US first names, 1950–1959
Random names from the 1950s
First names on this page come from Social Security Administration records of U.S. births in the 1950s. That period holds 19,229,605 girls across 11,658 distinct names and 20,212,900 boys across 7,325 distinct names. The three most common names were for girls: Mary, Linda, Patricia; for boys: James, Michael, Robert. Names are picked in proportion to how often they were given, and last names come from the 2000 U.S. Census, so the mix looks like real American full names.
More options — middle names, no repeats, realism, seed
1 gives real frequencies. 0 makes every name equally likely.
What the data says
- About 1 in 5 girls born in the 1950s got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 21.3% of all recorded girls.
- Names for girls behave like 364 equally common names out of 11,658 in use (effective number of names).
- The average girl's name has 5.8 letters.
- About 1 in 3 boys born in the 1950s got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 31.7% of all recorded boys.
- Names for boys behave like 193 equally common names out of 7,325 in use (effective number of names).
- The average boy's name has 5.7 letters.
- Fastest riser for girls: Sabrina, from 41 births in 1940 to 1949 to 4,911 in 1950 to 1959.
- Biggest fall for girls: Kaaren, from 558 births in 1940 to 1949 to 92 in 1950 to 1959.
- Fastest riser for boys: Darren, from 52 births in 1940 to 1949 to 2,048 in 1950 to 1959.
- Biggest fall for boys: Melvyn, from 1,503 births in 1940 to 1949 to 275 in 1950 to 1959.
Girls: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 625,606 | 3.25% |
| 2 | Linda | 564,364 | 2.93% |
| 3 | Patricia | 459,681 | 2.39% |
| 4 | Susan | 437,774 | 2.28% |
| 5 | Deborah | 430,537 | 2.24% |
| 6 | Barbara | 345,722 | 1.80% |
| 7 | Debra | 341,348 | 1.78% |
| 8 | Karen | 332,531 | 1.73% |
| 9 | Nancy | 286,812 | 1.49% |
| 10 | Donna | 270,338 | 1.41% |
| 11 | Cynthia | 263,432 | 1.37% |
| 12 | Sandra | 251,591 | 1.31% |
| 13 | Pamela | 237,398 | 1.23% |
| 14 | Sharon | 232,807 | 1.21% |
| 15 | Kathleen | 224,342 | 1.17% |
| 16 | Carol | 222,656 | 1.16% |
| 17 | Diane | 210,624 | 1.10% |
| 18 | Brenda | 209,241 | 1.09% |
| 19 | Cheryl | 171,387 | 0.89% |
| 20 | Janet | 167,520 | 0.87% |
Boys: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James | 843,768 | 4.17% |
| 2 | Michael | 837,471 | 4.14% |
| 3 | Robert | 830,395 | 4.11% |
| 4 | John | 797,922 | 3.95% |
| 5 | David | 769,963 | 3.81% |
| 6 | William | 591,228 | 2.93% |
| 7 | Richard | 535,461 | 2.65% |
| 8 | Thomas | 454,385 | 2.25% |
| 9 | Mark | 382,589 | 1.89% |
| 10 | Charles | 361,177 | 1.79% |
| 11 | Steven | 333,666 | 1.65% |
| 12 | Gary | 329,933 | 1.63% |
| 13 | Joseph | 300,012 | 1.48% |
| 14 | Donald | 273,574 | 1.35% |
| 15 | Ronald | 271,139 | 1.34% |
| 16 | Kenneth | 262,819 | 1.30% |
| 17 | Paul | 253,202 | 1.25% |
| 18 | Larry | 245,698 | 1.22% |
| 19 | Daniel | 243,727 | 1.21% |
| 20 | Stephen | 207,276 | 1.03% |
Girls: 1940 to 1949 → 1950 to 1959
Rising fastest
- Sabrina 41 → 4,911
- Lori 794 → 56,070
- Vanessa 295 → 19,170
- Debra 5,429 → 341,348
- Tammy 490 → 29,176
Falling fastest
- Kaaren 558 → 92
- Aloma 469 → 108
- Merrily 638 → 171
- Bettylou 302 → 92
- Emogene 528 → 162
Boys: 1940 to 1949 → 1950 to 1959
Rising fastest
- Darren 52 → 2,048
- Bret 133 → 3,963
- Kelvin 228 → 5,182
- Keven 39 → 809
- Derrick 333 → 6,173
Falling fastest
- Melvyn 1,503 → 275
- Dick 7,562 → 2,140
- Truman 2,302 → 672
- Judith 610 → 197
- Macarthur 357 → 131
Questions and answers
What was the most common girl's name in the 1950s?
Mary. 625,606 girls received it, 3.25% of all recorded girls born in the 1950s.
What was the most common boy's name in the 1950s?
James. 843,768 boys received it, 4.17% of all recorded boys born in the 1950s.
How concentrated are names in the 1950s?
Among girls the 10 most common names cover 21.3% of births; among boys 31.7%. In this period boys' names were the more concentrated set.
Which names grew fastest compared with 1940 to 1949?
Among names with at least 300 births in 1950 to 1959, the biggest gains were for girls, Sabrina (41 births in 1940 to 1949, 4,911 in 1950 to 1959); for boys, Darren (52 births in 1940 to 1949, 2,048 in 1950 to 1959).
How long is the average first name in the 1950s?
Weighted by how often each name was given: 5.8 letters for girls, 5.7 letters for boys.