These were the top baby names in America 50 years ago: See if yours made the list
Fox News
·Published December 28, 2022 11:20am EST
By Cortney Moore
Baby name trends in America have changed drastically in the last 50 years.
The Social Security Administration (SSA), which started compiling baby name lists in 1997, has retroactively identified 200
of the "most popular" first names given to boys and girls in the 1970s.
There were approximately 17.1 million male births and 16.5 million female births that decade, according to the SSA’s records.
The SSA combed through the millions of records and found which names were most prevalent for
Gen X babies born between 1970 and 1979.
Generation X (Gen X for short) were born between 1965 and 1980, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Here are the top 10 baby names that dominated the 70s.
The most popular male names of the 1970s
1. Michael
Michael is a biblical name that means "who is like God" in Hebrew and it’s reportedly one of the most common names in the world, according to BabyNames.com, an online source for baby name meanings.
The name Michael was found to be the most popular for boys born in the U.S. in the 1970s. The name was reportedly given to 707,588 boys, according to the SSA.
2. Christopher
Christopher is a Greek name that reportedly means "Christ-bearer," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Christopher was reportedly given to 475,597 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
3. Jason
Jason is a biblical name of Greek origin that reportedly means "healer," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Jason was reportedly given to 462,916 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
4. David
David is a biblical name that reportedly means "beloved" in Hebrew, according to BabyNames.com.
The name David was reportedly given to 445,926 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
5. James
James is a gender-neutral biblical name that reportedly means "supplanter" in Hebrew, according to BabyNames.com.
"James is a common and timeless name, popular in almost every decade," the baby name website wrote.
The name James was reportedly given to 444,900 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
6. John
John is a biblical name that means "God is gracious" in Hebrew and it’s reportedly derived from the Latin-Greek name Iohannes, according to BabyNames.com.
"John the Baptist and the apostle John are two important figures that gave rise to the popularity of the name," BabyNames.com reports. "Throughout history the name has been borne by many important notable people, including kings and emperors."
The name John was reportedly given to 402,813 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
7. Robert
Robert is an English name that reportedly means "bright frame," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Robert was reportedly given to 397,376 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
8. Brian
Brian is an Irish name that has an unclear origin but is believed to mean "high" or "noble," according to BabyNames.com.
The name is "possibly related to the old Irish word BRE meaning 'Hill' and by extension 'High/Exalted,'" the online name resource reports.
The name Brian was reportedly given to 322,803 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
9. William
William is an English name with Germanic ties that reportedly means "will, protection, desire and helmet," according to BabyNames.com.
"The name William has never really gone out of style, remaining one of the most popular given names for boys in the last 100 years," BabyNames.com reports. "The name is an English cognate of the German name Wilhelm."
The name William was reportedly given to 283,522 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
10. Matthew
Matthew is a biblical name of English origin, which was derived from the Hebrew name Mattith-yahu and means the "gift of God," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Matthew was reportedly given to 277,918 boys born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
The most popular female names of the 1970s
1. Jennifer
Jennifer is an English name that means "fair" or "soft" and it’s reportedly "a Cornish version of the Welsh name Gwynhwyfar," according to BabyNames.com.
"Gwynhwyfar comes from the old Celtic word roots 'white, fair, or blessed' and ‘sebros’ meaning 'Smooth/Soft' or 'Magical Being,'" the online name resource reports.
The name Jennifer was found to be the most popular for girls born in the U.S. in the 1970s. The name was reportedly given to 581,759 girls, according to the SSA.
2. Amy
Amy is a name that reportedly means "beloved" in Latin, according to BabyNames.com.
The name Amy was reportedly given to 269,000 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
3. Melissa
Melissa is a Greek name that reportedly means "bee," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Melissa was reportedly given to 253,285 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
4. Michelle
Michelle is a name of French origin that reportedly means "who is like God," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Michelle was reportedly given to 249,143 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
5. Kimberly
Kimberly is a gender-neutral English name that reportedly means "from the meadow of the royal fortress," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Kimberly was reportedly given to 229,108 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
6. Lisa
Lisa is an English name that reportedly means "God is my oath," according to BabyNames.com.
The name is the "diminutive form of Elisabeth," according to the online name resource.
The name Lisa was reportedly given to 228,689 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
7. Angela
Angela is a name of English origin that reportedly means "messenger of God," according to BabyNames.com. The name was derived from the Greek word angelos, which means "angel" or "messenger."
The name Angela was reportedly given to 225,261 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
8. Heather
Heather is a nature-based English name that references the heather plant, according to BabyNames.com.
"The heather plant is a variety of shrubs with pink or white flowers and are native to both Scotland and England, though mostly found in Scotland," BabyNames.com reports. "The word heather can also refer to the fabric, which is most often a mix of shades of [gray]."
The name Heather was reportedly given to 203,917 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
9. Stephanie
Stephanie is the feminine form of the name Stephan, according to BabyNames.com. It’s a French name that reportedly means "crown."
The name Stephanie was reportedly given to 160,469 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
10. Nicole
Nicole is a French name that reportedly means "victory of the people," according to BabyNames.com.
The name Nicole was reportedly given to 144,668 girls born in the U.S. during the 1970s, according to the SSA.
James and William were the only two male names that remained in the top 10 from the 1970s to 2021, according to the SSA’s name records. The names ranked in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
The top baby names for boys in 2021 were Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah, James, William, Benjamin, Lucas, Henry and Theodore.
None of the female names from the SSA’s 1970s-based top 10 list carried over to 2021.
The top baby names for girls in 2021 were Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Evelyn and Harper.
The SSA hasn’t released its top 10 baby names of 2022 list at the time of publication.
Cortney Moore is an associate lifestyle writer on the Lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/top-baby-names-america-50-years-ago-see-yours-made-list
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