Most popular baby names in the last 100 years – WWNY

Names have power.

Numerous studies have shown that names can impact a person's level of career success along with their likelihood of getting a job.There have also been cases where judges have had to legally intervene and prevent attempted name changes on the grounds of abuse, confusion, or simply being too bizarre.

Stackercombed through Social Security Administration data, examining births from 1920 to 2019 (most recent data), and the corresponding names given to newborns. All names are from Social Security card applications for births within the U.S., and the top 50 for each gender are ranked according to their popularity within the total births over the past 100 years.

Whether a child is named in honor of a grandparent, a fictional character, or just because a chosen moniker sounds pretty, that choice remains with that person for the rest of their life, short of an official name change. No matter how arbitrary, our given names resonate as significant components of our identities.

Keep reading to discover the most popular baby names in the last 100 yearsand if yours made the cut.

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- Babies born in the last century: 602,696- 2019 popularity rank: #676 (377 babies born)- Peak year: 1947

Perhaps the multitude of famous Jerrys, from Seinfeld to a certain mischievous mouse, have contributed to the popularity of this beloved name. Jerry has somewhat fallen from gracethere were more than 17,000 baby Jerrys in 1943 and just 488 in 2017.

- Babies born in the last century: 531,894- 2019 popularity rank: #537 (567 babies born)- Peak year: 1922

The popularity of the name Virginia may be linked to the state's crucial role in American history. When the English began colonizing North America in the late 16th century, Virginia covered more area than the state's modern boundaries and was named such in honor of The Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I of England.

- Babies born in the last century: 611,319- 2019 popularity rank: #552 (506 babies born)- Peak year: 1952

Modern-day Dennises have a long name lineage with varied cultural touchstones. The name's Greek origin is Dionysios, which refers to a follower of the god of wine and revelry, Dionysos. The name is also connected to St. Denis, a third-century martyrnot to mention the titular character from the classic TV series "Dennis the Menace" that ran from 1959 to 1963.

- Babies born in the last century: 541,277- 2019 popularity rank: #1,696 (122 babies born)- Peak year: 1954

The name Janet was originally inspired by a shorter version of the name Jane, which itself comes from the French for Jehanne.From early Hollywood starletsJanet Gaynor and Janet Leigh to singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, Janets have been making entertainment headlines for the last century.

- Babies born in the last century: 637,347- 2019 popularity rank: #19 (9,349 babies born)- Peak year: 1927

Historically and in folklore, Jack is often used to represent a charming, clever, if not slightly off-kilter characterthere's Jack Frost, Jack of Jack and Jill,Jack with his infamous beanstalk, and even Capt. Jack Sparrow. The name tends to represent the success of the common man, although of course has been lent to some darker figures like Jack the Ripper, as well.

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- Babies born in the last century: 542,250- 2019 popularity rank: #940 (279 babies born)- Peak year: 1947

The popularity of Carolyn steadily increased throughout the 1930s, rocketing from the #41 spot in girl baby names in 1933 to #10 in 1942. From there, however, its cache began to decrease once again. Carolyn was ranked as 841st in 2017. Well-known Carolyns include actor Carolyn McCormick ("Law and Order," "You Know my Name") and Carolyn Cassady, an American writer who was married to Neal Cassady and was a major character in Jack Kerouac's classic memoir "On the Road."

- Babies born in the last century: 663,725- 2019 popularity rank: #206 (1,870 babies born)- Peak year: 1964

Saint Patrick himself was vastly responsible for both the Christianization of Ireland and bringing the name Patrick into vogue. However, the name was not used much on the Emerald Isle before the 17th century, as it was seen as too sacred for everyday use.

- Babies born in the last century: 546,309- 2019 popularity rank: #191 (1,529 babies born)- Peak year: 1985

A name is truly part of the cultural zeitgeist when it's linked to a particular hairstyle, but the name Rachel far outdates Jennifer Aniston's lovely locks on Friends.Rachel was a biblical figure, appearing in Genesis as the wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

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- Babies born in the last century: 666,982- 2019 popularity rank: #11 (11,230 babies born)- Peak year: 1993

Early popularity of Alexander can almost certainly be traced back to Alexander the Great, the Macedonian ruler who established one of the largest empires of the ancient world. The name remains beloved and for several years throughout the 1990s, nearly 1% of male babies took the name Alexander. In 2019, the name did not crack the top 10 but was still a fairly common choice.

