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 South 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.
Flashon // Shutterstock
1 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,990
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#788 (tie) most common name, -98.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
2 / 30Samuel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "name of God".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,007
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,437 (#14 most common name, -28.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 53,711 (#72 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
3 / 30Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,010
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 753 (#65 (tie) most common name, -62.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,652 (#29 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
4 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,021
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 232 (#222 most common name, -88.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
5 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,180
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 234 (#219 most common name, -89.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
6 / 30Jimmy is a name of English origin meaning "supplanter".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,187
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 56 (#594 (tie) most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 54,735 (#71 most common name)
MIA Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,200
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 443 (#126 most common name, -79.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Mallmo // Shutterstock
8 / 30Ronnie is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "mountain of strength".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,203
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 42 (#688 most common name, -98.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 51,160 (#77 most common name)
Shutterstock
9 / 30Terry is a name of German origin meaning "power of the tribe".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,417
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 50 (#629 most common name, -97.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 140,720 (#28 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
10 / 30Bobby is a name of German origin meaning "bright fame".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,453
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 46 (#661 most common name, -98.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 53,069 (#74 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
11 / 30Henry is a name of German origin meaning "estate ruler".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,564
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,525 (#11 most common name, -40.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 62,205 (#60 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
12 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,626
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 294 (#178 most common name, -88.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
13 / 30Johnny is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,080
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 104 (#417 (tie) most common name, -96.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 65,626 (#54 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
14 / 30Jerry is a name of English origin meaning "exalted of the Lord".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,152
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 75 (#504 most common name, -97.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,566 (#30 most common name)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
15 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,544
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 92 (#457 most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
16 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,770
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 470 (#120 most common name, -87.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
17 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,788
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 97 (#441 (tie) most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
18 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,969
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,231 (#25 most common name, -69.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
19 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,223
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 297 (#175 (tie) most common name, -93.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock
20 / 30Willie is a name of English origin meaning "resolute".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,313
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 51 (#623 most common name, -99.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 66,241 (#52 most common name)
Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
21 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,576
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 49 (#639 (tie) most common name, -99.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
22 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,585
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,390 (#16 most common name, -75.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
23 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,652
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 353 (#158 most common name, -93.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
24 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,932
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,538 (#10 most common name, -80.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
25 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,069
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,324 (#19 most common name, -83.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Adrie Molco // Shutterstock
26 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,381
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,193 (#28 most common name, -85.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
27 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,747
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 979 (#45 most common name, -90.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
Falcona // Shutterstock
28 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,868
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,052 (#1 most common name, -71.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,989
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,012 (#6 most common name, -81.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
30 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
South Carolina
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,460
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,597 (#3 most common name, -85.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
