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MyNameRoots

Baby name records in the United States since 1880

375,309,995 births and 105,950 names in the Social Security records, from 1880 to 2025. Here are their records: the most popular names ever, the longest reigns, the shooting stars and the great comebacks.

The most popular names since 1880

Mary and James lead all other names. Total births from 1880 to 2025.

Girls

  1. Mary4,141,481
  2. Elizabeth1,688,757
  3. Patricia1,573,623
  4. Jennifer1,471,703
  5. Linda1,455,143
  6. Barbara1,436,695
  7. Margaret1,264,774
  8. Susan1,123,481
  9. Dorothy1,112,231
  10. Sarah1,098,498

Boys

  1. James5,250,638
  2. John5,182,633
  3. Robert4,849,730
  4. Michael4,426,753
  5. William4,199,696
  6. David3,676,654
  7. Joseph2,669,490
  8. Richard2,577,552
  9. Charles2,434,659
  10. Thomas2,358,576

The longest reigns

Number of years spent as the No. 1 name of the year.

Girls

  1. Marybetween 1880 and 196176 years
  2. Jenniferbetween 1970 and 198415 years
  3. Emilybetween 1996 and 200712 years
  4. Jessicabetween 1985 and 19959 years
  5. Lisabetween 1962 and 19698 years
  6. Oliviabetween 2019 and 20257 years
  7. Emmabetween 2008 and 20186 years
  8. Lindabetween 1947 and 19526 years
  9. Sophiabetween 2011 and 20133 years
  10. Ashleybetween 1991 and 19922 years

Boys

  1. Johnbetween 1880 and 192344 years
  2. Michaelbetween 1954 and 199844 years
  3. Robertbetween 1924 and 195317 years
  4. Jacobbetween 1999 and 201214 years
  5. Jamesbetween 1940 and 195213 years
  6. Liambetween 2017 and 20259 years
  7. Noahbetween 2013 and 20164 years
  8. Davidbetween 1960 and 19601 years

Longest unbroken run in the top 10

Girls

  1. Mary1880–197192 years
  2. Margaret1880–193960 years
  3. Helen1891–193545 years
  4. Elizabeth1880–192344 years
  5. Anna1880–192041 years
  6. Ruth1892–193039 years
  7. Patricia1929–196638 years
  8. Dorothy1904–193936 years
  9. Barbara1927–195832 years
  10. Linda1940–196526 years

Boys

  1. James1880–1992113 years
  2. Robert1882–1989108 years
  3. John1880–1986107 years
  4. William1880–197596 years
  5. Charles1880–195475 years
  6. Michael1943–201674 years
  7. George1880–193758 years
  8. David1936–199257 years
  9. Joseph1880–193556 years
  10. Richard1920–197051 years

The best single year

The most births of one name in a single year.

  1. Lindain 1947, 1 girl in 1899,692
  2. Jamesin 1947, 1 boy in 1994,767
  3. Michaelin 1957, 1 boy in 2392,781
  4. Robertin 1947, 1 boy in 2091,655
  5. Johnin 1947, 1 boy in 2188,324
  6. Davidin 1955, 1 boy in 2486,306
  7. Maryin 1921, 1 girl in 1773,984
  8. Williamin 1947, 1 boy in 2767,002
  9. Jenniferin 1972, 1 girl in 2463,600
  10. Lisain 1965, 1 girl in 2960,271

The biggest jumps

The largest increases from one year to the next, for names reaching at least 1,000 births.

  1. Nakiain 1974: from 7 to 1,135 births× 162
  2. Catinain 1972: from 14 to 1,372 births× 98
  3. Deneenin 1964: from 22 to 1,604 births× 73
  4. Aaliyahin 1994: from 22 to 1,451 births× 66
  5. Katinain 1972: from 95 to 2,747 births× 29
  6. Deannain 1937: from 77 to 1,624 births× 21
  7. Marquitain 1983: from 128 to 2,543 births× 20
  8. Tammyin 1957: from 255 to 4,365 births× 17
  9. Shelbyin 1936: from 67 to 1,071 births× 16
  10. Woodrowin 1912: from 121 to 1,843 births× 15

Shooting stars

Very popular names, but only for a short while: at least 3,000 births in their peak year, then almost nothing. The length of the trend counts the years with at least a quarter of the peak.

