The following information is provided by Graphiq and .
While some come and go, others stick around for . Some names featured on the list of the most popular names of the last century are a result of a decade-long fad, like , while others, like and , have been common names for the entire century.
, a genealogy records search engine, used data from the Social Security Administration to find the 30 most common baby names for boys and girls from the year 1915 to the present, and ranked them from least to most common based on the total number of babies bearing the name. Additionally, we found the highest rank ever held by the name, how long it held the rank and the years of its peak. In fact, MooseRoots recently launched an to allow users to research baby names on the go.
You might be inspired by an old classic on the list 鈥� after all, it鈥檚 hard to argue with a baby name that has been popular for over 100 years. Ladies first!
#30. Sharon
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 720,189
Highest Rank: 8
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1943, 1945
Sharon is a beautiful name derived from the Biblical verse, 鈥淚 am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys,鈥� in Song of Solomon 2:1. The name was the eighth most common name in 1943 and since then, it has been trending down, ranking No. 879 in 2014.
#29. Rebecca
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 726,232
Highest Rank: 10
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1973, 1974
Rebecca is a name with English, Hebrew and Jewish roots that means 鈥渟nare.鈥� It was the 184th most popular name for baby girls born in the U.S. in 2014, but at its peak in 1973 and 1974, it ranked No. 10.
#28. Stephanie
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 732,194
Highest Rank: 6
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 4
Years at Highest Rank: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
Meaning “crowned in victory,” Stephanie is the feminine form of Stephen. It hasn鈥檛 been in vogue since the 鈥�80s when it held seventh place; in 2014, it ranked No. 205.
#27. Laura
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 734,229
Highest Rank: 10
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1969
Laura is a Latin baby name that means 鈥淟aurel tree鈥� or 鈥渟weet bay tree.鈥� In 2014, it had a U.S. rank of 318, but at its peak in 1969, it was the most popular name among female newborns.
#26. Deborah
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 738,120
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1955
Deborah was a very trendy baby name in the 1950s, when it was the fourth most popular name among baby girls. The name means 鈥渂ee鈥� and is much less common today: In 2014, it ranked only No. 753 among female newborns in the U.S.
#25. Melissa
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 746,546
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 3
Years at Highest Rank: 1977, 1978, 1979
Melissa has English, Greek and Italian origins, and means 鈥渉oneybee.鈥� In 1979, Melissa was the second most popular baby girl name, but the name has become far less common, and in 2014 it ranked No. 224.
#24. Amanda
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 769,038
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1980
Amanda experienced a huge name fad in 鈥�80s, when it held third place. Since then, the name has fallen out of popularity in the U.S., with a rank of 314 in 2014.
#23. Emily
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 774,938
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 12
Years at Highest Rank: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
A pretty name with a strong meaning, Emily means 鈥渋ndustrious鈥� and 鈥渟triving.鈥� Emily was the seventh most popular baby girl name in 2014, and it was a popular choice from 1996 to 2007.
#22. Michelle
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 802,726
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 4
Years at Highest Rank: 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972
Michelle is the feminine form of Michael and means “gift from God.” It was a popular choice in the 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s, perhaps due to the Beatles hit song released in 1966.
#21. Carol
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 812,666
Highest Rank: 4
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1941
Landing the No. 4 ranking in 1941, Carol was a popular choice in the 鈥�40s, but after a precipitous fall, only 148 baby girls were named Carol in the U.S., giving the name a rank of 1,491 in 2014.
#20. Helen
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 815,829
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 5
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919
This English name means 鈥淕reek, ray, sun.鈥� It was the second most common name among baby girls in 1900, but has slowly declined in popularity throughout the century. In 2014, only 791 female newborns were named Helen, giving it a rank of 404.
#19. Kimberly
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 825,188
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1966, 1967
Kimberly was the 鈥榠t鈥� name in the 鈥�70s, but it has since fallen from its top-tier status. The name meaning, 鈥渇rom the wood of the royal forest,鈥� just missed the top 100 chart for female names in 2014, ranking No. 105.
#18. Donna
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 827,556
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1959, 1960
Donna means 鈥渓ady鈥� in Italian, and while Donna was a popular pick from 1959 to1960, the name has been trending significantly down in recent years: In 2014, the name ranked No. 1,407.
#17. Ashley
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 831,126
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1991, 1992
Originally a male鈥檚 name, Ashley is now a common female name choice. The name was the most popular baby name in the country in 1991. Since then, the name has been trending down and in 2014, it ranked No. 87.
