You don’t meet many newborns with names like Linda, Gary, Deborah or Richard these days. But those were some of the most popular baby names 75 years ago.
Because the Social Security Administration has baby naming data going back to the 1880s, we can see the ebbs and flows in popularity over the years ― and hone in on some vintage favorites. We decided to take a look at the top picks in 1951 to see how parents’ choices back then compare to our times.
While the list of most popular names for girls 75 years ago looks strikingly different from today’s, many popular choices for boys ― like James and William ― are still going strong.
Below are the 25 most popular baby names for boys and girls born in 1951. Although these don’t qualify for the so-called “100-Year Rule” just yet, expectant parents might still derive some retro inspiration.
Girls
- Linda
- Mary
- Patricia
- Deborah
- Barbara
- Susan
- Nancy
- Karen
- Sandra
- Kathleen
- Carol
- Donna
- Sharon
- Brenda
- Diane
- Pamela
- Margaret
- Debra
- Janet
- Cynthia
- Janice
- Carolyn
- Elizabeth
- Christine
- Judith
Boys
- James
- Robert
- John
- Michael
- David
- William
- Richard
- Thomas
- Charles
- Gary
- Larry
- Ronald
- Steven
- Joseph
- Donald
- Kenneth
- Dennis
- Paul
- Stephen
- Mark
- Daniel
- George
- Edward
- Jerry
- Gregory