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Most popular babe names of every decade

I of the near important and exciting tasks for new parents is picking out their child's name. Whether it's a long-held family proper noun, a biblical name, or a proper name that holds special meaning for mom or dad, choosing the moniker that your kid will carry for life isn't something to take lightly. Over the years, certain names have peaked so faded in popularity while others stayed at the peak of the rankings for multiple decades. And while traditional and biblical names always seem to be in way, nosotros've likewise seen some more uncommon names become trendy.

The advent of movies and television had a significant influence on social club, and baby names were no exception. As pop culture became a bigger part of our lives, the pop babe names of those decades reflected information technology, with some names seeming to have been pulled straight from the silverish screen. We've likewise seen plenty of unusual celebrity babe names over the years, merely how many made it into the top rankings?

Using information collected from the Social Security Administration's historical baby proper noun database, Stacker compiled a listing of the top five babe names for both girls and boys in every decade. Stacker's list starts with the 1880s, the year in which the Social Security Administration began recording these data and ends in the 2010s. The data was released in May 2019.

Nosotros've included some of the meanings and origins of the names, why they might have been popular during that particular era, and some famous people who shared the superlative v names of that decade.

Starting with America's early years and taking you through the Great Low, Globe State of war II, hippie generation, '90s grunge, and into the side by side century, here are the baby names that were the virtually popular during every decade:

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1880s for girls

- Nearly pop baby names:
--- #1. Mary (91,668 babies born)
--- #ii. Anna (38,159 babies built-in)
--- #three. Emma (25,404 babies built-in)
--- #4. Elizabeth (25,006 babies built-in)
--- #5. Margaret (21,799 babies born)

The 1880s were a time of growth and change in America, with a large influx of Eastern European, Southern European, and Jewish immigrants fleeing religious persecution. The most popular girl names of this era reflect that growth, as the names Mary and Elizabeth are both Hebrew in origin, while Emma comes from the old German give-and-take for "whole."

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1880s for boys

- Near popular baby names:
--- #i. John (89,950 babies born)
--- #ii. William (84,881 babies born)
--- #3. James (54,056 babies born)
--- #four. George (47,651 babies born)
--- #5. Charles (46,656 babies born)

Popular boy names in the 1880s had one common theme in that they were all besides the names of various kings of England. While America had won its freedom from England more than than 100 years earlier, some influence seemed to remain when information technology came to picking out names for male person children. Charles and William are both of German origin, while James and John are Hebrew. Despite existence the name of more than ane British king, the name George is Greek and means "tiller of the soil."

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1890s for girls

- Almost popular infant names:
--- #1. Mary (131,136 babies born)
--- #2. Anna (55,261 babies born)
--- #3. Margaret (37,937 babies born)
--- #iv. Helen (37,802 babies born)
--- #v. Elizabeth (33,879 babies born)

Almost of the acme girl names in the 1890s carried over from the 1880s, and names like Mary, Margaret, and Elizabeth were even so very popular. The proper name Helen, which is Greek in origin, was a new improver, equally well every bit the proper name Anna, a Hebrew name meaning "Gracious." During this time, the National Adult female Suffrage Association had started to proceeds ground across the country, which mayhap led mothers to endow their daughters with strong, meaningful names.

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1890s for boys

- Well-nigh pop baby names:
--- #one. John (eighty,665 babies born)
--- #2. William (72,244 babies built-in)
--- #3. James (50,724 babies born)
--- #iv. George (43,358 babies built-in)
--- #5. Charles (36,848 babies built-in)

Superlative boy names for the 1890s kept to the status quo, with nonetheless names that were popular in the 1880s staying in the top five and even maintaining the same order of popularity. Because it was still very common for parents to look to the family Bible for infant names, it's non surprising that biblical names like John and James were trendy. Additionally, the proper noun George was the proper name of Christian martyr Saint George, the patron saint of England.