#16. Sandra
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 871,895
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1947
Sandra originated from Alessandra and was a popular choice in the 1947, when it ranked No. 5. In 2014, however, it ranked only No. 800.
#15. Lisa
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 963,449
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 8
Years at Highest Rank: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
Meaning 鈥渄evoted to God,鈥� Lisa was the most common baby name in the 鈥�60s when it ranked No. 1 among baby girls. Since then, however, it has fallen from its top slot. In 2014, Lisa was the 750th most common baby girl name in the U.S., with only 371 newborns bearing the name.
#14. Betty
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 975,970
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 7
Years at Highest Rank: 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934
Short for Elizabeth, Betty became a popular stand alone name in the U.S. from 1928 to 1934. Betty has remained stagnant in recent years, ranking No. 1,254 in 2014.
#13. Nancy
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 979,084
Highest Rank: 6
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1950
The origin of the name Nancy is uncertain, but it was a popular choice in America in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. In 2014, the name is not as popular and is ranked No. 752.
#12. Karen
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 982,830
Highest Rank: 3
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1965
Meaning 鈥減ure,鈥� Karen was a hit in 1965. Karen is quite new to the English-speaking world, and the name ranked No. 492 in 2014.
#11. Dorothy
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 990,948
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 8
Years at Highest Rank: 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927
Dorothy is of English and Greek origins and means 鈥済ift of God.鈥� Dorothy has been a common name choice for centuries, but it experienced a popularity boom during the ’20s, giving the name an average rank of two. Since then, it has been trending down, earning it the rank of 731 in 2014.
#10. Sarah
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 992,496
Highest Rank: 3
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1993
Meaning 鈥減rincess,鈥� Sarah has Biblical roots. It reached its pinnacle in 1993, when it was the third most common baby name among baby girls. In 2014, the name was trending down in popularity, but is still the 50th most common baby girl name in the U.S.
#9. Jessica
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,038,206
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 9
Years at Highest Rank: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995
While most baby names have deep Biblical or historical roots, the name Jessica has a more obscure background. Shakespeare is given credit for inventing the name when he tried to create a Hebrew name. The name hit its peak in the late 鈥�80s to mid-1990s, when it ranked No. 1. Meanwhile, it ranked No. 179 in 2014.
#8. Margaret
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,058,066
Highest Rank: 4
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 9
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923
Margaret was a very popular name choice in the Middle Ages, and the name means 鈥減earl.鈥� In the U.S., it ranked No. 4 from 1915 to 1923, but it was the 169th most popular baby girl name for in 2014.
#7. Susan
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,107,210
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 4
Years at Highest Rank: 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960
The vernacular form of Susanna, Susan has become increasingly uncommon in recent decades, ranking No. 851 in 2014. It was most common in 1957 when it held the rank of No. 2.
#6. Barbara
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,417,892
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 8
Years at Highest Rank: 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944
Barbara is a name with Latin origin that means 鈥渇oreign woman.鈥� It was quite popular in the 1940s when it was the second most popular name for baby girls born in the U.S., but it has been trending down over the last decade, ranking No. 863 in 2014.
#5. Linda
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,447,050
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 6
Years at Highest Rank: 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952
Linda, a precious name that means 鈥渟oft and tender,鈥� held the No. 1 spot from 1947 to 1952. In 2014, however, it ranked No. 615.
#4. Elizabeth
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,449,349
Highest Rank: 8
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 6
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1982
Elizabeth, a Biblical name meaning “the oath” or “fullness of God,” has seen a boom in popularity several times over the past century, ranking No. 8 in 1915 and No. 15 in 1975. In 2014, Elizabeth is still a common choice, ranking No. 14 among baby girls.
#3. Jennifer
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,461,186
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 15
Years at Highest Rank: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
Jennifer experienced a very big name fad for over a decade, ranking No. 1 from 1970 to 1984.
#2. Patricia
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 1,566,017
Highest Rank: 3
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 13
Years at Highest Rank: 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952
Patricia fell in the top five names among baby girls from 1935 to 1954. In 2014, however, only 376 girls were named Patricia, giving the name a low rank of 739.
#1. Mary
Gender: Female
Total Babies With Name: 3,566,626
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 41
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961
Despite being ranked No. 120 in 2014, Mary is the most common baby girl name from the past century, as it held the No. 1 spot for 41 years. It is two times more popular than the second most common name Patricia.
