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Baby names that rocked the 1960s

·Cata Holmes

Dennis Hallinan // Getty
Dennis Hallinan // Getty
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You can often guess when someone was born from their fashion, favorite music, or childhood memories — but sometimes all it takes is their name. Every generation leaves its mark on the baby name charts, creating a snapshot of the tastes, traditions, and cultural influences that shaped families at the time. Decades later, those once-trendy choices can instantly place someone in a particular era.

The 1960s produced plenty of names that still feel familiar today, but they don't all carry the same popularity they once did. Some have remained steady favorites across multiple generations, while others peaked during the decade before quietly fading from playgrounds, classrooms, and birth announcements — much like the wave of names that defined the 1950s just before them. Looking back at these names offers a small but fascinating window into how American naming trends have evolved over the years.

To uncover which names defined the decade, we used the Social Security Administration's historical archives to calculate the average popularity ranking of baby names throughout the 1960s and compare those rankings with the most recent available data. The list highlights the names that dominated the era and shows which have remained timeless and which have become unmistakably tied to the decade.

Vintage black and white photo from the past. The photo shows a child with a Soviet toy.

fotoak // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#25 Boy: Donald

  • Rank in the 1960s: #25
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 17,263
  • Rank in 2025: #690
  • Births in 2025: 395
A vintage photograph depicting a baby lying on a blanket. The photo conveys the warm atmosphere of yesteryear.

fotoak // shutterstock

2 / 50

#25 Girl: Teresa

  • Rank in the 1960s: #25
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 15,179
  • Rank in 2025: #911
  • Births in 2025: 291
1967: A little boy is driving a big toy car.

Klochkov SCS // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#24 Boy: Ronald

  • Rank in the 1960s: #24
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,219
  • Rank in 2025: #638
  • Births in 2025: 438
Vintage photo of a one-year-old baby with a baby carriage in an apartment in 1960.

fotoak // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#24 Girl: Debra

  • Rank in the 1960s: #24
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 15,377
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of a baby sitting with toys.

fotoak // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#23 Boy: Gregory

  • Rank in the 1960s: #23
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,750
  • Rank in 2025: #593
  • Births in 2025: 493
Vintage candid photo of a cute little girl laughing.

fotoak // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#23 Girl: Sharon

  • Rank in the 1960s: #23
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 15,491
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
An old cute photo of a baby on a blanket in the garden.

fotoak // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#22 Boy: Anthony

  • Rank in the 1960s: #22
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 20,316
  • Rank in 2025: #46
  • Births in 2025: 5,967
Old cute photo of a baby on a bed from the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#22 Girl: Angela

  • Rank in the 1960s: #22
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 15,929
  • Rank in 2025: #408
  • Births in 2025: 765
Russia, September 7,1960, small child vintage photo.

Strela Studio // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#21 Boy: Kenneth

  • Rank in the 1960s: #21
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 22,753
  • Rank in 2025: #294
  • Births in 2025: 1,148
Cute baby sits on the divan. Concept of carefree childhood. Black and white antique photo. The 1960s

Roman Nerud // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#21 Girl: Barbara

  • Rank in the 1960s: #21
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 15,977
  • Rank in 2025: #968
  • Births in 2025: 264
An old cute photo of a baby in an apartment. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed by time, taken in the USSR around 1960.

fotoak // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#20 Boy: Christopher

  • Rank in the 1960s: #20
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 23,714
  • Rank in 2025: #68
  • Births in 2025: 4,748
A cute baby in a crib in a vintage black-and-white photograph. This old, slightly yellowed retro photograph was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#20 Girl: Jennifer

  • Rank in the 1960s: #20
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 16,441
  • Rank in 2025: #586
  • Births in 2025: 501
Vintage photograph of a small child with a toy parrot. Old yellowed black and white photograph taken in the Soviet Union around the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#19 Boy: Daniel

  • Rank in the 1960s: #19
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 24,202
  • Rank in 2025: #22
  • Births in 2025: 8,085
An old cute photo of a baby in an apartment. Vintage black and white textured photograph, slightly yellowed with age, taken in the USSR around the 1960s

fotoak // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#19 Girl: Brenda

  • Rank in the 1960s: #19
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 16,450
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of a baby in a crib in an apartment. An old, not very clear, grainy black and white photo, slightly yellowed with age. The photo was taken in the USSR around the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#18 Boy: Paul

