The Most Common Baby Names Every Year Since 1925 – Did Yours Make the List?

Have you ever wondered what was the most popular baby name in the year you were born? Or when we landed on the moon? Or when the stock market crashed? Well, this in depth list takes us all way back to 1925, to explore which baby names were the most popular each year since the Roaring 20’s. What name was most popular the year you were born? Was your name the most popular in your birth year or decades before? Check it out in the list below!

1925

Top Female Names: Mary, Dorothy, Betty

Top Male Names: Robert, John, William

Highest Grossing Movie: Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ. You might have seen the remake of this landmark cinematic masterpiece that came out this year…or maybe you didn’t, because it seems like no one really did.

 

1926

Top Female Names: Mary, Dorothy, Betty

Top Male Names: Robert, John, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Flesh and the Devil. This film is all about a tangled up love triangle in the German army with scandalous affairs and dramatic duels, all in dead silence.

 

1927

Top Female Names: Mary, Dorothy, Betty

Top Male Names: Robert, John, James

Highest Grossing Movie: The Jazz Singer, the first ever motion picture with sound, was released.

 

1928

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Dorothy

Top Male Names: Robert, John, James

High Grossing Movie: Another Al Jolson film, The Singing Fool, hits box offices to great success. Also, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, “Steamboat Willie,” is released!

 

1929

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Dorothy

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The Broadway Melody continues the stream of movie-musical hits, despite the crash of the stock market that kicked off the Great Depression.

 

 

1930

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Dorothy

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: One of our favorite films, All Quiet on the Western Front, was released to rave reviews.

 

1931

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Mary Shelley’s classic novel was turned into the first motion picture of the horror film, Frankenstein.

 

1932

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The classic film,  The Shanghai Express, competed against films like The Most Dangerous Game for the highest grossing spot.

 

1933

Top Female Names: Mary, Betty, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: An epic one! The original King Kong is released, not knowing that it was destined to inspired many, many sequels in the decades to come.

 

1934

Top Female Names: Mary, Shirley, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The heartthrob of the moment, Clark Gable, starred in the romantic comedy, It Happened One Night.

 

1935

Top Female Names: Mary, Shirley, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Needless to say, Clark Gable was a busy man in the 1930’s. Another famous film, Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Gable hit theaters this year.

 

1936

Top Female Names: Mary, Shirley, Barbara

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Another movie starring Gable! San Francisco  focuses on the devastating 1906 earthquake which terrorized the California area.

 

1937

Top Female Names: Mary, Shirley, Patricia (a little change!)

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney fans, rejoice! We’ve finally gotten to the first ever animated Disney princess film with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

 

1938

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the most famous romantic comedies of all-time, You Can’t Take It With You, premiers.

 

1939

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: Robert, James, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, Gone With the Wind was released in 1939, forever changing the cinematic playing field. (This is one of my favorite films in the world, fun fact.)

 

 

1940

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney films reigned this year, with Pinocchio and Fantasia tying for the highest grossing film.

 

1941

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Sergeant York follows the brave story of a World War I hero, who was one of the most decorated soldiers of the war.

 

1942

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney strikes again with the tear jerking film, Bambi.

 

1943

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The famous novel by Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, is turned into a dramatic and beautiful feature film.

 

1944

Top Female Names: Mary, Barbara, Linda

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: All in gorgeous Technicolor, the jazzy film Meet Me in St. Louis has become one of the most iconic films of the 1940’s.

 

1945

Top Female Names: Mary, Linda, Barbara

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Bing Crosby’s classic film, The Bells of St. Mary’s, wins the top honor this year.

 

1946

 

Top Female Names: Mary, Linda, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: A very timely film, The Best Years of Our Lives, follows two World War II vets reentering society, right after WWII has actually ended.

 

1947

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: A comedy/musical/drama/action film, The Road to Rio, features the misadventures of two musical stowaways on a boat to Rio.

 

1948

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Barbara

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Good ol’ John Wayne starts in the hit Western, Red River.

 

1949

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: This action/drama follows the tormented path of these two famous, Biblical lovers in Samson and Delilah.

 

1950

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney’s favorite princess, Cinderella, makes her big screen debut.

 

1951

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The Latin phrase meaning “Where are you going?” was also the most popular epic of the year, called Quo Vadis.

 

1952

Top Female Names: Linda, Mary, Patricia

Top Male Names: James, Robert, John

Highest Grossing Movie: A dazzling glimpse into life behind-the-scenes of Barnum and Bailey’s Circus is captured in The Greatest Show on Earth.

 

1953

Top Female Names: Mary, Linda, Deborah

Top Male Names: Robert, James, Michael

Highest Grossing Movie: Audiences flew to Neverland with the release of Disney’s Peter Pan.

 

1954

Top Female Names: Mary, Linda, Deborah

Top Male Names: Michael, James, Robert

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the most famous thrillers of all time, Rear Window, keeps 1954 audiences on the edge of their seat.

 

1955

Top Female Names: Mary, Deborah, Linda

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Lady and the Tramp tugged on the heartstrings of adults and children alike.