- Babies born in the last century: 548,279- 2019 popularity rank: #3,068 (52 babies born)- Peak year: 1955

Debra, a variant of the name Deborah, has strong Jewish origins. In Hebrew, devorahtranslates to bee,and Deborah is also the name of a Book of Judges figure in the Old Testament, who leads the Israelites to safety away from the Canaanites. Deborah was later adopted by the English.

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- Babies born in the last century: 679,913- 2019 popularity rank: #328 (1,011 babies born)- Peak year: 1924

Though there are still new Raymonds being born in the U.S., the name reached its height of popularity several decades ago. It was the 15th most popular baby name in 1918 and held a ranking close to that for several years. By 1949, Raymond was ranked #30 for boy's names and generally continued to fall from there.

- Babies born in the last century: 550,466- 2019 popularity rank: #243 (1,299 babies born)- Peak year: 1956

Catherine has lost popularity by a slim margin to a very similar-looking cousin: Katherine. However, Catherines everywhere can take solace in the fact that they have more than one legendary figure among their group; for example, Catherine of Aragon and Catherine the Great. While the latter Russian empress is often remembered for her romantic activity, she also organized the coup that brought her to power.

- Babies born in the last century: 706,987- 2019 popularity rank: #390 (798 babies born)- Peak year: 1962

Gregory stems back to Greek roots, with the name itself indicating watchfulness. The name has also belonged to many a pope, beginning with Gregory I, who was commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great and is considered afounding figure of the medieval papacy.

- Babies born in the last century: 563,333- 2019 popularity rank: #922 (285 babies born)- Peak year: 1952

It likely comes as no surprise that Christine comes from Christian origins. The name's meaning, with Latin roots, is commonly understood as follower of Christ. The popularity of this name was highest in 1952 but has fallen since.

- Babies born in the last century: 707,244- 2019 popularity rank: #403 (768 babies born)- Peak year: 1918

Frank most certainly falls into the category of simple, classic boys names that once experienced a boom but have taken a dive in popularity in recent years. However, there's a chance that Frank could come back in a slightly different form. In 2018,Todaynoted that avintage naming trend was on its way back: using boyish nicknames such as Frankie for girls.

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- Babies born in the last century: 563,391- 2019 popularity rank: #231 (1,335 babies born)- Peak year: 1920

Ruth has one of the earliest peak years of any name on this list, having reached its apex in 1920. The name has biblical roots, but the most notable modern-dayRuthis likely RuthBader Ginsburg, who was born in 1933 and served asassociate justice of the Supreme Court.

- Babies born in the last century: 710,086- 2019 popularity rank: #22 (9,237 babies born)- Peak year: 2001

Samuel, a name with extensive historical origins, has consistently ranked in the 21st century as one of the most-favored name choices for baby boys. Samuel is originally derived from the Hebrew name Shemuel. Important historical figures bearing this name include Samuel the Prophet, a revered figure in Judaism.

- Babies born in the last century: 570,150- 2019 popularity rank: #2 (17,102 babies born)- Peak year: 2003

Though the origin of the name Emma dates back earlier than the 18th century, the rise of its popularity may be connected to the 1709 Matthew prior poem called Henry and Emma.Of course, Jane Austen's Emma,published in 1815, probably didn't hurt either. The name hit its peak in 2003one year after Rachel and Ross named their daughter Emma on Friends.

- Babies born in the last century: 730,425- 2019 popularity rank: #7 (12,942 babies born)- Peak year: 1989

The name Benjamincomes from the Hebrew name Binyamin, which translates to son of the south. Benjamin hasmade a strong showing in recent years, increasing in popularity from the #22 most popular baby name in 2010.

- Babies born in the last century: 574,858- 2019 popularity rank: #121 (2,431 babies born)- Peak year: 1990

The name Katherine has Greek origins and translates to pure.Famous Katherines, both real and otherwise, include Katherine of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and actress Katherine Heigl.

