Most popular names of the 1920s
The most popular names for babies born in the US in the 1920s were Mary for girls and Robert for boys. Mary was given to about 59 per 1,000 girls, and Robert to about 52 per 1,000 boys. New in the girls' top 10 compared with the 1910s: Betty, Virginia and Doris. New in the boys' top 10: Richard and Donald.
Girls
| # | Name | Share of girls | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 59 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | Dorothy | 31 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | Helen | 24 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | Betty new | 24 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Margaret | 20 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Ruth | 18 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Virginia new | 14 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Doris new | 13 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Mildred | 12 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Frances | 12 per 1,000 |
Boys
| # | Name | Share of boys | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert | 52 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | John | 51 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | James | 47 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | William | 46 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Charles | 27 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | George | 24 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Joseph | 22 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Richard new | 20 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Edward | 18 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Donald new | 17 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.