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Traditional Baby Names for Boys and Girls - See List Below

Based on our mathematical analysis of baby name data from the 1900s through to the 1990s we arrive at our list of traditional baby names. Of course, it is somewhat of an arbitrary exercise to create an algorithm that ranks baby names according to how traditional they are. Nonetheless, our approach was to give high “tradition” scores to baby names that were popular in each and every decade of the 20 century. Also, slightly extra weight was given to those that were popular longer ago. Furthermore, since names that are given in a traditional manner tend to exhibit a constant form of popularity, we give names that do not exhibit popularity fluctuations a scoring bonus. Basically a baby name with stable, enduring popularity combined with a long history of being popular is what makes the grade and takes its place in our list of traditional baby names.

Note: Our traditional baby names list is much different from our list of old fashioned baby names.

Selected Resources

Featured Name Lists


Traditional baby names for the 20th century.
(based on our subjective mathematical analysis)

Baby  Name 1900s
Rank
1910s
Rank
1920s
Rank
1930s
Rank
1940s
Rank
1950s
Rank
1960s
Rank
1970s
Rank
1980s
Rank
1990s
Rank
Mary1111112153441
John11233436914
Elizabeth6810172320171198
James33321245713
Margaret345814235410195107
Robert74112357820
Anna47123372103101865340
William224446791519
Catherine19212843463458726386
Joseph55710131312121010
Maria59696138393632264142
Thomas1211119889212527
Sarah4652596275109911854
Charles675671017233443
Laura50617599893915192345
David293022116524511
Katherine534963102736878533226
Richard251785578162741
Nancy125100669792674116153
Paul17141314171719274064
Ruth556143369109188228306
Michael39434935911111
Kathryn766389111715988935070
Edward98912182329405780
Virginia51127152862116160186274
George46681525334972105
Julia454062971051281131298859
Kenneth47272015161621314761
Marie81015325189119153163294
Daniel565544402219181167
Kathleen12810481721815336871124
Anthony43354246443022222018
Martha31252426304693163209289
Donald51201071214254467125
Evelyn341113316198142209224205
Raymond221516172337466677109
Barbara14385183362273153296
Frank8912162134446591152
Helen223103274138241324317
Andrew4046577186673828136
Ann63455034384560102180325
Samuel31414660617183615235
Patricia2871703054363261126
Henry10121825355897118133143
Rose141523375865126234252309
Peter46485959423942556387

Below we show how the traditional baby names above have ranked over the past few years.
Note: The table above is by decade, and the table below is by year.

Baby  Name 1990
Rank
1991
Rank
1992
Rank
1993
Rank
1994
Rank
1995
Rank
1996
Rank
1997
Rank
1998
Rank
1999
Rank
2000
Rank
2001
Rank
2002
Rank
2003
Rank
Mary3739393938424344464547495261
John1110141615141415151514141717
Elizabeth99910991091010109119
James8891414171717191918191818
Margaret104108104107109106106112116112112120129130
Robert1313171721232323242629323335
Anna4543454637313233322822192021
William1720201819201818131411101111
Catherine6971797583919496104988180100106
Joseph1091112111212121288866
Maria3030313234323434433938403940
Thomas2628282828292932333334343636
Sarah564355445557812
Charles3939434444444651505252585959
Laura273337424553626471798383104122
David678912131313161616121314
Katherine2523272829303031333534363636
Richard3635394041424553566168727786
Nancy124121140148141157171197218230236226231269
Paul5155585965717881909599111120124
Ruth274256298294291313333320344342341332337350
Michael11111111122222
Kathryn575861687983878690919097113117
Edward68697177869095101106102107113118128
Virginia218235257273295308297360363358368391376411
George828898106112115117119126121129130131137
Julia8165677268594938313030273133
Kenneth545660616973748084899294103109
Marie209219230254283305332346356361370403426496
Daniel5565889111199998
Kathleen95104110123136142155175171196208239261286
Anthony1518191918191919181817111210
Martha204227223239268291324336374388382400431487
Donald94105115123140159161175190195218236255257
Evelyn2152221992121981951841921821641541289889
Raymond9397104110116127131137143144160163176188
Barbara207224235279299340380380463478511551560628
Frank115123129142148158160171178186209214218228
Helen318337324305320325313340352355345344340389
Andrew765101010117977775
Ann259272295315341347399408467457495540519557
Samuel4338383735333027282728262523
Patricia9198109118131141159167172197221250270289
Henry145144146141149138139141138130125123114116
Rose293292305337329328366375298276294303327358
Peter74788284899194102110106124136136148


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