Most popular names of the 1880s
The most popular names for babies born in the US in the 1880s were Mary for girls and John for boys. Mary was given to about 71 per 1,000 girls, and John to about 82 per 1,000 boys.
Girls
| # | Name | Share of girls | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 71 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | Anna | 29 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | Emma | 20 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | Elizabeth | 19 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Minnie | 17 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Margaret | 17 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Ida | 14 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Bertha | 14 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Clara | 14 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Alice | 13 per 1,000 |
Boys
| # | Name | Share of boys | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John | 82 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | William | 78 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | James | 49 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | George | 44 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Charles | 43 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Frank | 28 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Joseph | 24 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Henry | 22 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Robert | 22 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Thomas | 22 per 1,000 |
"Share" is the average share of babies of that sex who got the name in each year of the decade. Each small curve runs from 1880 to 2025. Source: US Social Security Administration.