#30. Gary
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 897,477
Highest Rank: 9
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1954
Gary began as a surname, but is now used as a given name. The name was much more common in the ’50s. In 2014, the name was trending significantly down in popularity and held a ranking of 560.
#29. Jeffrey
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 968,767
Highest Rank: 9
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1966
Jeffrey is derived from one of three Old German names, meaning 鈥渄istrict,鈥� 鈥渢raveler鈥�, or 鈥減eaceful pledge.鈥� Despite holding ninth place in 1966, Jeffrey ranked No. 266 in 2014.
#28. Jason
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,008,308
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 5
Years at Highest Rank: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978
Jason, a Greek name with mythological roots, was the 75th most popular baby boy name in 2014, and has been trending slightly down in popularity. From 1974 to 1978, however, it ranked No. 2.
#27. Timothy
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,054,919
Highest Rank: 11
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 3
Years at Highest Rank: 1960, 1966, 1967
Meaning 鈥淕od and honor,鈥� Timothy was common in the 1960s, but has seen a decline in popularity in the U.S. over the last decade, ranking No. 135 in 2014. At its pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s, it ranked No. 11.
#26. Ronald
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,072,514
Highest Rank: 9
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 3
Years at Highest Rank: 1941, 1942, 1943
Even with its strong meaning of 鈥渕ighty counselor” or “ruler,鈥� Ronald has fallen to obscurity, ranking No. 397 in 2014, a far fall from its 9th place ranking in 1943.
#25. Kevin
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,147,182
Highest Rank: 11
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1963
As the 70th most common male name for 2014, Kevin has been trending down in popularity. At its peak in 1963, it ranked No. 11 among baby boys.
#24. Brian
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,155,367
Highest Rank: 8
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 7
Years at Highest Rank: 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
Brian comes from an Old Celtic word meaning 鈥渉igh鈥� or 鈥渘oble,鈥� and ranked No. 8 throughout the 1970s. In 2014, however, the name held the rank of 168.
#23. Joshua
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,162,508
Highest Rank: 3
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 5
Years at Highest Rank: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Joshua, a strong Hebrew name meaning 鈥淕od is salvation,鈥� was the third most popular name among baby boys from 2002 to 2006 and ranked No. 25 in 2014.
#22. Edward
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,171,568
Highest Rank: 8
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 9
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923
An English baby name meaning 鈥渨ealthy guardian,鈥� Edward ranked No. 8 from 1915 to 1923, but in 2014, it only scored the rank of 160.
#21. Andrew
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,217,499
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 4
Years at Highest Rank: 1988, 1991, 1992, 2003
Andrew has experienced a slow decline in popularity over the past decade, but it still ranked No. 22 in 2014.
#20. Kenneth
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,246,551
Highest Rank: 13
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1939
Meaning 鈥渉andsome,鈥� Kenneth is a handsome name for a handsome baby boy. The name hasn鈥檛 been quite as popular since the ’30s when it ranked No. 13, ranking No. 191 in 2014.
#19. George
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,261,573
Highest Rank: 6
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 11
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926
Though George ranked only No. 134 in 2014 in the U.S., it was the sixth most common name for 11 years. In England, however, the name surpassed William in popularity, likely due to the birth of Prince George of Cambridge in 2013.
#18. Steven
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,268,851
Highest Rank: 10
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 7
Years at Highest Rank: 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961
Steven peaked in popularity in the mid- to late-1950s, when it was the 10th most common name among baby boys. The name has fallen several rankings since then and earned a ranking of 144 in 2014.
#17. Paul
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,331,063
Highest Rank: 12
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 3
Years at Highest Rank: 1916, 1930, 1931
Paul, a common male name meaning 鈥渟mall,鈥� comes from many origins, including English, Estonian, French, German and Swedish. Paul was the 201st most popular name among baby boys in the U.S. in 2014.
#16. Mark
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,337,395
Highest Rank: 6
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 6
Years at Highest Rank: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964
Mark, a name derived from the Celtic word meaning 鈥渕arch鈥� or 鈥渉orse,鈥� recently experienced a drop in popularity, and ranked No. 189 among baby boys in 2014.
#15. Anthony
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,371,132
Highest Rank: 7
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 2007, 2008
A Latin baby name meaning 鈥減raiseworthy,鈥� Anthony has maintained its popularity and ranked No. 21 among baby boys in 2014.