 

1956

Top Female Names: Mary, Deborah, Linda

Top Male Names: Michael, James, Robert

Highest Grossing Movie: The first cinematic telling of Moses leading the exodus out of Egypt wows crowds in The Ten Commandments. 

 

1957

Top Female Names: Mary, Susan, Linda

Top Male Names: Michael, James, David

Highest Grossing Movie: The Bridge on the River Kwai was a deeply moving historical drama about prisoners of war being held captive in Burma during World War II.

 

1958

Top Female Names: Mary, Susan, Linda

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the most prolific and romantic musicals of all time, South Pacific, hits the big screen.

 

1959

Top Female Names: Mary, Susan, Linda

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Ben-Hur makes another come back over three decades later!

 

 

1960

Top Female Names: Mary, Susan, Linda

Top Male Names: David, Michael, James

Highest Grossing Movie: The fun costume drama, Swiss Family Robinson, steals the hearts of audiences nationwide.

 

1961

Top Female Names: Mary, Lisa, Susan

Top Male Names: Michael, David, John

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney strikes again with 101 Dalmatians.

 

1962

Top Female Names: Lisa, Mary, Susan

Top Male Names: Michael, David, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The historical invasion of Normandy, France is brought to life in the film The Longest Day.

 

1963

Top Female Names: Lisa, Mary, Susan

Top Male Names: Michael, John, David

Highest Grossing Movie: Hollywood glamour was personified through Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic title role in Cleopatra.

 

1964

Top Female Names: Lisa, Mary, Susan

Top Male Names: Michael, John, David

Highest Grossing Movie: The marvelous Julie Andrews brings our favorite magical nanny to the screen in Mary Poppins. 

 

1965

Top Female Names: Lisa, Mary, Karen

Top Male Names: Michael, John, David

Highest Grossing Movie: Andrews continues her streak of iconic roles in her next landmark film, The Sound of Music.

 

1966

Top Female Names: Lisa, Kimberly, Mary

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: One of Clint Eastwood’s most famous Westerns, The Good, Bad, and the Ugly, hits theaters.

 

1967

Top Female Names: Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Disney shows us the story of Mowgli in The Jungle Book, which was just this year made into an amazing live-action film.

 

1968

Top Female Names: Lisa, Michelle, Kimberly

Top Male Names: Michael, David, John

Highest Grossing Movie: The two movies that shared the highest grossing spot are both amazing films! Both Barbara Streisand’s Funny Girl and the epic 2001: A Space Odyssey take the prize.

 

1969

Top Female Names: Lisa, Michelle, Jennifer

Top Male Names: Michael, David, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid continues to be one of the most famous Westerns of all time.

 

1970

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Lisa, Kimberly

Top Male Names: Michael, James, David

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the first modern romantic comedies is released in Love Story.

 

1971

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa

Top Male Names: Michael, James, David

Highest Grossing Movie: Sean Connery as James Bond makes a splash in Diamonds are Forever.

 

1972

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, James

Highest Grossing Movie: Francis Ford Coppola’s famous mob drama, The Godfather, changes the cinematic world.

 

1973

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Jason

Highest Grossing Movie: Terrifying horror film, The Exorcist, shocks audiences everywhere. Trust us, it’s still horrifying today!

 

1974

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle

Top Male Names: Michael, Jason, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: Mel Brooks’ comedy Blazing Saddles satirizes classic Westerns in this piece of comedic gold.

 

1975

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Amy, Heather

Top Male Names: Michael, Jason, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: The 70’s were a decade of classic films, like the iconic horror movie, Jaws. We’re gonna need a bigger boat, everyone.

 

1976

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Amy, Melissa

Top Male Names: Michael, Jason, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: The world found a hero to root for in Rocky.

 

1977

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Melissa, Amy

Top Male Names: Michael, Jason, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: No one could have predicted the cultural movement this underdog film could have caused. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s a little indie film called Star Wars. 

 

1978

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Melissa, Jessica

Top Male Names: Michael, Jason, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: Everyone wanted to be a T-Bird or a Pink Lady thanks to (arguably) the best movie-musical of all time, Grease.

 

1979

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Melissa, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Jason

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the most popular movies of all time, the honest family drama Kramer vs. Kramer stole the hearts of millions.

 

 

1980

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Amanda, Jessica

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Jason

Highest Grossing Movie: This decade of excess starts out with a huge blockbuster, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

 

1981

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: The handsome professor, Indiana Jones, is introduced to the world in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

1982

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial gave us an…otherworldly experience.

 

1983

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: The sci-fi fandom goes nuts for the next installment of Star Wars in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.

 

1984

Top Female Names: Jennifer, Jessica, Ashley

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Who ya gonna call? The highest grossing film of 1984, Ghostbusters. Duh.

 

1985

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Jennifer

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Audiences went back in time with the charming Marty McFly in Back to the Future.

 

1986

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: We got to follow the breathtaking action of Goose and Maverick in the flashy action film, Top Gun.

 

1987

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: The tie goes to comedy Three Men and a Baby and the sexy action/thriller, Fatal Attraction.

