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 Texas 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.
Mallmo // Shutterstock
1 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,471
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 8,286 (#36 most common name, +10.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
Tatiana Dyuvbanova // Shutterstock
2 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,930
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,947 (#216 (tie) most common name, -75.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
3 / 30Jimmy is a name of English origin meaning "supplanter".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,313
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 560 (#544 (tie) most common name, -93.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 54,735 (#72 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
4 / 30Terry is a name of German origin meaning "power of the tribe".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,861
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 236 (#935 (tie) most common name, -97.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 140,720 (#29 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
5 / 30Billy is a name of English origin meaning "resolute protection".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,725
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 323 (#776 most common name, -96.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 59,125 (#67 most common name)
Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock
6 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,847
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,053 (#347 most common name, -89.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
7 / 30Johnny is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,071
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,231 (#310 most common name, -87.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 65,626 (#55 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
8 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,323
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 13,088 (#6 most common name, +26.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
9 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,438
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,535 (#264 most common name, -85.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
10 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,632
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,432 (#168 most common name, -77.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
11 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,302
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,773 (#236 (tie) most common name, -84.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
12 / 30Juan is a name of Spanish origin meaning "God is gracious".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,322
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7,718 (#45 most common name, -31.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,328 (#160 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
13 / 30Jerry is a name of English origin meaning "exalted of the Lord".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,425
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 483 (#584 (tie) most common name, -95.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,566 (#31 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
14 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 12,254
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 410 (#665 most common name, -96.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock
15 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,166
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 340 (#752 most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
16 / 30Jose is a name of Spanish origin meaning "God will increase".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,156
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11,940 (#9 most common name, -15.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 31,024 (#109 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
17 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,513
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5,310 (#72 most common name, -63.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
18 / 30Joe is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Jehovah increases".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 14,742
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,054 (#346 most common name, -92.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 62,481 (#57 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,083
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,559 (#262 most common name, -89.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
2p2play // Shutterstock
20 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,774
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,820 (#231 most common name, -88.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Fotonium // Shutterstock
21 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,704
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 269 (#866 (tie) most common name, -98.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
22 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,901
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 356 (#733 (tie) most common name, -98.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Adrie Molco // Shutterstock
23 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 21,497
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,632 (#78 most common name, -78.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 24,395
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10,959 (#18 most common name, -55.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
25 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 24,501
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,018 (#210 most common name, -91.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
26 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 34,814
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 8,731 (#31 most common name, -74.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
27 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 36,411
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10,424 (#19 most common name, -71.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
28 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 39,366
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,577 (#81 most common name, -88.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
29 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 41,661
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11,358 (#14 most common name, -72.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
morrowlight // Shutterstock
30 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Texas
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 42,757
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11,271 (#16 most common name, -73.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
