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 Virginia 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 / 30Wayne is a name of English origin meaning "wagon builder".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,568
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 80 (#738 most common name, -96.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 88,092 (#43 most common name)
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2 / 30Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,717
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 291 (#291 most common name, -89.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
3 / 30Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,851
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 227 (#359 most common name, -92.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
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4 / 30Douglas is a name of Scottish origin meaning "black water".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,053
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 133 (#538 most common name, -95.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 148,204 (#28 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
5 / 30Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,108
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,553 (#19 most common name, -17.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
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6 / 30Roger is a name of German origin meaning "famous spearman".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,312
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 126 (#551 (tie) most common name, -96.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 110,156 (#37 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
7 / 30Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,392
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 657 (#145 most common name, -80.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock
8 / 30Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,747
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 429 (#216 most common name, -88.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
9 / 30Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,920
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 147 (#503 (tie) most common name, -96.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Irisska // Shutterstock
10 / 30Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,047
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 352 (#255 (tie) most common name, -91.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
11 / 30Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,123
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 607 (#159 most common name, -85.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
12 / 30Jerry is a name of English origin meaning "exalted of the Lord".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,178
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 107 (#602 (tie) most common name, -97.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,566 (#31 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
13 / 30Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,818
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 526 (#178 (tie) most common name, -89.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
14 / 30Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,084
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 418 (#221 most common name, -91.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
15 / 30Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,403
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,424 (#26 most common name, -55.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 300,006 (#13 most common name)
noBorders - Brayden Howie // Shutterstock
16 / 30George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,536
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 955 (#106 most common name, -82.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Tatiana Dyuvbanova // Shutterstock
17 / 30Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,847
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 439 (#212 (tie) most common name, -92.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
18 / 30Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,233
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 189 (#407 (tie) most common name, -97.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
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19 / 30Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,275
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 147 (#503 (tie) most common name, -97.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
20 / 30Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,612
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 98 (#649 most common name, -98.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock
21 / 30Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,929
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 81 (#729 most common name, -99.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Fotonium // Shutterstock
22 / 30Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,905
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,213 (#33 most common name, -75.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 30Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,610
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 561 (#172 most common name, -94.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
24 / 30Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,483
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,111 (#37 most common name, -79.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Katrina Elena // Shutterstock
25 / 30David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,243
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,317 (#31 most common name, -84.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
26 / 30John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 15,873
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,887 (#13 most common name, -81.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
Capable97 // Shutterstock
27 / 30Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 16,517
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,874 (#14 most common name, -82.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
28 / 30Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,124
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,563 (#58 most common name, -90.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
29 / 30William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 17,678
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,687 (#3 most common name, -73.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
marina shin // Shutterstock
30 / 30James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Virginia
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 22,102
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 4,408 (#4 most common name, -80.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
