Special Report

The 50 Most Popular Baby Names of the Last Decade

If you were born in the ’80s or ’90s, then there’s a good chance your name is — or you know someone whose name is — Jessica, Jennifer, Michael, or Christopher. In the two decades since, there has been a much greater variety of names for parents to choose from.

24/7 Tempo identified the top 50 names in the nine years from 2010 through 2018 using data from the Social Security Administration.

Nearly 17 million boys and 16 million girls were born and given names in the United States between 2010 and 2018. Many of them were given names that have been historically popular — such as James, William, Elizabeth — while others were given names that have just recently become more common.

In the age of social media, name trends are often started by celebrities. Some celebrities are responsible for the skyrocketing popularity of some names — these are the 50 fastest-growing first names in America.

The lifespan of the most popular names has shortened. Unlike names like Michael and Mary, which each held the top position for decades, the most popular names of the last decade have been highly popular for much less time. Breaking down the yearly popularity of the 50 most frequently used names this decade, many of the names have been most popular in 2010 or 2011, and declined in popularity every year after that.

Perhaps in a few years from now there will rarely be any more Jessicas, Marys, or Noahs. They may join other names that will become rarely used — just like these 25 names that are going extinct.

Click here to see the 50 most popular baby names of the last decade.
Click here to read our methodology.

Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.