| The U.S. government makes available an | | | | fallen star is George, which was #4 in |
| amazing database of all U.S. baby names | | | | 1887 but only 153rd most popular today. |
| from the 1880s to the present. Studying | | | | Charles went from 5th to 60th; Robert |
| the top baby names every decade reveals | | | | from 11th to 47th (but enjoyed a great |
| which baby names are new and unique, and | | | | run as #1 from 1924 to 1939); Thomas |
| which are timeless favorites. | | | | from 9th to 51st; Richard from 25th to |
| The World's Largest Baby | | | | 99th (but had a strong mid-century surge |
| Name FactoryThe U.S. Federal | | | | peaking at #5 in 1940s).Girl names that |
| government's Social Security | | | | have fallen out of favor include Mary, |
| Administration (SSA) has kept careful | | | | which was the #1 baby girl name in the |
| records of all new baby names in the | | | | 1880s but is only 55th in the 2000s. The |
| U.S. from the 1880's to the present. | | | | most dramatic fall of any name is Minnie |
| This database is available online for | | | | (yes, of Minnie Mouse fame), which was |
| free for anyone to look at (you can find | | | | 6th most popular in the 1880s but has |
| it at We've gone through the records | | | | not even ranked anywhere in the top 1000 |
| and studied them can now share with you | | | | since 1971 when it was 951st. Apparently |
| the fun and sometimes surprising | | | | no one wants to be named after a |
| results!I studied the data at the SSA | | | | mouse!Nouveau Top NamesLastly there are |
| site, looking at the name popularity for | | | | the names that are all the rage today |
| the last 120 years: from 1887 through | | | | but that are unique and strange and new |
| 2006. Most Popular Names of All Time | | | | to our ear - because they were not at |
| When you look at baby name popularity | | | | all common in the past. Heading the |
| over time you see that all names go | | | | list is Jacob, today's #1 most popular |
| through cycles, gradually increasing and | | | | boy name but it was only 56th in 1887 |
| decreasing over time.To determine the | | | | and hit a real low spot of 367th in |
| most popular of all time, I decided that | | | | 1962.The name Michael has had real legs |
| we should see which names have | | | | for over half a centruy now. It was |
| consistently been in the top 20, decade | | | | 48th a 120 years ago but then climbed |
| after decade. Which baby names were in | | | | steadily and enjoyed an unprecedented |
| the top 20 for the entire time from 1887 | | | | streak as the #1 boy name from 1954 to |
| to the present?Among boys the most | | | | 1998 (except for one year when it was #2 |
| popular are John (1st in 1887 and 20th | | | | in 1960). Think of that - 43 years as |
| today); William (2nd to 10th); James | | | | the #1 boys name! Today Michael is #2.A |
| (3rd to 16th); and Joseph (7th to | | | | couple more new top boys names are |
| 11th).There are fewer girls name that | | | | Joshua: 247th to 3rd (but a low spot at |
| have stayed consistently popular across | | | | 730th in 1929!), and Matthew which has |
| the decades. The best candidate I could | | | | gone from 123rd to 5th.Emily from 98th |
| find was Elizabeth, which ranked 4th, | | | | to 1st with a mid-century low of 272nd |
| 21st and 11th in the 1880s, 1950s and | | | | in 1962.Greatest Comeback AwardsNo name |
| 2000s. Its quite noticeable how girls | | | | better demonstrates the power of fashion |
| names change more than boys names. Here | | | | cycles than the girls name Emma - it was |
| are just some of the most popular baby | | | | 4th most popular in 1887, declined in |
| girl names from the 1880s that are no | | | | popularity steadily until it was quite |
| where to be seen today: Minnie, Ida, | | | | rare from the 1940s to the 1980s |
| Bertha, Clara, Florence, Bessie and | | | | (e.g., it was 463rd most popular in |
| Ethel. Of these only Clara appears in | | | | 1963), and gained rapidly starting in |
| the top 1000 these days (position 260), | | | | the late 1980s, moving from 211th in |
| and I personally think it a beautiful | | | | 1986 to 2nd in 2006. Emma deserves a |
| name deserving of more use. I don't | | | | close second as it was 3rd in the 1880s |
| miss the other names much besides | | | | and is 11th in the 200s but descended to |
| Florence, which has wonderful | | | | 213th in the 1950s.Most Improved |
| connotations. Fallen StarsThen there are | | | | AwardThe girl baby name Madison gets the |
| the names that were very popular in the | | | | prize for most improved ranking in the |
| past but are used much less often today. | | | | shortest time. In 1985 it ranked a very |
| These can be a good source of unique | | | | low 625th, and in 2006 it was the 2nd |
| names for your child today but where the | | | | most popular name - it moved up an |
| unique name will have a good dose of | | | | impressive 623 positions in just 21 |
| nostalgia. I call these the fallen | | | | years. |
| stars. Among boy names the stand out | | | | |