Reporter's notebook: What's in a name?

Do you know a Noah? If you don’t yet, you probably will soon as Noah once again topped the list of popular baby boy names in New Mexico in 2017.

The list of names, compiled annually by the Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, has featured Noah as the first- or second-most popular name for boys each year since 2014.

The top of the girls' names list stayed consistent as well with Mia and Sophia maintaining the top two spots on the list again, though this is the first year Sophia overtook Mia for first place.

For girls names New Mexicans largely followed national trends as the top seven girls names from the Department of Health’s list also make up the top seven names from a 2017 national baby names list published by BabyCenter. Though the order differs slightly, Sophia tops both lists.

New Mexicans were a bit more creative naming their boys this past year, as only four names are included on both state and national lists. New Mexico’s leading boys name, Noah, ranks third on BabyCenter’s list.

Girls names Aurora and Charlotte earned a spot on the Department of Health's list for the first time this year while Santiago, Ezekiel, Logan and Mateo made their debuts on the list of top boys names in 2017.

The complete list of top New Mexico baby names in 2017 is as follows:

For girls:

• Sophia

• Mia

• Olivia

• Isabella

• Emma

• Aria

• Ava

• Emily

• Aurora

• Charlotte

For boys:

• Noah

• Santiago

• Elijah

• Ezekiel

• Josiah

• Daniel

• Liam

• Michael

• Logan

• Mateo

— Compiled by Staff Writer Jamie Cushman