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The Most Popular Baby Names from the Year You Were Born

Morgan Cutolo

By Morgan Cutolo

Updated on Aug. 20, 2024

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Mothers day composition. Photo album, black-and-white pictures.
Halfpoint/Shutterstock

Having one of the most popular names can be a good and bad thing. Everyone will know how to spell your name, but the chances that you have at least one other person in your class or at your job with the same name are pretty high. We gathered the top three names for every year, 1950-2010, from the Social Security Administration. Check out your birth year below to see if your name made the list or if any names from decades ago made our vintage baby names list. Also, check out the most popular toy the year you were born.

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Marie Hoffman
Courtesy Marie Hoffman/Reminisce

1950

Girls

  1. Linda
  2. Mary
  3. Patricia

Boys

  1. James
  2. Robert
  3. John
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John Wood
Courtesy John Wood/Reminisce

1951

Girls

  1. Linda
  2. Mary
  3. Patricia

Boys

  1. James
  2. Robert
  3. John

Also, check these baby names that have been banned around the world.

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Raelene Maestras
Courtesy Raelene Maestras

1952

Girls

  1. Linda
  2. Mary
  3. Patricia

Boys

  1. James
  2. Robert
  3. John

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IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

1953

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Linda
  3. Deborah

Boys

  1. Robert
  2. James
  3. Michael

This is what Barbie looked like the decade you were born.

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Kathleen McDonald
Courtesy Kathleen McDonald/Reminisce

1954

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Linda
  3. Deborah

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. James
  3. Robert
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Linda Kast
Courtesy Linda Kast/Reminisce

1955

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Deborah
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James
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Lynette Gibboney
Courtesy Lynette Gibboney/Reminisce

1956

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Deborah
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. James
  3. Robert
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Kenney Slatten
Courtesy Kenney Slatten/Reminisce

1957

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Susan
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. James
  3. David
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Earleen Johnson
Courtesy Earleen Johnson/Reminisce

1958

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Susan
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James

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Peter Fornabaio
Courtesy Peter Fornabaio

1959

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Susan
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James
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Donna fornabaio
Courtesy Donna Fornabaio

1960

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Susan
  3. Linda

Boys

  1. David
  2. Michael
  3. James
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Marlene Barnes
Courtesy Marlene Barnes/Reminsice

1961

Girls

  1. Mary
  2. Lisa
  3. Susan

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. John
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1962

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Mary
  3. Susan

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. John
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IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

1963

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Mary
  3. Susan

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. John
  3. David
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IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

1964

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Mary
  3. Susan

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. John
  3. David
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1965

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Mary
  3. Karen

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. John
  3. David
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Galyamin Sergej/Shutterstock

1966

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Kimberly
  3. Mary

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James
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IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

1967

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Kimberly
  3. Michelle

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1968

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Michelle
  3. Kimberly

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. John
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1969

Girls

  1. Lisa
  2. Michelle
  3. Jennifer

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. David
  3. James
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Ron Baxendale II
Courtesy Ron Baxendale II/Reminisce

1970

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Lisa
  3. Kimberly

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. James
  3. David

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nurse child - photo scan - about 1970s
KUCO/Shutterstock

1971

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Michelle
  3. Lisa

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. James
  3. David
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baby 70's
KUCO/Shutterstock

1972

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Michelle
  3. Lisa

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. James
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baby 1970s
KUCO/Shutterstock

1973

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Amy
  3. Michelle

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Jason
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baby
Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1974

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Amy
  3. Michelle

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jason
  3. Christopher
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1975

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Amy
  3. Heather

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jason
  3. Christopher
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baby 1970s
Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1976

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Amy
  3. Melissa

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jason
  3. Christopher
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shutterstock_629488757
Lyudmila2509/Shutterstock

1977

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Melissa
  3. Amy

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jason
  3. Christopher
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shutterstock_417259396
Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1978

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Melissa
  3. Jessica

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jason
  3. Christopher
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Linda Kast
Courtesy Linda Kast/Reminisce

1979

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Melissa
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Jason
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close up. portrait of a yawning newborn baby.
SmartPhotoLab/Shutterstock

1980

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Amanda
  3. Jessica

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Jason
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Cindy Kimmel
Courtesy Cindy Kimmel

1981

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Jessica
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew

These are the words coined the year you were born.

