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 Mexico 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.
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
1 / 30Manuel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God with us".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 866
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 178 (#118 (tie) most common name, -79.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,966 (#161 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
2 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 920
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 32 (#409 (tie) most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
3 / 30Jose is a name of Spanish origin meaning "God will increase".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 973
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 379 (#47 most common name, -61.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 31,024 (#108 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
4 / 30Frank is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 999
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#422 most common name, -97.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,321 (#34 most common name)
morrowlight // Shutterstock
5 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,014
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 104 (#215 most common name, -89.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
6 / 30Johnny is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,110
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 108 (#199 (tie) most common name, -90.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 65,626 (#55 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
7 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,116
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 88 (#250 most common name, -92.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
8 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,178
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 80 (#272 most common name, -93.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
9 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,186
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 80 (#272 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
10 / 30Jerry is a name of English origin meaning "exalted of the Lord".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,194
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 80 (#272 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,566 (#31 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
11 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,215
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 486 (#31 most common name, -60.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#30 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
12 / 30Raymond is a name of German origin meaning "protector".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,223
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 87 (#255 (tie) most common name, -92.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 108,932 (#38 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
13 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,342
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 631 (#9 most common name, -53.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
14 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,356
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 631 (#9 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
15 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,433
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 97 (#231 (tie) most common name, -93.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
16 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,514
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 97 (#231 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
17 / 30Joe is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Jehovah increases".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,531
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 18 (#486 most common name, -98.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 62,481 (#57 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
18 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,586
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#710 most common name, -99.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,598
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 511 (#27 most common name, -68.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
20 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,601
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 102 (#218 (tie) most common name, -93.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Flashon // Shutterstock
21 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,612
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 274 (#76 most common name, -83.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
22 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,696
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 76 (#279 most common name, -95.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
23 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,708
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 190 (#108 (tie) most common name, -88.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,300
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 407 (#43 most common name, -82.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
25 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,270
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 129 (#162 most common name, -96.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
26 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,527
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 301 (#63 most common name, -91.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
27 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,530
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 590 (#15 most common name, -83.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
28 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,432
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 483 (#32 most common name, -89.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
29 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,462
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 630 (#10 most common name, -85.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
30 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
New Mexico
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,538
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 273 (#77 most common name, -94.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
