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Popular Kids' Names

The top boys' and girls' names, from 1900-2011

by Elaine Rho

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If you had taken a random survey of names in a playground at the turn of the century, you might have counted a fair number of Johns and even an Ethel or two among the smiling faces. These days, you're more apt to run into a Jayden or an Isabella.

Here's a current list of the most popular given names as compiled by the Social Security Administration, and a look back at some of the most popular given names by year of birth from 1900–2011.

Top Names of 2011

Male

Female
  1. Jacob
  2. Mason
  3. William
  4. Jayden
  5. Noah
  6. Michael
  7. Ethan
  8. Alexander
  9. Aiden
  10. Daniel
  1. Sophia
  2. Isabella
  3. Emma
  4. Olivia
  5. Ava
  6. Emily
  7. Abigail
  8. Madison
  9. Chloe
  10. Mia
Top Names of 2010

Male

Female
  1. Jacob
  2. Ethan
  3. Michael
  4. Jayden
  5. William
  6. Alexander
  7. Noah/li>
  8. Daniel
  9. Aiden
  10. Anthony
  1. Isabella
  2. Sophia
  3. Emma
  4. Olivia
  5. Ava
  6. Emily
  7. Abigail
  8. Madison
  9. Chloe
  10. Mia
Top Names of 2009

Male

Female
  1. Jacob
  2. Ethan
  3. Michael
  4. Alexander
  5. William
  6. Joshua
  7. Daniel
  8. Jayden
  9. Noah
  10. Anthony
  1. Isabella
  2. Emma
  3. Olivia
  4. Sophia
  5. Ava
  6. Emily
  7. Madison
  8. Abigail
  9. Chloe
  10. Mia
Top Names of 2008

Male

Female
  1. Aiden
  2. Jayden
  3. Ethan
  4. Jacob
  5. Caden
  6. Jackson
  7. Noah
  8. Jack
  9. Logan
  10. Matthew
  1. Emma
  2. Sophia
  3. Madison
  4. Isabella
  5. Olivia
  6. Ava
  7. Madeline
  8. Addison
  9. Hailey
  10. Lily
Top Names of 2007

Male

Female
  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Ethan
  4. Joshua
  5. Daniel
  6. Christopher
  7. Anthony
  8. William
  9. Matthew
  10. Andrew
  1. Emily
  2. Isabella
  3. Emma
  4. Ava
  5. Madison
  6. Sophia
  7. Olivia
  8. Abigail
  9. Hannah
  10. Elizabeth
Top Names of 2006

Male

Female
  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
  4. Ethan
  5. Matthew
  6. Daniel
  7. Christopher
  8. Andrew
  9. Anthony
  10. William
  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison
  4. Isabella
  5. Ava
  6. Abigail
  7. Olivia
  8. Hannah
  9. Sophia
  10. Samantha
Top Names of 2005

Male

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
  4. Matthew
  5. Ethan
  6. Andrew
  7. Daniel
  8. Anthony
  9. Christopher
  10. Joseph
  11. William
  12. Alexander
  13. Ryan
  14. David
  15. Nicholas
  1. Tyler
  2. James
  3. John
  4. Jonathan
  5. Nathan
  6. Samuel
  7. Christian
  8. Noah
  9. Dylan
  10. Benjamin
  11. Logan
  12. Brandon
  13. Gabriel
  14. Zachary
  15. Jose

Female

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison
  4. Abigail
  5. Olivia
  6. Isabella
  7. Hannah
  8. Samantha
  9. Ava
  10. Ashley
  11. Sophia
  12. Elizabeth
  13. Alexis
  14. Grace
  15. Sarah
  1. Alyssa
  2. Mia
  3. Natalie
  4. Chloe
  5. Brianna
  6. Lauren
  7. Ella
  8. Anna
  9. Taylor
  10. Kayla
  11. Hailey
  12. Jessica
  13. Victoria
  14. Jasmine
  15. Sydney
Top Names of 2004

