Most popular names of the 1900s
The most popular names for babies born in the US in the 1900s were Mary for girls and John for boys. Mary was given to about 55 per 1,000 girls, and John to about 62 per 1,000 boys. New in the girls' top 10 compared with the 1890s: Dorothy, Marie and Mildred. The boys' top 10 didn't change from the 1890s.
Girls
| # | Name | Share of girls | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 55 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | Helen | 24 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | Margaret | 20 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | Anna | 19 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Ruth | 17 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Elizabeth | 14 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Dorothy new | 13 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Marie new | 13 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Florence | 12 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Mildred new | 12 per 1,000 |
Boys
| # | Name | Share of boys | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John | 62 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | William | 51 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | James | 46 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | George | 32 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Charles | 27 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Robert | 26 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Joseph | 26 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Frank | 21 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Edward | 18 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Henry | 16 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.