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Most popular baby names in the U.S.
What were the most popular baby names during the decade you were born? If it was the 1980s or ’90s, Jessica and Michael were number one. Are you named Jacob or Emily? Those names were the winners in the 2000s. What about the most popular names of the last century? Since 1924, Mary has taken the crown for girl’s names, topping the list 32 times. For boys, Michael has been the most popular name, placing first for 44 years. And the top names in 2025 were Olivia and Liam. To learn more, check out the interactive and lists below.
Most popular female names by year, from 1924
| year | most popular | runner-up | second runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source: U.S. Social Security Administration website. | |||
| 1924 | Mary | Dorothy | Helen |
| 1925 | Mary | Dorothy | Betty |
| 1926 | Mary | Dorothy | Betty |
| 1927 | Mary | Dorothy | Betty |
| 1928 | Mary | Betty | Dorothy |
| 1929 | Mary | Betty | Dorothy |
| 1930 | Mary | Betty | Dorothy |
| 1931 | Mary | Betty | Dorothy |
| 1932 | Mary | Betty | Barbara |
| 1933 | Mary | Betty | Barbara |
| 1934 | Mary | Betty | Barbara |
| 1935 | Mary | Shirley | Barbara |
| 1936 | Mary | Shirley | Barbara |
| 1937 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1938 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1939 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1940 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1941 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1942 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1943 | Mary | Barbara | Patricia |
| 1944 | Mary | Barbara | Linda |
| 1945 | Mary | Linda | Barbara |
| 1946 | Mary | Linda | Patricia |
| 1947 | Linda | Mary | Patricia |
| 1948 | Linda | Mary | Barbara |
| 1949 | Linda | Mary | Patricia |
| 1950 | Linda | Mary | Patricia |
| 1951 | Linda | Mary | Patricia |
| 1952 | Linda | Mary | Patricia |
| 1953 | Mary | Linda | Deborah |
| 1954 | Mary | Linda | Deborah |
| 1955 | Mary | Deborah | Linda |
| 1956 | Mary | Debra | Linda |
| 1957 | Mary | Susan | Linda |
| 1958 | Mary | Susan | Linda |
| 1959 | Mary | Susan | Linda |
| 1960 | Mary | Susan | Linda |
| 1961 | Mary | Lisa | Susan |
| 1962 | Lisa | Mary | Susan |
| 1963 | Lisa | Mary | Susan |
| 1964 | Lisa | Mary | Susan |
| 1965 | Lisa | Mary | Karen |
| 1966 | Lisa | Kimberly | Mary |
| 1967 | Lisa | Kimberly | Michelle |
| 1968 | Lisa | Michelle | Kimberly |
| 1969 | Lisa | Michelle | Jennifer |
| 1970 | Jennifer | Lisa | Kimberly |
| 1971 | Jennifer | Michelle | Lisa |
| 1972 | Jennifer | Michelle | Lisa |
| 1973 | Jennifer | Amy | Michelle |
| 1974 | Jennifer | Amy | Michelle |
| 1975 | Jennifer | Amy | Heather |
| 1976 | Jennifer | Amy | Melissa |
| 1977 | Jennifer | Melissa | Amy |
| 1978 | Jennifer | Melissa | Jessica |
| 1979 | Jennifer | Melissa | Amanda |
| 1980 | Jennifer | Amanda | Jessica |
| 1981 | Jennifer | Jessica | Amanda |
| 1982 | Jennifer | Jessica | Amanda |
| 1983 | Jennifer | Jessica | Amanda |
| 1984 | Jennifer | Jessica | Ashley |
| 1985 | Jessica | Ashley | Jennifer |
| 1986 | Jessica | Ashley | Amanda |
| 1987 | Jessica | Ashley | Amanda |
| 1988 | Jessica | Ashley | Amanda |
| 1989 | Jessica | Ashley | Brittany |
| 1990 | Jessica | Ashley | Brittany |
| 1991 | Ashley | Jessica | Brittany |
| 1992 | Ashley | Jessica | Amanda |
| 1993 | Jessica | Ashley | Sarah |
| 1994 | Jessica | Ashley | Emily |
| 1995 | Jessica | Ashley | Emily |
| 1996 | Emily | Jessica | Ashley |
| 1997 | Emily | Jessica | Ashley |
| 1998 | Emily | Hannah | Samantha |
| 1999 | Emily | Hannah | Alexis |
| 2000 | Emily | Hannah | Madison |
| 2001 | Emily | Madison | Hannah |
| 2002 | Emily | Madison | Hannah |
| 2003 | Emily | Emma | Madison |
| 2004 | Emily | Emma | Madison |
| 2005 | Emily | Emma | Madison |
| 2006 | Emily | Emma | Madison |
| 2007 | Emily | Isabella | Emma |
| 2008 | Emma | Isabella | Emily |
| 2009 | Isabella | Emma | Olivia |
| 2010 | Isabella | Sophia | Emma |
| 2011 | Sophia | Isabella | Emma |
| 2012 | Sophia | Emma | Isabella |
| 2013 | Sophia | Emma | Olivia |
| 2014 | Emma | Olivia | Sophia |
| 2015 | Emma | Olivia | Sophia |
| 2016 | Emma | Olivia | Ava |
| 2017 | Emma | Olivia | Ava |
| 2018 | Emma | Olivia | Ava |
| 2019 | Olivia | Emma | Ava |
| 2020 | Olivia | Emma | Ava |
| 2021 | Olivia | Emma | Charlotte |
| 2022 | Olivia | Emma | Charlotte |