Male

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
  4. Matthew
  5. Ethan
  6. Andrew
  7. Daniel
  8. William
  9. Joseph
  10. Christopher
  11. Anthony
  12. Ryan
  13. Nicholas
  14. David
  15. Alexander
  1. Tyler
  2. James
  3. John
  4. Dylan
  5. Nathan
  6. Jonathan
  7. Brandon
  8. Samuel
  9. Christian
  10. Benjamin
  11. Zachary
  12. Logan
  13. Jose
  14. Noah
  15. Justin

Female

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison
  4. Olivia
  5. Hannah
  6. Abigail
  7. Isabella
  8. Ashley
  9. Samantha
  10. Elizabeth
  11. Alexis
  12. Sarah
  13. Grace
  14. Alyssa
  15. Sophia
  1. Lauren
  2. Brianna
  3. Kayla
  4. Natalie
  5. Anna
  6. Jessica
  7. Taylor
  8. Chloe
  9. Hailey
  10. Ava
  11. Jasmine
  12. Sydney
  13. Victoria
  14. Ella
  15. Mia
Top Names of 2003

Male

  1. Jacob
  2. Michael
  3. Joshua
  4. Matthew
  5. Andrew
  6. Joseph
  7. Ethan
  8. Daniel
  9. Christopher
  10. Anthony
  11. William
  12. Ryan
  13. Nicholas
  14. David
  15. Tyler
  1. Alexander
  2. John
  3. James
  4. Dylan
  5. Zachary
  6. Brandon
  7. Jonathan
  8. Samuel
  9. Christian
  10. Benjamin
  11. Justin
  12. Nathan
  13. Jose
  14. Logan
  15. Gabriel

Female

  1. Emily
  2. Emma
  3. Madison
  4. Hannah
  5. Olivia
  6. Abigail
  7. Alexis
  8. Ashley
  9. Elizabeth
  10. Samantha
  11. Isabella
  12. Sarah
  13. Grace
  14. Alyssa
  15. Lauren
  1. Kayla
  2. Brianna
  3. Jessica
  4. Taylor
  5. Sophia
  6. Anna
  7. Victoria
  8. Natalie
  9. Chloe
  10. Sydney
  11. Hailey
  12. Jasmine
  13. Rachel
  14. Morgan
  15. Megan
Top Names of 2000-2002

2000

  • Male
    1. Jacob
    2. Michael
    3. Matthew
    4. Joshua
    5. Christopher
    6. Nicholas
    7. Andrew
    8. Joseph
    9. Daniel
    10. Tyler
  • Female
    1. Emily
    2. Hannah
    3. Madison
    4. Ashley
    5. Sarah
    6. Alexis
    7. Samantha
    8. Jessica
    9. Taylor
    10. Elizabeth

2001

  • Male
    1. Jacob
    2. Michael
    3. Matthew
    4. Joshua
    5. Christopher
    6. Nicholas
    7. Andrew
    8. Joseph
    9. Daniel
    10. William
  • Female
    1. Emily
    2. Madison
    3. Hannah
    4. Ashley
    5. Alexis
    6. Samantha
    7. Sarah
    8. Abigail
    9. Elizabeth
    10. Jessica

2002

  • Male
    1. Jacob
    2. Michael
    3. Joshua
    4. Matthew
    5. Ethan
    6. Joseph
    7. Andrew
    8. Christopher
    9. Daniel
    10. Nicholas
  • Female
    1. Emily
    2. Madison
    3. Hannah
    4. Emma
    5. Alexis
    6. Ashley
    7. Abigail
    8. Sarah
    9. Samantha
    10. Olivia
Top Names of 1980-1999

1980

  • Male
    1. Michael
    2. Jason
    3. Christopher
    4. David
    5. James
    6. Matthew
    7. John
    8. Joshua
    9. Robert
    10. Daniel
  • Female
    1. Jennifer
    2. Jessica
    3. Amanda
    4. Melissa
    5. Sarah
    6. Nicole
    7. Heather
    8. Amy
    9. Michelle
    10. Elizabeth

1990

  • Male
    1. Michael
    2. Christopher
    3. Joshua
    4. Matthew
    5. David
    6. Daniel
    7. Andrew
    8. Joseph
    9. Justin
    10. James
  • Female
    1. Jessica
    2. Ashley
    3. Brittany
    4. Amanda
    5. Stephanie
    6. Jennifer
    7. Samantha
    8. Sarah
    9. Megan
    10. Lauren

