Family

Most popular baby names of every year since 1915

Written by:
Ben Wittstein
August 27, 2018
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The most popular baby name of every year since 1915

If you've ever resented your parents because your classmates called you "John P." as opposed to "John" or "Anna W." instead of "Anna," consider that they may have just been looking out for your best interest. Part of the psychology that goes into naming a child is a phenomenon known as the "playground effect," the way in which parents consider how their child's name would influence his or her popularity amongst peers. Because of the vicious social warzones schools can be, many parents shy away from unique names and those who do choose abnormal spellings typically regret it down the line, as was revealed by a survey of 3,000 parents.

As such, it makes sense that over time the majority of American parents have gone for the same select few names year in and year out. Since 1915 there have only been eight male names and 10 female names that have taken the top spot annually for their respective national ranks. Of those 18, 16 have sustained their reign at the top for multiple years, indicating that when a new name amasses a great deal of popularity society clings to it for quite some time.

Using data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker found the three most popular male and female names in the United States from every year since 1915. The top names for every year are ranked according to the total number of babies born with that name in that year.

Read on to see if your name was amongst the most popular for the past 100 years.

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1915-1919

#1 boys' name: John
#2 boys' name: William
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Helen
#3 girls' name: Dorothy

1920

#1 boys' name: John
#2 boys' name: William
#3 boys' name: Robert

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Dorothy
#3 girls' name: Helen

1921-1923

#1 boys' name: John
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Dorothy
#3 girls' name: Helen

1924

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Dorothy
#3 girls' name: Helen

1925

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Dorothy
#3 girls' name: Betty

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1926-1927

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Dorothy
#3 girls' name: Betty

1928

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Betty
#3 girls' name: Dorothy

1929-1931

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Betty
#3 girls' name: Dorothy

1932-1934

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Betty
#3 girls' name: Barbara

1935-1936

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Shirley
#3 girls' name: Barbara

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1937-1939

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Barbara
#3 girls' name: Patricia

1940-1943

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Barbara
#3 girls' name: Patricia

1944

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Barbara
#3 girls' name: Linda

1945

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Linda
#3 girls' name: Barbara

1946

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Linda
#3 girls' name: Patricia

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1947

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Linda
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Patricia

1948

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Linda
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Barbara

1949-1952

#1 boys' name: James
#2 boys' name: Robert
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Linda
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Patricia

1953

#1 boys' name: Robert
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: Michael

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Linda
#3 girls' name: Deborah

1954

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: Robert

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Linda
#3 girls' name: Deborah

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1955

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Deborah
#3 girls' name: Linda

1956

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: Robert

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Debra
#3 girls' name: Linda

1957

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: David

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Susan
#3 girls' name: Linda

1958-1959

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Susan
#3 girls' name: Linda

1960

#1 boys' name: David
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Susan
#3 girls' name: Linda

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1961

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Mary
#2 girls' name: Lisa
#3 girls' name: Susan

1962

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Susan

1963-1964

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: David

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Susan

1965

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: John
#3 boys' name: David

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Mary
#3 girls' name: Karen

1966

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Kimberly
#3 girls' name: Mary

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1967

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Kimberly
#3 girls' name: Michelle

1968

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: John

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Michelle
#3 girls' name: Kimberly

1969

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: David
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Lisa
#2 girls' name: Michelle
#3 girls' name: Jennifer

1970

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: David

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Lisa
#3 girls' name: Kimberly

1971

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: James
#3 boys' name: David

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Michelle
#3 girls' name: Lisa

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1972

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: James

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Michelle
#3 girls' name: Lisa

1973

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Jason

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Amy
#3 girls' name: Michelle

1974

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jason
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Amy
#3 girls' name: Michelle

1975

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jason
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Amy
#3 girls' name: Heather

1976

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jason
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Amy
#3 girls' name: Melissa

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1977

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jason
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Melissa
#3 girls' name: Amy

1978

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jason
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Melissa
#3 girls' name: Jessica

1979

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Jason

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Melissa
#3 girls' name: Amanda

1980

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Jason

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Amanda
#3 girls' name: Jessica

1981-1983

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Amanda

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1984

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jennifer
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Ashley

1985

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Jennifer

1986-1988

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Amanda

1989-1990

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Brittany

1991

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Ashley
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Brittany

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1992

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Ashley
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Amanda

1993

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Sarah

1994

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Christopher
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Emily

1995

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Matthew
#3 boys' name: Christopher

#1 girls' name: Jessica
#2 girls' name: Ashley
#3 girls' name: Emily

1996

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Matthew
#3 boys' name: Jacob

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Ashley

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1997

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jacob
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Jessica
#3 girls' name: Ashley

1998

#1 boys' name: Michael
#2 boys' name: Jacob
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Hannah
#3 girls' name: Samantha

1999

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Hannah
#3 girls' name: Alexis

2000

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Hannah
#3 girls' name: Madison

2001

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Matthew

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Madison
#3 girls' name: Hannah

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2002

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Joshua

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Madison
#3 girls' name: Hannah

2003-2006

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Joshua

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Emma
#3 girls' name: Madison

2007

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Ethan

#1 girls' name: Emily
#2 girls' name: Isabella
#3 girls' name: Emma

2008

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Michael
#3 boys' name: Ethan

#1 girls' name: Emma
#2 girls' name: Isabella
#3 girls' name: Emily

2009

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Ethan
#3 boys' name: Michael

#1 girls' name: Isabella
#2 girls' name: Emma
#3 girls' name: Olivia

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2010

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Ethan
#3 boys' name: Michael

#1 girls' name: Isabella
#2 girls' name: Sophia
#3 girls' name: Emma

2011

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Mason
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Sophia
#2 girls' name: Isabella
#3 girls' name: Emma

2012

#1 boys' name: Jacob
#2 boys' name: Mason
#3 boys' name: Ethan

#1 girls' name: Sophia
#2 girls' name: Emma
#3 girls' name: Isabella

2013

#1 boys' name: Noah
#2 boys' name: Jacob
#3 boys' name: Liam

#1 girls' name: Sophia
#2 girls' name: Emma
#3 girls' name: Olivia

2014-2015

#1 boys' name: Noah
#2 boys' name: Liam
#3 boys' name: Mason

#1 girls' name: Emma
#2 girls' name: Olivia
#3 girls' name: Sophia

2016

#1 boys' name: Noah
#2 boys' name: Liam
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Emma
#2 girls' name: Olivia
#3 girls' name: Ava

2017

#1 boys' name: Liam
#2 boys' name: Noah
#3 boys' name: William

#1 girls' name: Emma
#2 girls' name: Olivia
#3 girls' name: Ava

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