100 Years of the Most Popular Baby Names

From 1909 to 1946, more girls were given that moniker than any other. Linda took over for a couple of years, but Mary was back on top from 1956 to 1962. Then, it was all about Lisa, Jennifer, Jessica and Ashley. And then, since 1996, Emily and Emma have completely taken over.

When it comes to boys' names, however, things stay pretty much the same. Michael, James, John, Robert and William were popular for decades, with Jacob, Joshua, Matthew and Daniel coming on strong in recent years.

Here are the top five names for girls and boys, in order, from 1909 to 2008, according to Social Security Online:


2008
Girls: Emma, Isabella, Emily, Madison, Ava
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel

2007
Girls: Emily, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Madison
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel

2006
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Isabella, Ava
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Ethan, Matthew

2005
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Abigail, Olivia
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan

2004
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Olivia, Hannah
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan

2003
Girls: Emily, Emma, Madison, Hannah, Olivia
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Andrew

2002
Girls: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Emma, Alexis
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Ethan

2001
Girls: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Ashley, Alexis
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher

2000
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Madison, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher

1999
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Alexis, Sarah, Samantha
Boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher

1998
Girls: Emily, Hannah, Samantha, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Jacob, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher

1997
Girls: Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Hannah
Boys: Michael, Jacob, Matthew, Christopher, Joshua

1996
Girls: Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Matthew, Jacob, Christopher, Joshua

1995
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Matthew,Christopher, Jacob, Joshua

1994
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Tyler

1993
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Samantha, Emily
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Tyler

1992
Girls: Ashley, Jessica, Amanda, Brittany, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew

1991
Girls: Ashley, Jessica, Brittany, Amanda, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew

1990
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda, Samantha
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Daniel

1989
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David

1988
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah, Jennifer
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Andrew

1987
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Jennifer, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David

1986
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Jennifer, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David

1985
Girls: Jessica, Ashley, Jennifer, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Daniel

1984
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, David

1983
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Ashley, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, David, Joshua

1982
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, David

1981
Girls: Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Melissa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason, David

1980
Girls: Jennifer, Amanda, Jessica, Melissa, Sarah
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James

1979
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Amanda, Jessica, Amy
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, David, James

1978
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Jessica, Amy, Heather
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James

1977
Girls: Jennifer, Melissa, Amy, Jessica, Heather
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James

1976
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Melissa, Heather, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James

1975
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Heather, Melissa, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, James, David

1974
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Heather, Angela
Boys: Michael, Jason, Christopher, David, James

1973
Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Kimberly, Lisa
Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, James, David

1972
Girls: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy
Boys: Michael, Christopher, James, David, John

1971
Girls: Jennifer, Michelle, Lisa, Kimberly, Amy
Boys: Michael, James, David, John, Robert

1970
Girls: Jennifer, Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle, Amy
Boys: Michael, James, David, John, Robert

1969
Girls: Lisa, Michelle, Jennifer, Kimberly, Melissa
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert

1968
Girls: Lisa, Michelle, Kimberly, Jennifer, Mary
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert

1967
Girls: Lisa, Kimberly, Michelle, Mary, Susan
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert

1966
Girls: Lisa, Kimberly, Mary, Michelle, Karen
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert

1965
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Karen, Kimberly, Susan
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert

1964
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Patricia
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert

1963
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Linda
Boys: Michael, John, David, James, Robert

1962
Girls: Lisa, Mary, Susan, Karen, Linda
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert

1961
Girls: Mary, Lisa, Susan, Linda, Karen
Boys: Michael, David, John, James, Robert

1960
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna
Boys: David, Michael, James, John, Robert

1959
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Donna
Boys: Michael, David, James, John, Robert

1958
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Karen, Patricia
Boys: Michael, David, James, Robert, John

1957
Girls: Mary, Susan, Linda, Debra, Karen
Boys: Michael, James, David, Robert, John

1956
Girls: Mary, Debra, Linda, Deborah, Susan
Boys: Michael, James, Robert, David, John

1955
Girls: Mary, Deborah, Linda, Debra, Susan
Boys: Michael, David, James, Robert, John

1954
Girls: Mary, Linda, Deborah, Patricia, Susan
Boys: Michael, James, Robert, John, David

1953
Girls: Mary, Linda, Deborah, Patricia, Susan
Boys: Robert, James, Michael, John, David

1952
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David

1951
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Deborah, Barbara
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David

1950
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, Michael, David

1949
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Michael

1948
Girls: Linda, Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Susan
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, David

1947
Girls: Linda, Mary, Patricia, Barbara, Sandra
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1946
Girls: Mary, Linda, Patricia, Barbara, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1945
Girls: Mary, Linda, Barbara, Patricia, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1944
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Linda, Patricia, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1943
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Linda, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1942
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Linda, Carol
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1941
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Carol, Linda
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1940
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Judith, Betty
Boys: James, Robert, John, William, Richard

1939
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Betty, Shirley
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1938
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Betty, Shirley
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1937
Girls: Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Shirley, Betty
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1936
Girls: Mary, Shirley, Barbara, Betty, Patricia
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1935
Girls: Mary, Shirley, Barbara, Betty, Patricia
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1934
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Shirley, Dorothy
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1933
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Dorothy, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1932
Girls: Mary, Betty, Barbara, Dorothy, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1931
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Barbara, Joan
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1930
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Richard

1929
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, James, John, William, Charles

1928
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles

1927
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles

1926
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, James, William, Charles

1925
Girls: Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, William, James, Charles

1924
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Betty, Margaret
Boys: Robert, John, William, James, Charles

1923
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Betty
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles

1923
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles

1922
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles

1921
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, Robert, William, James, Charles

1920
Girls: Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, Robert, James, Charles

1919
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Charles

1918
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Charles

1917
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1916
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1915
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1914
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1913
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1912
Girls: Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, Robert, Joseph

1911
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth
Boys: John, William, James, George, Robert

1910
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Dorothy, Ruth
Boys: John, James, William, Robert, George

1909
Girls: Mary, Helen, Margaret, Ruth, Dorothy
Boys: John, William, James, George, Robert

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