1998

  • Male
    1. Michael
    2. Jacob
    3. Matthew
    4. Nicholas
    5. Joshua
    6. Christopher
    7. Brandon
    8. Austin
    9. Tyler
    10. Zachary
  • Female
    1. Kaitlyn
    2. Emily
    3. Sarah
    4. Hannah
    5. Ashley
    6. Brianna
    7. Alexia
    8. Samantha
    9. Taylor
    10. Madison

1999

  • Male
    1. Jacob
    2. Michael
    3. Matthew
    4. Joshua
    5. Christopher
    6. Nicholas
    7. Andrew
    8. Joseph
    9. Daniel
    10. Tyler
  • Female
    1. Emily
    2. Hannah
    3. Alexis
    4. Samantha
    5. Sarah
    6. Ashley
    7. Madison
    8. Taylor
    9. Jessica
    10. Elizabeth
Top Names of 1940-1970

1940

  • Male
    1. James
    2. Robert
    3. John
    4. William
    5. Richard
    6. Charles
    7. David
    8. Thomas
    9. Donald
    10. Ronald
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Barbara
    3. Patricia
    4. Carol
    5. Judith
    6. Betty
    7. Nancy
    8. Maria
    9. Margaret
    10. Linda

1950

  • Male
    1. John
    2. James
    3. Robert
    4. William
    5. Michael
    6. David
    7. Richard
    8. Thomas
    9. Charles
    10. Gary
  • Female
    1. Linda
    2. Mary
    3. Patricia
    4. Barbara
    5. Susan
    6. Maria
    7. Sandra
    8. Nancy
    9. Deborah
    10. Kathleen

1960

  • Male
    1. David
    2. Michael
    3. John
    4. James
    5. Robert
    6. Mark
    7. William
    8. Richard
    9. Thomas
    10. Steven
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Susan
    3. Maria
    4. Karen
    5. Lisa
    6. Linda
    7. Donna
    8. Patricia
    9. Debra
    10. Deborah

1970

  • Male
    1. Michael
    2. David
    3. John
    4. James
    5. Robert
    6. Christopher
    7. William
    8. Mark
    9. Richard
    10. Brian
  • Female
    1. Jennifer
    2. Lisa
    3. Kimberly
    4. Michelle
    5. Angela
    6. Maria
    7. Amy
    8. Melissa
    9. Mary
    10. Tracy
Top Names of 1900-1930

1900

  • Male
    1. John
    2. William
    3. James
    4. George
    5. Charles
    6. Joseph
    7. Frank
    8. Henry
    9. Robert
    10. Harry
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Helen
    3. Anna
    4. Margaret
    5. Ruth
    6. Elizabeth
    7. Marie
    8. Rose
    9. Florence
    10. Bertha

1910

  • Male
    1. John
    2. William
    3. James
    4. Robert
    5. Joseph
    6. Charles, George (tie)
    7. Charles, George (tie)
    8. Edward
    9. Frank
    10. Harry
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Helen
    3. Margaret
    4. Dorothy, Ruth (tie)
    5. Dorothy, Ruth (tie)
    6. Anna
    7. Mildred
    8. Elizabeth
    9. Alice
    10. Ethel

1920

  • Male
    1. John
    2. William
    3. James
    4. Robert
    5. Joseph
    6. Charles
    7. George
    8. Edward
    9. Thomas
    10. Frank
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Dorothy
    3. Helen
    4. Margaret
    5. Ruth
    6. Virginia
    7. Elizabeth
    8. Anna
    9. Mildred
    10. Betty

1930

  • Male
    1. Robert
    2. James
    3. John
    4. William
    5. Richard
    6. Charles
    7. Donald
    8. George
    9. Joseph
    10. Edward
  • Female
    1. Mary
    2. Betty
    3. Dorothy
    4. Helen
    5. Barbara
    6. Margaret
    7. Maria
    8. Patricia
    9. Doris
    10. Joan, Ruth (tie)

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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