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Baby Names by Decade
The names that ruled the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s — counted across the whole decade, not just one year.
What names ruled each decade?
Each list adds up every published birth across the whole decade, so a one-year wonder cannot beat a name that stayed near the top for ten years. The 2020s cover 2020 to 2025 — that decade is still running.
The 1980s (1980–1989)
Jessica led the girls with 469,510 births across the decade; Michael led the boys with 663,807.
Top 10 girl and boy names of the 1980s
| Rank | Girl name | Births | Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Jessica | 469,510 | 1 | Michael | 663,807 |
| 2 | Jennifer | 440,914 | 2 | Christopher | 554,863 |
| 3 | Amanda | 369,727 | 3 | Matthew | 458,951 |
| 4 | Ashley | 352,185 | 4 | Joshua | 396,524 |
| 5 | Sarah | 272,637 | 5 | David | 383,687 |
| 6 | Stephanie | 218,173 | 6 | James | 356,491 |
| 7 | Melissa | 217,922 | 7 | Daniel | 345,537 |
| 8 | Nicole | 210,494 | 8 | Robert | 321,655 |
| 9 | Elizabeth | 198,972 | 9 | John | 321,150 |
| 10 | Heather | 191,852 | 10 | Joseph | 299,411 |
Top 10 girl names of the 1980s
| Rank | Girl name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Jessica | 469,510 |
| 2 | Jennifer | 440,914 |
| 3 | Amanda | 369,727 |
| 4 | Ashley | 352,185 |
| 5 | Sarah | 272,637 |
| 6 | Stephanie | 218,173 |
| 7 | Melissa | 217,922 |
| 8 | Nicole | 210,494 |
| 9 | Elizabeth | 198,972 |
| 10 | Heather | 191,852 |
Top 10 boy names of the 1980s
| Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Michael | 663,807 |
| 2 | Christopher | 554,863 |
| 3 | Matthew | 458,951 |
| 4 | Joshua | 396,524 |
| 5 | David | 383,687 |
| 6 | James | 356,491 |
| 7 | Daniel | 345,537 |
| 8 | Robert | 321,655 |
| 9 | John | 321,150 |
| 10 | Joseph | 299,411 |
Full top 100 of the 1980s →
The 1990s (1990–1999)
Jessica led the girls with 303,136 births across the decade; Michael led the boys with 462,466.
Top 10 girl and boy names of the 1990s
| Rank | Girl name | Births | Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Jessica | 303,136 | 1 | Michael | 462,466 |
| 2 | Ashley | 301,820 | 2 | Christopher | 360,287 |
| 3 | Emily | 237,262 | 3 | Matthew | 351,682 |
| 4 | Sarah | 224,423 | 4 | Joshua | 329,192 |
| 5 | Samantha | 224,023 | 5 | Jacob | 298,415 |
| 6 | Amanda | 191,132 | 6 | Nicholas | 275,329 |
| 7 | Brittany | 190,826 | 7 | Andrew | 272,941 |
| 8 | Elizabeth | 172,693 | 8 | Daniel | 272,360 |
| 9 | Taylor | 169,040 | 9 | Tyler | 262,320 |
| 10 | Megan | 160,375 | 10 | Joseph | 260,751 |
Top 10 girl names of the 1990s
| Rank | Girl name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Jessica | 303,136 |
| 2 | Ashley | 301,820 |
| 3 | Emily | 237,262 |
| 4 | Sarah | 224,423 |
| 5 | Samantha | 224,023 |
| 6 | Amanda | 191,132 |
| 7 | Brittany | 190,826 |
| 8 | Elizabeth | 172,693 |
| 9 | Taylor | 169,040 |
| 10 | Megan | 160,375 |
Top 10 boy names of the 1990s
| Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Michael | 462,466 |
| 2 | Christopher | 360,287 |
| 3 | Matthew | 351,682 |
| 4 | Joshua | 329,192 |
| 5 | Jacob | 298,415 |
| 6 | Nicholas | 275,329 |
| 7 | Andrew | 272,941 |
| 8 | Daniel | 272,360 |
| 9 | Tyler | 262,320 |
| 10 | Joseph | 260,751 |
Full top 100 of the 1990s →
The 2000s (2000–2009)
Emily led the girls with 223,768 births across the decade; Jacob led the boys with 274,077.
