Sophia, Henry top baby names in 2024 in Sask.

The baby name Henry climbed the charts in Saskatchewan in 2024, and the name Sophia jumped slightly compared to the year before, both landing as the top baby names.

Forty-nine babies in the province were named Henry between the start of the year and Dec. 7, 2024.

For girls, the name Sophia reigned supreme in the most recent data, with 44 baby girls being given that name.

Henry was one of a few surprises when it comes to the most popular boy names in the province, rising from 16th place last year to first place in the most recent data. 

Saskatoon Morning16:16What's in a name? We're looking at the top names given to newborns in this province in 2024

Host Stephanie Massicotte talks with our own Chelsea Cross about the top baby names of 2024, and also to Aqeel Wahab on the name Muhammed cracking the top baby names in the province.

Top boy names 2024:

1. Henry.
2. Oliver.
3. Levi.
4. Theodore.
5. William.
6. Liam.
7. Jack.
8. Noah.
9. Hudson.
10. Brooks and Muhammed (tied)

Top girls names 2024:

1. Sophia.
2. Olivia.
3. Ellie.
4. Charlotte.
5. Hazel.
6. Isla.
7. Violet.
8. Emma.
9. Harper.
10. Sadie.

What's in a name?

Saskatoon's MacKenzie and David Martell named their son Henry when he was born on Jan. 22, 2024. 

For them, it was a simple decision made two years before MacKenzie had gotten pregnant — and before it had risen in popularity.

"We knew we wanted a classic name and so we were just kind of running down, brainstorming and Henry popped up and we both really liked it. And we just went with it," MacKenzie said. 

MacKenzie wasn't surprised to find Henry had become the top boys name, noting that he already met two other baby Henrys.

The popularity of the name Sophia did come as a surprise to Caiti Feraro in Saskatoon, who gave birth to her daughter Sophia on Aug. 11, 2024.

She and her husband came up with the name because it was common in both her Irish culture, and her husband's Filipino culture.

"We both kind of thought, 'OK, it's not super unique, but it's kind of an older name so it won't be super common.' And so now to find out that it is the most common name of 2024, I'm very surprised. I mean, we're not mad or happy or anything. Just, hopefully she doesn't have like three of them in her class growing up," Feraro said.

Also notable was the rise in popularity of the name Muhammed, which was in 20th place in 2023, and is now in tied for 10th place in the most recent data.

Aqeel Wahab's family is Sri Lankan Muslim — he, his father and his son's first names are Muhammed, after the Muslim prophet Muhammed, but in their culture they go by their middle names.

"Muslims believe that a name is really important, that if you give someone a beautiful name, that you hope that they embody that name in the future. That's the hope. And the name Muhammed means 'the most praised one,'" he said.

He says growing up in the 1980s, his name stood out but now kids in Saskatchewan are growing up with a more global outlook.

"It's such a great trend for our youth to grow up sort of seeing everybody as just human. And are you a good person and beyond a name?" he said.

The names Liam, Noah, Emma, Olivia, Sophia and Ava have been on the list of top 10 baby names for the past decade. 

This trend of what some call "classic" baby names makes sense to Ferara.

"They are tested and true, you know, they're just solid names that everybody likes and easy to pronounce and you know, they are classics, so they always sound nice and fit nice," she said.