Baby Name Popularity by Year – See Trends Over Time

This tool uses simulated data based on historical patterns from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) baby name database. The SSA has tracked baby name popularity since 1880, covering over 200 million births. Our data reflects realistic trends, showing how names rise and fall in popularity across generations.

The popularity rate shows how many babies per 1,000 births were given a specific name in a given year. For example, a rate of 25 means that 25 out of every 1,000 babies born that year received that name — or about 2.5% of all births. The higher the rate, the more popular the name.

Baby name trends are influenced by many factors: celebrity culture, popular TV shows and movies, royal family members, historical figures, and generational preferences. Names often follow a 80-100 year cycle — names that were popular in the early 1900s (like Emma, Henry, or Violet) have made strong comebacks in recent decades as they feel "vintage chic" to new parents.

This tool helps you understand whether a name is currently trendy, timeless, or fading. A name at its peak popularity means your child might share it with many classmates. A name on the rise can feel fresh but may become very common. A classic name with stable popularity (like James or Elizabeth) tends to feel timeless. Use the compare feature to weigh multiple options side by side.

For girls, Mary dominated for decades (1910s-1940s), followed by Linda (1950s), Jennifer (1970s), Jessica (1980s-90s), and Emma/Olivia (2010s-present). For boys, John and James were top in the early 1900s, Michael reigned from the 1960s-1990s, and names like Liam, Noah, and Oliver have led in recent years. Try searching these names to see their fascinating trajectories!

Yes! Click the "Compare" button to add a second name. Both names will appear on the chart with different colors, making it easy to see how their popularity trends differ. This is especially useful when you're deciding between two names for your baby.