Top 10 girl and boy names of the 2000s
| Rank | Girl name | Births | Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Emily | 223,768 | 1 | Jacob | 274,077 |
| 2 | Madison | 193,222 | 2 | Michael | 250,715 |
| 3 | Emma | 181,414 | 3 | Joshua | 232,053 |
| 4 | Olivia | 156,054 | 4 | Matthew | 221,631 |
| 5 | Hannah | 155,784 | 5 | Daniel | 203,975 |
| 6 | Abigail | 150,926 | 6 | Christopher | 203,372 |
| 7 | Isabella | 149,571 | 7 | Andrew | 202,588 |
| 8 | Samantha | 134,313 | 8 | Ethan | 201,835 |
| 9 | Elizabeth | 133,568 | 9 | Joseph | 194,962 |
| 10 | Ashley | 133,041 | 10 | William | 194,415 |
Top 10 girl names of the 2000s
| Rank | Girl name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Emily | 223,768 |
| 2 | Madison | 193,222 |
| 3 | Emma | 181,414 |
| 4 | Olivia | 156,054 |
| 5 | Hannah | 155,784 |
| 6 | Abigail | 150,926 |
| 7 | Isabella | 149,571 |
| 8 | Samantha | 134,313 |
| 9 | Elizabeth | 133,568 |
| 10 | Ashley | 133,041 |
Top 10 boy names of the 2000s
| Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Jacob | 274,077 |
| 2 | Michael | 250,715 |
| 3 | Joshua | 232,053 |
| 4 | Matthew | 221,631 |
| 5 | Daniel | 203,975 |
| 6 | Christopher | 203,372 |
| 7 | Andrew | 202,588 |
| 8 | Ethan | 201,835 |
| 9 | Joseph | 194,962 |
| 10 | William | 194,415 |
Full top 100 of the 2000s →
The 2010s (2010–2019)
Emma led the girls with 195,070 births across the decade; Noah led the boys with 183,378.
Top 10 girl and boy names of the 2010s
| Rank | Girl name | Births | Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Emma | 195,070 | 1 | Noah | 183,378 |
| 2 | Olivia | 184,561 | 2 | Liam | 174,017 |
| 3 | Sophia | 181,174 | 3 | Jacob | 163,321 |
| 4 | Isabella | 170,605 | 4 | William | 159,981 |
| 5 | Ava | 155,879 | 5 | Mason | 157,911 |
| 6 | Mia | 129,110 | 6 | Ethan | 149,111 |
| 7 | Abigail | 118,734 | 7 | Michael | 145,220 |
| 8 | Emily | 117,646 | 8 | Alexander | 142,161 |
| 9 | Charlotte | 102,481 | 9 | James | 139,689 |
| 10 | Madison | 98,438 | 10 | Elijah | 137,147 |
Top 10 girl names of the 2010s
| Rank | Girl name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Emma | 195,070 |
| 2 | Olivia | 184,561 |
| 3 | Sophia | 181,174 |
| 4 | Isabella | 170,605 |
| 5 | Ava | 155,879 |
| 6 | Mia | 129,110 |
| 7 | Abigail | 118,734 |
| 8 | Emily | 117,646 |
| 9 | Charlotte | 102,481 |
| 10 | Madison | 98,438 |
Top 10 boy names of the 2010s
| Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Noah | 183,378 |
| 2 | Liam | 174,017 |
| 3 | Jacob | 163,321 |
| 4 | William | 159,981 |
| 5 | Mason | 157,911 |
| 6 | Ethan | 149,111 |
| 7 | Michael | 145,220 |
| 8 | Alexander | 142,161 |
| 9 | James | 139,689 |
| 10 | Elijah | 137,147 |
Full top 100 of the 2010s →
The 2020s (2020–2025 (so far))
Olivia led the girls with 95,853 births across the decade; Liam led the boys with 124,842.
Top 10 girl and boy names of the 2020s
| Rank | Girl name | Births | Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Olivia | 95,853 | 1 | Liam | 124,842 |
| 2 | Emma | 85,652 | 2 | Noah | 116,024 |
| 3 | Charlotte | 78,055 | 3 | Oliver | 89,293 |
| 4 | Amelia | 76,108 | 4 | James | 72,523 |
| 5 | Sophia | 74,758 | 5 | Elijah | 72,049 |
| 6 | Mia | 68,154 | 6 | William | 68,067 |
| 7 | Isabella | 67,643 | 7 | Henry | 68,047 |
| 8 | Ava | 63,350 | 8 | Lucas | 65,795 |
| 9 | Evelyn | 55,734 | 9 | Theodore | 65,579 |
| 10 | Harper | 47,509 | 10 | Benjamin | 64,922 |
Top 10 girl names of the 2020s
| Rank | Girl name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Olivia | 95,853 |
| 2 | Emma | 85,652 |
| 3 | Charlotte | 78,055 |
| 4 | Amelia | 76,108 |
| 5 | Sophia | 74,758 |
| 6 | Mia | 68,154 |
| 7 | Isabella | 67,643 |
| 8 | Ava | 63,350 |
| 9 | Evelyn | 55,734 |
| 10 | Harper | 47,509 |
Top 10 boy names of the 2020s
| Rank | Boy name | Births |
|---|
| 1 | Liam | 124,842 |
| 2 | Noah | 116,024 |
| 3 | Oliver | 89,293 |
| 4 | James | 72,523 |
| 5 | Elijah | 72,049 |
| 6 | William | 68,067 |
| 7 | Henry | 68,047 |
| 8 | Lucas | 65,795 |
| 9 | Theodore | 65,579 |
| 10 | Benjamin | 64,922 |
Full top 100 of the 2020s →
How the decade is counted
Decade totals use the SSA state files for the 50 states and DC. Names given to fewer than 5 babies in a state in a year are not published, so the totals are slightly smaller than true births. Ranks are competition ranks of the decade sums.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, baby names data, births in 2025, released May 2026. Data checked 8 November 2026. ssa.gov baby names.