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1900s for girls

- Most popular baby names:
--- #ane. Mary (161,505 babies born)
--- #2. Helen (69,429 babies born)
--- #iii. Margaret (57,921 babies built-in)
--- #4. Anna (54,918 babies born)
--- #v. Ruth (51,011 babies born)

The names Mary and Margaret were yet among the top choices in girl names in the 1900s, also as Helen and Anna. Added to the list was the proper noun Ruth, a biblical proper name of Hebrew origin pregnant "friend." The popularity of the name may have been influenced by President Grover Cleveland, who named his firstborn daughter Ruth.

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1900s for boys

- Most pop infant names:
--- #1. John (84,593 babies born)
--- #2. William (69,319 babies built-in)
--- #3. James (62,170 babies born)
--- #iv. George (43,589 babies born)
--- #5. Charles (36,184 babies built-in)

The 1900s brought the same popular boy names as the previous 20 years, in the exact same order. While choosing names from the Bible remained a common method of baby-naming, the influence of famous authors such every bit Charles Dickens, who died in 1870 just was all the same widely read, might also take been a cistron.

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1910s for girls

- Most popular infant names:
--- #1. Mary (478,639 babies born)
--- #2. Helen (248,155 babies born)
--- #3. Dorothy (207,476 babies born)
--- #4. Margaret (189,233 babies born)
--- #v. Ruth (173,678 babies born)

Mary was nonetheless the #1 pick for girl names in the 1910s, just Margaret was edged out past the names Helen and Dorothy. The proper name Dorothy is of Greek origin and means "souvenir of God." The ongoing popularity of the name Helen may have been related to the continued success of Helen Keller's biography "The Story of my Life," which was published in 1901.

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1910s for boys

- Virtually popular baby names:
--- #1. John (376,318 babies born)
--- #2. William (303,020 babies born)
--- #3. James (275,076 babies born)
--- #four. Robert (239,189 babies born)
--- #5. Joseph (179,302 babies built-in)

While John, William, and James remained showtime picks for boys in the 1910s, The names Robert and Joseph had also become very popular. As John and James, Joseph, which is of Hebrew origin and means "God shall add some other son," was most likely taken straight from the Bible.

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1920s for girls

- About pop baby names:
--- #1. Mary (701,754 babies born)
--- #ii. Dorothy (368,871 babies born)
--- #3. Helen (290,402 babies born)
--- #four. Betty (283,093 babies born)
--- #5. Margaret (245,008 babies born)

The roaring 1920s were a time of economic growth, social change, and the advent of a more urban civilization that included music, movies, and young women called "flappers," who danced, smoked, and drank despite prohibition laws. The name Betty, a diminutive of Elizabeth, fabricated its way to the top of the infant name charts during this time. "Betty" was as well the proper name of a young woman in a popular comic strip created past artist Charles Voight, which ran from 1920 to 1943 and may have inspired parents to name their daughters afterward the glamorous character.

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1920s for boys

- Most popular baby names:
--- #i. Robert (576,364 babies born)
--- #two. John (564,063 babies built-in)
--- #3. James (515,309 babies born)
--- #4. William (512,400 babies built-in)
--- #5. Charles (298,034 babies born)

The proper noun Robert took the pb in the 1920s, while Charles made its way back into the top five after dropping off in the 1910s. Famous film actor Charlie Chaplin might have had something to do with the renewed popularity, as movies had become a big part of American life, and Chaplin'due south career was at its height during this time.

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1930s for girls

- Most popular baby names:
--- #1. Mary (572,956 babies born)
--- #2. Betty (300,383 babies born)
--- #iii. Barbara (296,404 babies built-in)
--- #4. Shirley (229,359 babies born)
--- #five. Patricia (220,576 babies born)

The names Mary and Betty held the #1 and #2 spots into the 1930s, but the names Barbara, Shirley, and Patricia besides became very popular. Ane of the most famous Shirleys of the era was child extra Shirley Temple, who starred in more than 25 films betwixt 1932 and 1939. With people turning to movies to assist distract themselves from the Great Depression, information technology'south quite probable that "Little Miss Phenomenon," every bit she was known, was one of the reasons the name became and so widely used.

