Most popular boy names in the 80s in Tennessee
Known for the emergence of MTV, the rise of neon, and the invention of the mixtape, the 1980s were certainly a rockin' era in American history. New economic policies were introduced, the news network CNN launched, and, much less enjoyable, Wall Street crashed on the infamous Black Monday—the worst one-day decline in American stock market history. Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated by President Ronald Reagan as the first female Supreme Court justice, the Cold War saw the beginning of the end as the Berlin Wall began to fall, and millions watched in horror as the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on live television.
Among all the big hair, Rubix cubes, and shoulder pads, however, there were still plenty of babies being born during this defining time. And with celebrities like Michael J. Fox and Robert Palmer reaching their peak fame during the ‘80s, it's no surprise that many parents chose to name their kids after them.
To see just how popular these names were, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular baby names for boys in the 80s in Tennessee using data from the Social Security Administration. Names are ranked by number of babies born.
Just like scrunchies and PAC MAN, Americans can still hold onto some of the best aspects of the ‘80s, including baby names (some things never get old). So whether you're welcoming a new little one into the world this year or just curious, these are the 100 most popular baby names of the 1980s in Tennessee.
#50. Jesse
Jesse is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "the Lord exists".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,391
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 562 (#158 most common name, -59.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #48
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 85,897
#49. Corey
Corey is a name of Irish origin meaning "round hill".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,401
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 258 (#303 most common name, -81.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #61
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 53,607
#48. Tyler
Tyler is a name of English origin meaning "doorkeeper of an inn" or "owner of a tavern".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,418
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,309 (#67 most common name, -7.7% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #47
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 86,422
#47. Paul
Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,450
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 373 (#227 (tie) most common name, -74.3% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #40
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 104,339
#46. Cody
Cody is a name of English origin meaning "helpful".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,522
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 350 (#237 most common name, -77.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #58
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 60,173
#45. Samuel
Samuel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "name of God".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,622
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,750 (#13 most common name, +69.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #51
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 73,406
#44. Gregory
Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,639
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 259 (#300 (tie) most common name, -84.2% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #45
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 93,649
#43. Marcus
Marcus is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,674
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 518 (#169 most common name, -69.1% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #63
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 51,732
#42. Patrick
Patrick is a name of Latin origin meaning "nobleman".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,888
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 459 (#188 most common name, -75.7% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #37
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 111,365
#41. Mark
Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,925
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 388 (#220 (tie) most common name, -79.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #34
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 129,371
#40. Zachary
Zachary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God remembers".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 1,938
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 910 (#96 most common name, -53.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #43
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 101,809
#39. Bradley
Bradley is a name of English origin meaning "woodland clearing".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,004
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 512 (#171 most common name, -74.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #53
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 69,334
#38. Kenneth
Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,053
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 559 (#159 (tie) most common name, -72.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #46
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 89,113
#37. Nathan
Nathan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "given".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,078
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,209 (#76 most common name, -41.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #39
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 105,962
#36. Aaron
Aaron is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "high mountain".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,082
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,109 (#80 most common name, -46.7% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #32
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 138,343
#35. Jeffrey
Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,127
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 271 (#289 (tie) most common name, -87.3% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #29
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 144,781
#34. Jacob
Jacob is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "to follow".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,184
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 3,216 (#8 most common name, +47.3% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #35
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 124,186
#33. Stephen
Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,502
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 362 (#233 most common name, -85.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #36
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 113,597
#32. Travis
Travis is a name of French origin meaning "to cross".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,632
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 363 (#232 most common name, -86.2% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #42
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 102,915
#31. Ryan
Ryan is a name of Irish origin meaning "little king" or "illustrious".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,653
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,246 (#72 most common name, -53.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #14
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 278,848
#30. Richard
Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,686
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 525 (#165 most common name, -80.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #27
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 154,710
#29. Benjamin
Benjamin is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "son of my days".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,900
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,581 (#14 most common name, -11.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #31
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 141,341
#28. Anthony
Anthony is a name of Latin origin meaning "praiseworthy".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 2,990
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,416 (#61 most common name, -52.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #20
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 211,804
#27. Nicholas
Nicholas is a name of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,065
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 955 (#88 most common name, -68.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #19
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 223,293
#26. Kevin
Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,197
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 830 (#106 most common name, -74.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #23
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 188,638
#25. Steven
Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,281
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 576 (#149 (tie) most common name, -82.4% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #25
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 177,405
#24. Eric
Eric is a name of Norse origin meaning "sole ruler".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,385
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 553 (#161 most common name, -83.7% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #21
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 204,199
#23. Dustin
Dustin is a name of Norse origin meaning "brave warrior".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,608
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 169 (#400 (tie) most common name, -95.3% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #44
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 97,301
#22. Thomas
Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,623
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,756 (#49 most common name, -51.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #24
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 177,743
#21. Adam
Adam is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "earth".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,658
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 732 (#116 most common name, -80.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #22
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 195,049
#20. Brian
Brian is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,662
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 427 (#203 (tie) most common name, -88.3% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #16
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 233,976
#19. Timothy
Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 3,863
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 819 (#107 most common name, -78.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #26
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 172,811
#18. Andrew
Andrew is a name of Greek origin meaning "brave".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 4,236
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,085 (#30 most common name, -50.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #13
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 285,013
#17. Charles
Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 4,282
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,010 (#36 most common name, -53.1% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #33
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 131,861
#16. Jeremy
Jeremy is a name of English origin meaning "appointed by God".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 4,742
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 464 (#186 most common name, -90.2% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #28
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 153,418
#15. Joseph
Joseph is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "he will add".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 5,237
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,318 (#21 most common name, -55.7% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #10
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 299,367
#14. Daniel
Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 5,481
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,059 (#31 most common name, -62.4% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #7
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 345,414
#13. Jason
Jason is a name of Greek origin meaning "healer".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 5,841
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 839 (#105 most common name, -85.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #11
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 292,016
#12. Jonathan
Jonathan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has given".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 6,384
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,498 (#59 most common name, -76.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #18
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 229,906
#11. Robert
Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 6,586
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,792 (#47 most common name, -72.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #8
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 321,598
#10. David
David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 6,757
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,296 (#23 most common name, -66.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #5
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 383,610
#9. Brandon
Brandon is a name of English origin meaning "beacon hill" or "crow".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 6,988
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 1,074 (#83 most common name, -84.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #17
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 232,173
#8. John
John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 7,027
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 3,103 (#9 most common name, -55.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #9
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 321,034
#7. Justin
Justin is a name of Latin origin meaning "righteous".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 7,447
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 909 (#97 most common name, -87.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #12
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 289,755
#6. William
William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 8,265
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 5,460 (#1 most common name, -33.9% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #15
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 248,240
#5. Matthew
Matthew is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Gift of Yahweh".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 8,471
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,051 (#32 most common name, -75.8% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #3
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 458,894
#4. James
James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 10,801
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 4,099 (#3 most common name, -62.0% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #6
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 356,362
#3. Michael
Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 11,004
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,793 (#11 most common name, -74.6% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #1
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 663,592
#2. Joshua
Joshua is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God Is my salvation".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 11,569
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,372 (#19 most common name, -79.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #4
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 396,533
#1. Christopher
Christopher is a name of English origin meaning "Christ-bearer".
Tennessee
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 12,276
- Number of babies from 2010 to 2019: 2,396 (#18 most common name, -80.5% compared to the 80s)
National
- Rank: #2
- Number of babies from 1980 to 1989: 554,793
