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 North Carolina 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 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,298
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 429 (#271 most common name, -90.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
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2 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,312
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 540 (#227 most common name, -87.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
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3 / 30Willie is a name of English origin meaning "resolute".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,325
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 77 (#912 most common name, -98.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 66,241 (#53 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
4 / 30Ronnie is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "mountain of strength".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,575
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 88 (#835 most common name, -98.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 51,160 (#78 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
5 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,612
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 571 (#215 most common name, -87.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
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6 / 30Johnny is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,708
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 232 (#424 (tie) most common name, -95.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 65,626 (#55 most common name)
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7 / 30Bobby is a name of German origin meaning "bright fame".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,770
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 137 (#610 (tie) most common name, -97.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 53,069 (#75 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
8 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,778
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 155 (#565 (tie) most common name, -96.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 30Randy is a name of Norse origin meaning "shield-wolf".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,838
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 104 (#747 (tie) most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 120,514 (#33 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
10 / 30Danny is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,946
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 166 (#541 (tie) most common name, -96.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 86,615 (#44 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
11 / 30Ricky is a name of German origin meaning "powerful leader".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,112
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 121 (#672 (tie) most common name, -97.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 79,109 (#47 most common name)
Mallmo // Shutterstock
12 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,178
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 889 (#144 most common name, -82.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
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13 / 30Terry is a name of German origin meaning "power of the tribe".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,293
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 119 (#683 most common name, -97.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 140,720 (#29 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
14 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,877
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 944 (#136 most common name, -83.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
15 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,288
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,650 (#30 most common name, -57.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
16 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,362
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 97 (#787 (tie) most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
17 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,631
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 187 (#500 most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
18 / 30Jerry is a name of English origin meaning "exalted of the Lord".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,798
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 148 (#581 (tie) most common name, -98.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,566 (#31 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
19 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,212
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 591 (#203 most common name, -92.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
20 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,399
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 177 (#514 (tie) most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,058
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,460 (#34 most common name, -72.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
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22 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,418
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 577 (#212 most common name, -93.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
23 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,415
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 111 (#718 most common name, -99.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
24 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,543
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,442 (#35 most common name, -82.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
25 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 16,510
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,389 (#14 most common name, -79.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
26 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,193
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,780 (#27 most common name, -83.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
27 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,241
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,156 (#19 most common name, -81.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
28 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,930
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,700 (#68 most common name, -90.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
Samuel Borges Photography // Shutterstock
29 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 20,687
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5,860 (#3 most common name, -71.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
30 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
North Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 29,864
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5,009 (#4 most common name, -83.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