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Galyamin Sergej/Shutterstock

1982

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Jessica
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Jerri Sue deCordova Fox
Courtesy Jerri Sue deCordova Fox/Reminisce

1983

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Jessica
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1984

Girls

  1. Jennifer
  2. Jessica
  3. Ashley

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Mike
Courtesy Michael Carpentieri

1985

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Jennifer

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1986

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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1980s baby
Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1987

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Roman Nerud/Shutterstock

1988

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Matt Fukuda
Courtesy Matt Fukuda/Reminisce

1989

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Brittany

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Ashley lewis born 1990
Courtesy Ashley Lewis

1990

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Brittany

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Linda Kast
Courtesy Linda Kast/Reminisce

1991

Girls

  1. Ashley
  2. Jessica
  3. Brittany

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Danielle Fornabaio
Courtesy Danielle Fornabaio

1992

Girls

  1. Ashley
  2. Jessica
  3. Amanda

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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Nicole Fornabaio born 93
Courtesy Nicole Fornabaio

1993

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Sarah

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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claire nowak born 94
Courtesy Claire Nowak

1994

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Emily

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Christopher
  3. Matthew
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morgan cutolo born 1995
Courtesy Morgan Cutolo

1995

Girls

  1. Jessica
  2. Ashley
  3. Emily

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Matthew
  3. Christopher

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Portrait Of Happy Young Baby Boy In High Chair
Marko Poplasen/Shutterstock

1996

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Jessica
  3. Ashley

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Matthew
  3. Jacob
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levenia coats
Courtesy Levenia Coats/Reminisce

1997

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Jessica
  3. Ashley

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jacob
  3. Matthew
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Awake Newborn Baby on Cream White Background
Ursula Page/Shutterstock

1998

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Hannah
  3. Samantha

Boys

  1. Michael
  2. Jacob
  3. Matthew
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Young Asian mother is kissing her lovely one year old son. Vintage photo mom and son
Kinnaree/Shutterstock

1999

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Hannah
  3. Alexis

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Matthew
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One year old baby girl sleeping.
Stephan Schlachter/Shutterstock

2000

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Hannah
  3. Madison

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Matthew
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Cute newborn baby boy in a bed
Josipa Bjelobrk/Shutterstock

2001

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Madison
  3. Hannah

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Matthew
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Happy Mixed Race Toddler Boy
Tatiana Chekryzhova/Shutterstock

2002

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Madison
  3. Hannah

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
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Cute little baby sleeping on bed at home
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

2003

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
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Cute baby drinking milk from baby bottle while looking his mom. Mother feeding son infant from bottle. Little boy drinking milk from bottle at home.
Rido/Shutterstock

2004

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
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the top view of baby in cot, cradle
alice-photo/Shutterstock

2005

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
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Baby boy drinking milk from bottle holding by mother. Healthy nutrition.
morrowlight/Shutterstock

2006

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
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Portrait of a crawling baby on the carpet in my room
Vasilyev Alexandr/Shutterstock

2007

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Isabella
  3. Emma

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Ethan
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African American Father And Baby Boy
Tatiana Chekryzhova/Shutterstock

2008

Girls

  1. Emma
  2. Isabella
  3. Emily

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Ethan
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childhood, babyhood and people concept - happy little baby boy or girl sitting on floor at home
Syda Productions/Shutterstock

2009

Girls

  1. Isabella
  2. Emma
  3. Olivia

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Ethan
  3. Michael
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Jerri Sue deCordova Fox
Courtesy Jerri Sue deCordova Fox/Reminisce

2010

Girls

  1. Isabella
  2. Sophia
  3. Emma

Boys

  1. Jacob
  2. Ethan
  3. Michael

Now, check out these vintage photos of what life was like in the 1950s.

Author
Morgan Cutolo
Morgan has written dozens of lifestyle articles for Reader's Digest, covering quirky facts, trivia, memes and humor. She is a former editor at Reader's Digest and Trusted Media Brands. In her free time, she likes exploring the seacoast near her home in Maine and snuggling on the couch with her corgi, Eggo, to read a good book or watch The Office.
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Morgan Cutolo