#14. Donald
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,387,616
Highest Rank: 6
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1934
Surprised to see this name make the list? While Donald Trump and Donald Duck might be the most famous bearers of this name, Donald was a very popular name choice in the 1930s, when was the sixth most common name. Since then, however, it has fallen from the top, ranking only No. 418 in 2014.
#13. Matthew
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,534,891
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 2
Years at Highest Rank: 1995, 1996
Every mother thinks their child is a gift, and the name Matthew actually means 鈥済ift of God.鈥� The name is not as popular now as it was in the ’90s, when it it was the second most common male name, but it still held a notable ranking as the 16th most popular U.S. baby boy name in 2014.
#12. Daniel
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,831,537
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 4
Years at Highest Rank: 1985, 1990, 2007, 2008
A Biblical name meaning 鈥渉e judged鈥� in Hebrew, the name Daniel traces its roots to the Biblical figure. In 1985, it ranked No. 5 among baby boys, but by 2014 it declined to No. 10.
#11. Christopher
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 1,981,742
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 18
Years at Highest Rank: 1972, 1973, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
Although Christopher means 鈥渃arrier of Christ,鈥� it has persisted in popularity among religious and non-religious families alike. Over 10,000 American baby boys received the name Christopher in 2014, giving the name a rank of 30.
#10. Thomas
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 2,181,063
Highest Rank: 8
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 17
Years at Highest Rank: 1936, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955
Thomas, a New Testament name borne by one of the disciples, means 鈥渢win鈥� and has experienced a slow decline in the last decade, ranking No. 54 in the U.S in 2014.
#9. Charles
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 2,185,487
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 12
Years at Highest Rank: 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929
The name Charles originates from an old Germanic word meaning 鈥渕an,鈥� and peaked in the 1880s when it had an average rank of 4. In 2014, the name ranked No. 51 in U.S. Parents today favor spin-offs of Charles, such as Charlotte and Charlie.
#8. Joseph
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 2,410,248
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 3
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917
Held by Biblical figures as well as historic icons, Joseph peaked in the mid-1910s, when it ranked No. 5. A very common Hebrew baby name meaning 鈥�(God) shall add (another son),鈥� Joseph has become increasingly uncommon and ranked No. 20 in 2014 in the U.S.
#7. Richard
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 2,507,392
Highest Rank: 5
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 18
Years at Highest Rank: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947
The Normans introduced the name Richard to Britain and it has been a common name choice ever since. In 2014, 2,857 baby boys were named Richard in the U.S., giving the name a rank of 141.
#6. David
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 3,528,494
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 1
Year at Highest Rank: 1960
David, a name inspired by one of the greatest kings of the Bible, remains ubiquitous among the religious and non-religious alike. Meaning 鈥渄arling,鈥� the name held steady in popularity in 2014 with a rank of 18.
#5. William
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 3,719,643
Highest Rank: 2
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 6
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920
With a strong German name meaning 鈥渞esolute protector,鈥� William remains a popular choice among British royalty. In 2014, William held a strong rank as the fifth most popular baby boy name in the U.S., and the name ranked No. 1 in Norway and Sweden that year.
#4. Michael
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 4,270,672
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 44
Years at Highest Rank: 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Since the 1900s, Michael has been one of the most enduringly popular names among baby boys. Michael has ranked among the top five names for many decades. Meaning 鈥渨ho is like God,鈥� the name did not make it into the top five for 2014, and instead fell to No. 7 in the U.S.
#3. Robert
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 4,641,856
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 17
Years at Highest Rank: 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1953
An all-time favorite name for baby boys since the Middle Ages, Robert means 鈥渇amed, bright and shining.鈥� The name saw its highest ranking ever in 1937, when it was the most popular boys鈥� name in the U.S. In 2014, however, the name was ranked No. 61.
#2. John
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 4,701,991
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 9
Years at Highest Rank: 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923
Another name from the Bible, John means 鈥淛ehovah has been gracious鈥� in Hebrew. Many saints and 23 popes bear the name. In 2014, John was the 26th most popular baby name in the U.S., and has become increasingly uncommon since its peak in the 1880s when it ranked No. 1 among baby boys.
#1. James
Gender: Male
Total Babies With Name: 4,840,358
Highest Rank: 1
Number of Years at Highest Rank: 13
Years at Highest Rank: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952
The most popular name among baby boys in the last century, James was popular in Biblical times, and persisted among English royalty in the 15th century and onward.