  1. Sheenapeak in 1984 (3,597 births), trend from 1982 to 19876 years
  2. Jaimepeak in 1976 (7,838 births), trend from 1976 to 19827 years
  3. Woodrowpeak in 1918 (3,358 births), trend from 1912 to 19198 years
  4. Darrinpeak in 1965 (3,255 births), trend from 1965 to 19728 years
  5. Pampeak in 1959 (3,677 births), trend from 1957 to 19659 years
  6. Debbiepeak in 1959 (19,540 births), trend from 1955 to 196511 years
  7. Chelseapeak in 1992 (16,177 births), trend from 1987 to 199711 years
  8. Whitneypeak in 1986 (9,536 births), trend from 1985 to 199511 years
  9. Timpeak in 1960 (6,931 births), trend from 1957 to 196812 years
  10. Shaunpeak in 1978 (6,105 births), trend from 1977 to 198812 years

The most unisex names

Among names given at least 10,000 times, those closest to an even split between girls and boys.

  1. Landry11,721 births50% girls
  2. Palmer18,653 births50% girls
  3. Emerson67,571 births50% girls
  4. Kerry98,644 births49% girls
  5. Austyn10,101 births49% girls
  6. Robbie43,939 births51% girls
  7. Justice38,674 births49% girls
  8. Kris27,971 births49% girls
  9. Elisha30,034 births48% girls
  10. Briar13,349 births52% girls

The biggest comebacks

Names that were very popular long ago, declined sharply, then came back. Ranked by their births in 2025.

  1. Emmaabout 5,200 a year around 1918, about 450 a year around 197412,754 in 2025
  2. Henryabout 11,000 a year around 1922, about 2,000 a year around 198412,020 in 2025
  3. Lucyabout 3,100 a year around 1920, about 320 a year around 19776,176 in 2025
  4. Ellaabout 3,200 a year around 1920, about 140 a year around 19855,831 in 2025
  5. Graceabout 7,400 a year around 1918, about 550 a year around 19765,127 in 2025
  6. Sadieabout 1,500 a year around 1917, about 89 a year around 19684,168 in 2025
  7. Stellaabout 3,800 a year around 1917, about 150 a year around 19944,136 in 2025
  8. Josephineabout 8,300 a year around 1919, about 440 a year around 19774,126 in 2025
  9. Sophieabout 2,200 a year around 1917, about 69 a year around 19743,984 in 2025
  10. Lillianabout 9,800 a year around 1919, about 450 a year around 19773,966 in 2025

The longest and the shortest

Among names given at least 10,000 times, counting letters only.

Longest names

  1. Christopher2,079,103 births11 letters
  2. Maximiliano23,972 births11 letters
  3. Jacqueline427,479 births10 letters
  4. Alexandria104,778 births10 letters
  5. Marguerite94,123 births10 letters
  6. Antoinette78,789 births10 letters
  7. Kristopher63,548 births10 letters
  8. Bernadette55,033 births10 letters
  9. Evangeline36,771 births10 letters
  10. Alessandra24,836 births10 letters

Shortest names

  1. Jo180,911 births2 letters
  2. Ty48,344 births2 letters
  3. Ed26,370 births2 letters
  4. Al17,334 births2 letters
  5. Bo15,849 births2 letters
  6. Amy703,484 births3 letters
  7. Ann471,625 births3 letters
  8. Joe464,574 births3 letters
  9. Roy411,331 births3 letters
  10. Ava344,441 births3 letters

Social Security data: names with fewer than 5 births in a year, for one sex, are not published. Details in Data and methods.