Perhaps no decade in US history conjures up more imagery of all-American idealism than the 1950s. A politically conservative era, the '50s introduced the world to some of the most enduring cultural touchstones of the USA: milkshakes, Elvis Presley, "I Love Lucy," and sock-hops. One might imagine classic American kids named Jimmy and Susie splitting a hot-fudge sundae at a local soda shop—and you'd actually be historically accurate. James and Susan were in fact two of the most popular names of the decade.
Stacker compiled a list of the most popular baby names for boys in the 50s in Delaware using data from the Social Security Administration. Names are ranked by number of babies born.
Keep reading to see if your name made the list.
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
1 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 56 (#164 most common name, -83.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
2 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 364
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 56 (#164 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
3 / 30Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 372
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#427 (tie) most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
4 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 376
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#427 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
5 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 402
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 328 (#14 most common name, -18.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#30 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
6 / 30Wayne is a name of English origin meaning "wagon builder".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 427
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 328 (#14 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 88,092 (#43 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
7 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 491
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6 (#377 most common name, -98.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
8 / 30Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 494
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 113 (#97 (tie) most common name, -77.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Flashon // Shutterstock
9 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 529
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 256 (#24 most common name, -51.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
10 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 564
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 47 (#186 most common name, -91.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
11 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 621
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 25 (#254 most common name, -96.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
12 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 627
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#166 most common name, -91.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
MIA Studio // Shutterstock
13 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 646
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#357 most common name, -98.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
14 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 660
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 44 (#192 most common name, -93.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
15 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 677
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 24 (#257 most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
16 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 678
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 24 (#257 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
17 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 689
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 65 (#149 (tie) most common name, -90.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
18 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 700
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 51 (#179 (tie) most common name, -92.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Ramona Heim // Shutterstock
19 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 803
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#288 (tie) most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
20 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 911
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#166 most common name, -94.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
21 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,098
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 185 (#54 most common name, -83.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
22 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,198
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 289 (#19 most common name, -75.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
23 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,230
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 211 (#44 most common name, -82.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
24 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,568
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 72 (#140 (tie) most common name, -95.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,088
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 237 (#33 most common name, -88.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
26 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,091
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 390 (#3 most common name, -81.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
27 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,256
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 359 (#6 most common name, -84.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
28 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,291
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 382 (#5 most common name, -83.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
29 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,387
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 175 (#59 most common name, -92.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
2p2play // Shutterstock
30 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Delaware
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,654
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 292 (#17 most common name, -89.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
