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 Maine 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.
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1 / 30Wayne is a name of English origin meaning "wagon builder".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 965
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,994 (#4 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 88,092 (#43 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
2 / 30Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 971
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,994 (#4 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
3 / 30Roger is a name of German origin meaning "famous spearman".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 991
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,994 (#4 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 110,156 (#37 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,008
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 128 (#104 (tie) most common name, -87.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 30Scott is a name of Scotland origin meaning "a Scotsman".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,049
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6 (#400 most common name, -99.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 111,814 (#36 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
6 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,070
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6 (#400 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
7 / 30Brian is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,140
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#441 most common name, -99.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,317 (#35 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
8 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,182
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 258 (#39 most common name, -78.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
9 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,236
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 25 (#278 (tie) most common name, -98.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
10 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,351
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 302 (#25 most common name, -77.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
11 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,396
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 302 (#25 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
12 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,449
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 22 (#293 most common name, -98.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
13 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,498
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 70 (#176 (tie) most common name, -95.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
14 / 30Peter is a name of Greek origin meaning "rock".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,592
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 88 (#152 most common name, -94.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 102,752 (#39 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
15 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,595
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 88 (#152 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
16 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,766
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 27 (#264 most common name, -98.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
17 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,812
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 27 (#264 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
18 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,938
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 27 (#264 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
19 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,965
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 240 (#48 most common name, -87.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Falcona // Shutterstock
20 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,993
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 332 (#22 most common name, -83.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
21 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,149
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 34 (#250 most common name, -98.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock
22 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,323
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 31 (#254 most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
23 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,364
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 16 (#328 (tie) most common name, -99.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,448
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 528 (#5 most common name, -78.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,387
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 429 (#15 most common name, -87.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Mallmo // Shutterstock
26 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,817
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 62 (#190 (tie) most common name, -98.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
noBorders - Brayden Howie // Shutterstock
27 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,825
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 254 (#42 most common name, -93.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
28 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,544
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 168 (#79 (tie) most common name, -96.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
29 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,960
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 200 (#63 most common name, -96.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
2p2play // Shutterstock
30 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Maine
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,261
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 281 (#31 most common name, -94.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
