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 New Hampshire 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".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 584
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,459 (#24 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 88,092 (#42 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
2 / 30Raymond is a name of German origin meaning "protector".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 38 (#234 most common name, -93.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 108,932 (#37 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
3 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 599
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 358 (#25 most common name, -40.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
4 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 610
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 91 (#149 most common name, -85.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
5 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 613
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 16 (#317 (tie) most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
6 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 646
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 160 (#91 (tie) most common name, -75.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
7 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 736
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 35 (#239 (tie) most common name, -95.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
8 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 96 (#139 (tie) most common name, -87.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
9 / 30Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 793
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 39 (#230 most common name, -95.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 813
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 351 (#28 most common name, -56.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
11 / 30Brian is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 855
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#247 (tie) most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,317 (#34 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
12 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 902
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#247 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
13 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 941
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6 (#388 (tie) most common name, -99.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Flashon // Shutterstock
14 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 977
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6 (#388 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
noBorders - Brayden Howie // Shutterstock
15 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,057
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 267 (#47 (tie) most common name, -74.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
16 / 30Peter is a name of Greek origin meaning "rock".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,117
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 103 (#132 most common name, -90.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 102,752 (#38 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
17 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,118
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 46 (#215 (tie) most common name, -95.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
18 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,143
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 39 (#230 most common name, -96.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
19 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,146
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#422 most common name, -99.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
20 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,369
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#247 (tie) most common name, -97.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
21 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,381
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 42 (#222 most common name, -97.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
22 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,396
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 42 (#222 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
23 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,532
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 397 (#19 most common name, -74.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,759
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 630 (#7 most common name, -64.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
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25 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,052
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 542 (#13 most common name, -73.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Falcona // Shutterstock
26 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,307
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 349 (#29 most common name, -84.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
27 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,479
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 78 (#168 (tie) most common name, -96.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,931
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 223 (#63 most common name, -92.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
29 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,105
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 362 (#23 (tie) most common name, -88.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
30 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
New Hampshire
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,129
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 210 (#69 (tie) most common name, -93.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
