What have been the most popular baby names of the last century?

#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, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys,” 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 “snare.” 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’t been in vogue since the ‘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 “Laurel tree” or “sweet bay tree.” 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 “bee” 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 “honeybee.” 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 ‘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 “industrious” and “striving.” 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 ‘70s and ‘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 ‘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 “Greek, ray, sun.” 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 ‘it’ name in the ‘70s, but it has since fallen from its top-tier status. The name meaning, “from the wood of the royal forest,” 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 “lady” 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’s 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 “devoted to God,” Lisa was the most common baby name in the ‘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 “pure,” 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 “gift of God.” 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 “princess,” 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 ‘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 “pearl.” 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 “foreign woman.” 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 “soft and tender,” 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 “district,” “traveler”, or “peaceful pledge.” 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 “God and honor,” 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 “mighty counselor" or "ruler,” 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 “high” or “noble,” 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 “God is salvation,” 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 “wealthy guardian,” 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 “handsome,” Kenneth is a handsome name for a handsome baby boy. The name hasn’t 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 “small,” 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 “march” or “horse,” 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 “praiseworthy,” 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 “gift of God.” 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 “he judged” 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 “carrier of Christ,” 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 “twin” 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 “man,” 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 “(God) shall add (another son),” 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 “darling,” 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 “resolute protector,” 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 “who is like God,” 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 “famed, bright and shining.” The name saw its highest ranking ever in 1937, when it was the most popular boys’ 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 “Jehovah has been gracious” 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.

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