The other day, I was reading an article about how certain baby names are outlawed in certain countries. For example, in New Zealand, you can’t name your baby Adolph Hitler due to a law that states any name can be refused that “might cause offense to a reasonable person, is unreasonably long or without adequate justification.” Well, thank goodness for that law.
Anyhow, Social Security Online listed the five most popular baby names for boys and girls by year from 1909 until 2008. Um, let me see…my real name is Mary Elizabeth…I wonder where I rank. Well, I can proudly say that Mary was in the top 5 from 1909 until 1968. Yes, every year, Mary was one of the top five popular names for girls, which may explain why I never went by Mary. Elizabeth didn’t fare as well. In fact, it didn’t fare at all – it never made the top five.
My baby’s name – William – was in the top five from 1909 until 1949, then I guess it fell out of favor. I’d never notice by the large number of boys I meet in playgroup and such named Will.
Here is the entire list of popular baby names. Where do you rank?
2008
Girls: Emma, Isabella, Emily, Madison, Ava
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel
2007
Girls: Emily, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Madison
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel
2006
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Isabella, Ava
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Ethan, Matthew
2005
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Abigail, Olivia
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan
2004
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Olivia, Hannah
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan
2003
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Hannah, Olivia
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Andrew
2002
Girls: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Emma, Alexis
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan
2001
Girls: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Ashley, Alexis
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher
2000
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Madison, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher
1999
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Alexis, Sarah, Samantha
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher
1998
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Samantha, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Jacob, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher
1997
Girls: Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Hannah
Boys: Michael, Jacob, Matthew, Christopher, Joshua
1996
Girls: Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Matthew, Jacob, Christopher, Joshua
1995
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Matthew,Christopher, Jacob, Joshua
1994
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Tyler
1993
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Samantha, Emily
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Tyler
1992
Girls: Ashley, Jessica, Amanda, Brittany, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew
1991
Girls: Ashley, Jessica, Brittany, Amanda, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew
1990
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Daniel
1989
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David
1988
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah, Jennifer
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew
1987
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Jennifer, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David
1986
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Jennifer, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David
1985
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Jennifer, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Daniel
1984
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David
1983
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, David, Joshua
1982
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, David
1981
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, David
1980
Girls: Jennifer, Amanda, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James
1979
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Amanda, Jessica, Amy
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James
1978
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Jessica, Amy, Heather
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James
1977
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Amy, Jessica, Heather
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James
1976
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Melissa, Heather, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James
1975
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Heather, Melissa, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, James, David
1974
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Heather, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James
1973
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Kimberly, Lisa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, James, David
1972
Girls: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy
Boys: Michael, Christopher, James, David, John
1971
Girls: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy
Boys: Michael, James, David, John, Robert
1970
Girls: Jennifer, Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle, Amy
Boys: Michael, James, David, John, Robert
1969
Girls: Lisa, Michelle, Jennifer, Kimberly, Melissa
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert
1968
Girls: Lisa, Michelle, Kimberly, Jennifer, Mary
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert
1967
Girls: Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle, Mary, Susan
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert
1966
Girls: Lisa, Kimberly, Mary, Michelle, Karen
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert
1965
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Karen, Kimberly, Susan
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert
1964
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Patricia
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert
1963
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Linda
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert
1962
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Linda
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert
1961
Girls: Mary, Lisa, Susan, Linda, Karen
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert
1960
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna
Boys: David, Michael, James, John, Robert
1959
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert
1958
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Patricia
Boys: Michael, David, James, Robert, John
1957
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Debra, Karen
Boys: Michael, James, David, Robert, John
1956
Girls: Mary, Debra, Linda, Deborah, Susan
Boys: Michael, James, Robert, David, John
1955
Girls: Mary, Deborah, Linda, Debra, Susan
Boys: Michael, David, James, Robert, John
1954
Girls: Mary, Linda, Deborah, Patricia, Susan
Boys: Michael, James, Robert, John, David
1953
Girls: Mary, Linda, Deborah, Patricia, Susan
Boys: Robert, James, Michael, John, David
1952
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David
1951
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Barbara
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David
1950
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David
1949
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Michael
1948
Girls: Linda, Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, David
1947
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Sandra
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1946
Girls: Mary, Linda, Patricia, Barbara, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1945
Girls: Mary, Linda, Barbara, Patricia, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1944
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Linda, Patricia, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1943
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Linda, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1942
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Linda, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1941
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Carol, Linda
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1940
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Judith, Betty
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard
1939
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Betty, Shirley
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1938
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Betty, Shirley
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1937
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Shirley, Betty
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1936
Girls: Mary, Shirley, Barbara, Betty, Patricia
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1935
Girls: Mary, Shirley, Barbara, Betty, Patricia
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1934
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Shirley, Dorothy
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1933
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Dorothy, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1932
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Dorothy, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1931
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Barbara, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1930
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard
1929
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Charles
1928
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles
1927
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles
1926
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles
1925
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, William, James, Charles
1924
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Betty, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, William, James, Charles
1923
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Betty
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles
1923
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles
1922
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles
1921
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles
1920
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, Robert, James, Charles
1919
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Charles
1918
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Charles
1917
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1916
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1915
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1914
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1913
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1912
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph
1911
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, George, Robert
1910
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth
Boys: John, James, William, Robert, George
1909
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Ruth, Dorothy
Boys: John, William, James, George, Robert