Lately, we’ve been on a real baby name kick—and our mission to find you or your loved one the PERFECT name for the new little one isn’t going to stop anytime soon!
Today, we are going to re-visit some of the most popular baby names from the 1970s, a decade that was defined by glitz and disco, but also by a long list of super versatile boy and girl names. Here are 19 of our absolute favorites…
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Tammy
Yep, that’s Tammy, not Tamra! This sweet and simple name was in the top 50 for most of the 1970s, but today it’s ranked at just under 3,000. Sorry, Tammys!
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Scott
Sure, this name is still fairly relevant today—it’s stayed in the top 500 for the past century and a half—but it experienced a true renaissance period about 40 years ago.
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Lisa
Yet another common name that has long fallen from its 1970s glory days. Hey, at least the name Lisa is holding strong overseas—in The Netherlands, it’s the 13th most popular baby name!
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Steven
You probably know a lot of dads by the name of Steven, but how many “Baby Steves” have you met lately? While it has always been in the top 1000, it looks like this name has steadily lost its appeal over the years!
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Dawn
Back in the ‘70s, plenty of parents were happy to name their baby girls after the sunrise, but these days, Dawn is barely a blip on the baby name radar.
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Jeffrey
The name Jeffrey carries quite an impactful meaning— “pledge of peace.” Perhaps it was a reflection on 1970s parents’ post-wartime outlook.
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Tracy
Tracy cracked the top 50 during every single year of the decade, but nowadays it’s down in the 3000s. How does that even happen?!
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Crystal
These days, new parents (especially celebs!) are known for giving their kids offbeat names, but “Crystal” was about as unconventional as it got back in the ‘70s.
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Shawn
Believe it or not, during this decade, parents were opting for the phonetically-spelled “Shawn” over the traditional “Sean”.
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Cynthia
Cynthia is a name that was made famous during Greek antiquity, but it had quite the moment back in the 1970s.
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Keith
Perhaps not surprisingly, this robust name was uber-popular in the South during the 1970s. Don’t believe us? Just go ahead and Google how many 40-something country singers are named Keith!
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Wendy
This literary name stayed relevant for most of the 20th-century, but its popularity really started waning after 1979. Perhaps a sad example of “too many Wendys in one class.”
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Craig
This strong Scottish boys name was all the rage in the 1970s, but these days it barely cracks the top 1000.
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Tonya
This variation on the classic “Tanya” actually made the top 20 several times in the decade—and even into the 1980s. But after America got to know the infamous Tonya Harding, it immediately took a nosedive into the 4000s. Ouch!
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Troy
Troy began gaining popularity back in the 1950s when teen heartthrob Troy Donahue hit the scene, but its real heyday was in the 1970s.
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Donna
The name Donna was technically at its height in the 1970s—can you say “Donna Summer”?—but that’s not saying much considering it was in the top 100 from the 1940s on. Talk about staying power!
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Derrick
With a meaning like “the people’s ruler,” it’s no wonder why 1970s parents were drawn to this masculine name.
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Jodi
In 1974, the very feminine Jodi was at its most popular—and we think it’s about time it makes a comeback!
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Wesley
If you want to give your boy an “in” vintage name, then Wesley is the one to beat! You see, it’s one of the only names that is just as popular as it is now as it was in the ‘70s. How cool is that?!
We told you these vintage names should make a comeback! We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this list. Which name is your favorite? Did yours make the list? What do you plan on calling your future kids?