PHOENIX — Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix welcomed its first baby of 2026 just minutes after the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day.
The Garcia-Gutierrez family celebrated the birth of their second child, a boy, at 12:02 a.m. on Thursday.
The boy came out a healthy 8.1 pounds and 20.8 inches long, according to the hospital.
It’s always special to begin a new year with the gift of life, and Valley hospitals are quick to hype the occasion, such as Mesa’s Banner Desert Medical Center helping deliver its first baby of 2025 just 18 minutes after it began.
Most popular baby names of 2025 in Arizona
After Liam was the fan favorite in 2024, Noah took the throne in 2025 with Liam, Mateo, Santiago and Oliver rounding out the top-five most popular boy baby names in Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
For baby girl names, the reign of Olivia continued, as it has been the top name for five consecutive years. Much of 2024’s top five remained in tact the following year, with Sophia (second), Isabella (fourth) and Emma (fifth) holding steady in popularity. Mia made a leap from sixth in 2024 to third in 2025.
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