Noah arcs back to top of B.C. baby name list for first time in 15 years
Olivia is second most popular in 2022 data from Vital Statistics Agency
British Columbia's health ministry says Noah is poised to be the most popular baby name in the province this year, replacing longtime favourite Olivia, which topped the list last year.
Preliminary data released today by the province's Vital Statistics Agency says Noah is followed by Olivia, Oliver, Liam and Theodore.
The agency says the top 10 is rounded out by Jack, Emma, Lucas, Leo and Sofia.
Previous data show Olivia has topped the rankings for eight of the previous 10 years, surpassed only by Emma in 2015 and Liam in 2018, while Noah last topped the list in 2007.
Final figures for 2022 aren't available, but in 2021 there were 238 Olivias, 229 Liams and 223 Noahs born in B.C.
The agency says from Jan. 1 to Dec. 8, 2022, there were 37,801 babies born in B.C., compared to 44,073 in all of last year.
The first babies born in B.C. in 2022 came just minutes apart on Jan. 1. A boy was born at Victoria's General Hospital to Shawna White and Ishmael Grimwood at 12:04 a.m. PT.
At 12:09 a.m. Brittany Colebank and Calvin Melenka welcomed their baby girl at University Hospital of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
Both couples did not immediately name their children on the day of their birth.