  • Rank in the 1960s: #18
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 24,250
  • Rank in 2025: #262
  • Births in 2025: 1,316
Vintage photo shows mother cradles baby in 1960s

Roman Nerud // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#18 Girl: Julie

  • Rank in the 1960s: #18
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 16,615
  • Rank in 2025: #873
  • Births in 2025: 308
An interesting old photograph of a baby in a stroller. The photo has a pleasant vintage charm. This black-and-white retro shot was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#17 Boy: Charles

  • Rank in the 1960s: #17
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 24,940
  • Rank in 2025: #48
  • Births in 2025: 5,898
An old photograph of a baby on a sofa. This black-and-white photograph was taken in the USSR in the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#17 Girl: Elizabeth

  • Rank in the 1960s: #17
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 16,892
  • Rank in 2025: #17
  • Births in 2025: 6,760
Retro portrait of smiling Soviet boy drawing with paints on paper. Vintage black and white paper photo. Early 1960s. Old surface, soft focus. Transferred property, family archive.

Nataly23 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#16 Boy: Brian

  • Rank in the 1960s: #16
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 25,813
  • Rank in 2025: #339
  • Births in 2025: 979
A girl sits on a chair and holds a teddy bear in her hands near a Christmas tree in an apartment in a vintage black and white photograph. The old photo was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#16 Girl: Laura

  • Rank in the 1960s: #16
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 17,419
  • Rank in 2025: #379
  • Births in 2025: 805
KIEV, USSR - CIRCA 1963: Retro photo of a little baby lying on a sofa

Klochkov SCS // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#15 Boy: Scott

  • Rank in the 1960s: #15
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 26,683
  • Rank in 2025: #534
  • Births in 2025: 561
An old photograph of a cute baby on a bed. The old black-and-white photograph was taken in the USSR in the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#15 Girl: Lori

  • Rank in the 1960s: #15
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 17,656
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of a baby lying in a crib. Old, slightly yellowed with time, black and white photo taken in the USSR around 1960-1970. Photo is made on textured photo paper.

fotoak // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#14 Boy: Kevin

  • Rank in the 1960s: #14
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 27,141
  • Rank in 2025: #221
  • Births in 2025: 1,628
An old cute photo of a baby on a bed. Vintage, not very clear black and white photo, slightly yellowed with time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#14 Girl: Pamela

  • Rank in the 1960s: #14
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,194
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage portrait of a little boy in a New Year's costume near a Christmas tree. Retro photo from 1960.

Antares_NS // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#13 Boy: Timothy

  • Rank in the 1960s: #13
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 27,684
  • Rank in 2025: #203
  • Births in 2025: 1,734
An old cute photo of a baby in an apartment. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed by time, taken in the USSR around 1960-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#13 Girl: Tammy

  • Rank in the 1960s: #13
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,223
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Old cute photo of a baby on a bed. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed from time to time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#12 Boy: Joseph

  • Rank in the 1960s: #12
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 28,305
  • Rank in 2025: #29
  • Births in 2025: 7,303
Antique Vintage Black and White Rare Photographs Photos from Pune Maharshtra India on 2th Oct 1950. Old Life Style in India during British India Period.

British India Collection// Shutterstock

28 / 50

#12 Girl: Deborah

  • Rank in the 1960s: #12
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,344
  • Rank in 2025: #864
  • Births in 2025: 313
Old Black and white photographs of a young child in a baby cot.

Petukhov Anton // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#11 Boy: Steven

  • Rank in the 1960s: #11
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 29,061
  • Rank in 2025: #271
  • Births in 2025: 1,261
Antique Vintage Black and White Rare Photographs Photos from Pune Maharshtra India on 2th Oct 1950. Old Life Style in India during British India Period.