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1930s for boys

- Nigh popular baby names:
--- #i. Robert (590,734 babies built-in)
--- #ii. James (547,396 babies born)
--- #3. John (487,878 babies born)
--- #4. William (416,673 babies born)
--- #5. Richard (330,449 babies born)

Robert was still the #i option for boy names in the 1930s, with James, John, and William following close behind. The name Richard fabricated the list as well. It's a traditional proper noun of German origin, which means "potent ruler." Famous Richards built-in in the 1930s include talk show host Richard "Dick" Cavett and role player Richard Chamberlain.

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1940s for girls

- Well-nigh popular baby names:
--- #1. Mary (640,031 babies built-in)
--- #2. Linda (531,640 babies born)
--- #3. Barbara (425,249 babies born)
--- #4. Patricia (411,403 babies born)
--- #5. Carol (292,325 babies born)

During the 1940s, Earth State of war II meant women had to pace exterior of their traditional roles and into "men's jobs," which brought lasting change to society. Alongside these changes, names for girls were evolving as well. Mary was still the all-fourth dimension favorite, but more modern names similar Carol and Linda had made their way into the tiptop rankings. Singer Jack Lawrence made the name Linda even more popular with the release of his single, "Linda," in 1946. He wrote the vocal for Linda Eastman, his attorney'due south babe daughter, who was subsequently known equally Linda McCartney, the married woman of Beatles front-man Paul McCartney.

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1940s for boys

- Near popular baby names:
--- #ane. James (795,680 babies born)
--- #2. Robert (758,037 babies born)
--- #3. John (711,533 babies built-in)
--- #four. William (556,414 babies born)
--- #5. Richard (477,417 babies built-in)

While the peak boy names in the 1940s were the same every bit the 1930s, the proper noun James took over the #1 spot, with Robert and John dropping into second and third place. Going to the movies had become one of America'southward favorite pastimes, so information technology's possible celebrities similar James Stewart and James Gleason had something to do with the sudden boost of the proper noun's popularity. President Theodore Roosevelt too had a son named James, who played an active part in Roosevelt's early on political career.

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1950s for girls

- Most pop baby names:
--- #1. Mary (625,568 babies born)
--- #2. Linda (564,317 babies built-in)
--- #iii. Patricia (459,638 babies born)
--- #iv. Susan (437,736 babies built-in)
--- #v. Deborah (430,519 babies born)

With more than than 600,000 babe girls named Mary in the 1950s, information technology seemed like the name couldn't exist shaken from the #1 spot. Linda and Patricia were also however on the list, and the names Susan and Deborah debuted as the other two near pop names. One of the most famous Susans of the era was extra Susan Hayward, and England's Queen Elizabeth Ii named her first Pembroke Corgi, which she received as a gift for her 18th altogether.

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1950s for boys

- About popular baby names:
--- #1. James (843,531 babies built-in)
--- #2. Michael (837,199 babies born)
--- #three. Robert (830,179 babies born)
--- #4. John (797,717 babies born)
--- #5. David (769,685 babies built-in)

James was still belongings at #1 for boys in the 1950s, but Michael had too become quite popular, debuting at #2 with more than 800,000 infant boys given the name. Michael is of Hebrew origin and is the name of the archangel in the Bible'southward Volume of Daniel. David, which means "beloved" and is also of Hebrew origin, was the other new improver to the top choices, with more than than 760,000 boys bestowed with the proper name in the 1950s.

