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 Rhode Island 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.
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
1 / 30Frank is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 716
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 18 (#273 (tie) most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,321 (#32 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
2 / 30Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 793
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 18 (#273 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#31 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
3 / 30Brian is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 816
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 49 (#179 most common name, -94.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 112,317 (#33 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 880
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 22 (#264 (tie) most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
5 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,036
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 311 (#25 most common name, -70.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#29 most common name)
Ramona Heim // Shutterstock
6 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,040
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 253 (#34 most common name, -75.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
noBorders - Brayden Howie // Shutterstock
7 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,119
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 98 (#116 (tie) most common name, -91.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
8 / 30Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,250
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 95 (#121 most common name, -92.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
9 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,253
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10 (#327 most common name, -99.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
10 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,317
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10 (#327 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
11 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,341
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 222 (#45 most common name, -83.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Flashon // Shutterstock
12 / 30Raymond is a name of German origin meaning "protector".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,376
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#239 most common name, -98.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 108,932 (#36 most common name)
Mallmo // Shutterstock
13 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,406
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#402 most common name, -99.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
14 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,458
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 72 (#143 (tie) most common name, -95.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
15 / 30Peter is a name of Greek origin meaning "rock".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,469
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 60 (#156 most common name, -95.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 102,752 (#37 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
16 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,476
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 60 (#156 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
17 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,542
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 44 (#193 (tie) most common name, -97.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
18 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,630
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 32 (#231 (tie) most common name, -98.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Falcona // Shutterstock
19 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,130
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 39 (#210 (tie) most common name, -98.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
20 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,186
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 37 (#215 most common name, -98.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
21 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,634
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 286 (#28 most common name, -89.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
22 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,697
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 35 (#220 most common name, -98.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
morrowlight // Shutterstock
23 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,711
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 339 (#18 (tie) most common name, -87.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
MIA Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,409
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 365 (#14 most common name, -89.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
25 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,462
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 409 (#9 most common name, -88.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Adrie Molco // Shutterstock
26 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,518
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 81 (#134 (tie) most common name, -97.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
27 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,800
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 236 (#40 most common name, -95.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
28 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,049
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 448 (#6 most common name, -91.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
29 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,130
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 339 (#18 (tie) most common name, -93.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
30 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Rhode Island
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,988
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 186 (#61 (tie) most common name, -96.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