British India Collection // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#11 Girl: Sandra

  • Rank in the 1960s: #11
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 18,385
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
An old cute photo of a sleeping baby on a bed. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed by time, taken in the USSR around 1960-1970.

fotoak // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#10 Boy: Jeffrey

  • Rank in the 1960s: #10
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 30,203
  • Rank in 2025: #552
  • Births in 2025: 544
An interesting old photograph of a cute baby lying on a made bed. The photo has a pleasant vintage charm. This black-and-white retro shot was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#10 Girl: Cynthia

  • Rank in the 1960s: #10
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 19,660
  • Rank in 2025: #1,014
  • Births in 2025: 247
An interesting old photograph of a cute baby in a stroller. The photo has a pleasant vintage charm. This black-and-white retro shot was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#9 Boy: Thomas

  • Rank in the 1960s: #9
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 32,706
  • Rank in 2025: #34
  • Births in 2025: 6,917
Vintage photo of baby girl (sixties)

Elzbieta Sekowska // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#9 Girl: Michelle

  • Rank in the 1960s: #9
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 20,829
  • Rank in 2025: #465
  • Births in 2025: 661
Vintage photo of a cheerful child in a stroller on the street. Old, yellowed with time black and white photo. Photo taken in the USSR around the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#8 Boy: Richard

  • Rank in the 1960s: #8
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 37,391
  • Rank in 2025: #234
  • Births in 2025: 1,505
An old sweet photo of a cute baby sitting on a blanket. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed with age.

fotoak // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#8 Girl: Donna

  • Rank in the 1960s: #8
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 21,347
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of a little boy against the backdrop of young pine trees. Old black and white photo taken in the USSR around the 1950s-1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#7 Boy: William

  • Rank in the 1960s: #7
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 42,143
  • Rank in 2025: #9
  • Births in 2025: 10,545
Vintage photo of a little girl sitting on a chair. Old, yellowed black and white photograph taken in the Soviet Union.

fotoak // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#7 Girl: Linda

  • Rank in the 1960s: #7
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 22,545
  • Rank in 2025: #902
  • Births in 2025: 294
Old cute photo of a baby on a bed. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed from time to time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#6 Boy: Mark

  • Rank in the 1960s: #6
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 44,139
  • Rank in 2025: #245
  • Births in 2025: 1,416
A vintage photograph of a beautiful baby crawling on a crib, holding a toy to his mouth. The photograph captures the warm atmosphere of yesteryear.

fotoak // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#6 Girl: Patricia

  • Rank in the 1960s: #6
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 23,118
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
A child sits on a chair with a toy under a Christmas tree in an old black-and-white photograph.

fotoak // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#5 Boy: Robert

  • Rank in the 1960s: #5
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 65,079
  • Rank in 2025: #92
  • Births in 2025: 3,772
Vintage photo of baby girl.

Elzbieta Sekowska // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#5 Girl: Kimberly

  • Rank in the 1960s: #5
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 25,907
  • Rank in 2025: #303
  • Births in 2025: 1,009
An interesting old photograph of a baby crawling on a crib. The photo has a pleasant vintage charm. This black-and-white retro shot was taken in the USSR in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#4 Boy: James

  • Rank in the 1960s: #4
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 68,472
  • Rank in 2025: #6
  • Births in 2025: 11,945
A vintage close-up photograph of a sweet little girl outdoors.

fotoak // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#4 Girl: Karen

  • Rank in the 1960s: #4
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 28,605
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of two babies on a sofa. Old, slightly yellowed with time, black and white photo taken in the USSR around 1960-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#3 Boy: John

  • Rank in the 1960s: #3
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 71,339
  • Rank in 2025: #23
  • Births in 2025: 8,027
Vintage photo of a child playing on the floor with a doll. Old black and white retro photo, slightly yellowed by time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s

fotoak // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#3 Girl: Susan

  • Rank in the 1960s: #3
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 28,767
  • Rank in 2025: N/A
  • Births in 2025: N/A
Vintage photo of baby boy wearing a hat in the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#2 Boy: David

  • Rank in the 1960s: #2
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 73,395
  • Rank in 2025: #35
  • Births in 2025: 6,794
Old cute photo of a baby on a bed. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed from time to time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s-1970s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#2 Girl: Mary

  • Rank in the 1960s: #2
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 35,524
  • Rank in 2025: #125
  • Births in 2025: 2,230
An old sweet photo of a cute cheerful boy sitting on a sofa with a toy. Vintage black and white photo, slightly yellowed by time, taken in the USSR around the 1960s.

fotoak // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#1 Boy: Michael

  • Rank in the 1960s: #1
  • Average annual births in the 1960s: 83,309
  • Rank in 2025: #21
  • Births in 2025: 8,094

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