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 Illinois 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.
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
1 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,077
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 200 (#513 most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
2 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,085
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,676 (#22 most common name, -54.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#30 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
3 / 30Scott is a name of Scotland origin meaning "a Scotsman".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,699
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 177 (#574 most common name, -98.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 111,814 (#36 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
4 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,129
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,395 (#96 most common name, -84.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
5 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,255
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 312 (#370 (tie) most common name, -97.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Fotonium // Shutterstock
6 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,175
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 920 (#154 most common name, -91.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
7 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,597
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 774 (#183 most common name, -93.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
8 / 30Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,618
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,120 (#124 (tie) most common name, -90.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Mallmo // Shutterstock
9 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,832
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 248 (#440 (tie) most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
10 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,835
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 189 (#540 most common name, -98.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
11 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,857
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 100 (#817 (tie) most common name, -99.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
12 / 30Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 12,655
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 288 (#393 (tie) most common name, -97.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
Katrina Elena // Shutterstock
13 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,773
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 544 (#244 most common name, -96.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
14 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,651
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 514 (#247 (tie) most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,433
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 265 (#418 most common name, -98.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
16 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,614
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 203 (#507 most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
morrowlight // Shutterstock
17 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,901
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,307 (#10 most common name, -72.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
18 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 16,344
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,286 (#27 most common name, -79.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,556
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,792 (#35 most common name, -84.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
20 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,854
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 59 (#1125 (tie) most common name, -99.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
21 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 22,607
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 549 (#240 most common name, -97.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Tatiana Dyuvbanova // Shutterstock
22 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 24,502
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 736 (#190 (tie) most common name, -97.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
MIA Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 30,053
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,535 (#41 most common name, -91.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
24 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 30,719
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 619 (#223 most common name, -98.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 32,678
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,823 (#6 most common name, -85.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
26 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 42,128
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,198 (#29 most common name, -92.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
27 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 47,397
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,672 (#75 most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 47,669
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,287 (#26 most common name, -93.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Irisska // Shutterstock
29 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 48,347
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,658 (#8 most common name, -90.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
30 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Illinois
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 55,743
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,549 (#9 most common name, -91.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
