At 12:58 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, Norwood’s North Central Bronx Hospital welcomed its first baby of the year delivered at the hospital, Ridhaan Mollik. Ridhaan weighed in at 6 pounds 9.5 ounces, and is 20.1 inches long, according to hospital officials, who said the baby boy is the first child of Sornaly Kor Aky.

 

Following the New Year’s Day arrival of Ridhaan at North Central Bronx Hospital, Jacobi Medical Center, located in the Morris Park section of The Bronx, welcomed its first baby of the New Year with the arrival a few hours later of a baby girl named Farah Alsaidi, born at 3:27 a.m. Farah weighs 6 pounds 4 ounces, and is 18.9 inches long. She is the fifth child of Eham Nagi, according to the hospital.

 

On Dec. 22, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOH) had released the top baby names for 2024, with Mia and Noah moving into the top spots, replacing Emma and Liam which had topped the list in recent years.

 

Of the 65,222 babies born in New York City in 2024, DOH officials said families chose the name Noah 722 times and Mia 422 times. “Every year, our list of the most popular baby names serves as a reminder of who we are as a City, and who the next generation of New Yorkers will be,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse.

 

“We love to see so many little New Yorkers bringing hope and joy into the City,” she added. “As we enter the new year, we recommit ourselves to creating a New York City where our children can live long, healthy lives.”

 

DOH officials went on to say that the top 10 baby names in 2024 saw several “rattle shake-ups,” with Amelia sliding to number 12 for girls’ names, down from number 6 in 2023, while Zoe moved up to the number 6 spot from the number 11 spot. For boys, they said Aiden rose to number 8 from place number 12, while Mohammad stayed steady at number 10 after breaking into the top 10 names for first time last year.

 

DOH officials said gender-neutral baby names are also a popular choice, with many families using the same name or variations regardless of the baby’s sex at birth. In 2024, they said this included Angel (F-122, M-58), Riley (F-37, M- 134), Cameron (F-119, M-64), Charlie (F-88, M-89), Jordyn (F-120) and Jordan (M-85), Amari (F-121, M-86), and Remy (F-120) and Remi (M-139).

 

DOH officials said 2025 marked the health department’s 220th birthday, and in that spirit, they said DOH looked into the archives for the most popular baby names since the practice of recording them began in 1898. They said what they found were names that have stood the test of time.

 

They said the top 10 female baby names in 1898 were Mary, Catherine, Margaret, Annie, Rose, Marie, Esther, Sarah, Frances, and Ida, while in 2024, they said Esther was the tenth most popular name for girls.

 

Most Popular Baby Names in New York City, 2024

RANK	GIRLS	BOYS
1	Mia	Noah
2	Emma	Liam
3	Sophia	Ethan
4	Leah	David
5	Isabella	Lucas
6	Zoe	Jacob
7	Olivia	Joseph
8	Chloe	Aiden
9	Sofia	Dylan *
10	Esther	Muhammad *

*Tied for 9th place

Meanwhile, they said the top 10 male baby names in 1898 were John, William, Charles, George, Joseph, Edward, James, Louis, Francis, and Samuel, while Joseph was the seventh most popular name for boys in 2024.

 

The health department is reminding parents that it continues to offer guidance for parents filling out legal paperwork related to their baby’s birth, including birth certificates. For more details, visit New and Expectant Parents.

 

They said parents who need more time to name their child for religious or other reasons may register their baby’s birth without a first name and add it later. They said this can be done at no cost through the health department within 60 days of birth, or through the hospital where the baby was born within 12 months of birth.

 

Meanwhile, DOH officials went on to say that parents who are not married can complete the acknowledgement of parentage (AOP) form to establish parentage. Visit the NYS Child Support site for more information.

 

DOH officials went on to say that the health department provides information on free or low-cost services for new parents, ranging from pre-pregnancy issues to resources for new parents to keep their babies healthy. For more information, visit Help for Expecting and New Parents.

 

Meanwhile, the health department’s Bureau of Vital Statistics compiles baby name lists from birth certificates and collects other data, including total births by year and demographic characteristics. Visit Vital Statistics to learn more.

 

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Hospital officials said the facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for what was described as its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service.

 

They said the facility also offers the region’s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Finally, they said Jacobi Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a “stunning complement” to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with “high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment.” For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi.

Meanwhile, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx is a member facility of the NYC Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. Hospital officials said a 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx specializes in women’s and children’s services. They said it also provides Behavioral Health, acute, and ambulatory care.

 

They said its “busy outpatient department has led the way” in community-based care delivered in a “compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner.” They said its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year and they added that North Central Bronx is committed to providing “safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need.” For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx.

 

NYC Health + Hospitals officials said those who are expecting a child can reach out to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx at (718) 918-5000 to schedule a prenatal appointment today. They said it was essential to start prenatal care as soon as parents know they are expecting a baby.