 

1988

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman gave extraordinary performances in the Oscar winning film, Rain Man.

 

1989

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Two heroes had to share the number one spot this year with Batman and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

 

 

1990

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Poor Kevin faces some trials and tribulations at Christmas time in the family comedy, Home Alone.

 

1991

Top Female Names: Ashley, Jessica, Brittany

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: He wasn’t lying – Arnold came back in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

 

1992

Top Female Names: Ashley, Jessica, Amanda

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Our favorite street urchin goes on an incredible adventure in Disney’s Aladdin.

 

1993

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Sarah

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: They spared no expense in the most epic movie of the year, Jurassic Park.

 

1994

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Emily

Top Male Names: Michael, Christopher, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Two powerhouse films, Forest Gump and The Lion King, tie for first place.

 

1995

Top Female Names: Jessica, Ashley, Emily

Top Male Names: Michael, Matthew, Christopher

Highest Grossing Movie: Buzz and Woody capture our hearts in Toy Story.

 

1996

Top Female Names: Emily, Jessica, Ashley

Top Male Names: Michael, Matthew, Jacob

Highest Grossing Movie: Natural disasters (some of an extraterrestrial variety…) are popular this year in Independence Day and Twister.

 

1997

Top Female Names: Emily, Jessica, Ashley

Top Male Names: Michael, Jacob, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: We were all swept away in one of the greatest romances of our in Titanic. 

 

1998

Top Female Names: Emily, Hannah, Samantha

Top Male Names: Michael, Jacob, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: One of the most traumatizing films of all time, Saving Private Ryan, moved the academy.

 

1999

Top Female Names: Emily, Hannah, Alexis

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: Naturally, the next installment of Star Wars – Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – took the top spot this year.

 

 

2000

Top Female Names: Emily, Hannah, Madison

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Matthew

Highest Grossing Film: Jim Carey brought a Dr. Seuss classic to life in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

 

2001

Top Female Names: Emily, Madison, Hannah

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Matthew

Highest Grossing Movie: My personal favorite series of all-time, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone transported audiences to Hogwarts and back.

 

2002

Top Female Names: Emily, Madison, Hannah

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua

Highest Grossing Movie: Peter Parker became the hero of New York City in the first ever Spiderman film.

 

2003

Top Female Names: Emily, Emma, Madison

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua

Highest Grossing Movie: The end of the epic Lord of the Rings series concludes with Return of the King.

 

2004

Top Female Names: Emily, Emma, Madison

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua

Highest Grossing Movie: Everyone’s favorite ogre returned to theaters in Shrek 2.

 

2005

Top Female Names: Emily, Emma, Madison

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua

Highest Grossing Movie: Another Star Wars installment kills at the box office in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

 

2006

Top Female Names: Emily, Emma, Madison

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Joshua

Highest Grossing Movie: The second installment of the pirate action series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, took the top spot this year.

 

2007

Top Female Names: Emily, Isabella, Emma

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Ethan

Highest Grossing Movie: Toby McGuire finishes his run as the web-slinger in Spiderman 3.

 

2008

Top Female Names: Emily, Isabella, Emma

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Ethan

Highest Grossing Movie: In this year of the second largest stock market crash in history, audiences had the hero Gotham needed to take their mind off real-life struggles in The Dark Knight.

 

2009

Top Female Names: Emma, Isabella, Emily

Top Male Names: Jacob, Michael, Ethan

Highest Grossing Movie: The multi-billion dollar film that started a new generation of film animation was found in the epic, Avatar.

 

 

2010

Top Female Names: Isabella, Sophia, Emma

Top Male Names: Jacob, Ethan, Michael

Highest Grossing Movie: 90’s kids everywhere feel the nostalgia with Toy Story 3.

 

2011

Top Female Names: Sophia, Isabella, Emma

Top Male Names: Jacob, Mason, William

Highest Grossing Movie: The epic Harry Potter series ends with the magical blockbuster Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

 

2012

Top Female Names: Sophia, Emma, Isabella

Top Male Names: Jacob, Mason, Ethan

Highest Grossing Movie: Marvel begins their cinematic reign with The Avengers.

 

2013

Top Female Names: Sophia, Emma, Olivia

Top Male Names: Noah, Liam, Jacob

Highest Grossing Movie: Audiences rooted for the brave Katiness Everdeen of District 12 in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

 

2014

Top Female Names: Emma, Olivia, Sophia

Top Male Names: Noah, Liam, Mason

Highest Grossing Movie: Iraq war movie American Sniper gave a gritty look inside the war in the Middle East.

 

2015

Top Female Names: Emma, Olivia, Sophia

Top Male Names: Noah, Liam, Ethan

Highest Grossing Movie: Star Wars made an epic comeback with Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. 

 

2016

Top Female Names: Emma, Olivia, Ava

Top Male Names: Noah, Liam, Mason

Highest Grossing Movie: The year may not be over, but so far, Finding Dory is the tentative winner of the 2016 box office!

 

What was the most popular name in your birth year? Share your thoughts on your favorite popular baby names in the comments section below.