Most Popular Baby Names in 1882

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1882. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the top 250 most popular baby names in 1882, with a total count for the number of births registered with that given name.

You can also use the links below to research more about the most popular baby names.

Top 1000 most popular boy names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Top 1000 most popular girl names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Boys Girls
Rank Name Count Name Count
1 John 9,557 Mary 8,148
2 William 9,298 Anna 3,143
3 James 5,892 Emma 2,303
4 George 5,193 Elizabeth 2,186
5 Charles 5,091 Minnie 2,004
6 Frank 3,176 Margaret 1,821
7 Joseph 2,670 Ida 1,673
8 Thomas 2,610 Alice 1,542
9 Henry 2,579 Bertha 1,508
10 Robert 2,500 Annie 1,492
11 Edward 2,477 Clara 1,490
12 Harry 2,232 Sarah 1,410
13 Walter 1,805 Florence 1,322
14 Arthur 1,686 Martha 1,229
15 Fred 1,641 Ella 1,206
16 Albert 1,499 Grace 1,195
17 Samuel 1,003 Laura 1,151
18 Louis 852 Bessie 1,144
19 David 838 Nellie 1,138
20 Clarence 837 Maude 1,089
21 Charlie 753 Cora 1,076
22 Richard 746 Carrie 1,037
23 Joe 739 Mabel 997
24 Andrew 673 Ethel 989
25 Will 666 Mattie 966
26 Jesse 660 Gertrude 939
27 Ernest 642 Jennie 934
28 Oscar 625 Rose 886
29 Daniel 594 Edith 876
30 Sam 555 Hattie 859
31 Willie 541 Helen 838
32 Alfred 523 Lillian 830
33 Roy 521 Pearl 824
34 Benjamin 478 Louise 813
35 Carl 478 Julia 811
36 Peter 461 Lillie 810
37 Frederick 457 Jessie 806
38 Elmer 441 Myrtle 803
39 Lewis 441 Edna 783
40 Herbert 431 Lula 780
41 Lee 427 Eva 765
42 Howard 422 Catherine 726
43 Ralph 407 Lena 697
44 Paul 397 Ada 689
45 Jim 396 Frances 681
46 Jacob 390 Lucy 673
47 Tom 390 Fannie 650
48 Martin 387 Daisy 648
49 Earl 377 Josephine 638
50 Claude 356 Maggie 627
51 Herman 348 Dora 594
52 Bert 341 Katherine 591
53 Eugene 341 Marie 591
54 Ed 337 Agnes 565
55 Ben 334 Effie 561
56 Francis 327 Blanche 547
57 Michael 321 Rosa 542
58 Edgar 308 Nora 539
59 Edwin 305 May 510
60 Chester 300 Mamie 508
61 Harvey 300 Stella 506
62 Clyde 293 Lizzie 495
63 Lawrence 287 Sallie 487
64 Luther 284 Ellen 452
65 Isaac 278 Elsie 448
66 Jack 271 Della 447
67 Charley 262 Nancy 439
68 Guy 253 Nettie 439
69 Otto 252 Maud 432
70 Patrick 249 Susie 412
71 Ira 244 Mae 406
72 Oliver 244 Sadie 391
73 Hugh 239 Flora 380
74 August 234 Alma 368
75 Theodore 232 Etta 352
76 Floyd 231 Lydia 342
77 Leonard 231 Addie 341
78 Raymond 230 Katie 327
79 Alexander 225 Susan 326
80 Allen 206 Ruth 323
81 Stephen 201 Georgia 320
82 Archie 195 Lottie 319
83 Ray 195 Viola 310
84 Jessie 192 Mollie 305
85 Homer 190 Caroline 304
86 Warren 183 Nannie 299
87 Philip 182 Kate 293
88 Horace 176 Olive 291
89 Alex 172 Willie 291
90 Eddie 169 Harriet 289
91 Julius 168 Amanda 288
92 Emil 157 Eliza 280
93 Marion 157 Lulu 279
94 Clifford 155 Virginia 274
95 Milton 155 Emily 272
96 Leroy 152 Kathryn 272
97 Dan 150 Esther 266
98 Rufus 147 Belle 264
99 Leo 146 Rebecca 259
100 Sidney 146 Charlotte 257
101 Mack 145 Jane 254
102 Wesley 145 Amelia 252
103 Bernard 144 Matilda 242
104 Willis 143 Irene 232
105 Anthony 139 Ollie 218
106 Dave 139 Hannah 214
107 Everett 139 Henrietta 211
108 Dennis 135 Pauline 204
109 Amos 134 Rachel 203
110 Lester 134 Estella 198
111 Alonzo 133 Amy 196
112 Perry 133 Beulah 190
