Most Popular Baby Names in 1902

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1902. 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 1902, 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	7,907	Mary	14,486
2	William	6,616	Helen	5,967
3	James	5,592	Anna	5,288
4	George	4,223	Margaret	5,011
5	Charles	3,361	Ruth	4,384
6	Robert	3,180	Elizabeth	3,694
7	Joseph	3,098	Florence	3,509
8	Frank	2,756	Marie	3,424
9	Edward	2,294	Ethel	3,295
10	Henry	2,154	Alice	3,135
11	Thomas	2,134	Lillian	3,063
12	Walter	1,858	Gladys	2,809
13	Harry	1,750	Edna	2,754
14	Willie	1,565	Mildred	2,750
15	Arthur	1,486	Dorothy	2,707
16	Albert	1,375	Annie	2,664
17	Clarence	1,292	Grace	2,642
18	Fred	1,286	Emma	2,514
19	Harold	1,077	Bessie	2,448
20	Paul	1,067	Rose	2,444
21	Raymond	1,064	Clara	2,432
22	Roy	1,002	Bertha	2,372
23	Joe	955	Frances	2,326
24	Carl	952	Mabel	2,280
25	Louis	912	Hazel	2,238
26	Richard	908	Irene	2,210
27	Earl	877	Gertrude	2,207
28	Ralph	866	Pearl	2,100
29	Ernest	790	Minnie	2,055
30	Charlie	761	Martha	2,030
31	David	761	Catherine	1,896
32	Jack	743	Myrtle	1,884
33	Samuel	702	Edith	1,853
34	Theodore	642	Ida	1,836
35	Howard	632	Esther	1,833
36	Herbert	615	Louise	1,832
37	Lawrence	598	Eva	1,727
38	Francis	597	Elsie	1,720
39	Alfred	590	Sarah	1,710
40	Elmer	574	Agnes	1,676
41	Sam	559	Nellie	1,566
42	Andrew	558	Josephine	1,565
43	Leo	551	Laura	1,559
44	Eugene	524	Lillie	1,533
45	Daniel	501	Ella	1,525
46	Lee	475	Julia	1,501
47	Floyd	471	Ruby	1,458
48	Michael	460	Viola	1,447
49	Herman	457	Beatrice	1,429
50	Jesse	437	Carrie	1,376
51	Peter	433	Mattie	1,353
52	Leonard	426	Thelma	1,309
53	Russell	422	Mae	1,261
54	Anthony	420	Jessie	1,240
55	Oscar	397	Alma	1,229
56	Edwin	393	Lena	1,225
57	Ray	391	Hattie	1,163
58	Lester	385	Blanche	1,159
59	Lewis	385	Evelyn	1,151
60	Clyde	382	Mamie	1,127
61	Benjamin	374	Lucille	1,087
62	Leroy	370	Cora	1,081
63	Donald	366	Stella	1,075
64	Will	359	Willie	1,071
65	Cecil	354	Lucy	1,065
66	Eddie	353	Marion	1,033
67	Lloyd	344	Virginia	1,008
68	Claude	336	Katherine	1,004
69	Stanley	334	Jennie	985
70	Frederick	330	Pauline	985
71	Clifford	326	Lula	976
72	Martin	325	Fannie	971
73	Jessie	323	Vera	947
74	Chester	321	Ada	921
75	Tom	312	Rosa	909
76	Edgar	307	Leona	875
77	Jim	300	Beulah	873
78	Kenneth	275	Maggie	853
79	Ben	273	Eleanor	837
80	Homer	269	Maude	834
81	Luther	266	Bernice	794
82	Harvey	264	Dora	780
83	Bernard	259	Ann	753
84	Norman	256	Ellen	753
85	Leslie	251	Daisy	748
86	Leon	248	Nora	724
87	Melvin	248	Kathryn	717
88	Everett	238	Susie	717
89	Allen	227	Sadie	716
90	Philip	226	Marguerite	695
91	Johnnie	221	Georgia	664
92	Hugh	217	Effie	658
93	Alexander	216	Doris	656
94	Stephen	210	Hilda	649
95	Jacob	207	Violet	649
96	Milton	207	Della	609
97	Victor	205	Emily	606
98	Patrick	203	Lois	594
99	Alvin	201	Olive	593
100	Horace	199	Flora	587
101	Otto	192	Betty	580
102	Maurice	187	Katie	572
103	Archie	186	Nancy	571
104	Guy	186	Nettie	569
105	Marvin	186	Lola	565
106	Glenn	185	Anne	564
107	Oliver	181	May	560
108	Marion	176	Sallie	556
109	Ed	175	Theresa	549
110	Sidney	175	Marjorie	543
111	Vernon	175	Lottie	537
112	Otis	169	Lydia	535
113	Charley	168	Velma	526
114	Percy	167	Charlotte	524
115	Gilbert	166	Lizzie	504
116	Roosevelt	166	Inez	503
117	Hubert	165	Opal	498
118	Willard	164	Eunice	490
119	Virgil	163	Mable	478
120	Wilbur	163	Goldie	473
121	Earnest	159	Estelle	472
122	Julius	159	Addie	469
123	Wallace	157	Eula	466
124	Ira	156	Loretta	461
125	Alex	154	Lela	459
126	Rufus	152	Caroline	452
127	Gerald	151	Iva	438
128	Morris	150	Henrietta	437
129	Warren	149	Verna	436
130	Jerry	148	Ollie	428
131	Vincent	148	Ora	427
132	Mack	147	Vivian	425
133	Wesley	145	Essie	424