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1960s for girls

- Most popular baby names:
--- #1. Lisa (496,976 babies built-in)
--- #2. Mary (355,224 babies born)
--- #three. Susan (287,654 babies built-in)
--- #iv. Karen (286,047 babies born)
--- #5. Kimberly (259,076 babies born)

The 1960s brought political protests, social modify, and upheaval across the whole country. That upheaval even impacted name choices, when later on more than than 80 years in the #ane spot, the name Mary slipped to #2, surpassed by the proper noun Lisa. Susan was however in the top five, and the names Karen and Kimberly debuted equally well. Famous Lisas built-in in the 1960s include extra Lisa Bonet and announcer Lisa Ling, and singer Elvis Presley named his baby daughter Lisa when she was born in 1968.

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1960s for boys

- Nearly pop baby names:
--- #1. Michael (833,217 babies born)
--- #ii. David (734,032 babies born)
--- #3. John (713,500 babies born)
--- #4. James (684,851 babies built-in)
--- #5. Robert (650,842 babies born)

Michael peaked at #one for boy names in the 1960s, with another 800,000+ babe boys given the proper name during this time. David moved up to #2, and James, while yet very popular, dropped to #4. The name John moved upwards from the #4 spot to #3, which was perhaps due in part to the popularity of President John F. Kennedy.

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1970s for girls

- About popular babe names:
--- #i. Jennifer (581,763 babies born)
--- #2. Amy (268,999 babies born)
--- #three. Melissa (253,283 babies born)
--- #iv. Michelle (249,144 babies born)
--- #5. Kimberly (229,107 babies built-in)

The name Jennifer, which ways "fair spirit" and is of English origin, was #i for daughter names in the 1970s. While the name seemed to have come from nowhere, it'southward probably no coincidence that the very popular pic "Love Story," released in 1970, had a lead character, played by Ali MacGraw, named "Jenny." The name Mary had completely fallen off the list past at present, replaced at #two by Amy, followed by Melissa, Michelle, and Kimberly.

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1970s for boys

- Nearly pop baby names:
--- #1. Michael (707,647 babies born)
--- #2. Christopher (475,606 babies born)
--- #3. Jason (462,935 babies born)
--- #four. David (445,949 babies born)
--- #5. James (444,946 babies born)

The name Michael was still property strong at #i in the 1970s, with new contenders Christopher and Jason at #ii and #3. Both Christopher and Jason are of Greek origin, and Christopher translates to "Christ-bearer" while Jason ways "healer." Famous Christophers born in the 1970s include Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and actor Chris O'Donnell, while comedian Jason Sudeikis and actor Jason Momoa are too kids of the '70s.

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1980s for girls

- Most popular babe names:
--- #i. Jessica (469,487 babies born)
--- #2. Jennifer (440,871 babies built-in)
--- #three. Amanda (369,721 babies born)
--- #4. Ashley (352,187 babies built-in)
--- #5. Sarah (272,613 babies born)

Acid-washed jeans, large hair, and New Wave music were all popular in the 1980s, but as far equally baby names go, Jessica was the winner. More than 450,000 babies were given the name Jessica during this fourth dimension, knocking Jennifer from the #1 spot. Pop culture had become an ingrained part of American society, so the obsession with Jessica could be attributed to popular celebrities similar actress Jessica Lange, or fictional characters like Jessica Rabbit from the 1988 movie, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

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1980s for boys

- About pop baby names:
--- #1. Michael (663,742 babies built-in)
--- #2. Christopher (554,904 babies born)
--- #iii. Matthew (458,976 babies born)
--- #4. Joshua (396,590 babies born)
--- #5. David (383,723 babies born)

Boy names in the 1980s weren't too far different from the 1970s, with Michael retaining its #one spot and Christopher at #2. The names Matthew and Joshua also became popular during this time, coming in at #3 and #iv. Former teen heartthrob and actor Matt Dillon starred in many movies during the 1980s, which certainly could have increased the popularity of the name.