113 Alvin 132 Augusta 183
114 Leon 131 Ora 181
115 Harold 127 Sara 180
116 Percy 126 Sophia 179
117 Calvin 123 Eleanor 174
118 Jess 122 Lola 174
119 Leslie 122 Mildred 172
120 Lloyd 121 Nina 171
121 Gus 120 Theresa 170
122 Otis 116 Josie 169
123 Adam 114 Anne 168
124 Nathan 113 Leona 163
125 Franklin 112 Ann 150
126 Elijah 111 Delia 143
127 Matthew 109 Lela 143
128 Victor 109 Marion 141
129 Noah 108 Mayme 140
130 Cornelius 107 Rosie 140
131 Norman 107 Bettie 136
132 Jerry 105 Ruby 136
133 Levi 105 Iva 134
134 Earnest 104 Janie 134
135 Hiram 104 Estelle 133
136 Nelson 104 Victoria 132
137 Phillip 103 Lou 131
138 Wallace 103 Barbara 130
139 Maurice 102 Callie 129
140 Elbert 99 Louisa 128
141 Emmett 99 Celia 126
142 Jake 97 Evelyn 125
143 Ross 96 Mable 125
144 Jose 95 Beatrice 123
145 Adolph 94 Betty 123
146 Eli 94 Millie 122
147 Moses 93 Maria 121
148 Manuel 92 Alta 119
149 Silas 92 Luella 117
150 Wiley 92 Dorothy 115
151 Abraham 91 Allie 113
152 Felix 91 Birdie 113
153 Claud 90 Essie 113
154 Mark 90 Ola 113
155 Christopher 89 Sophie 110
156 Mike 89 Inez 106
157 Gilbert 88 Ina 104
158 Jasper 88 Tillie 104
159 Ellis 86 Nell 103
160 Melvin 86 Rena 103
161 Aaron 85 Dollie 99
162 Alva 85 Bertie 96
163 Marshall 83 Eula 95
164 Willard 83 Lelia 95
165 Wilson 82 Sally 95
166 Jeff 81 Lucinda 93
167 Morris 81 Cornelia 91
168 Roscoe 81 Harriett 91
169 Wilbur 81 Alberta 90
170 Jay 80 Myra 89
171 Virgil 80 Lucille 85
172 Clinton 79 Sue 84
173 Lonnie 78 Leila 83
174 Ollie 78 Winifred 83
175 Simon 78 Katharine 82
176 Mose 77 Isabelle 81
177 Fredrick 76 Abbie 80
178 Harrison 76 Rhoda 79
179 Monroe 76 Sylvia 79
180 Stanley 76 Bess 76
181 Harley 75 Mina 76
182 Max 74 Verna 76
183 Sylvester 74 Christine 75
184 Reuben 73 Elva 75
185 Russell 73 Eunice 75
186 Edmund 71 Adelaide 74
187 Timothy 71 Genevieve 74
188 Curtis 70 Johanna 74
189 Millard 70 Winnie 74
190 Garfield 69 Eugenia 73
191 Ike 67 Hazel 73
192 Ora 67 Hettie 73
193 Bruce 66 Lida 73
194 Byron 66 Roxie 72
195 Irvin 66 Isabel 72
196 Nicholas 66 Loretta 72
197 Augustus 65 Adeline 70
198 Austin 65 Gussie 70
199 Owen 65 Lenora 70
200 Anton 64 Lilly 70
201 Marvin 64 Lettie 68
202 Wade 64 Mathilda 68
203 Edd 63 Hulda 67
204 Steve 63 Vera 67
205 Asa 62 Gertie 65
206 Columbus 62 Lila 65
207 Bill 61 Lucretia 65
208 Irving 61 Adele 64
209 Newton 61 Christina 64
210 Clayton 60 Jeanette 64
211 Pete 60 Lois 64
212 Bob 59 Myrtie 64
213 Dock 59 Olga 64
214 Johnnie 59 Hester 63
215 Anderson 58 Lily 63
216 Pearl 58 Mittie 63
217 Elias 57 Carolyn 62
218 Gustave 57 Hallie 62
219 Nathaniel 57 Phoebe 62
220 Grover 56 Wilhelmina 62
221 Arch 55 Elnora 60
222 Clark 54 Helena 60
223 Joel 54 Jean 60
224 Riley 54 Jeannette 60
225 Cecil 53 Nelle 59
226 Emery 53 Lucile 58
227 Vernon 53 Hilda 58
228 Barney 52 Irma 58
229 Lon 52 Bernice 57
230 Rudolph 52 Leah 56
231 Andy 51 Minerva 56
232 Clifton 51 Ophelia 56
233 Glenn 51 Cecelia 55
234 Solomon 51 Lora 55
235 Abe 50 Francis 54
236 Joshua 50 Naomi 54
237 Sherman 50 Selma 54
238 Christian 49 Alvina 53
239 Hubert 49 Marguerite 52
240 Jackson 49 Olivia 52
241 Preston 49 Virgie 52
242 Donald 48 Louella 51
243 Ferdinand 48 Meta 51
244 Scott 48 Frieda 50
245 Conrad 47 Zella 50
246 Mathew 47 Teresa 50
247 Enoch 47 Claudia 49
248 Marcus 46 Fanny 49
249 Tony 46 Violet 48
250 Orville 46 Georgie 47