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- Babies born in the last century: 759,155- 2019 popularity rank: #140 (2,671 babies born)- Peak year: 1992

Throughout England, Brandon is the name of several small towns and parishes. There are Brandons located in Warwickshire, Suffolk, and elsewhere. The meaning, derived from the Old English brom and dun, translates closely to the hill where broom grows.

- Babies born in the last century: 576,029- 2019 popularity rank: #80 (3,351 babies born)- Peak year: 1990

In the decade leading up to Samantha's peak popularity year, Molly Ringwald played Samantha Sam Baker in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles andSamantha of immense American Girl Doll fame was initially released in 1986.From 2000 to 2019, Samantha fell from #7 to #80 on the list of most popular girl baby names in the U.S.

- Babies born in the last century: 769,663- 2019 popularity rank: #527 (536 babies born)- Peak year: 1971

The name Scott, unsurprisingly, has a centuries-long Scottish history. Early records of Scott as a last name date back to the 12th century in Roxburgh, Scotland. However, there is also evidence of the Old English word scottidenoting Gaels whose conquered land (in the fifth century and earlier)eventually became Scotland.

- Babies born in the last century: 588,265- 2019 popularity rank: #228 (1,355 babies born)- Peak year: 1985

Like neon spandex and big, permed hair, Nicole goes hand-in-hand with the 1980s. The name remained close to the top-10 most popular girl names from 1978 to 1988. During the absolute peak of Nicole mania, more than 1% of female babies born were given the name.

- Babies born in the last century: 777,285- 2019 popularity rank: #155 (2,516 babies born)- Peak year: 1988

Between 1971 and 1972, the name Justin saw a massive increase in popularity amongst baby boys, climbing from #103 to #60. Though the best year for Justin was 1988, in which it was the 17th most popular boys name, Justin was solidly in the top 100 boys names every single year from 1972 to 2014. Of course, two of the most prominent Justins today were born within this time frameJustin Bieber, in 1994, and Justin Timberlake, in 1981.

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- Babies born in the last century: 592,694- 2019 popularity rank: #1,496 (145 babies born)- Peak year: 1954

The U.S. Social Security website's records of Pamela stop in 2011, during which there were only 266 little Pams brought into the world. However, during the 1950s, Pamela was quite a popular name. One of the earliest usages of the name occurred in the 16th century, in Sir Philip Sidney's The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia.

- Babies born in the last century: 802,430- 2019 popularity rank: #757 (311 babies born)- Peak year: 1947

Larry was originally shorthand for Lawrence or Laurence. Larry reached its height of popularity in the 1940s, and was most popular in 1947the year comedian Larry David was born. Other famous Larrys include TV and radio host Larry King, born in 1933, and basketball player Larry Bird, born in 1956.

- Babies born in the last century: 606,286- 2019 popularity rank: #1,069 (235 babies born)- Peak year: 1957

Brenda saw sustained popularity throughout the mid-20th century. Though the exact origin of this name is up for speculation, some guess it may be linked to the Old Norse word brandr, meaning sword. Singer Brenda Lee first gained national fame as a childin 1956when she appeared onABCs Ozark Jubileetheyear before the name hit peak popularity.

- Babies born in the last century: 840,005- 2019 popularity rank: #311 (1,084 babies born)- Peak year: 1952

Like another pair on this list (Catherine and Katherine), Stephen and Steven are in a bit of a battle. Unfortunately for the pcontingent nationwide, it's the other spelling that has maintained a little more consistent popularity. But it's not all bad newsStephen was popular throughout the middle of the 20th century, and gets to claim quite a few famous namesakes.

- Babies born in the last century: 629,400- 2019 popularity rank: #63 (3,807 babies born)- Peak year: 1918

Anna has been one of the most consistently well-liked names of the past century. In 1900, Anna was the third most popular baby girl name in the country, and the lowest it ever dipped since then was to 106th place, in 1971.

