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 York 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.
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
1 / 30Brian is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,320
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,048 (#204 most common name, -92.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,317 (#35 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
2 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,380
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 328 (#473 most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
3 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,021
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#521 most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
4 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,605
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,200 (#175 (tie) most common name, -91.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Falcona // Shutterstock
5 / 30Frank is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,061
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 766 (#260 most common name, -95.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,321 (#34 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
6 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,819
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,040 (#101 (tie) most common name, -89.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
7 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 19,031
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 680 (#287 (tie) most common name, -96.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
8 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 19,387
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 248 (#603 most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
9 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 19,730
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 359 (#440 most common name, -98.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
10 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 21,302
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 820 (#248 (tie) most common name, -96.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
11 / 30Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 21,545
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,094 (#98 most common name, -90.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
12 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 21,703
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 742 (#267 most common name, -96.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
13 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 22,364
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 6,009 (#21 most common name, -73.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#30 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
14 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 22,890
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7,283 (#12 most common name, -68.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
15 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 23,791
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,483 (#133 most common name, -93.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock
16 / 30Peter is a name of Greek origin meaning "rock".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 24,105
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,320 (#153 most common name, -94.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 102,752 (#39 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
17 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 25,128
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 188 (#720 (tie) most common name, -99.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
18 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 25,248
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,490 (#49 most common name, -86.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
19 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 28,478
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 965 (#218 (tie) most common name, -96.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
20 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 29,584
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,431 (#139 (tie) most common name, -95.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
noBorders - Brayden Howie // Shutterstock
21 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 30,358
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,294 (#155 most common name, -95.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 46,884
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 8,554 (#7 most common name, -81.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
23 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 51,108
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,275 (#39 most common name, -91.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 54,678
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5,939 (#22 (tie) most common name, -89.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
25 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 56,412
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,217 (#169 most common name, -97.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Irisska // Shutterstock
26 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 56,673
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7,344 (#10 most common name, -87.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
27 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 64,913
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7,673 (#8 most common name, -88.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 80,844
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 8,557 (#6 most common name, -89.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
29 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 85,359
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5,351 (#26 most common name, -93.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
30 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
New York
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 86,590
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,782 (#67 most common name, -96.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
