Our Most Popular Baby Names This Year

Hunter Russel was the first baby born at St. Luke’s University Health Network in 2023, arriving at 3:54 a.m. at the Allentown Campus. He was the seventh child of Kathryn and Adrian Russel, of Breinigsville, joining siblings Natalie, Adrian, Mason, Hailey, Grant and Michael.

Within the St. Luke’s network this year, the most popular name for baby boys is Liam, while Isabella is the name given most often to newborn girls. Hunter, while a popular name, wasn’t near the top of the list for boys. Babies are delivered at St. Luke’s Allentown, Anderson and Upper Bucks campuses.

Each year around this time, the website names.org predicts the most popular names for babies born that year in the United States based on available, though incomplete, data from the Social Security Administration.

Names.org predicts that Olivia and Liam will be the most popular baby names in 2023, with 18,000 girls named the former and 20,600 boys receiving the latter moniker.

Isabella is a variation on Isabel, meaning “devoted to God.” Liam means strong willed warrior and protector. This year, Isabella was closely followed in popularity by Emma, while Noah was next most popular to Liam. 

St. Luke’s helped approximately 5,000 babies enter the world this year at its three Labor & Delivery units. In February 2024, the network will open its expanded birthing center at the 85,000 square-foot, five-floor Women’s & Babies Pavilion at the St. Luke’s Allentown Campus. 

What will be the name of the first child born there and at the other campuses? We’ll have to just wait and see!