| 2023 | Olivia | Emma | Charlotte |
| 2024 | Olivia | Emma | Amelia |
| 2025 | Olivia | Charlotte | Emma |
Most popular male names by year, from 1924
| year | most popular | runner-up | second runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source: U.S. Social Security Administration website. | |||
| 1924 | Robert | John | William |
| 1925 | Robert | John | William |
| 1926 | Robert | John | James |
| 1927 | Robert | John | James |
| 1928 | Robert | John | James |
| 1929 | Robert | James | John |
| 1930 | Robert | James | John |
| 1931 | Robert | James | John |
| 1932 | Robert | James | John |
| 1933 | Robert | James | John |
| 1934 | Robert | James | John |
| 1935 | Robert | James | John |
| 1936 | Robert | James | John |
| 1937 | Robert | James | John |
| 1938 | Robert | James | John |
| 1939 | Robert | James | John |
| 1940 | James | Robert | John |
| 1941 | James | Robert | John |
| 1942 | James | Robert | John |
| 1943 | James | Robert | John |
| 1944 | James | Robert | John |
| 1945 | James | Robert | John |
| 1946 | James | Robert | John |
| 1947 | James | Robert | John |
| 1948 | James | Robert | John |
| 1949 | James | Robert | John |
| 1950 | James | Robert | John |
| 1951 | James | Robert | John |
| 1952 | James | Robert | John |
| 1953 | Robert | James | Michael |
| 1954 | Michael | Robert | James |
| 1955 | Michael | David | James |
| 1956 | Michael | James | Robert |
| 1957 | Michael | James | David |
| 1958 | Michael | David | James |
| 1959 | Michael | David | James |
| 1960 | David | Michael | James |
| 1961 | Michael | David | John |
| 1962 | Michael | David | John |
| 1963 | Michael | John | David |
| 1964 | Michael | John | David |
| 1965 | Michael | John | David |
| 1966 | Michael | David | James |
| 1967 | Michael | David | James |
| 1968 | Michael | David | John |
| 1969 | Michael | David | James |
| 1970 | Michael | James | David |
| 1971 | Michael | James | David |
| 1972 | Michael | Christopher | James |
| 1973 | Michael | Christopher | Jason |
| 1974 | Michael | Jason | Christopher |
| 1975 | Michael | Jason | Christopher |
| 1976 | Michael | Jason | Christopher |
| 1977 | Michael | Jason | Christopher |
| 1978 | Michael | Jason | Christopher |
| 1979 | Michael | Christopher | Jason |
| 1980 | Michael | Christopher | Jason |
| 1981 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1982 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1983 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1984 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1985 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1986 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1987 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1988 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1989 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1990 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1991 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1992 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1993 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1994 | Michael | Christopher | Matthew |
| 1995 | Michael | Matthew | Christopher |
| 1996 | Michael | Matthew | Jacob |
| 1997 | Michael | Jacob | Matthew |
| 1998 | Michael | Jacob | Matthew |
| 1999 | Jacob | Michael | Matthew |
| 2000 | Jacob | Michael | Matthew |
| 2001 | Jacob | Michael | Matthew |
| 2002 | Jacob | Michael | Joshua |
| 2003 | Jacob | Michael | Joshua |
| 2004 | Jacob | Michael | Joshua |
| 2005 | Jacob | Michael | Joshua |
| 2006 | Jacob | Michael | Joshua |
| 2007 | Jacob | Michael | Ethan |
| 2008 | Jacob | Michael | Ethan |
| 2009 | Jacob | Ethan | Michael |
| 2010 | Jacob | Ethan | Michael |
| 2011 | Jacob | Mason | William |
| 2012 | Jacob | Mason | Ethan |
| 2013 | Noah | Jacob | Liam |
| 2014 | Noah | Liam | Mason |
| 2015 | Noah | Liam | Mason |
| 2016 | Noah | Liam | William |
| 2017 | Liam | Noah | William |
| 2018 | Liam | Noah | William |
| 2019 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2020 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2021 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2022 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2023 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2024 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
| 2025 | Liam | Noah | Oliver |
Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.
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