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- Babies born in the last century: 844,121- 2019 popularity rank: #64 (5,418 babies born)- Peak year: 1988

Jonathans have maintained their place in the top 100 most popular boys names every year from 1962 to 2019. Originally derived from a Hebrew name pronounced Yonatan,meaning Yahweh has given,Jonathan is recognizable from the Old Testament.

- Babies born in the last century: 652,923- 2019 popularity rank: #429 (737 babies born)- Peak year: 1918

While the name Helen peaked in American popularity a full century ago, there are quite a few famous or influential Helens to keep its legacy alive. Between mythological figure Helen of Troy, the incredible Helen Keller, and the iconic Helen Mirren, the name Helen will certainly remain on peoples' lips.

- Babies born in the last century: 877,492- 2019 popularity rank: #176 (2,187 babies born)- Peak year: 1970

Eric, derived from Old Norse origins, is said to mean eternal ruler. Eric is one of few names with the distinct honor of being linked to a Disney prince (although there are some who contend that Prince Eric was, well, not exactly the best.

- Babies born in the last century: 658,437- 2019 popularity rank: #256 (1,266 babies born)- Peak year: 1971

Angela from The Officeinfamously wore American Girl doll clothes made for large colonial dolls,but not all Angelas are quite so eccentric. The name Angela has a rich history, perhaps the most exciting part of which is the name's link to, you guessed it, angels.

- Babies born in the last century: 891,818- 2019 popularity rank: #78 (4,601 babies born)- Peak year: 1995

Nicholas is a 1990s mainstay through and through. The name remained in the top 10 for most popular baby names for boys throughout most of that decade and into the early 2000s, but has taken a fall since then. Nicholas is derived from nike, meaning victory.

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- Babies born in the last century: 668,154- 2019 popularity rank: #1,487 (146 babies born)- Peak year: 1935

Shirley Temple (the person, not the drink), can perhaps be thanked for this name's 1935 popularity peak, as some of her early hit films, like Curly Top,were released around this time.

- Babies born in the last century: 899,858- 2019 popularity rank: #773 (302 babies born)- Peak year: 1952

Though the name is not immensely common amongst babies today, it did see an impressive span of high popularity. Gary began to gain popularity in the early 1930s, and maintained a spot in the top 30 boy names from 1937 all the way to 1966.

- Babies born in the last century: 680,682- 2019 popularity rank: #203 (1,471 babies born)- Peak year: 1975

Amy wasn't just popular in the 1970s; it was a smash hit, cracking the top two most popular girl baby names four years in a row. Interestingly, the name seems to have caught on in the U.K. slightly later. Amy was the 23rd most popular girls name in England in 2007 while it only landed at #119 that same year in the U.S.

- Babies born in the last century: 925,412- 2019 popularity rank: #13 (10,679 babies born)- Peak year: 1998

Like many other names on this list, Jacob can be traced back to biblical roots. Jacob, the Hebrew patriarch, serves as the traditional ancestor for the people of Israel. According to Genesis, Jacob was incredibly cunning and quick-witted, and eventually fathered 13 children.

- Babies born in the last century: 689,366- 2019 popularity rank: #940 (279 babies born)- Peak year: 1951

Kathleen has a mighty impressive record. The name remained among the top 100 baby names for girls for seven decades, all the way from 1920 to 1990. Kathleen is of Irish origin, as an alteration on the name Caitlin.

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- Babies born in the last century: 937,629- 2019 popularity rank: #54 (6,087 babies born)- Peak year: 1985

Ryan is a newcomer in the name game. According to SSA data, there's no record of the name, or the amount was negligible in the U.S. prior to 1946. Ryan then made a giant leap in popularity from 1970 to 1971, moving from #139 to #51 on the list of most popular boys names. Ryan remained extremely popular for the next 30 years.

- Babies born in the last century: 705,685- 2019 popularity rank: #748 (373 babies born)- Peak year: 1957

Though some have contested that the name Cynthia has long lived in the shadow of its assumed nickname, Cindy, it has still found plenty of time to stand on its own. Cynthia was extremely popular through much of the 1950s and 1960s.

- Babies born in the last century: 975,104- 2019 popularity rank: #364 (876 babies born)- Peak year: 1962

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Most popular baby names in the last 100 years - WWNY