What's in a (Popular) Name?

How do we know which baby names are hot each year? It's simple! The Social Security Administration collects data as parents register their newborns for a Social Security card. So, instead of waiting for the 10-year census, we get an annual update on the trending names!

Popular Baby Names vs. Popular First Names: Any Differences?

If you're wondering why the most popular baby names and the most popular first names aren't the same, remember: first names include everyone, not just babies. With 16.5% of the population over 65, names popular in their generation, like 'Conrad' or 'Teresa', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'John' or 'Mary' topping the overall popular names list until the Baby Boomer generation decreases significantly.

What Factors Influence Baby Name Popularity?

Ever wondered how a name like 'George' or 'Alice' hits the charts? It's not an exact science, but here are some cool factors:

Celebrity Influence

Americans adore their stars! A favorite celeb can influence baby names, so if you see more little 'Jamess' or 'Annas' running around, you might have a Hollywood A-lister to thank!

Character-Inspired Names

Bookworms and movie buffs often name their kids after beloved characters. If 'Charles' or 'Ida' sound familiar, check out the latest bestseller or box-office hit!

Following the Trend

We humans are trend-followers. So, if a friend's baby 'Frank' or 'Bertha' has a cute ring to it, don't be surprised if it catches on!

The Power of Recall

Names heard repeatedly stick in our minds. So if 'Robert' or 'Elizabeth' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Joseph' or 'Florence' stand the test of time, thanks to the tradition of naming babies after older relatives.

Religion and Politics

Religious texts and political figures inspire many parents. Evergreen choices like 'Thomas' or 'Margaret' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Henry' or 'Gertrude' becomes popular, these factors give us some fun insights into the ever-changing landscape of baby names!

Historical Data for Baby Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names have changed, you can use the links below to view the historical data by decade.

Most popular first names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular boy names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular girl names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Data Source(s)

All of the data on this page is sourced from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and excludes any names with fewer than 5 occurrences in any geographic area.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spent a lot of time downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1882". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 28, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1882/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1882". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1882/. Accessed 28 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 1882. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1882/.