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Top Baby Names of the 1900s

Across the 1900s, US parents gave these names most often. The lists below rank the top 25 girls’ and boys’ names by the number of babies who received each name over the decade, from US Social Security Administration data (about 2.9 million girls and 1.4 million boys recorded).

The most popular names of the 1900s were Mary for girls and John for boys.

Top 25 girls’ names of the 1900s

  1. #1 Mary 161,504
  2. #2 Helen 69,428
  3. #3 Margaret 57,919
  4. #4 Anna 54,918
  5. #5 Ruth 51,010
  6. #6 Elizabeth 41,708
  7. #7 Dorothy 39,112
  8. #8 Marie 37,091
  9. #9 Florence 36,191
  10. #10 Mildred 36,173
  11. #11 Alice 35,232
  12. #12 Ethel 34,868
  13. #13 Lillian 32,519
  14. #14 Gladys 30,285
  15. #15 Edna 29,832
  16. #16 Frances 28,499
  17. #17 Rose 28,106
  18. #18 Annie 27,748
  19. #19 Grace 26,927
  20. #20 Bertha 24,247
  21. #21 Emma 24,176
  22. #22 Bessie 23,984
  23. #23 Clara 23,899
  24. #24 Hazel 23,802
  25. #25 Irene 23,656

Top 25 boys’ names of the 1900s

  1. #1 John 84,590
  2. #2 William 69,320
  3. #3 James 62,170
  4. #4 George 43,589
  5. #5 Charles 36,184
  6. #6 Robert 35,849
  7. #7 Joseph 35,173
  8. #8 Frank 29,046
  9. #9 Edward 24,516
  10. #10 Thomas 21,783
  11. #11 Henry 21,772
  12. #12 Walter 19,997
  13. #13 Harry 17,906
  14. #14 Willie 17,746
  15. #15 Arthur 15,409
  16. #16 Albert 15,318
  17. #17 Clarence 13,573
  18. #18 Fred 13,076
  19. #19 Harold 12,795
  20. #20 Paul 12,636
  21. #21 Raymond 11,650
  22. #22 Richard 10,675
  23. #23 Roy 10,632
  24. #24 Joe 10,466
  25. #25 Louis 10,372

Counts are US births recorded by the Social Security Administration. Numbers show babies given each name across the whole decade.

Frequently asked questions

What was the most popular girls’ name in the 1900s?

Mary was the most popular girls’ name in the 1900s, according to US Social Security Administration data.

What was the most popular boys’ name in the 1900s?

John was the most popular boys’ name in the 1900s.

Where does this ranking come from?

These rankings are compiled from US Social Security Administration records of names given to babies born in the United States, counted separately for girls and boys.

See this year’s most popular names →