Most Popular Names

Find the most popular baby names given each year to boys and girls in the United States from 1880 to the present. Visit the Interactive Baby Name Finder for more popular baby names.

Boys

  • 1880: John, William, Charles, George, James, Joseph, Frank, Henry, Thomas, Harry
  • 1890: John, William, James, George, Charles, Joseph, Frank, Harry, Henry, Edward
  • 1900: John, William, James, George, Charles, Joseph, Frank, Henry, Robert, Harry
  • 1910: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph, Charles/George (tie), Edward, Frank, Henry
  • 1920: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph, Charles, George, Edward, Thomas, Frank
  • 1930: Robert, James, John, William, Richard, Charles, Donald, George, Joseph, Edward
  • 1940: James, Robert, John, William, Richard, Charles, David, Thomas, Donald, Ronald
  • 1950: John, James, Robert, William, Michael, David, Richard, Thomas, Charles, Gary
  • 1960: David, Michael, John, James, Robert, Mark, William, Richard, Thomas, Steven
  • 1970: Michael, David, John, James, Robert, Christopher, William, Mark, Richard, Brian
  • 1980: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James, Matthew, John, Joshua, Robert, Daniel
  • 1990: Michael, Christopher, Joshua, Matthew, David, Daniel, Andrew, Joseph, Justin, James
  • 2000: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher, Nicholas, Andrew, Joseph, Daniel, Tyler
  • 2002: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan, Joseph, Andrew, Christopher, Daniel, Nicholas
  • 2003: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Andrew, Joseph, Ethan, Daniel, Christopher, Anthony
  • 2004: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan, Andrew, Daniel, William, Joseph, Christopher
  • 2005: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan, Andrew, Daniel, Anthony, Christopher, Joseph
  • 2006: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Ethan, Matthew, Daniel, Christopher, Andrew, Anthony, William
  • 2007: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Christopher, Anthony, William, Matthew, Andrew
  • 2008: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Alexander, Anthony, William, Christopher, Matthew
  • 2009: Jacob, Ethan, Michael, Alexander, William, Joshua, Daniel, Jayden, Noah, Anthony

Girls

  • 1880: Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Margaret, Minnie, Emma, Martha, Alice, Marie, Annie/Sarah (tie)
  • 1890: Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Emma, Margaret, Rose, Ethel, Florence, Ida, Bertha/Helen (tie)
  • 1900: Mary, Helen, Anna, Margaret, Ruth, Elizabeth, Marie, Rose, Florence, Bertha
  • 1910: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth, Anna, Mildred, Elizabeth, Alice, Ethel
  • 1920: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth, Virginia, Elizabeth, Anna, Mildred, Betty
  • 1930: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Barbara, Margaret, Maria, Patricia, Doris, Joan/Ruth (tie)
  • 1940: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Carol, Judith, Betty, Nancy, Maria, Margaret, Linda
  • 1950: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan, Maria, Sandra, Nancy, Deborah, Kathleen
  • 1960: Mary, Susan, Maria, Karen, Lisa, Linda, Donna, Patricia, Debra, Deborah
  • 1970: Jennifer, Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle, Angela, Maria, Amy, Melissa, Mary, Tracy
  • 1980: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Melissa, Sarah, Nicole, Heather, Amy, Michelle, Elizabeth
  • 1990: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda, Stephanie, Jennifer, Samantha, Sarah, Megan, Lauren
  • 2000: Emily, Hannah, Madison, Ashley, Sarah, Alexis, Samantha, Jessica, Taylor, Elizabeth
  • 2002: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Emma, Alexis, Ashley, Abigail, Sarah, Samantha, Olivia
  • 2003: Emily, Emma, Madison, Hannah, Olivia, Abigail, Alexis, Ashley, Elizabeth, Samantha
  • 2004: Emily, Emma, Madison, Olivia, Hannah, Abigail, Isabella, Ashley, Samantha, Elizabeth
  • 2005: Emily, Emma, Madison, Abigail, Olivia, Isabella, Hannah, Samantha, Ava, Ashley
  • 2006: Emily, Emma, Madison, Isabella, Ava, Abigail, Olivia, Hannah, Sophia, Samantha
  • 2007: Emily, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Madison, Sophia, Olivia, Abigail, Hannah, Elizabeth
  • 2008: Emma, Isabella, Emily, Madison, Ava, Olivia, Sophia, Abigail, Elizabeth, Chloe
  • 2009: Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Ava, Emily, Madison, Abigail, Chloe, Mia
NOTE: Represents the most frequently used given names for births, based on a sampling of Social Security card applications. Source: Social Security Administration. Web: www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames .

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