Top baby names from 50 years ago (U.S. Social Security data)

Many of the top baby names don’t change much from year to year, but if you look back at the Social Security Administration’s recording over the past 140 years, you will see changes as names move in and out of fashion. But how about if you look back at the top baby names from 50 years ago? How different is that list for babies born in your parent’s generation?

If you’re looking for a “classic” name that is less common nowadays, this is the place to look. If you limit your options to what you hear from friends, you’ll get the same names as everyone else. That’s fine if you absolutely love Mary and John, but not if you’re looking for something that will stick out, at least a bit among your baby’s age group.

You can see the most popular names for any year since 1879 on the Social Security Administration website.

Some names are evergreen like Lisa, Jennifer and Mary. Others may seem odd or dated through the lens of the new millenium, though not as much as when we looked back to the most popular baby names from 50 years ago. There you’ll find decidely old-fashioned names like Gertrude and Bertha.

Top baby names from 50 years ago per the Social Security Administration

Girls:

1. Lisa
2. Michelle
3. Jennifer
4. Kimberly
5. Melissa
6. Amy
7. Angela
8. Mary
9. Tammy
10. Laura
11. Susan
12. Julie
13. Karen
14. Christine
15. Kelly
16. Elizabeth
17. Tracy
18. Patricia
19. Stephanie
20. Lori
21. Dawn
22. Tina
23. Cynthia
24. Pamela
25. Sandra
26. Donna
27. Deborah
28. Rebecca
29. Wendy
30. Michele
31. Shannon
32. Teresa
33. Linda
34. Heather
35. Denise
36. Sharon
37. Christina
38. Brenda
39. Barbara
40. Maria
41. Cheryl
42. Kathleen
43. Debra
44. Rhonda
45. Nancy
46. Robin
47. Nicole
48. Andrea
49. Theresa
50. Paula

Boys:

1. Michael
2. David
3. James
4. John
5. Robert
6. William
7. Christopher
8. Mark
9. Brian
10. Richard
11. Jeffrey
12. Scott
13. Thomas
14. Steven
15. Joseph
16. Kevin
17. Timothy
18. Daniel
19. Charles
20. Anthony
21. Eric
22. Paul
23. Kenneth
24. Matthew
25. Jason
26. Gregory
27. Stephen
28. Todd
29. Ronald
30. Donald
31. Patrick
32. Edward
33. Andrew
34. Douglas
35. Gary
36. Keith
37. Sean
38. George
39. Craig
40. Larry
41. Shawn
42. Troy
43. Peter
44. Dennis
45. Jerry
46. Jonathan
47. Frank
48. Jeffery
49. Rodney
50. Raymond