This spring, more than 4,800 Kent State students became Kent State alumni in commencement ceremonies. Just for fun, each spring Kent State Today tracks the most frequently appearing names in the list of graduates. You can view the 2024 list here.
There are some shake-ups in the top five names in this spring’s graduating class as compared to the top names of the Class of 2024. Of the traditionally female names, last year’s leader, “Emma,” drops to No. 5 in 2025. “Emily” retains the No. 2 position, “Madison” dropped from No. 5 to number 10, and “Lauren,” which was tied for second place and “Hannah,” (fourth place) both dropped out of the top 10.
The Social Security Administration maintains lists of the top baby names for each year. Decades later, when those babies become university students, the most frequently appearing names in Kent State’s student body generally follow those lists, but sometimes a surprise name moves to the top.
This year’s winner? “Abigail.” “Abigail” wasn’t in the top 10 last year and doesn’t begin trending in the Social Security Administration’s top baby names until 2005, but there were 49 Abigails in Kent State’s Spring Class of 2025.
Top 10 Traditionally Female Names in Kent State’s Spring Class of 2025 (listed in order of frequency):
Abigail
Emily/Emilee/Emma Lee
Elizabeth
Olivia
Emma
Sarah/Sara
Sydney/Sidney
Grace/Gracie
Alexis
Rachel/Rachael
Madison/Madisyn/Madysin
For the traditionally male names, all of the names in last year’s top five remained in the top 10, but only three remained in the top five. Last year’s No. 5 name, “Jacob,” topped this year’s list with 41 graduating seniors sharing that name, followed by Michael (No. 3 in 2024.) New addition “Tyler” and “Andrew” (No. 6 in 2024) were No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, for 2025. “Joshua” came in at No. 5 this year, rising from the No. 8 position last year.
Top 10 Traditionally Male Names in Kent State’s Spring Class of 2025 (listed in order of frequency):
Jacob
Michael
Tyler
Andrew
Joshua
Joseph
Matthew/Matt
Nicholas/Nicolas
Alexander
Zachary/Zackary/Zakary
The majority of Kent State’s graduates this spring were born in 2003 and 2004. The Social Security Administration’s list of top baby names for 2003 and 2004 lists Emily, Emma, Madison, Hannah, Olivia, Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew and Andrew as the top names for 2003. For 2004, the top names are Emily, Emma, Madison, Olivia, Hannah, Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew and Ethan.