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1990s for girls

- Most popular baby names:
--- #1. Jessica (303,094 babies built-in)
--- #ii. Ashley (301,803 babies born)
--- #3. Emily (237,232 babies born)
--- #iv. Sarah (224,338 babies born)
--- #v. Samantha (224,000 babies built-in)

It was notwithstanding all about Jessica in the 1990s, with more than 300,000 baby girls given the proper noun. Jessica was closely followed by Ashley at #2, and Emily, Sarah, and Samantha rounded out the elevation five. The proper name Ashley, which is of English origin and means "Ash tree," is really considered a unisex name. It was primarily a homo'south name into the 1900s, and was the proper noun of Scarlett O'Hara'southward love interest in the 1939 motion-picture show, "Gone with the Wind."

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1990s for boys

- Most popular infant names:
--- #i. Michael (462,327 babies built-in)
--- #2. Christopher (360,212 babies built-in)
--- #3. Matthew (351,615 babies born)
--- #four. Joshua (329,124 babies built-in)
--- #5. Jacob (298,345 babies born)

For the fourth decade in a row, Michael was #1 for male child names in the 1990s. The names Christopher and Matthew retained their #2 and #3 spots, with Joshua and Jacob coming in quaternary and fifth. In that location were plenty of famous Michaels in the spotlight during this time, which probably helped keep its #1 condition. From music superstar Michael Jackson to sports phenomenon Michael Jordan, too as battle champ Mike Tyson and thespian Michael J. Fox, the proper noun Michael was hotter than always.

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2000s for girls

- Near popular baby names:
--- #1. Emily (223,690 babies built-in)
--- #ii. Madison (193,152 babies built-in)
--- #3. Emma (181,257 babies born)
--- #four. Olivia (156,000 babies born)
--- #five. Hannah (155,698 babies built-in)

The new decade brought a new array of popular girl names, with Emily coming in at #one, followed by Madison at #two, then Emma, Olivia, and Hannah. The proper noun Madison, a derivative of Madeline or Maud, had slowly grown in popularity after the release of the 1984 movie "Splash," in which actress Daryl Hannah plays a mermaid by that name. By the 2000s, it was one of the most-used baby names in the U.S.

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2000s for boys

- Most popular baby names:
--- #1. Jacob (273,844 babies born)
--- #ii. Michael (250,554 babies born)
--- #3. Joshua (231,926 babies born)
--- #4. Matthew (221,513 babies born)
--- #5. Daniel (203,720 babies born)

The 2000s saw the recycling of many boy names that had been popular in previous decades, with Jacob topping the list during this time, followed past Michael, Joshua, and Matthew. The name Daniel came in at #5, with more than than 200,000 babe boys given the name. While Daniel hasn't always fabricated the summit v boy names, it has always been high on the list for most-used babe names in the U.S. Famous Daniels in the 2000s include actors such as Daniel Craig, Daniel Mean solar day-Lewis, and Daniel Radcliffe of "Harry Potter" fame.

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2010s for girls

- Most popular baby names:
--- #i. Emma (177,410 babies born)
--- #2. Sophia (166,986 babies born)
--- #3. Olivia (165,581 babies built-in)
--- #4. Isabella (156,709 babies born)
--- #5. Ava (140,979 babies born)

It felt like a return to romance in the 2010s, with the proper noun Emma at #ane and Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, and Ava rounding out the meridian five. Equally always, glory influence was a factor, and the popularity of actresses such as Emma Stone and Olivia Wilde might aid explicate the number of babe girls named after them. The proper name Ava, which came in at #v, is likewise the name of several glory children, including actress Reese Witherspoon'south daughter and Bon Jovi rocker Richie Sambora'due south daughter.

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2010s for boys

- Most popular babe names:
--- #1. Noah (163,657 babies born)
--- #2. Liam (152,994 babies born)
--- #iii. Jacob (152,020 babies built-in)
--- #4. Stonemason (146,079 babies born)
--- #5. William (145,893 babies built-in)

The 2010s finally knocked some of the more traditional boy names out of the top five, with Noah coming in at #1. The name William, which hadn't made the summit five since the 1940s, also came back into play, with more than 145,000 babe boys given the proper name during this time. America's never-ending fascination with the British royals, primarily Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, might have been function of the reason for the name'south resurgence.

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