No. 1 spot for the longest consecutive time period include:
- Matthew: five years (1995-1999)
- Ethan: nine years (2001-2009)
- Liam: seven years (2010-2016)
- The highest birth count recorded in recent history for Alberta was 56,744, recorded in 2015.
- Parents have up to one year to register their child’s birth. As a result, the list of 2020 baby names and birth statistics may change slightly.
Girls’ names and frequency (top 10)
(In brackets is the number of children with each name)
| Place | Girl names (2020) | Girl names (2019) | Girl names (2018) | Girl names (2017) | Girl names (2016) |
| 1 | Olivia (236) | Olivia (229) | Olivia (235) | Olivia (236) | Olivia (292) |
| 2 | Emma (184) | Charlotte (188) | Emma (230) | Emma (215) | Emma (249) |
| 3 | Charlotte (161) | Sophia (181) | Charlotte (175) | Charlotte (187) | Sophia (215) |
| 4 | Ava (159) | Emma (178) | Emily (164) | Ava (184)
Sophia (184) |
Ava (207) |
| 5 | Sophia (151) | Ava (161) | Ava (161) | Emily (159) | Emily (187) |
| 6 | Amelia (145) | Amelia (159) | Abigail (153) | Abigail (154) | Charlotte (180) |
| 7 | Isla (133) | Emily (150) | Harper (150) | Amelia (149) | Amelia (172) |
| 8 | Emily (127) | Abigail (141) | Sophia (146) | Isabella (141) | Abigail (171) |
| 9 | Lily (123) | Hannah (137) | Amelia (145) | Aria (129)
Chloe (129) |
Chloe (166) |
| 10 | Abigail (114) | Elizabeth (124) | Elizabeth (130) | Lily (127) | Aria (137) |
Boys’ names and frequency (top 10)
(In brackets is the number of children with each name)
| Place | Boy names (2020) | Boy names (2019) | Boy names (2018) | Boy names (2017) | Boy names (2016) |
| 1 | Noah (239) | Noah (275) | Liam (225) | Noah (250) | Liam (277) |
| 2 | Oliver (229) | Liam (234) | Oliver (212) | Liam (244) | Benjamin (252) |
| 3 | Liam (206) | Oliver (225) | Noah (199) | Benjamin (229) | Lucas (247) |
| 4 | Benjamin (182) | Ethan (213) | Ethan (188) | Logan (226) | Oliver (230) |
| 5 | William (178) | Jack (198) | Logan (182)
Lucas (182) |
Lucas (216) | Noah (228) |
| 6 | Jack (169) | William (185) | Jacob (181) | William (213) | William (213) |
| 7 | Lucas (163) | Lucas (174) | William (178) | Ethan (192) | Ethan (205) |
| 8 | Theodore (159) | Owen (167) | Benjamin (176) | Oliver (190) | Jack (197) |
| 9 | Levi (153) | Benjamin (163) | Jack (167) | Jack (189) | Lincoln (192) |
| 10 | Owen (152) | Jacob (162) | Alexander (158)
James (158) |
Jacob (178) | Owen (189) |
Alberta
Official statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Energy Minister Brian Jean on the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline
Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued the following statement in response to Calgary City Council’s vote to extend the right to vote to permanent residents:
“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections. Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.
“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. This right extends to voters in municipal, provincial and federal elections.
“Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. Our provincial election legislation, like the Local Authorities Elections Act, has also been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens.
“Alberta’s government is also ensuring that voting is accessible for more Albertans. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot.
“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”
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