134	Willis	144	Alberta	417
135	Isaac	143	Rosie	417
136	Nathan	143	Sylvia	411
137	Bill	138	Genevieve	410
138	Lonnie	138	Jean	408
139	Dewey	136	Etta	400
140	Emil	136	Harriet	399
141	Sylvester	135	Rachel	393
142	Max	133	Jane	388
143	Bert	130	Lucile	388
144	Calvin	130	Rebecca	382
145	Curtis	129	Nina	369
146	Jose	125	Irma	368
147	Bennie	124	Ola	362
148	Dan	124	Nannie	359
149	Glen	123	Amelia	355
150	Jimmie	123	Madeline	355
151	Rudolph	119	Victoria	339
152	Manuel	118	Marian	338
153	Roland	115	Mollie	337
154	Felix	114	Sara	335
155	Johnie	113	Susan	335
156	Clifton	112	Maria	331
157	Dave	112	Flossie	330
158	Ellis	112	Naomi	327
159	Nicholas	112	Kathleen	325
160	Ollie	110	Christine	323
161	Gordon	109	Olga	321
162	August	108	Geneva	308
163	Elbert	108	Barbara	306
164	Orville	108	Amanda	301
165	Perry	108	Matilda	290
166	Arnold	107	Erma	288
167	Mark	104	Celia	285
168	Matthew	104	Estella	283
169	Edmund	104	Frieda	282
170	Irving	104	Alta	279
171	Jake	102	Sophie	279
172	Adam	99	Norma	277
173	Mike	99	Wilma	272
174	Emmett	98	Hannah	271
175	Clayton	97	Sally	266
176	Franklin	97	Janie	262
177	Antonio	96	Luella	262
178	Cornelius	96	Allie	261
179	Amos	95	Isabel	256
180	Marshall	94	Sophia	256
181	Clinton	92	Amy	255
182	Steve	92	Elva	253
183	Forrest	91	Selma	252
184	Irvin	91	Eliza	249
185	Roscoe	90	Freda	247
186	Ross	90	Nell	247
187	Wayne	90	Cecelia	243
188	Jay	89	Adeline	240
189	Nathaniel	88	Lila	239
190	Adolph	87	Fern	238
191	Phillip	87	Juanita	234
192	Ted	87	Rena	230
193	Jess	86	Winifred	226
194	Dennis	85	Ina	224
195	Gus	85	Callie	221
196	Harley	83	Josie	221
197	Abraham	82	Winnie	221
198	Reuben	82	Maud	218
199	Alonzo	81	Veronica	217
200	Don	79	Kate	213
201	Aaron	78	Belle	212
202	Nelson	78	Audrey	210
203	Sherman	78	Virgie	210
204	Claud	76	Leola	207
205	Douglas	76	Muriel	206
206	Ervin	76	Bertie	205
207	Pete	75	Isabelle	204
208	Tony	74	Jewell	201
209	Moses	73	Miriam	200
210	Roger	73	Elma	199
211	Laurence	71	Cleo	198
212	Ivan	71	Jeanette	198
213	Grady	70	Regina	198
214	Johnny	70	Augusta	195
215	Noah	69	Cecilia	195
216	Wilson	69	Zelma	189
217	Jerome	68	Margie	187
218	Juan	68	Gussie	185
219	Jasper	67	Millie	185
220	Tommie	67	Faye	183
221	Elijah	66	Bonnie	182
222	Solomon	66	Cecile	181
223	Karl	65	Fay	181
224	Austin	64	Carolyn	179
225	Bob	64	Cornelia	179
226	Dale	63	Dollie	176
227	Owen	63	Roberta	176
228	Wilfred	63	Jeannette	174
229	Julian	62	Birdie	173
230	Preston	62	Adele	172
231	Timothy	62	Leah	171
232	Booker	61	Roxie	170
233	Loyd	61	Lora	166
234	Alva	60	Mayme	166
235	Bruce	60	Hester	164
236	Louie	60	Lessie	164
237	Millard	60	Phyllis	164
238	Forest	59	Anita	163
239	Monroe	59	Elnora	162
240	Mose	59	Lulu	161
241	Troy	59	Gracie	160
242	Leland	58	Letha	159
243	Simon	58	Tillie	159
244	Merle	58	Claire	156
245	Emory	58	Geraldine	156
246	Mckinley	58	Maudie	155
247	Wiley	57	Rosalie	155
248	Mary	56	Ila	154
249	Allan	56	Sue	154
250	Levi	55	Johnnie	154

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 'Emory' or 'Maudie', 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 'Marie' 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 'Helens' 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 'Florence' 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 'Robert' or 'Ethel' 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 'Henry' or 'Margaret' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Joseph' or 'Edna' 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 'Frank' or 'Elizabeth' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Edward' or 'Irene' 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.

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.